Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-06-20
NORFOLK's EsEhGx.
a Bnst,ing busy yirginln CIty-
HOatOtn hr Ess. IN. a. NJ a.s,ra NN 4

bnstOn by Sea ON "A Record Maker,
The Harlan 4 Hollingsworth Company
Ia the builder Of one Of the record. break
Ing steamers Of the present season. Upon
q recent trip the iron screw boat, Dor
CHESTER, of the Merchants and Miners
Line OF Baltimore, ran from Boston to
Norfolk In 35 hours, beating the record
ny about Beysn hours. This Ia great
achievement In such short voyage, but
It Is said did not test the speeding ca-
pacity Of the boat.
To Boston by sea constitutes most
pieasurable jRunt these warm summer
days. u is restful, exhilarating and re-
frssning, and to those who have had little
steamer experience is delightful novelty
which even mn attack OF sea-siokness does
not dull. a. party OF Wilmingtohians
who have recently gone to and returned
from the "hub" by way of Baltimore on
the merchants and miners steamer, Dor
chester, arc enthusiastic over tho
pleasures OF the voyage and commend il
to everyone desiring weeks respite from
business during the hot weather. Leay.
ing Baltimore on Monday afternoon the
steamer reaches Norfolk by breakfast
time next morning. This call il one of
the incidents of the voyage as the day Is
spent OF this port.
Norfolk is necessarily q surprise to
every northern man who has formed Jan
impression Of the place. II probably has
population OF 25, 600 souls and Is teem.
Ing with business. 1t has distinctively
metropolitan cir, and business energy and
commercial enterprise are everywhere
apparent. Norfolk has m immense cot
ton trade, does a heavy businesH in
tobacco and In the centre of supply for q
large agricultural area Of country. There
are five railroad lines have q terminus
here and its water traffic Is immense. II
has probably so stores as large and
heavily stocked aB can he found here be-
side innumerable smaller shops aud bust.
ness places. The chief hotel of the city,
the Atlantic, IL a superb hostelrie, excel
lent in all appointments and richly fur
nished. A number OF very good but less
pretentious houses go to make up the
accommodations offered the travelling
public. The private residences in the
better portion OF the town are ornate and
exceedingly pretty while the street
paving is wonder 10 Wilmingtonian.
The process Of laying Belgian blocks is
worthy Of imitation. 1t consists OF dig
ging three feet below grade when thick
coat of sand is spread and on this per-
feet oobble pavement ia laid. Over the
cobble heavy bed Of sand, rammed
tight, il placed and then the Belgian
blocks are laid and beaten down, as far
~ they can be forced. The result is
one of the best street pavementE possible
to obtain through the uee OF stone.
On the opposite side Of the river, which
Ia crossed by ferry made by the Harlan
Il Hollingsworth Company, is Portsmouth
conspicuous only for the big navy yard
OF the United States government. The
town is what would classed as typical
southern town, without activity or busi-
ness energy. The navy yard occupies
400 or more aores, q great part OF which
are covered with brick buildings, which
have cost millions Of dollars to construct
and equip with machinery. There is
little work going on in this immense
yard, which by reason OF the depth OF
water and temperature is said to be the
finest in this country, from the fact, in
part, that the harbor never freezes and
IL Is never too cold for outdoor work.
The old wooden steamer Franklin OF the
United States navy is anchored In
the harboE and serves as O receiving
ship. She is rickety, old tub,
distinguished only for the circumstances
that she brought "Boss" Tweed from
Spain, where be ran TO escape the wrath
Of the law, and as the flag ship Of Ad-
miral Farragut upon his last trip. The
Pensacola, another wooden ship recently
sunk in the dry dock Is also of the navy
ward preparing for sea duty. Tho two
dry docks in the yards are immense
affairs. One OF solid stone is spacious
enough to receive any ship in the navy,
and the other in slow course OF construc-
tion will take any vessel Btioat. II can
be emptied at the rate Of 10000 gallons
Of water per minute by an immense Oor-
liss engine the special mission of which
is for the use OF tho docks. The homes
of the officers of the station, cosy and
attractive houses, and the barracks for
the marines, gave tho only habitable air
to the yard that can be seen.
On the water and in the streets and
railroads are signs OF Wilmington's in
dustry. Steam tugs by builders here
dart about the shipping and the steamer
q. A. MCCALL comes down the river with
cargo Of produce and passengers. Oars
bearing the imprint OF wilmington
builders run on all the railroads, and
cotton presses plaoard the name OF one
OF Wilmington's biggest industrial oor-
pora,ions as their constructors.
Hundreds OF tons Of fruit and produce
ara shipped from Norfolk to all parts of
the north by rail and boat. Virginia
farmers are discovering that they can
raise peaches, and in few years there
will be hundreds Of acres of orchards
alouR the water courses. Experiments have
moved that the fruit will attain perfect de-
yelopment in that section, and the farmers
are putting out young orchards as fast az
possihle. They are inspired by the sue
cess this fruit has brought to the Dia-
ruond State and appreciate the fact that
Tho ''yellows" are wiping out all the
orchards on the peninsula. After a day
In this historic Virginia town the boat
resumes her voyage, passing Hampton
and Fort Monroe in the cleaning.
Range and flash lights are aoon the
only visible signs OF the shore, and
thegs gradually disappear from view.
Retore daylight the boat has carried Its
nas4eneers beyond the sight OF land.
Nothing OF the shore can be seen until
the mo@ning following when Cape Cod
light house appears on the horizon like
speck, gradually growing larger
Eventually Cape God comes ont in plain
relief stretching fer into the ocean. Hun
dre3s OF fishermen in their cat yachts
h,,,l and canvas alike snow white, bait
the cod, blue fish aud maokerel. almos
imnartiuR the excitement incident u
handling an immense cod or a game
nlsckerei. Along the coast the scenery
ia varied and pretty. 1t brings to view
many OF the pretty watering places wher'
tho Bostonians pass tho summer days
aud shows a succession OF picturesque
seaside villas. Up Boston harbor th'
ride is enchanting in its beauty. 1T