Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-10-22
AT THE NATIONS CAPITOL
SOME SIGHTS seen BY THE EDITOR
A Brief Sketch of the Scenes of Public
interest in and about the City
of Washington.

business is almost necessary, and the
object of such a vacation cannot be
attained to fuller degree than by
getting away from the scenes of daily
action, and taking trip to some por-
tion of our great country, either
where the scenery affords delightful
change, or to places which abound in
historical interest.
After years close application to
his work, the writer arranged brief
trip with the above object in view,
and in company with a brother left
Decorah on Thursday evening, Octo-
Der I'd, via the special G. A. r. sleep
er over the Milwaukee EN- route to
the national encampment of this and
other allied orders at Washington, D..
G. The ride to Chicago was without
special interest, where we spent the
next day, and at six O'Clock boarded
the special train of fourteen Pullman
sleepers drawn by two powerful en-
gines over the famous Pennsylvania
lines. The trip during the night was
made through Indiana, past Plymouth,
Valparaiso and Ft. Wayne, and
through Ohio past Lima, Crestline
and Mansfield, and the next day past
Orrville, Massilop,a famous manufac,
turing city; Canton, the home and
burial place of the lamented Presi-
dent Mckinley; Alliance, where we
had breakfast, over the Pennsylvania
state line to PittsbErg, the famous
smoky city, where wa stopped few
moments, and then sped onward
across Pennsylvania through the iron
and coal mining districts, now famous
for the..great coal strike which has
effected the entire country; past
Cokeville, where the immense ovens
of fire were burning coke; Johnstown,
noted for the devastating flood in
which so many people lost their lives
a few years ago and Sheridan, where
the large Cambria Steel Works are
located. Here we began the climb over
the Allegheny Mountains,a a most mag
nificient scenic route. The four track
system of the Pennsylvania winds in
and out among the huge barren peaks,
and one looks down hundreds of feet
below into yawning canons and
abysses that seem to have no bottom.
1t is one of the most picturesque
routes in America, and to one who
has never travelled through the noun
tains affords delightful journey.
Near the top of the mountains, just
before entering the beautiful city of
Altoona, we passed around the world
famous Horseshoe Bend, where, hun
dreds of feet high on the mountains,
the trains wind about like a mighty
serpent belching forth fire and smoke,
and around this immense curve the
engines seem almost to touch the rear
of the train. 1t is a wonderful feat
of engineering, sight once seen
never to be forgotten. Looking across
the chasms one sees in each direction
huge mountain peaks, piercing high
into the clouds, down whose brawny
sides trickle sparkling brooks and
roaring waterfalls High upon the
crest of one of these mighty noun
tains. midway between earth and sky,
stands the railroad city of Altoona, a
solace to the weary traveller climbing
upward from the valleys below, the
turning point between the ascension
and descension of the mountains.
On down the mountains we rapidly
sped through the night. There were
several acquaintances and friends
aboard the train, so that the time was
pleasantly occupied in conversation.
The Memorial University qrartette,
of Mason City, Iowa, serenaded each
car with we'll rendered selections,
which kept all in happy mood until
time to retire. We especially enjoyed
meeting Mr.. John Sitze, of Fari-
bault, Mimi, prominent aged
citizen of that state. He has been a
member of the Knight Templar de-
gree of Masonry for forty-two years,
the oldest in length of membership in
Minnesota He bore gold medal
from the order which he presented to
President Roosevelt, having called on
eight presidents on similar errand.
Late in the evening we arrived al
Harrisburg, the capitol of Pennsylva'
MIA, and little later at York, where
some of the party separated and went
to Gettysburg, spending the next day
in viewing this memorable battle
field.
We arrived at Washingt 1rint
the night, and rising the next morn
ing looked out upon the beautiful
capitol city of the nation, where il
so much Of interest to the tourist II