The Monitor., 1885-07-03
The Editorial Excursion.

ters and best girls of the fraternity
aforesaid, assembled at the Broad Street
Station, Philadelphia, on Monday morning
of last week and awaited the departure
of the special excursion train which was
billed to leave at 1910. Owing to the
train from New York being behind time
the departure was not made until 1870,
when the train pulled out of the station
with as jolly a crowd on board as ever
boarded a train on the Penna. Railroad.
The destination was Old Point Comfort,
Va, over the line of the recently opened
New York, Pllila. and Norfolk Railroad,
which runs through Delaware and down
the eastern ''sho' of Maryland and Viz
gina, having its southern terminus at
Cape Charles City, nearly at the southern
extremity of the Peninsula. Wilmington
was reached at 1.20, where engines were
changed and the train headed for Delmar,
on the boundary line between Delaware
and Maryland. the name being formed of
the abbreviation Del. and Mar. At Mid
dleton, Del, halt was made for lunch
which was brought on board the train,
sufficient for each passenger being slowed
in neat box.
At Delmar another change of engines
was made and the train proceeded without
further stops until its destination was
reached, the ride being through a some
what mOnotonous country, cleared land and
forest alternating with great regularity,
here and there passing the old-fashioned
southern mansions with hip roofs and
chimneys built outside the house, and near
by a cluster of cabins suggestive of the
days when every plantation had its quota
of slaves. One section of the railroad ex-
tends for a distance of forty miles as
straight as an arrow, and ballasted the
whole distance with oyster shells. Cape
Charles City was reached at O'Clock, the
travellers having ridden the whole distance
of - miles from Philadelphia without
change of ears. Here the large and hand
some steamer "Cape Charles was in wait
ing. and the excursionists were conveyed
swiftly over the waters of Chesapeake Bay,
glistening in the sunlight to Old Point
Comfort, where they were landed on the
pier within a stones throw of the Hygeia
Hotel at $50. Old Point Comfort has for
many years been celebrated as watering
place. Long before grim visaged war
laid waste the sunny shore of old Virginia
the gentry of the old commonwealth re-
sorted thither for recreation and sea air.
And now these piping times of peace
find it as pleasant as of yore and with vast
ly improved accommodations, and on the
very shore of the bay, so that the passen-
ger steps from the pier almost into the
front door of the structure, stands the
Hygeia its very name a tonic to the invalid
who seeks its shelter.
Such a building one would not expect
to find outside the largest northern place,
but here it stands covering over two acres
of ground, requiring for its furnishing
over five acres of carpets, for its comfort
over ninety miles of steam, water drain,
ventilating and gas pipes, and for its adorn-
ment over nineteen acres of painted sur
face We spoke of invalids. The Hygeia
is popular resort for many laboring un-
der the ills to which human flesh is heir.
But there are no invalids among the roll
licking, tjovial two hundred Jerseymen and
Jerseywomen who have thus been landed
at the door of the great caravansary. swell.
ing the list of guests then sheltered under
it's roof to over five hundred, with room
for vet another five hundred when it should
please them to arrive. Rooms were as
signed, wash-water and whisk brooms
were in demand and the hungry crowd
descended upon the dining room like a
swarm OF Rocky Mountain locusts. But
the resources of the establishment were
equal to Jersey appetites and soon the in
vading host retreated in good order, some
to bed to rest from the fatigue of the jour
ney, some to the ballroom to fling a foot
with the Southern chivalry, others to prom
enade, and all to enjoy the evening. at
pleasure.
Tuesday the excursionists were abroad
bright and early. The day was spent eX-
amining the points of interest in the neigh
borhood, which are numerous. Fortress
Monroe was point of attraction for many.
A defense which has stood upon the same
site since 1877, the general outline is
that of a hexagon or six sided structure,
two sides commanding the water front
while four look landward The water
front is defended by two tiers of guns
and the ramparts rise to height of
II feet above high water A broad
moat in which the tide rises at high
water to a depth of s feet, surrounds
the entire structure and is crossed by
wooden bridges and outside the moat on
the water front are water batteries and
other outworks.
The fortress is heavily armed, but the
dogs of war are silent now save the morn
ing and evening gun and the practice fir
ing. A Hotchkiss gun with which target
exercise is practiced attracted much atten-
ton. The gun is operated by crank and
throws a small shell which explodes on
striking the object aimed at. The target
was 1000 feet away and after each dis
charge at intervals of a second or two. the
report of the exploding shell could be
heard as it struck the target. The garri-
son is small Inside the walls of the for
tress are parade ground, officers quar-
ters. barracks, and pretty chapel where
the chaplain of the post holds services
every Sunday, attended by the garrison
and visitors at the hotel, which is but a
short distance away.
In the afternoon The National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, at Hampton,
was visited, a beautiful building surrounded
by pleasant, well-kept grounds, where the
veterans of many battle field may rest
free from wars alarms, and enjoy, at the
hands ofthe government they helped to save,
a home and subsistence for the remain.
der of that life rendered otherwise bur
den to them from wounds or disabilities.
Every provision is here made for the COM
fort and amusement, even to beautiful
theatre The grounds are patrolled and
cared for by police force composed of in
mates of the home. But even in this para
disc the serpent of strong drink has
entered, and many of the old veterans
on receipt of their pension money make
haste to get outside into the town and in
dulge in a surreptitious drunk. More than
one case of the kind was witnessed by the
excursionists, and we were informed that
it was common sight. The Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute
was also visited, where the government