The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1886-08-19

board one ofthese western bound trains
affords one an excellent opportunity
to study human nature. It is compos-
ed of twelve or more coaches and each
one is crammed and jammed with ev-
cry imaginable specimen of humanity.
English, Irish, French, Dutch, Poles,
Swedes, Indians, Chinese and Negroes.
Male and female, rich and poor, old
and young; babies, parrots, song
birds, monkies and dogs. Our train
is the !!"limited express" with only
few stops before reaching Cumberland.
With a snort and jump we are off
for Washington here we get view
OF the monument, the tallest structure
in the world, the Capitol and various
public buildings Again we are off
and are laundering toward Harper's
Ferry. From the train is seen John
Browns fort and other places of his
toric interest Now the scenery is
grand the Potomac has dwindled to
a mere thread Here Stonewall Jack
son crossed-yondel 3 battle WAS
fought All along through this beau
tiful and romantic coun.Ey the "Stars
and Bars" were carried, with varying
fortune, by the veterans OF the lost
cause" until furled forever at Apo
mattoX.
As the train speeds along, canal
river, valley ana mountain are seen at
a glance. From some cause the train
is an hour behind time and | can say
never did | experience such rapid
transit" Winding along the banks
Of rivers whose muddy waters are
struggling over rocks forty or fifty
feet below and turning curves SO sud
denly we had to hold on with both
hands to keep from flying out the
windows (the rate was about so miles
an hour is something to disturb the
equilibrium even oi the most expert
enced tourist. Cumberland IS reached,
however, without accident and we
change cars for Pittsburg. Fortunate
ly the new conductor appears more
rational and the speed is not 50 fear
fully fast The country seems to grow
wilder, more rugged and romantic
The train flies along at forty miles an
hour, through hills and over valleys
now plunging into tunnels Of mid
night darkness to emerge as quickly
in the sunlight to again behold wood
ed mountain peak and spreading val
ley. Anon the walls OF bare rock rise
an hundred feet at our very side;
again we are leaping streams or fol-
lowing their scrpentIne courses now
flashing past towns and villages SEEM
ingly hanging upon the hillsides so in
securely that the merest breath would
percipitate thela TO the chasm below.
Nightfall overtakes us within fifteen
miles Of Pittsburg. Now we are in
the coal and natural gas region-look
where we will, to the right to the left,
fires are burnias iron works, Coke
works, Bessemer steel works, natural
ga weels (the tubes thirty feet hi igh)
blazing twenty feet above the mouth
OF the tube. Such sights cannot be
witnessed elscW here. On, on we 90
and reach Pittsburg itself-a perfect
panorama Of light. This is a wonder
ful city, with its vast and varied in
dustries Its population is estimated
at over 100000. The inexhaustible
supply Of natural gas which is being
utilized now in the place of coal is
gradually relieving the city OF the
smoky, dingy appearance which once
gained for the place the name of 'fhell's
oven with the iid OFT.
The people SEEM prosperous-they
are certainly energetic The finest
horses and cattle are here Everything
is push and vim. Machinery is used
for every possible purpose Shipments
are made to All parts Of the civilized
world. This is indeed one Of the great
cities Of the earth. w. &. d.