Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-06-18
The Cadets in Camp

ToLCHEsTOR BEACH, Md, June II, 1871.
Perhaps description OF this place may in
terest some OF your readers. 1t lies on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland almost opposite
the mouth of the Patapsco, not qnlte thirty
miles from Baltimore. Access to it is bad
by the steamer Louise, licensed to carry
$500 excursionists, which makes two trips
a day, leaving Baltimore at SIS a. N. and
$50 o. No., and Colchester at 1870 a. m. and
z p. N. As the season advances another
boat will be added to the line. You land at
covered way leading to the lunch room
which, with the postoffice and other offices
is located below the hill. Ga the left OF
these q flight of steps leads to the top of
steep hill some thirty feet high where you
enter the beautiful park of some twenty or
more acres, while similar flight on the
right, leads to an excellent hotel, under the
skillful management of DR.. o. II. Paxson.
This fronts to the Chesapeake, here about
fifteen miles miles wide, and has the park
behind it. A road leads up an incline be-
low it, from the lunch room to its right, so
that the visitor has three ways of ascending
the hill. The older portion of the park is
full of old forest trees and is intersected by
broad gravel walks along which are ranged
cages containing bald eagle, an owl, pea
fowls, foxes, &C., while beds OF flowers beau
tify the carefully kept grassy lawn, and
statues adorn the walks. There is large
pavilion with tables, benches, &C., and
handsome band stand, near the
edge Of the hill. The newer part Of
the park has heen recently laid out
and planted with young trees audit will De
! several years before 1t will approach the
beauty OF the older, though its situation is
finer. Il is in this park that the st. Johns
Academy cadets have their camp, lust be
yond which is q base ball ground, which
they usa, In the evening, for parade pur-
poses. Crossing the old part Is a Deep
grassy ravine, now utilized for picnic put
| poses, though numerous little porches with
| tables and benches extend from both sides
over it. Il is crossed first by long bridge
and then by what Is called summer tobog-
gan slide; that is, by track upon which
eds slide, the momentum acquired by de-
scendng the declvity on one side giving
power enough to raise them up the activity
on the other. The third method of crossing
| is by ''swtchback" railroad, with it's ups
and downs, operating on the same prlnci-
piles. Once over and there is no end OF
amusements. First comes beautiful "ca-
rousel :" horees, donkeys, elephants. ze-
bras, deer, &c., with settees for elderly peo-
ple, all upon floor which moves around by
steam. carrying with it them and their rid
ers while great 'haDd-organ," operated by
the steam moter, furnishes the music for the
whirling rounds. Next is a series of seats
above, below, and on each side of q
central one, by turning the oranks Of
which, the seats, while not assuming their
vertical position, go round and up
and down, causing little shrieks from the fe-
male occupants. An ordinary merry 60
round and number of patent swings come
next, while black bear stands on his hind
legs to receive food. A bowling saloon in'
vites entrance. Next there are ranges Tor
rifle practice. figures to be knocked down by
bale, the inevitable 'coon" TO be hit through
a circular window (if you oan), another ca
rousell, moved by horse, the dancing pa
vilion Ia fns one). and dairy lunch, at
which nice and cheap meals can be had or
coffee or milk purchased by the cup or gal
lon. Then comes the new attraction,
| Pixies Peak" This is 8 circular FRANC
work about thirty feet high, to the top OF
which cars, containing four persons each,
are hauled By means of au endless chain and
then sent down by three rounds to the bot
tom. The ride is said to be very exhi'arat-
| ing. Ga the last round is q covered way
representing tunnel, over the entrance Of
which is the very suggestive legend, mo
| kissing In this tunnel" Back of all is the
race course, round which the humble imita-
tors of John Gilpin go, ct ten cents ride, as
| fast 50 their horses or their equestrian ekill
generally miuimum-wil allow. 1t is
funny scene. Within the race course Ia one
| for phaetons, in which, at the same rate,
amateur drivers exercise, though with less
amusement to the spectators on the grand
stand Every day, Sunday and working day,
| rain or shine, crowds come over, the Iolohes
ter company wisely selling tickets 10 packs
lat good discount. presume) to Sunday
schools, societies, social clubs, etc.. and fu:-
nisbing music and picnic Accommodations for
ALL
The ST. Johns boys have enjoyed them
selves greatly. despite the heavy guard du-
ty imposed upon them by the smalness OF
the number which came into camp. Scores
of pretty girls are continually visiting them,
and ;hs traditional bread, meat and coffee
of camp fare is often exchanged by the bold
eat among them for nice picnic dinners in
the grove Their daily routine ia IS follows:
a. m reveille; $50, drill; Z, prayers 7:05
commissary call 7:15, breakfast: 7:40, ad-
jutant's call; s, guard S:15,
bathing; -, dinner; p, No., parade; $50,
supper; 7. bathing; 9:45 tattoo; 10. taps
They will break up camp on Thursday, the
IS b, taking the 1880 boat for Baltimore,
where they will spend The afternoon in sight
seeing, and return by the SOP train to
Washington and the S:C5 train to Alexar
dria. which they will reach at S:21.
FIDEL1s.
VIRGINIA NEWS.