Year: 1864

The distance from the valley on the west
side to the summit. is thirty-six miles.
While the descent is made on the east
side in twelve miles. The ascent is about
twelve hundred feet to the highest point
in the road, which is tunnel mile in
length through the summit of the noun
tain. This tunnel is cut through the
solid rock, ard some hundreds of feet be-
low the surface at the highest point on
the crest of the mountain. The sides of
the mountain along the Rail Road track,
are filled with iron ore and coal. Coal is
so easily obtained that was told from
seventy-fvc cents to one dollar per ton
was the common price for it delivered and
loaded on the cars on the track; and it
is 50 universally used in that region for
fuel, that an immense quantity Of. wood
is now to be seen neglected and going to
decay, near by the Rail Road all the way
up the mountain. AS we ascended fur
ther up the mountain, the coal mines
appeared to be moreS numerous. The
mines are indicated by drift or hole in
the side of the mountain high enough to
to allow man to stand up in, and wide
enough for little hand car to run in on
track running from the drifc to a plat
form extending over a side rail road track
These little cars are run into the mine by
hand, loaded and run out again to the
platform, and dumped into the larger cars
below. All along the mountain side for
miles and miles, we saw those little black
holes with their miniature rail track to
some convenient place for loading into the
cars; and great many hardy dark look
ing men actively engaged in their mining
labors.


Near the summit of the mountain is
place for summer resort, called Cresson
Springs; large hotel, several cottages
scattered among the trees, which was
told were for the use of families who came
there to spend the summer months,
spring house, bowling allies. and other
conveniences for exercise and amusement.
constitute the main attractions; and these
with the cool pure air Of the mountain, a
plenty Of good food and mineral water,
and peaceful conscience would enable
one to pass few days there in midsum.
mer very pleasantly.


The ascent by rail over this mountain
was formerly made by means of several
inclined planes, and stationary engines at
the head of each one, to draw up the
train of cars. There were ten of these
planes on the west and twelve on the east
side. This mode of ascent, it will be
seen. must have been very slow compared
with the present one. The present road
runs on a somewhat different route, and
the rise being more gradual, locomotives
are able to make the passage without diff
ficulty. though at much slower rate of
speed than upon more level grades. The
grade on the west side ranges from thirty
to forty feet to the mile, while on the
cast side it is from ninety to one hundred
and ten. averaging one hundred for the
whole distance, and it requires two en-
gines to draw the same train up the east
side, that can be drawn by one up the
west side.


The scenery up the west side is very in
teresting, as we followed along the banks
of the crooked stream, through the mar
row drifts, past the several iron manufac-
turing villages, crowded into the valley
or perched on the mountain side, our rold
continually turning and twisting about
in zigzag course to make the ascent as
easy as possible, and the ever changing
aspect of the scenery rendered it one of
rare beauty to behold. Although the as
cent up the west slope is very interesting,
as | said before, yet the crowning beauty
of the whole is the descent on the eastern
side. Soon after emerging from the more
than Egyptian darkness of the tunnel on
the summit. we came out suddenly on the
mountain side and commenced rapid de-
scent. From this point the view is most
beautiful and magnificent to behold. The
sides of the mountain are much more alb