Travel Accounts

Travel account text

The words are typed as they appear in the document.

 

 

Author unknown

Travelling over the Allegheny Portage Railroad:
May 12-15, 1836

The excerpt below is from the original at the Wm. L. Clements Library, University of Michigan.

Thursday May 12th. Was dressed when W. invited me to walk. I assented, and enjoyed a delightful walk of a mile and a 1/2, before breakfast, to the next lock in Huntington, where we took in a valuable addition to our party, viz two musicians, who favored us every few minutes with a tune or two admirably played off. To day passed along the Juniata, through as pleasing and varied country as before. Passed several places, but their attractions were not sufficient to induce W. [initial?] to move out. reached Hollidaysburg at 1/2 past five, had supper early, which gave us sufficient time to enjoy a delightful ramble around the city, with a few of our passengers, who had concluded to spend the night on board the boat. It is a pleasant, growing place, and one of much importance in that region, owing to the extensive business, carried on, by means of the railroad and canal.

[Fri 5/13]
The Pioneer and Good intent lines, both left Hollidaysburg on Friday at 5 A.M: we together with the other Ladies and three of the gentlemen of our boat, took seats in the first car and were drawn 4 1/2 miles, to the foot of the first plane, length 2296 feet. which we ascended, by means of a stationary engine on the top. The weather quite cool and damp and more unpleasant as we approached the region of the clouds. 5 planes took us to the summit of the Alleghenies, The length of the second plane is 2740 ft. the third 3117 ft. the fourth 2900 ft. the fifth 2900 ft. which we reached at 1/2 past seven: only think of 90 hungry persons rushing into a house, and seeing over the door the sign "tickets for the table at the bar;" as a natural consequence a general rush was made by the gentlemen to the bar, then with tickets in hand, and the Ladies in their charge another general rush was made to a door, which refused admittance, where we stood, no doubt, with as much impatience, as office seekers do, under President Jackson's reign. At length, (a long time it was) a side door was opened and a a general invitation to the Ladies to walk in, was issued; we all bounced in together and seated ourselves as fast as possible, each taking good care of No. 1. The breakfast was very good, and after a ride of two hours and a half, it may readily be inferred that justice was done to it. After satisfying cravings of hunger, another general rush was made to secure choice seats; our cars were drawn by horses between the planes: after descending four planes, the fire eater was attached to the train consisting of two cars of our line, three of the Good intent and three of Leach's [?] line. When coming to the viaduct, the captain halted, to give passengers an opportunity of viewing the stupendous work, which consists of a stone arch thrown over the river Juniata (at the height of ninety feet) which runs between the two mountains, thus forming a track for the cars to cross over from one mountain to another. About five miles from Johnstown, we came to a celebrated tunnel, where the Loco, was disengaged, and horses attached, and where something of the Egyptian darkness was experienced. The tunnel is 917 feet in length and appeared to have been cut through a solid rock of the mountain, at each end arched over. After descending the fifth plane, horses were attached and we were drawn to Johnstown. We left at 1/2 past two in in [sic] the packet boat Niagara of the Pioneer line and found we were not to have dinner till four; and that was to answer for supper too. Among our passengers, was a member of Congress. Judge Banks, of Penn just returning with his sister, having recently been appointed judge of one of the middle districts of Penn. found both of them very agreeable, and he very gentlemanly in his manners. Met, with the Rev Mr. Snowden, Uncle to the former clergyman at St. Augustine; and also with Mr. and Mrs. More who have been spending the winter in Havanna, and who became acquainted with Mr. Cory, family and cousin Amelia. Wonder if Amelia is in Newark? Friday night was too much disturbed, by a severe pain in my face, to sleep; the next morning with a heavy cold in my head, my face still paining me and feeling very weak from the effect of the pills upon me, I lay till sometime after breakfast, when I roused myself and went to the sitting room, but to be at all comfortable was obliged to recline my head on a pillow against the side of the cabin, and then was obliged to miss the beautiful scenery as we passed. The several places I passed, I did not see; to the tunnel on the Canal, which we had hoped to pass through in the day time, we did not come till about midnight, it, being constructed precisely like that on the railroad, no one thought it worth while to get
[Sat 5/14]
up. Passed the Allegheny aqueduct about ten. Sat. A.M. was not at the dinner table. Reached Pittsburg Sat PM 1/2 past 3. rode to the Exchange, were shown to a private parlor No 12 in the second story, bedroom adjoining. was most suffocated with the dust and smoke, and the pillow, I put on the sofa to lay on, on taking it up found [it? erased] covered with the black dust, and every thing else in the same black dusty state. Supper was announced by the waiter opening the door and saying Supper is ready.
[end of excerpt]

 

Anne Baggs

June 10-20, 1842
Information provided by Irma A. Harper.

