Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-08-14
THE CITY OF
BROTHERLY LOVE
A DELIGHTFUL STEAMER TRIP UP THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY.
THE CAPITAL OF THE NATION
Notes Of the Journey From the jamestown
Exposition to Philadelphia, Stopping at
Washington and Baltimore.

are few if any American trips that
surpass the two hundred mile ride
from Norfolk, Va. to Washington by
water, the service of the Norfolk q
Washington steamboats, being par ex
cellence. and added to all the COM
forts of magnificent palatial steam
er, the tourist is given splendid
opportunity to see part of the United
States that is rich in its historic as
sociations and exquisite in its natural
beauty. About half the distance the
steamer passes up the Chesapeake Bay
and the remainder of the journey up
the historic Potomac river.
Steaming out of Norfolk in the
morning a beautiful ocean scene is
before US. Hampton Roads is filled
with craft of every kind. There are
at least dozen large battleships
here at present on account of the
Jamestown Exposition, besides every
other kind of ocean craft from the
smallest skiff to the immense ocean
liners.
Slowly picking our way in and out
among the mauy boats which crowd
the harbor, we pass the jamestown
Exposition grounds and cross Hamp-
ton Roads to Old Point Comfort, and
after leaving here no stop is made
until we arrive in Washington.
Steaming rapidly out past the long
line of Notifications of Fortress Mon
roe we enter Chesapeake Bay and head
straight north. Part of the distance
is within sight of land, while for
several hours nothing but water can
be seen on every side.
We will not soon forget the first
time we found ourselves ont of sight
of land. 1t was on this same trip a
few years ago. and the steamer was
packed with people. The sea was roll
ing high, the worst storm in years
having been sweeping across the bay
for several hours, and about nine out
of ten of the excursionists were sea-
sick 1t was a sight we do not care
to see again. Fortunately we escaped,
but the sight of those who were sick
was enough to sicken every one else.
Soon after noon we enter the Potomac
river at Point Lookout, and the trip
up this beautiful historic stream pre-
sents an ever-changing scene OF char
ming beauty. The river in itself is
one of the most beautiful navigable
streams ON the continent, and there
are so many points of historic interest
along it's banks that the tourist is
kept busy lest he miss something well
worth seeing. One of the first to
which our attention was called was
Wakefield, the birthplace Of the i'm
mortal Washington, which Of course
is of more than ordinary interest to
every American. Within an hours
ride of Washington we passed Mt.
Vernon, the beautiful country estate
of George Washington and his burial
place. which is kept sacred as public
visiting place by loyal society OF
American citizeus. 1t is a beautiful
place and sits on slightly hill over
looking the placid waters of the Poto-
mac, commanding view for many
miles up and down the river. Across
is old Fort Washington, also rich in
historic lore. We also passed Alexan-
dria, one of the old historic places of
the east, and Arlington, where in the
beautiful national cemetery, are de-
posted the remains Of many Of the
great soldiers and statesmen of the
nation, as we'll as many, just as brave
and loyal, whose graves are known
only by the fact that they died fol
their country.
Landing at the pier in Washington
we went Immediately to our hotel ano
the next morning spent few hours
visiting some of the principal points
of interest in this, the most beautiful
|, American city and the capital OF the
United States. A description OF the
many things to be seen in Washington
would fill several columns of space
and become tiresome to the reader
After a sojourn of several days IL
, Washington few years ago we gave
, somewhat lengthy description o.
what we saw in these columns, and a
this time will only mention some o
the principal places visited.
? Washington has about 800. 900 people
, and is acknowledged to be one OF tn
, most beautiful cities in the world
/ Half it's entire area is streets AM
Q parks. 1t has 1870 miles OF the wides
streets in the world, paved with as
phalt and shaded with magnificen