Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-10

If We had been ordinary tramps some hot
lead would have been in order. A little
later in the night colored citizen, who
had evidently met the farmer drove by,
and amused US by remarking: "Dere day
is, over in dat fieI,' showing us how soon
any news is disseminated in the rural dis
trcts.
short ride the next morning brought us
into the historic town of Havre de Grace,
where George Washington was a frequent
visitor, and the house where he stopped is
one of the landmarks. Here all was excite
ment. as the Fourth was to be celebrated
on the 9Th by the annual boat race be-
tween the neighboring fishermen. Far diff
ferent was the spirit displayed a hundred
years ago, when the British ships sailed
up the bay to this old port and found all
the inhabitants fleeing to the hills, with
the exception of a brave old Irishman
named Neale, the lighthouse keeper, who
is reported to have said: Il will have fire
at the enemy, anyway The British troops
captured Neale, but after a consultation
decided that he was too brave a man to be
held a prisoner, and granted him his lib
erty. The descendants of this courageous
light keeper have occupied the lighthouse
ever since, the government having reward
ed his son and grandson by appointment as
keeper.
An Interesting Sight.
A curious and interesting sight in this
harbor is the vast number of floating house
boats-massed in colonies villages and
taken to different portions of the Susque-
hanna and adjacent waters of the Chesa-
peake where the fishermen live as COM
fOrtably as on land and from which the
vast seines are operated during the shad
and herring season.
Through the courtesy of the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad, wheelmen are now accorded
the privilege of transportation across the
Susquehanna river to Perryville, free of
expense. Here We resumed OUT journey
ard were joined for short distance by two
Washington wheelmen on a New York
tour aHheel. For four or five miles on
the way to Eikton Is a verftable desert,
known as THE Barrens." and the roads
through this region are mostly deep sand,
fringed with laurel bushes and watered
by an occasional creek. 1t is a relief to
reach the beautiful town of Eikton and a
rapid spin over the hard clay road to New
ark brought us into little Delaware. Twelve
miles further en- we rolled into Wilmngt on,
and the intense heat did not deter us from
visiting the handsome post office and court
house before embaTking on a steamer for
the twenty eight-nile trip up Brandywine
creek and the Delaware river to Philadel-
phia. "Old Glcry' was everywhere in evil
dence, and the gaily decked ships and
nuroberless yachts and steamers and two
of our large naval battleshiDs at League
Island a6ded to the interest of our journey,
and a fine view of the New Jersey river
resorts including Lincoln, Germania and
Washington Parks, is also afforded. The
remains of old Fort Miff1in, which did such
good service in 1912. were passed a few
miles from the quaker city, and a magnif-
cent view of the towering city hall is the
next Interesting feature of this beautiful
journey.
Famous Cycle Path.
On arrival we wheeled few blocks to
cid independence Hall, where a great pa
tr!otic demonstration was in progress, and
a little later took the ferry for Camden.
y. j., where our long anticipated run over
the famous cycle path between Camden
and Atlantic City, fifty-nine miles In
length, was to legin. This path is really a
road averaging thirty feet in width, of
hard macadam, beautifully graded, and be-
gins with the White Horse Pike. The day
previous to our arrival fully $500 wheel
men made the run to Atlantic City, and
500, including many fair riders, wearing
century medals, en- tandems and singles,
completed the century with eighteen miles
to spare. For a great portion of this dis
lance numerous and perfectly smooth side
paths with an entire absence of stones or
pebbles are found. The last third OF the
straight, level road, from Hammonton to
Absecon, a distance of twenty-five miles,
and the speed here attained is nearly as
great Us can be run on a perfect track.
The record for the entire distance from
Philadelphia was recently lowered to two
hours and fifty-f1ve minutes. The sections
of this path are as follows: Gloucester to
Berlin. Berlin to Blue Anchor. Blue An
Choir to Hammonton, Hammonton to Egg
Harbor, Egg Harbor to Absecon, Absecon
to Pleasantville, Pleasantville to Atlantic
City. The towns en- route are beautiful
little hamlets, and the only uninteresting
section Of this path is the five-mile stretch
across the ocean meadows from Pleasant
Vile to Atlantic City. At frequent inter-
walls throughout the first forty miles Of the
run, refreshment stands, known as wheel
mems Rest" are most plentiful, and very
fine water can be had at nearly every
house on any part of the path We made
this entire run after $50 pm. and com
pleted our first century, 1912 miles, on one
of the hottest days of the year. And when
We spread our tent on the shores of old
ocean, the boom of the surf proved an eff
fective lullaby. OTIS b. GOODAJJ.
His Company.
From puck