Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 June 1877 — A Traveler’s Gossip. [ARTICLE]

A Traveler’s Gossip.

Washington, D. C. June 10, 1877.—A1l through that portion of the Aileghany mountains that is crossed by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, perhaps a distance of a huudred miles or more if reckoningis made from foothills to foothills, the scenery is full of interest to a lowlander or plainsman. Going down Cranberry Mountain on the eastern slope, crossing the deep and narrow valley of Cheat river, and up and down the mountains and hills beyond, one obtains most interesting views until Harper’s Ferry is passed. Beyond this point eastward, however, the hills tone down their roughness and wildness, are tamed into an arable district, and lose their grandeur as they become of more practical benefit to man in supplying food for his subsistence. At Oakland aod Deer Lodge Park and tor a distance of perhaps ten or fifteen miles the table land of the mountains is crossed. This table land is at an altitude of 2,700 or 2,800 feet above the sea level. Up there on the Ist day of June, 1877, crab apple trees were clothed in the splendor of bloom, young oak leaves were about as large and as fuzzy as a squirrel’s ears, ponds and sloughs bore upon their bosoms tiotillus ot water lilly pads, wild grass in nature’s meadow’s yas nn emerald carpet whose was three or four inches thick, scattered .in every direction over this sea of green were patches of white and yellow and blue star grass flowers, the scrubby borders of bushes which grow by the margins ot brooks and marshes and link the prairie to the woodland were beginning to exjtand their leaves and to don their early spring suit ot tenderest delicate green, and scattered through the woods were masses of gorgeously golden white root flowers, purple lupines, and here and there a hawthorn bush with its raiment of creamy white. The whole aspect of the mountain top ou that June day wasstrikingly like a bit of Jasper county landscape in the early days of April. Although it was about noon when the train crossed this bit of country the air was chilly and many of my follow passengers drew on their overcoats and closed down the windows of the car. Gentlemen who came over there during the following night told me that tires were kindled in the cars to make them comfortable. At Oakland and Deer Lodge Park fine hotels have been built for the accommodation of wealthy families who leave tbeir city homes about the middle of Juue and go there to breathe the invigorating mountain breezes until the middle or last of September, thus avoiding the dust, excessive heat, and malarious exhalations of a summer in the city. The grounds about these fashionable and healthy resorts have had money and labor lavishly expended in their improvement, and requisitions have been made upon the highest art and best taste to add their polishing touches to the exquisite beauty with which nature has adorned that region. Tha proprietors of these hotels advertise board for SBO to $75 per month; but should one be at all ambitious to attract attention and provoke remark, or if be indulges luxurious habits, be will discover that it is easy enough to double the figures above given without danger of contracting a reputation for profligacy, and scarcely be able to tell when, where, or for what his bank account was diminished. Very little attempt is made to cultivate the plateau on top of the mountain or its steep sides. Occasionally one can see way down in the deep glens, where a streamlet has deposited an acre or two of th edetritus swept <k>wa from the precipitous banks into its channel, a humble log cabin iu the midst of a little garden; now and then a few acre#

were enclosed with a rail fence and the thin yellow huckleberry soil ot the mountaintop was vexed by a shovel plow; sometimes we passed where a poor family had perohed their hovel near a spring which burßt from the mountain side, and had terraced a few rods fora truckpatch; but nothing attaining to the dignity ot even a very diminutive farm was seen for miles and miles. A severely practical person, in whom there was no trace of the romantic, would probably say that fifty miles of this country was a dreary desolate succession of rocks and steeps and woods unfitted for the habitation of men.

Cumberland, Maryland, if I recollect rightly is the first town of much importance on the route eastward after leaving Grafton. It is a larger place than Grafton, indeed attains to the importance of a city, and is far handsomer in appearance. Like Grafton and Iveyser and Harper’s Ferry and every other coll-ctioa of human habitations, the streets are very narrow, barely wide enough to permit the passage of two wagons abreast. These towns are built at the confluence of two or more streams, in very narrow gorges where space is economized as much as possible for the location of stores dwellings, and other build ings. When all of the available space is occupied at the bottoms of those steep hills, the architects dig into the sides of the banks above for a foundation upon which to plant a habitation, a church, a school house or other building. The effect of this is striking to the beholder and often picturesque. It would appear to be very fatiguing fur the poor dwellers who are constantly ascending and descending the steep stairways and inclines that lead from their homes to their places of business, devotion or amuseinept; but they are a hardy people and it is said that one soon becomes accustomed to what at the glance seems a great inconvenience and miuds it very little. Most cf the principal streets of the villages and towns in West Virginia and Maryland are paved with boulders that thickly strew the mountain sides. The streets are thus made solid but they are very rough.

There is a notable absence ot good wagon roads leading from or into these towns, and only uow and then was a wagon, cart or carriage seen iu the streets. From these circumstances and the fact that all of the country highways appeared to be merely bridle paths 1 infer that most of the traveling is done on horseback. At Cumberland are to be seen quite handsome building*, and among them is a fine large hotel belonging to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, which is built of brick with stone trimmings, surrounded by well kept ornamental grounds. The train stopped here balf an hour for dinner; and so may the reader, for

it is now 2 o’clock P. M.

H E. J.