Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-12-11
coMMUNIcATED.
Across the Alleghanies.

I1ooSiH AiSHuo, Hlll NtCCupO w Slxe
a short description of my western trip
and of that part of the West in which
l am now holding forth.
I started from the East last Septem-
ber, bound for Tlffln, Ohio my present
home.
Getting aboard the Chicago Express
on the Baltimore & OHIO R. r. at Bal
tlmore.-the train consisting of engine,
two baggage cars, two day coaches, and
a Pullman buffet sleeping car-"all
aboard and we began our journey
with the morning, sunshine and glad
ness. Our train moved with RAPID speed
and soon We arrived at Washington.
Giving good dby to our Capital, ws
were borne by our swift train westward
towards the land where fields of flowers,
orchards and cornfelds spread altar and
unfenced over The plain.
A loud whistle is heard and soon we
are crossing the iron bridge over the
Potomac at Ilarper's Ferry. This town
is the most noted historic place In West
Virginia, and oweo its celebrity to the
! fact that it contained before the civil
war an extensive national arsenal. This
arsenal was seized by the celebrated
abolitionist John Brown. The town
still bears marks Of rough treatment
which it received during the war;
The train proceeded along the banks
of the river, shaded by pines and oaks
from whose branches garlands Of ivy
and grapevine hung their ladders like
the ladder of Jacob. We see the ruin
ed banks of the canal, and scattered
every few miles a canal boat.
Beautiful scenery the mountains af-
ford ; rocks and oaks predominant ey-'
erywhere. Rock ribbed walls rise for
q thousand feet from the waters edge.
Martlnsburg is reached. This is the
principal trade center of the Eastern
part of West Virginia.
On We go with swift speed and Cum
berland is reached the most important
city in Western Maryland Here the
first sign that | observed from the car
window was, "Whiskey by the pint or
gallon" on large board over the door
Of a building near our train.
The throttle Is pulled and the train
speeds onward and upward and the
crest of the Alleghanies is reached
Here is Mountain Lake Park as we'll
and favorably known as any summer
resort in America. On the gravel drives
were many fine carriages, whose occu-
pants waved their handkcrchieves as
swiftly we glided away like the shade
of cloud on the prairie.
Beautiful is the land with its noun
tains and forests Of woodland. Into the
evening air the blue columns of smoke
rose from small houses of timber hewn
from the poplar, and carefully ftted
together. The stations along the rail.
road usually consist Of two or three
houses and a general supply store. In
spite of all these drawbacks, I am told
that it would be difficult to find more
contented and happy people than the
inhabitants Of this part Of the rugged
AlleghaEies.
The lamps are lighted in the cars
soon We reach Grafton the conductor
calls out, "ten minutes for supper"
After eating our supper we get aboard
the train and soon the iron horse goes
laundering westward. The moon climbs
the crystal walls of heaven and over The
horizon, Titan like, stretches its hun
dred hands upon mountain and mead
ow and grasping the rocks and trees
filings huge shadows together.
We enter Ohio by crossing the Chlo
River at Bellalre; numerous steamers
lay below us with sparks flying from
their smoke stacks. Lovely was the
light as it glanced and cleaned on the
water; dream-like, indistinct and
strange were all things around.
Soon the landscape grew level, and
corntelds- vast fields of waving green
on all sides, in every direction as fur as
the eye could reach in the moon light
were seen.
Tired with the days journey, the
weary traveller slumbers but soon, as
by magic trance, the sleeper awakes by
hearing, "all out for Newark--change
cars for Columbus" Again we slumber.
and many are the dreams, when loud
whistles awakens lis as our train sIacks
at Chicago Junction; our conductor
calls out "change cars for Saudusky and
Cleveland.'' The writer had no more
desire for sleep, and soon the bright
sun rose and all the flowers of the west.
ern gardens bathed their shining feet
with their tears.