The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1891-08-05
staff Correspondence

Leaving Durham Saturday july
the 25th, we reached Washing
ton. D. G. at 1925 a. m. Sunday;
afterbeing transferred to the Bal
timore & Ohio depot, and wait
ing an hour, we started again on
our journey westward on that
grand trunk line the Baltimore
Il Ohio system, which is one of
the finest equipped roads in this
country. Speeding along at the
rate Of As miles an hour, soon
brought us to Harper's Ferry,
now famous in the history of
the country. The old brick fort
occupied by John Brown and his
noted band can be plainly seen.
liz is a small one-story brick
building with one door and two
windows in front, across these
are written, "John Browns
Fort" 1t is located near the
fine railroad bridge, which spans
the Potomac river. The noun
tain scenery along this line for
hundreds of miles is simply
grand, and in many instances
surprising in beauty our own
"Land of the Sky" The road
follows the river for some dis
lance. winding along its serpen-
tine banks with its graceful
curves. Late in the evening we
reached Deer Park on top of the
Allegheny mountains; this is by
far the loveliest summer resort
we have ever seen. The grounds
embraces thousands of acres of
woodland which has been put in
as perfect order as the finest
flower garden. Grand hotels
built in the finest styles, cot.
tages and summer residences
dot the Park. Near by is also
the noted Oakland Park where
nature has bedecked the land
scape with a lavish hand, and
man with unlimited capital has
aided nature in making these
two places such noted resorts
for health and pleasure seekers
Both parks are the property OF
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
Co. Here is the residence OF
Robert Garrett, for a long time
President of this road. The
grounds are waving with herd
grass, timothy etc.
Soon after leaving here the
sun is seen to disappear in a
blaze of glory and night shuts
out our gaze. We reach Bel.
lair near Wheeling, West Vir.
ginia, where we cross the Ohio
river. At Huntington, we SEE
our first town lighted by natur
al gas. At the station the natur,
al gas light is about five feet by
two and gives a brilliant light
This is a new town and has Al
oil mills in successful operation
turning out about 400 barrels
per day.
At dawn we glance out of tn
car windows and see the fertile
farms waving with golden grain
which is now being cut. TheI
for nearly three hundred mile
through Ohio and Indiana. W,
see the farmers that furnish s.
much wheat, corn and oats +
the world. The lands are rich
level and are loaded down wit
the finest crops they have haI
in years. The corn isplanted il
drills about three feet apart an
has from four 90 five stalks {
the hill. 1t is now in full sill
and tassel and as fine as can b
grown. The wheat crop is fin
and will average for the tw
States, we have been told !
bushels per acre. The farmer
are busy cutting and threshinI
all is done by the latest Impro'
ed machinery. IL would cause
many farmers in North Carolin
10 want to come west if the
could only glance at the farm
in this part Of the county. Muc
attention is paid TO growing ,
grasses the whole distance Z:
miles from Washington TO Ind
annapolis. In fact, in some SCI
tions in West Virginia, but Ii
tie is grown besides ''timOth
hay" What a nice time tho
''horny handed sons Of toll mu
have when they can raise sue
crops and cultivate il with mi
chinery. Along this route is
fine stock country; you oftt
sec as high as a hundred milo
cows grazing in one clover fielI
The farm houses are elegaI
mansions, and the barns an
out houses are large and we
kept. We left the Baltimol
Il Ohio road at Auburn Junctio
and took the Wabash road
Peru, there we change to Lab
Erie for this place, reachin
here Monday evening at III
having been on the road for i
hours.
indianapolis is a city Of 145
900 souls. 1t IL the home
VIM. II. English, who ran q
the Democratic ticket for Vie
President with Haurosk q