Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-02
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
IN THE LAND OF THE LAKES.
Railroads and Railroads Impressions
of an Interesting Region.
SYRACUSE. N. Y. June is.

two to spare. having completed my
labors in this section. My idleness is
caused by being compelled to wait for
train. ThS winter schedule is still
in vogue. They say. when the summer
schedule goes into effect tomorrow,
there will be trains to burn---or wreck
but manana does not avail me, does
not get me home. Speaking OF trains
reminds me that nowhere do / find
trains equal to our own B. & O. /
have been over all the famous roads OF
the East, South aud a portion Of the
West. but for speed, comfort and ele.
gance of equipment the B. & o. is far
and away ahead. The celebrated
Pennsylvania system, between New
York and Washington does not COM
pare with the Royal Blue, If we except
the Congressional Limited. which is
composed exclusively of Pullman s J,
requiring an extra fare; neither is the
New York Central equal to the regu-
lar B. & o. trains. If the people
knew the difference there would be no
such thing as competition, but some
years ago the penny-wise-and-po pound
foolish policy of the B. & o. gave it
bad name and today the best railroad
in the country suffers much there
from.
While this is really splendid coun-
try, it Is not what expected to find,
Naturally it is superior to New Eng
land but it is not so well kept. There
is not that thrift among farmers that
marks other sections of the East. Fence
rows are ragged, buildings are not SO
we'll kept, and the system OF farming
is not so intensive as in New Jersey,
Massachusetts, or Vermont.
One thing in particular that sur
prises me is the small attention given
to apple orchards. Tent caterpillars
are literally eating up the trees. Many
of the trees are now bare of leaves,
others are totally dead, and the raw
ages of the voracious worms are ex-
tending to other trees. 1t may hap
pen that our Valley farmers will take
hint and profit by the calamity
which New York horticulturists have
allowed to come upon them.
This is natural fruit region.
never saw or ate finer strawberries
and cherries and / am told that all
other fruits, except peaches are equally
fine.
This town, Syracuse, has the worst
torn-up streets ever saw. 1t is as
much as ones life is worth to go out
after night. bitches for sewers have
few boards thrown over them, side
walks are uneven and dilapidated and
there is positive evidence Of munich
pal misrule. Inquiring the cause, the
reply came that Democracy is in
control. Jobbery fourishes and cor
ruption reigns rampant.
The salt works Of Syracuse are
something immense. The flats Dor
dering Lake Onondaga are utilized and
hundreds of acres are covered with
watts il which the brine is evaporated.
There are the Solday Chemical Works.
Arm and Hammer Soda Works and
numerous other manufacturing enter
prises. The city is semicircular in
form and presents beautiful appear
ance as one approaches it from the
north.
Oswego is one of the oldest towns
on Lake Ontario and shows its age.
A complete change is being made.
Cobble stones are being replaced with
asphalt and granolithic pavements
are superceding fagstone. There are
many fine modern buildings and from
the amount of business plainly visible
the old town will soon be new.
Watertown is beautiful to behold. /
have never seen a livelier or neater
town of its size. The people, too. are
wonderfully pleasant and pushing. If
WATERFOWL had better railroad tacili-
ties, it would soon eclipse its neigh
bors.
On my way here stopped at Pal
myra, N. j., and had the pleasure OF
spending night with a former Mar
tinsburg boy, Mr.. Frank A. Matthews.
He has a pleasant home, stands well
in the community and appears to be
prospecting financially. Mrs. Math-
ews is very pleasant and intelligent
lady and Frank, jr., is bright young
ster--a chip of the old block.
A. b. S.