"Saturday, we packed the balance of our furniture, except heavy articles which were deferred over to Monday.
Sunday, we attended the Baptist Church on North Street, spend the afternoon with Mr. Langdon and at night attended Wesley Chapel.
Monday, we packed the heavy articles and put them on board the steamboat for Pittsburgh.
Tuesday about 10 o'clock we proceeded on board the steamboat, Majestic, for Pittsburgh and about 1/2 past eleven o'clock started with fine pleasant weather.
Wednesday morning it clouded up and commenced raining and continued raining throughout the day and night.
Thursday we proceeded on our journey with difficulty as the river was very low, we grounded at several places but arrived at Wheeling at about 7 o'clock or sundown. We landed about 60 of our passengers there and lay there about two hours and then we proceeded to Pittsburgh. The night was very dark and rainy, we made slow progress going through the night, the river being so low, we grounded several times.
Friday we proceeded up the river with great difficulty. Sometimes we grounded and at other times striking rocks and turning the boat quite round and we arrive at Pittsburgh at half past six o'clock on Friday, June 14th. We see the canal agent and made arrangements to have our freight carried to Baltimore and took our own passage in the canal boat for Harrisburgh.

Saturday, we proceeded on our journey in the canal boat and had rather pleasant time, as there was but few passengers, and we arrive at Johnstown at the foot of the mountains on Sunday morning about five o'clock and took our passage on the cars across the mountains. Johnstown is 103 miles from Pittsburgh and Johnstown is 36 miles from Hollidays Burgh. We breakfasted at Jefferson on the top of the mountains on Sunday morning. Good fare and sufficient time. We ascended five incline plains and likewise descended five, they would average about a half mile each. We arrive at Holliday's Burgh at about 10 o'clock Sunday morning, June 16, and took our passage in the canal boat for Harrisburgh. The weather was quite cool and rather unpleasant.

Monday commenced with light showers of rain but broke off about 10 o'clock and became more mild than it had been. The scenery all along the canal is mountainious (sic) and hansome (sic). We follow the Junietta river from the foot of the mountains to Harrisburgh, arrive at Harrisburgh Monday night at 1/2 past eight o'clock.
We stayed on board the packet all night and Tuesday morning took our passage in the stage for York. Arrive at York at half past twelve o'clock and dined at the railroad hotel and took our passage in the cars at Baltimore at 3 o'clock.
Arrive in Baltimore at half past six o'clock on Tuesday evening and took our lodgings at Mrs. Beamon's private boarding house, Monument Square.

After a journey of seven and a half days from Cincinnati, being much fatiged (sic) we retired soon and slept sound until the morning.

Wednesday commenced very warm and uncomfortable throughout the day until about five o'clock in the afternnon, then a severe gust of wind and rain which lasted for about one hour, and then broke off, but still continued sultry untill about 9 o'clock, then another gust of wind came and made the air somewhat cooler and the night more pleasant.
Thursday morning, we arose at an early hour being somewhat refreshed and proceeded to the steamboat, Osiris, and took our passage to St. Michaels, the Morin being fine and pleasant....."

 

Ulysses S. Grant

May 1839
En route to West Point.

I took passage on a steamer at Ripley, Ohio, for Pittsburg, about the middle of May, 1839. Western boats at that day did not make regular trips at stated times, but would stop anywhere, and for any length of time, for passengers or freight. I have myself been detained two or three days at a place after steam was up, the gang planks, all but one, drawn in, and after the time advertised for starting had expired. On this occasion we had no vexatious delays and in about three days Pittsburgh was reached. From Pittsburgh I chose passage by the canal to Harrisburg, rather than the more expeditious stage. This gave a better opportunity of enjoying the fine scenery of Western Pennsylvania, and I had rather a dread of reaching my destination at all. At that time the canal was much patronized by travellers, and, with the comfortable packets of the period, no mode of conveyance could be more pleasant, when time was not an object. From Harrisburg to Philadelphia there was a railroad, the fist I had ever seen, except the one on which I Had just crossed the summit of the Allegheny Mountains, and over which canal boats had been reached. We travelled at least eighteen miles an hour, when at full speed, and made the whole distance attended the theatre, visited Girard College (which was then in course of construction), and got reprimanded from home afterwards, for dallying by the way so long. My sojourn in New York was shorter, but long enough to enable me to see the city very well. I reported at West Point on the 30th or 31st of May, and about two weeks later passed by examination for admission, without difficulty, very much to my surprise.

