Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-09-18
TH|R D EDITION.
UP THE swIrCHBACK.
Maueh CHUNK, the swftzerlsnd Of
America &C ascadss and Water.
faIIs-Gien OnO6O.

Six car loads OF excursionists are In
lented TO the com ittee of the Armory
Fund Excursion COMMITTEES, principal
amongst whom we're Captain Ell. Mitch
ell, Major Wood and Lieut. Hartman,
for the delightful ride 70 Mauch Chunk
yesterday aud the still more delightful
enjoyment Of the romantic sight Of that
Switzerland of America. The train got
away from Wilmington promptly at
q 80 q. m. and after run of six hours
arrived at Mauch Chunk.
The ride was most delightfully."- the vari-
cd scenery keeping the mind continual.
" on the stretch for new and fresh
beauty. The valley of the Brandywinel
needs no description to Wilmingtoniant
and besides crossing and re-crossing the
Brandywine large number Of times,
running across meadow lapds and
around bluffs aud hills there IVES only |
TO note the uncoupllng of the train
about the middle, while rounding the
steep grade where Pussy s old Ice houses |
stand near Wagontown station. The
Philadelphia and Reading railroad cars |
not being accustomed to the short curves |
in the W. aud N. road came uncoupled. |
After the truant engines (thcre were
two of them) ran on mile or so before
knowing they had left part of their load
behind, they returned and gathered upj
the stragglers. They came uncoupled
again when near Waynes burg junction,
and considerable time was lost by these
little happenings. From anna
Heights the Blne Mountains appeared
TO view in the distance. Amongst these
mountains We expected at least TO end
the da,, though we had to commences 1t
in Wilmington.
On down the crooked road the train
nh baf
into through the windows equaraly
from both sides and both ends before We
could get away from it, so winding was
the road; then striking run our course
was down 1t TO BIrdsboro, which we
passed In a fash and Strengthened ont
for beading, with tie Schuylkili river
and the Philadelphia and Rea5ing Rail
road on the right. Past Gibraltar BEAD
ing loomed in view, and after crossing
the Schuylkill three times, tie city dis
tinguished for iron, beer and Democracy
was entered. Those who had never De
fore seen Heading thought 1t WASH
much of a place, but III the same man
ner those who pass along Water stree
in the cars think Wilmington is DO
much of place.
The farther we wind and meande
around the outskirts to get up on hig
ground and away from the river frou
the prettier the town becomes, and b
the time the train gets properly on tn
y. & X. track, we look down upon th
macadamized streets of a city rivalin
Wilmington in beauty. A few moment
are lost here in repairing the I'M
coupling, and then We are in fall stretc
up through the most beautiful part {
Berks' County, following the meande
inps of the Sohuylkill, which we hal
struck again.
GA past Leesburg, SGoemakersvil
and Hamburg, pretty towns on T.
Schuylkill, surrouundei by thrivir
farms with large houses and bari
beautiful lily painted, deuoting hi;
state Of OF civilization and intelli gerC
and yet this Ia the country where Oh,
say the voters still vote for Andre
jackson. 1t Is a SANDER on these GO
people. They may Do Democrats, b
not 40 ignorant as thai. The n;t
station of Bern il notice that Berks
about played out, and the question ne
ia which of these several gaps In I
mountain in front o US will our ira
enter. The question was soon soly
by the train PPM uG into a tunnel al
coming out ~ Port Clinton in Schuy
kill CounE.
A stoP here gave us time to look
some men away Up on the mouuta
eide excavsting and forming q led
upon which the Peunsy lvania Railro;
is constructing a line to the Goa regio
in opposition 10 the =. x X. roa
Farther on we come To the coal mint
They appear all along the road, a,
everything is black with coal. TamaquI
where a short stop is made, 10 surroun
ed with coal mines. Sixteen mil
farther on Is Isuch Chunk. The ere
all along here has lost its old track
the ashes ara offal from TIE u ines.
Scarcely a spot of agricultural grou
is to be seen. IL is coal, coal, eve
where, and men AMI boys rush uut
the coal break ers, ous Of the shafts, O
otholes III the mountains, black
ebony and ye. white men, 10 gree:
as We pass a 'ong. How our Wi,mil
ton poor Iejp.e, who pick coal alorg ,
railroad tracks and PICK 1t from <;
b:ge and ash piles would luxuFiate 3
rejoice If they only had these rich pic
Jugs where so many tons go to waste
But here we are il a tunnel, a long .
mel, through a mountain OF coal, "A
emerging from It we start down
stream with tn water .;lAuing east
stead of west.
We have e.tlrel branch Of
Lsbigh river ana VS. are coming OF. Y
nearly to Maach Chunl ltere az uet
there are ccai mines everywhere, br'
ahead y0nder across the Lshigh /
town which we art tod is Es~t Ma
Chunk. " was small and seemed tn
standing upon the only level plateau
view. Away up above our heads 10
right we are tod is the Switch back.
up the Lehigh TO Che left, there ~ {
Onoko.
But here are in Mauch Chr
We look will Amusement Why,
crowded inti- narrow gorge betw
two mountsiu- With only room e.9
for one good street Mountains owe
II on all sides. instead OF looking
country over from the ateepe OF
Court House. we haveto climb M
the top OF mounta in TO get a
look down On the steepie But ther
another town hung away upon
mountain there. IL is called '
Nauch Chunk
The late ex Governor Packers
dence is pointed out 10 us. 1t i
beautiful house, aud commences L
the mountain sidr, about where
C)ort HOUSE, leaves eff at, and
gardens and yards are hung in teri
upon the mountain eide, somethiu ing
suppose, like the hanging garde
Babylon. and there Is C.. NJ.
enrtng's residences, a palace that T
the Packer re.ctuoa. TAe people
are wealthy, f4sainn2bie and W
social and hospitanie.
But we cannot gfop here to &
dasc.iosion of Maucu Chunk. I
are other things that claim our a
fiOn a very iiDupr n