Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1911 — OUR EASTERN TRIP [ARTICLE]

OUR EASTERN TRIP

As Seen by a Lay Member of the Party. The following account of The Democrat party’s recent eastern trip, the first installment, which appears in this issue, covering the first half of the journey, written by one, and the second installment, which appears in our next Saturday issue, covering the second half, is written by another of the young lady members of the party: The Democrat's party left Rensselaer, on its eastern trip, Sunday, July 2, and connected iat Hammond with the Michigan Central Limited and went through to Niagara Falls, N. Y., without change, arriving there, at 6:15 Monday morning. The trip from Detroit to the Falls was made through Canada. Several in the porty arose early-that they might see the country, which is mostly a level or gently rolling prairie-land covered with fields of waving grain. Eastern Canada did not look as prosperous as we had imagined it would. ' The fapm improvements were generally rather poor, many of the farm houses and nearly all the barns being unpainted. In fact we only saw two barns that were painted in our more than two hours of daylight ride in Canada. Apparently the drought had affected crops there also, and oats, grass an corn was very poor. Wheat looked best, but that was far from what we would call good. The quality of the stock on i£he farms was also inferior to that seen in our own country. As we approached Welland, Canada, We noticed a large number of posts with some sort of guide board or sign on them off to the south of the track, and wondered what they might be. Mr. Ott suggested that they marked the route of the Purtelle electric road, ’but we finally concluded they marked the streets of new additions to the town of Welland, which by reason of its location on the neiw Welland canal connecting Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, is destined to become a £lty of considerable importance. We spent Monday at the Falls. A' visit was made to the Shredded Wheat Biscuit Co's, plant, which is located in a beautiful residence district, away from the factory region of the city. A guide conduct- ■' ed us through the building, explaining the various processes used in making, baking *and boxing the biscuits. This is all done by machinery. The guide explained how it was necessary to touch the biscuits but once with the hands in the entire process; that was when they were placed in boxes by young ladles dressed in white. We were impressed with the cleanliness in all parts of the factory and decided we would never be afraid to eat shredded wheat 'bisculte.

Several in the party who had not before visited Niagara could scarcely -contain themselves with a desire Jo see the Falls, so we walked to Goat Island, which separated the Canadian and American Falls. Goat Island is a reservation of the state of New York and is naturally a beautiful place, but it has been improved with beds of blooming flowers, shrubbery i and pretty walks. We went around the island following the old Angler’s Trail. • Bits of picturesque scenery delight ope all along the way. From the island a most excellent view of the Horseshoe Falls may be had, as they plunge over the rocky cliff in a foaming mass to strike the huge rocks 165 feet below. A side view of the American Falls greets one from the same fxoint. Looking down from Prospect Park

the little Maid-of-the-Mist can be seen steaming to the foot of the Falls. Never can one realize the power of this mighty .cataract until he has gone to its foot in> this little steamer. Competent authorities tell us that 10,284,857 gallons of water pour over the brim of Niagara, every second. Ln the afternoon we took one of the Gorge line cars, starting on the American side, corssed the beautiful tipper steel arch bridgefrom which one has ?. caance to see the American Bridal Veil, Rock of Ages, and Horseshoe Falls at the best advantage. On reaching the Canadian side the car ran down the gorge along the brink of a cliff, nearly 150 feet above the water, along the river toward Queenstown. Here one has a birdseye view' of this great masterpiece of nature, the Falls behind, the plunging river, the wonderful bridges, the power-houses, the rapids, and then the whirlpool. Soon we reached Queentown Heights and saw the great monument, 200 feet high, erected to the memory of the British general, Brock. The car now crossed a suspension bridge to the American side and down to Lewiston, the landing for the Toronto steamboats, where we stopped for a short time, then returned to the Falls. To attempt to describe this ride is impossible. The car threaded its way back at the foot of the rocky cliff at the very water's edge. As we saw the tumbling, tossing waters we realized more than ever the overwhelming power of this great river. The most wonderful part of the gorge is the whirlpool; where the, green waves rush mountains high and plunge fathoms deep, where the water literally churns and seems to go in every direction. Several of us had visited there before, yet we saw something new at each turn and were more deeply impressed than ever with the majestic beauty. Old Niagara just as proudly, just as gloriously, dashes on like the noble river that it is, and always will be.