 

Julia Perkins

September 4 to September 9, 1843

The portion of Perkin's account below is related to her time on the Main Line Canal.

September 4th (Mon). Went to Bordentown on the Delaware River in the farm wagon; left home before daylight, went down in the 6 o'clock boat. Spent the day in Philadelphia, uncomfortably warm. Excellent accommodations at Clark's Railroad House corner of Broad and Cherry Streets. Had some delightful watermelon in the evening.

5th (Tues). Left Philadelphia in the at 7 o'clock. Passed Downingtown, Parkesburg, Penningtonville. Reached Lancaster at 12 o'clock. Passed Mount Joy. See very little of these places in passing through. Went through an excavation under a mountain, as dark as night. Reached Harrisburg at half past three, and took the canal packet. Passed beautiful scenery this afternoon; one of the bluffs, on the Eastern shore of the Susquehannah, must have been at least 500 feet above us, with its frowning rocks almost overhanging the canal. Passed Petersburg, a scattering village, situated on the Western bank of the Susquehannah at the foot of the mountains; above that, the hills subside, and we have a more distant view; scenery on either side magnificent. Crossed the Susquehannah at Duncan's Island. The horses pass on a bridge two thousand feet long and three stories high. Another boat passing at the time we were. It was just twilight and the scenery was enchanting. Leave the Susquehannah now and follow the course of the Juniata. Great many passengers, very uncomfortable, sleeping close quarters.

Sep 6 Wed. Rainy morning, warm and close, obliged to stay in the cabin looking up every few moments. Crash, jam and on we go. Scenery appeared to be very fine what can be seen of it through the half closed windows. Passed Lewisburg. The notes of an accordion and the voices of some children sound quite enlivening. This and some books, and papers serve to pass away the time. Continued raining all day with a few intermissions. Scenery grand, mountains rising many feet above us, covered with the rich dark foliage of the forest now and then broken by an overhanging crag. Obliged to return to our uncomfortable quarters soon after dark in order to be out of the way. When the berths are once made there is no room anywhere else.

Sep. 7th Thur. Awoke in the morning by a crash in passing through a lock; it seemed to answer the same purpose as a "first bell," for in a few moments the cabin was a perfect scene of confusion; still continues raining, much to the discomfort of the passengers. Passed several boats fast in the canal. Looked out of the canal into the Juniata. Slackwater navigation. Left the canal at Hollidaysburg and took the cars to cross the mountains. Between Harrisburg and Hollidaysburg there are 110 locks, averaging 10 feet each which raises us 1100 ft. We ascend the mountains by five inclined planes, some of them a mile in length. This raises us 1100 ft. higher. Reached the summer at 12 o'clock. No mountains towering above us now, but we appear to be on a level, where we can see quite down to the horizon, except where obscured by the forest. Began to descend by inclined planes. Cars stopped at the foot of the second plane for dinner. Gave us an opportunity of getting out and looking around. Passes through a tunnel in the mountains 900 feet long. Strange traveling this, the engine first behind pushing, then before pulling, now the horses are, too, and now we are going without either horses or engine. Passed plenty of log cabins. Left the cars at Johnstown, and took the packet again, a counterpart of the one we left at Hollidaysburg. Johnstown appears to be a pleasant flourishing little place. A company of soldiers were out on parade and crossed a bridge directly in front of the boat, affording us a full view of them; a part of them dressed in hunting shirts attracted considerable attention. Passed through a tunnel in the night.

Sep 8th Fri. Slack water navigation on the river Kifkiminetas. Passed Saltsburgh, Wassen, Leechburg, Toronto, and Freeport, mountain villages. Passed several salt works, black, smoky looking places. Follow the course of the Allegany river. Got into Allegany City after dark. Raining. Took an omnibus there and crossed the bridge over the Allegany into Pittsburgh; great confusion in getting off of the boat, enjoyed the excitement, eleven of us in the omnibus, baggage piled up on top several feet high. Put up at the Merchants hotel in Wood Street; excellent house.

