Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-04-24

Cs
top of it, which desire was shared by my
self, and halting the carriage, up we went,
63 steps to the promenade on top. where
we looked down on the vast body of wa
ter contained inside for the city's use,
and gaZed out over the city and sur
rounding cOuntry-a grand and inspiring
view, it being more elevated than the
highest point the city. The stone out of
which the Reservoir is constructed was
obtained from the spot where 1t stands.
The stone is a species of limestone, and
of two varieties,
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY.
1t underlies the whole city. 1t crops out
on the sides and on the tops of the slopes
and hills, and is found beneath the surface
on the lower grounds, and also where l
noticed it being quarried out in making
excavations for cellars. 1t is not only
good building stone, but being nearly as
hard as our limestone, it is used for plklng
the streets and roads. So abundant and
accessible is it that nearly every street in
the city, and nearly every road leading
out from or into it are piked. | suppose
there is not q city anywhere that has
better paved streets and more piked roads
leading into it than Nashville. Good
macadamized roads are a grand thing;
are great convenience, comfort and ad-
vantage to any place. Mud roads, filed
with chuck-holes are abOminable; they
cause waste of time, team and temper.
ELECTRIC STREET CARS
have lately been introduced here. Their
tracks are extended out two or three
miles each way-t6 East End, West End,
North End and South End-carrying one
all the way across the city, five or six
miles, for one fare 1t is safe to predict
that in the cities cars run by electricity
and the cable cars will soon SuperSede
the old slow street Car drawn by horse or
mule, which have to strain, often slip,
and sometimes fall, in trying to start the
car They must go. The people have
got taste for the more rapid and pleas
ant transit furnished by the electric or
cable cars, and will have them. While
strolling about the city | visited the
grave of
JAKES X. POLK,
ex- President of the United States. 1t is
in a lot two squares south of the Cap
itol, enclosed by plain fence. Over tie
grave plain stone block or monument
about three feet square and five feet III
hight, covered by roof, something like
a plain pOrticO. On the frieZe overhead
is inscribed. james X. Polk, 10th Presi
dent of the United States. Born Nov. I'd,
1895. Died June 10, 1S49." And on the
front side of the monument is inscribed,
"The mortal remains of James X. Polk
are resting in the vault beneath. He was
born in Mecklenburg county, North Car
olina, and emigrated with his father, Sam
uel Polk, to Tennessee, in 1906. The
Of uirtn Inc trat n
life.-The excellence of Christianity was
exemplified in his death" On the other
sides of the monument were inscriptions
setting forth his useful political life-the
various important offices. State and Fed
eral, held by him, and his character and
influence as statesman. One would not
fail to notice how very plain everything
was about the tomb and grounds-no at
tempt at OrnamentatiOn-not even kept
clean and painted. There was no evidence
about the tomb or on the walk leading to
it, that it was being visited by tourists or
else. So it is with many of our
they drop out and are soon
lost sight of-die and are buried, and are
soon forgotten.
My visit to the grave of Polk brought
forcibly to my mind the remembrance of
the campaign of 1874, which resulted in
his election to the Presidency, and of
Dallas as Vice President. Henry Clay
and FrelinghuySen were the opposing
Wing candidates. The methods used by
the Wings in that campaign were about
the same as were those used in the men,
orable Harrison campaign of lS40, with
different results, however. \ very prom
inent feature was the singing of Whig
songs. Though but young (quite young)
then, remember yet some of the songs
that were sung in those two campaigns
Let me quote from memory a verse or
two of one of the songs:
"Now Polk and choke will always rhyme,
And Dallas and gallows is very sublime:
Well dose the Fox with poke-root piZen;
Hurrah for Clay and Frelinghuysen.
In Lindenwald the Fox is hOed,
The COons all laugh to hear ittold;
Ha! ha! ha! such a nominee,
AS Jimmy Polk of Tennessee
And the chorus of another ran thus:
'Oh, Polk! Oh, Polk
For you to run is a first-rate jOke!
1t didn't prove SO much of joke after
all, to the Wings.
THE PEACH BLOOM.
We have been seeing the peach trees in
bloom for three months. On our arrival
in New Orleans the 10th of January, they
were in bloom there. Going over to De
Funiak later they were just commencing
to bloom. The freeze of 1st of March
checked the blooming of later trees, and
when we left there some blossoms were |
still on the trees. Coming here on the |
9th we found the trees only just in bloom
So we have been following the peach |
bloom. think it pretty good plan to
pursue. The peach bloom gives evidence
of spring time, and indicates about the
right temperature and climate in which |
to be- l fancy we will still find the peach |
bloom on when we get home.
Expect to leave here on the 10Th, going
direct to Cincinnati, where we will again
take to the water, our favorite mode of
travel. There is line of boats running |
from here to Paducah and Evansville, |
and there connecting with boats running |
to Cincinnati. Have been very much
tempted to go that way, but gave it up, |
rs it would take five days to make the
trip, which might prove, L fear, little
tedious, like this letter. II. c. w.
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