Niagara Falls is a city of beautiful residence", many of which are covered with old English ivy, whose porches are a mass of flowers and vines. The pretty green lawns fenced in by low hedges are kept, shady by the large trees that line the streets. Everything seems so quiet and restful, amid the roar of the Falls in the distance. - That evening we left for Buffalo, where at 9:40 o’clock we took our sleeper for Albany. A visit was paid to the state capital there, before taking the steamer, ‘‘Robert Fulton,” for our trip down the Hudson. The New York state capital is a very stately structure and is noted as one of the finest public buildings in the United States and cost about $30,000,000. It stands on a hill overlooking the Hudson and may be seen for many miles down the river. We saw little evidence of the big fire which .recently destroyed many of the public documents and damaged the library so much. That part of the building being closed, but the main building was uninjured. Some of the girls in our party with kodaks “snapped” the great stairway In fropt of the capital oh leaving Capitol HIM, catching a few of us still descending the steps. This was the Fourth of July and camping parties greeted us from both banks of the river with cheers, waving handkerchiefs, firing guns and firecrackers. The sail down the Hudson is considered the most beautiful inland water trip on the American continent. The lordly river makes its way to the ocean between high wooded cliffs ■on both sides. Hidden away in the trees, ’high up on. the cliffs, are the summer homes of New York’s wealthy. By the use of the field glasses we saw among many others the homes of Alton B. Parker, Wm. Rackfeller, Chas. M. Schwab, Helen Gould, Waldorf Place, “Sunnyside,” the home of Irving, also the monument erected to his memory.

Several cities of historic interest were passed, Poughkeepsie, West Point, quaint old Newburgh, Tarrytown, and others. West Point in itself and through its historic associations has long been conceded the most interesting spot on the Hudson. Here is sitauted the U. S. Military Academy. Famous monuments and trophies, the museum, and superb parade grounds inspire enthusiasm.

At Poughkeepsie, or “Bridge City,” the Hudson is crossed by a magnificent bridge 212 feet above the water, supposed to be the highest bridge’ in the world. We arrived in’ New York City late Tuesday evening, our boat which was due at 5:30 being almost an hour hnd a half late, and were met by porters and a representative of the Martinique Hotel, which, was our headquarters while in the metropolis. The next morning after a Little sight-seeing ride through the city, we took a sail around Manhattan Island in the yacht “Clifton.” Starting from 42d street we went down the Hudson River, passing over the 'Pennsylvania railroad tunnels, seeing Hoboken on the right with Castle Stephens in plain view; mammoth steamers of the Hamburg-American, North German-Lloyd and HollandAmerican lines. Here" were two warships at anchor, the Washington and the Montana, with their bristling guns, and neatly uniformed crews. ,

On the New York side we had a grand view of New York’s famous skyscrapers, the Anchor, French and Ounard lines. The Statute of Liberty, Ellis Island, Emigrant Station, the Aquarium, Governor’s Island, and the Battery were all in plain view. The little yacht steamed up East River under the Brook-

lyn; Manhattan, Williamsburg and Blackwell’s Island Bridges. The Brooklyn bridge, which wste opened to traffic in 1883, was one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the day, yet the Williamsburg, begun in 1896, is bigger, having four surface railroad tracks, two elevated tracks, two carriage ways and two promenades. -- Beneath the center span of the Blackwell's Island Bridge is Blackwell's Island -with the various correctional and charitable institutions maintained by the city. From East river the boat passed into Harlem river which on account of its quiet waters is a favorite location for rowing dubs. Passing into Harlem river ship canal we went under High bridge, Washington, Kings and Spuyten Duyvll bridges, then into the Hudson, (a beautiful sight) with the palisades on the right. Grant’s tomb, the 'Hall of Fame, and the point of land where Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton fought their famous duel, which cost the latter his life. The spot is marked by a seven foot monument. The home of Madame Jumel, and hundreds of other points of historic interest were pointed out and fully explained to us by an expert guide. This was certainly an educational and pleasant trip never to be forgotten. After these delightful hours spent on the water, we returned to the heart of the city to visit Broadway and Wall streets. At the head of Wall street is Trinity church, which has long been the pride of New York. The churchyard contains many graves of famous men, among them Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton, William Bradford and others. Then we went down Wall street passed the sub-treasury and other notable buildings and thence to the Battery. An hour was spent in the Aquarium in Bat-, tery Park, which is still the best, known to outsiders as “Castle Garden.”

It is interesting today, more for its historical association than for its display of fish. It was here that Grand Opera was inaugurated in this country; where Lafayette was entertained with a grand ball on his last visit to America; where Jenny Lind delighted thousands with her singing. The buildig was later cohverted into an immigrant receiving station, but. was finally transferred from state control to the city of New York to be used as an Aquarium. That afternoon a trip was made by boat to Coney Island, passing Ellis Island, the Statute of Liberty, •Quarantine Fsliands and the forts that guard the entrance to New York 'harbor. A few pleasant hours

were spent on the beach at Goney, watching the bathers, gathering shells, etc. This noted resort also 'shows little evidence of the recent disastrous fire there. It was perhaps nine o’clock when we left this brilliantly illuminated pleasure ground for the city. The return trip was made by trolley across Brooklyn bridge and through the subway back to the hotel, which we reached at almost IT p. m. We were tired and ready for a good rest. Thursday forenoon was spent In Central Park, with its Egyptian Obei'isk, its lakes, its cave, its statues, the Mall, and fine museum. In the afternoon a few of us made a visit to Jersey City through the Hudson tubes, returning to find that we had but twenty minutes in which to get oiir baggage and catch the bqat for Norfolk. A hurried trip was made in taxicabs, reaching the pier three miles away, in the nick of time. (Concluded next week.)