Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-02-04
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A Trip to Washington
- and Other Points. -
8 q Q & 8 q 8 & s q 5 & 5 & 8 3 3 8 s

| Was LOO laCe TO De admitted to the
State, War and Navy Departments,
which are on the left of the White
House, so / just looked around and
went on to the Patent Office, and
there saw what American genius has
done and is doing.
Next visited the Post Office De-
partment, the Pension Office, and
took a car for the navy yard, where
the big 13-inch guns are made. Old
"Long Tom," gun made in 1886, is
on exhibition here. II was captured
by the British from a French fleet
and was sold around till the United
States bought it. The Navy Yard
Museum has gun used by Cortez iii
his expeditions against Mexico, and
out in the yard is a willow taken
from Napoleon's grave at st. Helena.
went up to Capt. Johns Bridge,
which is q pretty summerresort. The
brigde is claimed to be one of the
finest pieces of masonry in the
country. They also have an elegant
tobogan slide and miniature rail
road. Going to this bridge one
passes thro ugh Georgetown, which
antedates Washington. At night /
saw lot of stuff auctioned off which
had collected at the Dead Letter
Office; everything from love let.
ter written on a shingle to pearl
necklace. 1t is surprising to see
what all does find its way there.
| decided to go to Pittsburg, and
rode most of the night after the sale
and found myself in one of the
"Twin Cities" the next day; but
there wasn't much there but iron
factories and works of every kind
pertaining to iron, and glass fac
tory, which is the only one ever
saw. | soon became tired and
started back TO Washington. After
riding most of two nights didn't
feel much like it, but it was my last
chance, 30 l pulled out for MouuS
Vernon, which was the browning
sight of the whole trip. / went
down the Potomac, prefering boat
ride to the railway. After seeing
this grand old homestead nobody
will wonder at the great old hero not
wanting to leave home for any
honors. 1t is beautifully situated
on a lovely Virginia hill, 16 miles
from Washington. Climbing the
hill from the river one comes first to
Washington's tomb, which is simple,
but secure, and further on towards
the deer park is the old tomb. The
park itself was the generals delight.
1t has been restocked and rumber
of the fieet-footed quadrupeds are to
be seen there now. The house is an
elegant one, and would do credit to
almost any modern dwelling now.
Everything inside is as near like the
great owner left it as can be ar
ranged. The room in which he died
is exactly as it was-old high bed
stead, curtains and all. The spin
ming room is just like it was in
Washington's time; so with the
barn and coach-house. The old
family carriage is there-a great,
awkward thing. The old kitchen is
kept in old style, the bake oven,
hominy heater, pot-orane and all.
The only refreshment to be had on
the grounds is the sweet milk dis
pensed by clever old woman. The
two hours the boat stays seems too
short, but / saw everything. If a
person stayed a week he would want
to stay a month, so suppose two
hours is long enough.
After going back to the city had
"a most pleasant drive to the next
most interesting house, darlington,
the elegant home r. E. Lee left to
take part in the war. He, too, like
his only equal, had nice home. 1t
is used now for national cemetery.
l saw in connection with this the
cavalry station and Watched the boys
in blue parade.
AT p. m. was acked and ready
to start back South. The train had
to wait 20 minutes at. Alexandria, so
had time to visit Csrist Church,
where Washington's membership
was held and his early church work
done. | stopped at Manassas and
drove over part of the great Bull
Run battlefield the next day. saw
the stone bridge and railroad, back
of which Jackson's men fought; also
the hillside where S. d. Lees bat.
terry was which demoralized the men
of Pope's army. There isn't much
sign of war there now, although
thousands of brave men on both sides
met death there some few years ago.
In the latter part of the afternoon
resumed my journey home, but
stopped again and visited Appomat.
tox, where Lees little band surren-
dered their arms and ended the war.
There isn't anything to be seen there,
but L can say now that | saw the
place where the strife ended.
My next stop was at Asheville,
n. O., a very pretty city surrounded
by mountains. Vanderbilt's country
seat is four miles from Asheville, at
Biltmore. tits the most costly private
estate in America. He has 5000
acres of land on his beautiful lawns
he has thousands of trees and shrubs
from every land. The house over
looks the French Broad and Swan
nanoa rivers. The whole thing cost
$6,000,000.
At Hendersonville / changed ears
and ran up to Brevard to spend
Christmas with friends. I've never
Il