Sep 9th Sat. Walked out after breakfast. Went to the glassworks but they were not in operation. Pittsburgh is as dirty and smoky a place as it has been represented; the market is a perfect scene of confusion, very different from Philadelphia, a crowd completely across the street so that we could scarcely get through. Took the steamboat Lancaster to go down the Ohio river, expected to start at 10 o'clock; then 12, then 3, finally did not get off until 4 o'clock, then ran only 9 miles down the river, and lay to until morning. Passengers very much annoyed, but tried to make the best of it.

 

Harriet Beecher Stowe

The Canal Boat, written for Godey's Lady's Book.

Of all ways of travelling which obtain among our locomotive nation, this said vehicle, the canal boat, is the most absolutely prosaic and inglorious. There is something picturesque, nay, almost sublime, in the lordly march of your well-built, high bred steamboat. Go take your stand on some overhanging bluff where the blue Ohio winds its thread of silver, or the sturdy Mississippi tears its path through unbroken forests, and it will do your heart good to see the gallant boat walking the waters with unbroken and powerful tread, and like some fabled monster of the wave, breathing fire and making the shores resound with its deep respirations. Then there is something mysterious, even awful, in the power of steam. See it, curling up against a blue sky some rosy morning, graceful, fleeting, intangible, and to all appearance the softest and gentlest of all spiritual things, and then think that it is this fairy spirit that keeps all the world alive and hot with motion, think how excellent a servant it is, doing all sorts of gigantic works, like the Genie of old, and yet if you let slip the talisman only for a moment, what terrible advantage it will take of you, and you will confess that steam has some claims both to the beautiful and the terrible. For our own part, when we are down among the machinery of a steamboat in full play, we conduct ourself very reverently, for we consider it as a very serious neighbourhood, and every time the steam whizzes, with such red hot determination from the escape valve, we start as if some of the spirits were after us. But in a canal boat there is no power, no mystery, no danger; one can't blow up, one can't be drowned unless by some special effort : one sees clearly all there is to the case — a horse, a rope, and a muddy strip of water, and that is all.

Did you ever try it, reader? If not, take an imaginary trip with us just for experiment. "There's the boat!" exclaims a passenger in the omnibus as we are rolling down from the Pittsburg Mansion House to the canal — " Where?" exclaim a dozen of voices, and forthwith a dozen heads go out of the window. "Why down there under that bridge, don't you see those lights!" "What that little thing?" exclaims an inexperienced traveller, "dear me! we can't half of us get into it!" " We! indeed," says some old hand in the business — "I think you'll find it will hold us and a dozen more loads like us." "Impossible!" say some. "You'll see," say the initiated; and as soon as you get out, you do see, and hear too, what seems like a general breaking loose from the Tower of Babel, amid a perfect hail storm of trunks, boxes, valises, carpet bags, and every describable and indescribable form of what a westerner calls "plunder."

"That's my trunk!" barks out a big round man. "That's my bandbox!" screams a heart stricken old lady, in terror for her immaculate Sunday caps. — "Where's my little red box? I had two carpet bags and a —. My trunk had a scarlet —. Halloa! where you going with that portmanteau! Husband! husband do see after the large basket, and the little hair trunk — oh! and the baby's little chair!" — "Go below, go below for mercy's sake, my dear, I'll see to the baggage." At last, the feminine part of creation perceiving that in this particular instance they gain nothing by public speaking, are content to be led quietly under hatches, and amusing is the look of dismay which each new comer gives to the confined quarters that present themselves. Those who were so ignorant of the power of compression as to suppose the boat scarce large enough to contain them and theirs, find, with dismay, a respectable colony of old ladies, babies, mothers, big baskets, and carpet bags already established. "Mercy on us!" says one, after surveying the little room about ten feet long and six high, "where are we all to sleep to-night." "Oh me! what a sight of children!" says a young lady in a despairing tone. "Poh!" says an initiated traveller, "children? scarce any here — let's see — one — the woman in the corner, two — that child with the bread and butter, three, and then there's that other woman with two — really it's quite moderate for a canal boat, however, we can't tell till they have all come."

"All! for mercy's sake! You don't say there are any more coming!" exclaim two or three in a breath," they can't come, there is not room.''

Notwithstanding the impressive utterance of this sentence, the contrary is immediately demonstrated by the appearance of a very corpulent elderly lady, with three well grown daughters, who come down looking about them most complacently, entirely regardless of the unchristian looks of the company. —What a mercy it is that fat people are always good natured!

