The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-02-02
DESCRIBES HIS TRIP
O'Kad Interestingly Describes His
Journey From the National Capital
Back TO Mitchell.
Mitchell People Have an Opportunity
to See a Presentation Of Shakes
perean Drama.
Soldiers Who Died in the Philippines
Have Been Brought Home For
Interment.
ON THE WAY HOME.
Scenes Witnessed En- Route From the
National Capital City to a
Hustlino Dakota City.

HuSLllnS UakOUa C1Cy.
On the return Lrlp from our Nations
capital the Baltimore and Ohio road
was selected and daylight ride to
Pittsburg enjoyed. For onA hundred
and fifty miles that ROAD follows the
Potomac river, and affords the travel
ler the delights OF viewing many his
toric places, many of which were i'm
mortalized by the valor of the Ameri-
can soldier, and made sacred by his
patriotic blood. While the "Royal
Blue Limited" is not SO gorgeous as
that of the Pennsylvania Limited, it's
observation car yields just as much OF
delight and affords glimpses Of
scenery just as rare.
A portion of this line has the dis
tinction of being the first railroad built
in America, and it is along the line of
the old National Road laid out by
George Washington, in 1853, from
Washington to Pittsburg, and between
those points many events of the civil
war transpired of more than ordinary
interest, making it one of the most his
torical roads in America.
1t passes through the most pictur-
esque portions of the Alleghanies and
the scenery is grand and imposing.
At Brunswick, Md, General Meade's
army recrossed the Potomac on their
return from the immortal battle field
of Gettysburg, and here the immense
shops of this railroad are situated.
Farther up we come to Harpers Fer
ry, w. Va, made historic by John
Brown and his enthusiastic but mis-.
guided followers, and where the first
blood WAS shed during the civil war,
and where it is claimed the war had its
birth. just after crossing the Poto-
mao, coming north, is located the mon
ument to his memory, and at the point
where he erected his improvised fort.
1t is most picturesque and historical
spot, and it is said that Thomas Jeffer-
son claimed that it WAS worth q trip
across the Atlantic to see it. This
is the place where old John Brown
was captured. and by one of Mitchell's
residents, Major (then Lieutenant,)
Israel Greene.
Only the toundat;ons of the old U. S.
Arsenal remains, but tablets erected
by the government tell the story OF the
invasion, and of the subsequent execu'
1f T~h NJ
Stonewall jackson destroyed an i'm.
mense amount of property of the rail.
way, and hauled eight locomotives with
men and teams thirty miles, and placed
them on southern roads, to be used in
transporting his army.
After the eye has been feasted by .
ride of one hundred and fifty miles or
the borders of the Potomac, we reach
Cumberland, Md, the second city ol
the state, having gained an altitude o1
1000 feet. Here we leave the Poto.
mac, and follow Wills creek, clim bling
higher and higher toward the summit
of the mountains, until we reach Sand
Patch, Pa, at an altitude of 2300 feet
passing through tunnel seven-eig bit.
Of mile in length, and still hundreds
of feet below the crest of the mountain
AS we approached this point the
scenery was bewilderingly grand, and
the view from the observation car al.
most sublime. We passed Bears
Heights, Mount Nebo, Devils Back
bone, and many weird and imposing
eminences. From the summits of some
we saw the blackened and charred
trunks Of trees that had been bereft o
all their limbs, and their tall black
forms outlined against the sky made
them look like spectres gaunt. the sill
ent guardians of the watch. We reach
ed Connellsville, just as dusk came
on, and it gave the opportunity OF be
holding the greatest coke manufactur
ing place in the world under the mos
favorable conditions. From the myrait
| OF coke ovens the dazzling blaze leapet
forth, like demon with Thousand
tongues Of fire and cast lurid glar'
athwart the sky that intensified th
thought and made one think he hat
indeed reached the domain of the arcl
fiend-his satanic majesty. Mr.. Frick
the superintendent of Carnagie's i'm