Evening journal., 1890-08-23
CHANGERS IN CAMP.
MT. Gretna's Great Picnic Grounds
View From Governor Dick Mountain.
Special Correspondence EVENING JoY-aNAr


View From Governor Dick Mountain.
Special Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL.
LEBANON, Pa, August 2i-Tbe
National Farmers Alliance or National
Changers is eneamped at Mount gretna
nine miles south of here. Twenty states
have sent delegates to this convention
aad several men representing Delaware
are present, looking after It's interests
Connected with the encempment is an
industrial exhibition and fair. Here All
sorts Of farming and household machin.
cry and implements are exhibited Every
county Of Pennsylvania exhibits some
fruit or machinery. Delaware sends as
samples Of her industry some specimens
Of fertilizer by the Walton and Mhann
Company, and some -four, meal and other
products by the William Lea and Son 8
Milling Company, both of Wilmington.
Connected with the Lea aud ms exhibit
is Mrs. s. Z. Rour Of the PHILADELPHIA
Cooking School. and she dispenses nice.
palatable corn cakes TO tired and hungry
visitors
Mount Gretna, where The camp is held
IS ON the line Of of the Cornbrooke and
Lebanon railroad This railroad runs
directly from Lebanon to Mount Gretna
and this place is at all times one Of the
hnest picnic grounds in the United
States. 1t covers an area of FIVE or six
square miles. On this vast park have
been erected fruit stands, tables. benches
ana all the accessories of an extensive
resort The most important bnildinp on
the grounds, however, Is a vast audito
rum, which has seating capacity of
5000 persons. In this large building
last Sunday, the Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage
preached an excellent and interesting
sermon to a very large and attentive
audience, who crowded the building. the
approaches and ratings. On the coca.
sion of the sermon, music and singing
was furnished by the Lebanon Choral
Society, OF 100 voices, under the leader.
snip Of Professor Samuel A. McAdams. a
former resident of Wilmington. where
he was we'll known In musical circles.
Mount Gretna is the regular picnic
and excursion ground of Lebanon and
the surrounding country for many miles.
The park is always crowded but TODAY
the number of people far exceeded the
numb Der present at any other time, even
while the Pennsylvania troops were
encamped there. 1t Is estimated that
between 33, 900 and 38, 600 people were
on the grounds during the day.
The park has many advantages to offer
to the visitor, the greatest Of which Is
probably the view from the tower on the
topmost summit of Governor Dick. Gov
ernor Dick is a huge mountain. which
rises from the center of the park. The
top of this mountain Is reached bv
fully equipped narrow guage railway of
which the tracks are but two feet apart
This small railway is a branch of the 9
L. railroad, and its machinery and an
paratus are as complete and as well built
as those OF any road in the country.
The road-bed is we'll made, but Il is
full of sharp curves, steep grade and
high embankments. The ascent Is tedi-
ously made, but when the summit of the
mountain is reached the view which ia
shown to the climber we'll repays all the
work necessary to reach 1t. On the very
pinnacle of the mountain an observatory
fifty feet high has been placed and on a
clear day the visitor can see plainly over
Eve counties. This view gives a clear
idea of the great general beauty Of the
country. Far down the mountain side
the great park is seen stretched over
what appears TO be only small area Of
ground. Winding in and ont among the
trees the small railroad looks like a
childs toy. To the north are seen tall
blast furnaces, while to the northeast
are the great and extensive Cornwall iron
ore mines. Here is mined some Of the
best ore produced in the United States
The country hereabout for miles is owned
by millionaire railroad magnate, Cole
man, and his extensive possessions seem
to have greatly dwindled when seen
from Governor Dick. There is a story
extant that during the Revolutionary
War, Governor Dick was used as a spy
station by the American troops. and the
old wooden tower which It was said thew
used was torn down only a few years
since to make way for the more commo-
dious structure which replaced IT, After
the view for an unlimited time You re-
turn to the lower level either in the train
or by walking. / chose the latter
method and in the descent noticed some
ancient looking huts along the roadside
which, we were informed by the guide.
were at one time the homes Of some char
coal burners who lived here long time
ago, and who made charcoal for use in
the great furnaces in the valley. Other
curiosities are noticed and commented
upon, until we reached the park.
one OF the most fun-provoking curios
tiles is the people themselves, who, With
their queer dress, queer manners ana
queerer language both perplex and
amuse the visitor. Nearly every unedu-
Gated person here speaks half English.
half Dutch, which goes under the
appellation Of Pennsylvania Dutch.
All through the Lebanon Valley the
visitor Is struck with the fertility Of the
fields, the reatness of the dwellings andtbe
incongruity Of the inhabitants with the
surroundings. Along the line OF the p.
y Z. railroad, that climax Of railroad
building, are busy thriving towns Of
which Lebanon Is one Of the greatest.
But to return to Mount Gretna When
the visitor is thoroughly tired out bv
climbing the mountains, rowing on Lake
Jonewago, or inspecting the exhibits
when he has spent his last cent for
sandwich, he hustles through crowd Of
~, 700 or 10, 600 people, walks about 200
steps and arrives at the train which is TO
take him back to Lebanon, thorongblv
with the gFangers and their en- |
campment. Many Wilmington persons
are noticed among the visitors at Mount |
Gretna and the resorts at Wernersburg.
j. IL. NJ