After this, follows an indiscriminate raining down of all shapes, sizes, sexes, and ages, men, women, children, babies, and nurses. The state of feeling becomes perfectly desperate. Darkness gathers on all faces. "We shall be smothered ! — we shall be crowded to death! — we can't stay here," are heard faintly from one and another, and yet, though the boat grows no wider, the walls no higher, they do live, and do bear it in spite of repeated protestations to the contrary. Truly, as Sam Slick says, "there's a sight of wear in human natur."

But meanwhile the children grow sleepy, and divers interesting little duetts and trios arise from one part or another of the cabin.

"Hush, Johnny, be a good boy," says a pale nursing mamma to a great, bristling, white headed phenomenon, who is kicking very much at large in her lap.

"I wont be a good boy, neither," responds Johnny, with interesting explicitness — "I want to go to bed, and so-o-o-o," — and Johnny makes up a mouth as big as a tea cup, and roars with good courage, and his mamma asks him "if he ever saw pa do so," and tells him that "he is mamma's dear, good little boy, and must not make a noise,"with various observations of the kind, which are so strikingly efficacious in such cases. Meanwhile the domestic concert in other quarters proceeds with vigour. "Mamma, I'm tired!" bawls a child. "Where's the baby's night gown?" calls a nurse. "Do take Peter up in your lap and keep him still." "Pray get out some biscuits to stop their mouths." Meanwhile sundry babies strike in " con spirito" as the music books have it, and execute various flourishes — the disconsolate mothers sigh and look as if all was over with them, and the young ladies appear extremely disgusted, and wonder "what business women have to be travelling round with babies!"

To these troubles succeeds the turning out scene, when the whole caravan's ejected into the gentleman's cabin, that the beds may be made. The red curtains are put down, and in solemn silence all, the last mysterious preparations begin. At length, it is announced that all is ready. Forthwith the whole company rush back, and find the walls embellished by a series of little shelves, about a foot wide, each furnished with a mattrass and bedding, and hooked to the ceiling by a very suspiciously slender cord. — Direful are the ruminations and exclamations of inexperienced travellers, particularly young ones as they eye these very equivocal accommodations. "What, sleep up there! — I wont sleep on one of those top shelves I know. The cords will certainly break" — The chambermaid here takes up the conversation, and solemnly assures them that such an accident is not to be thought of at all, that it is a natural impossibility, a thing that could not happen without an actual miracle; — and since it becomes increasingly evident that thirty ladies cannot all sleep on the lowest shelf, there is some effort made to exercise faith in this doctrine, nevertheless all look on their neighbours with fear and trembling, and when the stout lady talks of taking a shelf, she is most urgently pressed to change places with her alarmed neighbour below. Points of location being after a while adjusted, comes the last struggle. Every body wants to take off their bonnet, to look for their shawl, to find their cloak, to get their carpet bag, and all set about it with such zeal that nothing can be done. "Ma'am you're on my foot," says one. "Will you please to move, ma'am," says somebody, who is gasping and struggling behind you. "Move" you echo. "Indeed I should be very glad to, but I don't see much prospect of it." "Chambermaid," calls a lady, who is struggling among a heap of carpet bags and children at one end of the cabin. "Ma'am," echoes the poor chambermaid, who is wedged fast, in a similar situation at the other. "Where's my cloak, chambermaid?" "I'd find it, ma'am, if I could move." "Chambermaid, my basket!" — "Chambermaid, my parasol!" — "Chambermaid, a glass of water!" — "Mamma, they push me so!" — "Hush, child, crawl under there and lie still till I can undress you." At last, however, the various distresses are over, the babies sink to sleep, and even that much enduring being the chambermaid, seeks out some corner for repose. Tired and drowsy, you are just sinking into a dose, when bang! goes the boat against the sides of a lock, ropes scrape, men run and shout, and up fly the heads of all the top shelf-ites, who are generally the more juvenile and airy part of the company.

"What's that! what's that!" flies from mouth to mouth, and forthwith they proceed to awaken their respective relations. "Mother — Aunt Hannah! — do wake up — what is this awful noise?" — "Oh,only a lock!" — " Pray be still," groan out the sleepy members from below.

"A lock!" exclaim the vivacious creatures, ever on the alert for information, "and what is a lock, pray?"

"Don't you know what a lock is, you silly creatures? Do lie down, and go to sleep."

