Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1893 — Down Mount Hamilton at Night. [ARTICLE]

Down Mount Hamilton at Night.

It was late when we left the building and began the downward trip, says a writer In the Californian. It was so dark that I determined to ride down as far as Smith’s, making the start from there afresh in the morning. The coach I happened to catch contained a party of excursionists. The road down from the- summit is in all probability the finest cut road in the world, but it Is steep, abounds in short turns and terrific preoipices, and is not a road on# would select to go down at full speed. Yet when the four-in-hand turned down into the road, the driver mashed his hat firmly on his head, and brought a crack from his whip like the report of a revolver, at which the horses sprang forward in a mad gallop. Crack came the whip again, and with a terrifio sway the heavy coach swung round the curve and went tearing down the road, while fitful shrinks began to come lrom the “inskies.” Trees, spectral trunks, great oaks.an(i sycamores fiew by, clouds of dust rose and hid the landscape so that the horses seemed rushing into a fog bank. Over bridges we went, the thunder of hoofs rising in the night with a weird and forbidding sound. The pace kept increasing; the horses were at a dead run, sweeping round cuives with a frightful swing, now coming up under the brake with a terrifio crash, then tearing madly on in the wild race for the lights of Smith’s away below in the gloom. Great trees with long branching arms reached out, seeming to intercept the road. Gulfs of gloom opened up suddenly, as the coach dashed around the curves. Spectral sycamores stood white and distinct, where on every side masses of verdure made the night more Impenetrable—a black gulf all about, down which they seemed scurrying. On plunged the coach—horses and driver seemingly gone mad—until finally, after pivoting around in a remarkable manner, we rushed away in a cloud of dust over the little bridge into the blending and welcome light of Smith’s inn. Tre honor of the invention of printing has been olaimed by Mentz, Strasburg, Haarlem, Venice, Borne, Florence, Basle, and Augsburg. The first three only are entitled to consideration.