Bismarck weekly tribune., 1886-01-29
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
Why Colonel Thompson Always Goes
East Via the Baltimore q Ohio.
WAsHINeToN, January l6. 1886.

in any country in the month of January.
Indeed, It was so exceptionally fine as to
suggest the vulgar but very common idea,
that it might after all be but .sweather
breeder When was about to start, this
thought came Into my mind and was inten-
sifed' by the fact that up to that time dur
ing the entire fall and winter, the weather
had been uninterrup ptedl ly good, and that 1T
was reasonable to! anticipate speedy
change for the worse. 755zs
This suggested that, as there were differ
ent routes over which u might reach my
lection OF that route which would be least
liable to distractions and disasters, in case
the anticipated storm should come. The
was a very difficult problem The crossing
of the mountains, while affOrding the great
est field of Bthetic and sublime enjoyment,
was still regarded as the most liable to OBJ
structiOn, delay and danger.
The Baltimore & Ohio had the most
southern and mildest climate; it's elevation
was moderate, and its reputation for reIia-
bllity and freedom from delay or accident
was without tarnish or suspicion.
OF course, selected the Baltimore &
Ohio, as | had frequently done before, with
out ever er5haying had reason to regret my
choice. z.$
But as / have heretofore spoken to you
of some of the more real and substantial
advantages of travelling over this elegantly
equipped road as compared with its more
northern competitors, shall, in this, en-
deayor to confne the little time now have
at my disposal to description OF, orrather
to brief and desultory reference to some
OF the more prominent and attractive
aesthetic advantages this route over the
mOutalnS possesses. BE-
After an elegant and satisfactory nights
rest in one of her superb parlor and sleep
ing cars, we arrived early in the morning
at BenWood, w. Va, just across the beauti-
full Ohio river from Bellaire and four miles
below Wheeling. Here we set our watches
forward one hour and bid farewell to the
goth meridian time, upon which we had
been running from Bismarck to Benwood:
here we changed our old engine for new
and more, powerful one, and here we at
tached an elegant and beautifully supplied
emerged into the well filled sleeper and
proclaimed the welcome breakfast is
now ready in the dining car"
VI course, the eloquent announcement
was eagerly responded to, and by the time
a hot and delicious breakfast had been fin
ished, the once famed "flats OF Grave
Creek" had been passed, and we were rap
idly ascending one of its principal tribu-
taries towards the summit, marked by the
first considerable tunnel, dividing the
waters of Grave creek from those Of the
Monongahela river, running north to Pitts
burgh.
In ascending this first mountain, after
having. travelled for thousands of miles
OF such comparatively level and unbrOken
country as passed through in Dakota, Min
nesota,. Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio, the transition was SO strikingly pal
pable: the new topography had grown so
varied, so grand, so picturesque and so fas-
clnating as to attract and absorb the entire
attention. stimulate the ego to it's greatest
fa,,c nfl hum
absorption and integration, and stimuli
taneously evolved sciltillations of unal-
loyed delight and suggestive ecstacy. The
tall peaks and more elevated ridges tower
ing up in the distance and overtopping
those still nearer, and which on nearer ap-
proach and the attainment of still greater
elevation, sank down to an apparent level
with those already passed, and were again
overtopped by those farther off and of
greater elevation, reminding one of the
early impressions, still vivid,Of sPelion and
Ossa piled" still more of Byron's couplet
in Childe Har0ld's tour of the moutains of
Spain, in which he exclains:
Aoh A6@ th the1s FSis is sTestaess in the mountain air.
share.'
In passing up and over this mountain to
Warrington, distance of sixty miles, it is
worthy of notice that the timber is all de-
ciduous and mostly hard wood, the foliage
of which in the fail affords the most uni
versal and delightful variegation of all
tints and colors, and being scattered dense
ly all over the broad towering mountain
sides, too steep for cultivation, but spread
ing themselves in combined panoramic
and birds eye view from the railroad pre-
sents the traveller picture SO transcend
emily beautiful as to insure it's ardent and
complete Photographic aggregation within
Nor is the forestry of these mountain
slopes and crests rendered less interesting
and enchanting foliage; for then every
naked, slender, upright, dropping or pen
dant branch is sparkling with the frozen
crystals OF humid mountain atmosphere,
until every mountain side wears the en-
chantment of dazzling rainbow.
After leaving Warrington we passed
over another mountain Of similar scenic
grandeur, and down it's descent along a
beautiful tributary to the Monongahela
river at Paramount Seventy-Seyen miles
east Of Wheeling. The whole of the coun-
try passed over, though mountainous and
picturesque, is settled, and much of it cul-
tiyated. Wherever the land is not too steep
ted over with comfortable residences.
These add greatly to the variety and inter
est of the scenery. Occasional bald hills
of great extent not so elevated or with
sides so steep as those covered with prime
val forests, are fenced off into great
square fields, interspersed with comfort
able roads and fine orchards; altogether, as
seen from the cars, as looking at picture
on canvass, adds, greatly to. the scenic
beauty of the country at all seasons.
Here we cross over the river and pass up
it's northeast bank to Grafton, the junction
of the Parkersburg branch railroad, 1O4
miles from Wheeling. The view on either
side of the river is mountainous, varied.
sublime and beautiful.
At Grafton the incoming passengers from
Parkersburg crowded our train, and so Oc-
cupied my attention for an hour as to Gre
ate a hiatus in my description which is al
ready long enough for perusal, so will
make all my desired apologies for tedious
ness and desist for the present, but to be
continued. WIN. THOMPSON,
.l The English Commons. -,, o..
LONDON, Jan. 25.-In the house of COM