Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-01-24
KOdal<ing "a KOntinent.
Ry an Amateur.

CHICAGO, Jan. II, lSDO,
Dear Phenir-The conventional author,
after writing a book usually prefxes one
chapter explaining to his readers the ideas
which the book is intended to contain. and
in many instances it might be well that he
add another chapter explaining why he
should have written anything at all. Your
correspondent has no intention of writing
book, neither does he purpose to offer
/ any explanations regarding the cbiect of
writing these notes by the way. The
reader himself must decide if it has been
! worth his while to glance at these "snap
shots" made from a car window during a
somewhat extended tour over very inter
esting portion of our continent.
My route from Boston was by the way
of Fall River and the line of magnificent
boats which ply between that city and
New York. What memories the names of
the fleet awaken-the Plymouth, Pilgrim,
Puritan and Priscilla; what associations
are called up when we attempt to realize
the changes which have been wrought
since these historic names had their birth
in the New England colonies The vessels
bearing these names are without doubt
superior in construction and equipment to
any in the world for the navigation of in
land waters. They ply through the waters
of Long Island sound with the regularity
of clockwork, leaving their respective
termini like so many huge shuttles, weav-
ing into the warp of commercial patronage
the fabric of a nations prosperity.
Arriving in New York | found myself a
patron of the "Royal Blue" line, which is
the designation given that portion of the
| oil nd roll
ing the route from New York to Philadel
phia, Wilmington, Baltimore and Wash
ington. The Pennsylvania railroad is
strong competitor for this service, and the
two systems form an ideal competition in
railroad travel, sending out from either
terminus more than 20 express trains
every "a hours. From New York to Wash
ngton the distance is 230 miles. The
two lines do not average more than 10
miles apart, and it is safe to conclude that
within five miles of the extreme eastern
point of the Pennsylvania railroad to the
same distance west of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, inclusive, the homes of one
twelfth of the entire population of the
United States may be found, and these
$500, 900 people control more than one
tenth of the entire wealth of this country,
deducting the amount owned hv'ho coce-.. .
government. Who shall wonder at the i'm
mense patronage and financial success of
railroads with such royal environment!
Washington should not be visited except
in the spring of the year if one wishes to
see the local inhabitants at their best.
They are "spring poor in October, but
sleek and cOmplacent in May. This state
of affairs arises from the fact that they
live on the whole country while Congress
ia in session hut IN zach nj bar for Z ha rast
of the year. The United States government
is building an elegant and commodious
post-otiice on Pennsylvania avenue, but
very fragile ''cob houses" on Capitol Hill.
In Washington they swear presidents into
Office once in four years and swear at them
ever afterward. A couple of hours inha-
lation of this atmosphere is quite sufficient.
My route from Washington continues
via the Baltimore and Ohio along the north
shore of the Potomac river to Harper's Fer
ry in Virginia. 1t is here that the historic
river, overcoming all barriers has cleft its
way through those rock ribbed walls which
rise for a thousand feet above the wa
ter's edge. Through this seemingly impen-
etrable gorge the iron horse makes its way,
first clinging to the side of the mountain,
then hiding itself with the attendant cars
in the bowels of rock that cannot be turned,
then again emerging into sunlight, each
successive effort carrying us higher and
higher until, at Cumberland, 100 miles dis
tant, we find ourselves on a level plateau,
having recrossed the river which disap-
pears in the wilderness toward the south,
between the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge
mountains. Ten minutes later we start on
the final effort to scale the heights of the
Alleghanies, which form the backbone of
the continent cas-: of the Mississippi river.
If space permitted l would recall the
historic prominence which part of the
route described holds in relation to the
late war between North and South.
Here, John Brown and a few misled al
lies attempted to conquer the state of Vir-
ginia with tiint-locks and pipe poles. The
little brick building which his ''army'' used
as fort at Harper's Ferry was removed
to Chicago TO add inspiration to the great
fair and on its site now stands neat and
unpretentious granite monument. / real
ize that the very road bed over which |
rode had been torn up, burned and des-
troyed, first by one opposing force and then
by the other, while the very ground be-
meath me had drunk again and again the
best blood that flowed through the AFTER
! les of American citizens
From Connellsville to Pittsburg we fol-
low the valley of the Monongahela river
and pass through a coal and iron region
which employs more than 10000 men in
this industry. Thence we hurry through
northern Ohio and Indiana, the homes of
! peace and plenty, toward Chicago, ready
for the journey southwark toward New
Orleans and the lands of eternal summer.
C. II. 5.