The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-10-12
FROM THE EAST.
J. S. Englerth and Party Of Friends En-
Joy Themselves Sight Seeing.

lOy IuCulStIfCS OiXut OSCiuX.
Editor Free Press: 1t affords me
pleasure to tender you and your nu-
merous readers my friendly greeting in
behalf of the grand and magnificent
reception to us on our return from the
east
After leaving our homes in July
last, we made pilgrimage to Win
chester, Virginia. This city is stu
ated 80 miles south of Harper's Ferry,
the most God forsaken place in all
Christendom on the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad. At this place old John
Brown made revengeful raid on the
south, was surrounded, captured, trans
ferred to Charleston prison con-
demned and hanged in December 1862
The gallows was set upon beautiful
table plain short distance west of
the village. He rode out upon his
cofin-exclaimed to the sheriff ''what
a beautiful country you have out
here. -
Winchester, the old stronghold of
slavery, was laid out and incorporated
in 1880, only now contains about
7, 900 inhabitants, about one-third be-
ing of the colored race It's streets
and sidewalks are narrow, being laid
out by the French. Here is the fort
where Washington stationed his army
and here is seen the we'll dug through
solid granite twenty one hundred feet
deep, superintendent by Washington.
The writer and company Had the pleas
ure of drinking of its water. Several
families have accession thereto.
Here during the civil war heavy
battle was fought between the Yankee
forces and the Confederates in which
the rebels retired the Yankees cap
tured the town, proclaimed martial
law, occupying the public house
and churches for hospitals. A
large sycamore tree is still standing
in which cannon ball penetrated the
trunk. The tree was riddled with bullets
in capturing negro who shot and
killed two of the United States sol
diers. l must give credit for one COM
mendable feature to the sunny south
their schools. The buildings are
two story pressed brick constructed
on the modern architectural and sani-
tary finish. The colored schools are
separate and apart from the white,
with respectable finish. Superintend-
ed by the whites of the north.
The nergo is the proudest human on
earth. The female negro her black
face, white dress, red sash and red
handkerchief in hand make glaring
contrast.
| The buildings in the original part of
the city are like that of oriental Baby
Ion. Those of the past century are a
credit and peer to any of our western
cities. Throughout the interior many
dilapidated dwellings have large stone
chimneys built on the outside with
fire places large enough to roll in a
ten foot back log. One house built in
| 17t7 has a stone chimney in the exact
center twelve feet square having on two
sides fire places large enough to afford
back logs at least ten feet in length
| tapering from upper story to five feet
outside the roof. The chimney must
have been first built and then the
house. It is the most unique sight in
all my pilgrimages.
The United States purchased five
acres adjacent to the city wherein lie
buried the braves Of the north. Ad-
iacent thereto the rebels have four
acres in which lie intombed their
fallen heroes 1 must give commenda-
ton to the south for the care and pride
of their dead. Rich and
costly monuments of millions of dol
lars. the flowers, concrete walks, are
the most marvellous it has been in all
my to witness except San Jaur
California.
The small grain crop was full
average of former years. The corr
was cut short by the protracted
drought, the peach full and prolific,
the apple one-fourth, this being the
off wear. In this abruptly rocky, broker
l
"muckamack, that is much Il
eat, good beds, cool nights for repose.
We now leave the valley and resume
our pilgrimage.
Washington, taking in the sights ant
grand displays in which this grea
nation is wonder to the world, whel
one hundred and twenty odd years ag'
stood against nation of the old worlC
with only 5000, 600 and thirteen states
now forty-fve states and 80, 600, 600
We made a further trip of 1876 mile
in two hours and twenty-four minute
to the Quaker City, Philadelphia, tn
birth place of liberty, the cradle 0
American independence. Philadelphia
, was second before Chicago outrivale
her by the census of 1890.
It must not be inferred that becaus
of Chicago's population she outrlvale
the Quaker City of "brotherly love.
Stands next to New York in wealth
Chicago is too young to compete wit
city over two hundred years ole
Seventy years ago the land where tn
business part of Chicaso now stand
! could have been bought for one dolls
and quarter an acre.
We awaited ourselves of an excursio
to Atlantic City, 60 miles east acro'
New Jersey. This city contains abor
so, 900 souls. 1t is place of resort fc
invalids and tourists the world owe
? 1t was negro day. The Reading an
!, Pennsylvania roads brought 26, 600 {
them. The display was grand an
bones and music were ju
charming. Beer and whisky were tt
predominating drinks I must giN
commentator TO their dress. Ju
fresh from the south | was moral
, disappointed in seeing such lars
q concourse of the colored race and