"But say, there a'n't any danger in a lock, is there?" respond the querists. "Danger!" exclaims a deaf old lady, poking up her head, "what's the matter? There h'in't nothin burst, has there?" —

"No, no, no !" exclaim the provoked and despairing opposition party, who find that there is no such thing as going to sleep, till they have made the old lady below and the young ladies above understand exactly the philosophy of a lock. After a while the conversation again subsides. Again all is still — you hear only the trampling of horses and the rippling of the rope in the water, and sleep again is stealing over you. You doze, you dream, and all of a sudden you are started by a cry, "Chambermaid! wake up the lady that wants to be set ashore." Up jumps chambermaid, and up jumps the lady and two children, and forthwith form a committee of inquiry as to ways and means. "Where's my bonnet?" says the lady, half awake, and fumbling among the various articles of the name. "I thought I hung it up behind the door." "Can't you find it?" says poor chambermaid, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Oh yes, here it is," says the lady, and then the cloak, the shawl, the gloves, the shoes, receive each a separate discussion, at last, all seems ready, and they begin to move off, when lo! Peter's cap is missing. "Now where can it be" soliloquizes the lady. "I put it righthere by the table leg — may be it got into some of the births." At this bright suggestion the chambermaid takes the candle, and goes round deliberately to every berth, poking the light directly in the face of every sleeper. " Here it is, perhaps," she exclaims, pulling at something black under one pillow. "No, indeed, those are my shoes," says the vexed sleeper." May be it's here," she resumes, darting upon something dark in another birth. "No, that's my habit," responds the occupant. The chambermaid then proceeds to turn over all the children on the floor, to see if it isn't under them, in the course of which process they are most agreeably waked up and enlivened and when every body is broad awake, and most uncharitably wishing the cap and Peter too at the bottom of the canal, the good lady exclaims, "Well, if this isn't lucky — here I had it, safe in my basket all the time" — and she departs amid the — what shall I say? — execrations? — of the whole company, ladies though they be.

Well, after this follows a hushing up and wiping up among the juvenile population, and a series of remarks commences from the various shelves, of a very edifying and instructive tendency. One says that the woman did not seem to know where any thing was — another says that she has waked them all up — a third adds that she has waked up all the children too, and the elderly ladies make moral reflections on the importance of putting your things where you can find them — being always ready, &c., &c., which observations being delivered in an exceedingly doleful and drowsy tone, form a sort of sub-bass to the lively chatterings of the upper shelf-ites, who declare that they feel quite wide awake, that they don't think they shall go to sleep again to-night, and discourse over every thing in creation, until you heartily wish you were enough related to them to give them a scolding.

At last, however, voice after voice drops off — you fall into a most refreshing slumber — it seems to you that you sleep about a quarter of an hour, when the chambermaid pulls you by the sleeve, "Will you please to get up, ma'am, we want to make the beds." You start and stare. — Sure enough, the night is gone. — So much for sleeping on board canal boats.

Let us not enumerate the manifold perplexities of the morning toilet, in a place where every lady realizes most forcibly the condition of the old woman who lived under a broom — "All she wanted was elbow room." Let us not tell how one glass is made to answer for thirty fair faces, one ewer and vase for thirty lavations ; and, tell it not in Gath! one towel for a company! Let us not intimate how ladies' shoes have, in the night, clandestinely slid into the gentlemen's cabin, and gentlemen's boots elbowed, or rather toed their way among lady's gear, nor recite the exclamations after runaway property that are heard. "I can't find nothin of Johnny's shoe!" — "Here's a shoe in the water pitcher, is this it?" — "My side combs are gone," exclaims a nymph with dishevelled curls!" — "Massy! do look at my bonnet!" exclaims an old lady, elevating an article, crushed into as many angles as there are pieces in a minced pye. — "I never did sleep so much together in my life," echoes a poor little French lady, whom despair has driven into talking English.

But our shortening paper warns us not to prolong our catalogue of distresses beyond reasonable bounds, and therefore we will close with advising all our friends who intend to try this way of travelling for pleasure, to take a good stock both of patience and clean towels with them, for we think that they will find abundant need for both.

 

Philo E. Thompson

Diary of a Journey on the Main Line Canal
Edited by Joel A. Tarr
From Pennsylvania History Volume XXXII #3, July 1965

An exerpt about traveling on the Main Line Canal:

Wednesday, March 30^th- (Snow and rain) left New York at 7 a.m. for Philadelphia (95 miles) in the steamboat Swan for Amboy, stopped at 9 a.m.; thence by railroad across New Jersey for Bordentown (35 miles) left at 10, had a glorious ride and arrived at Bordentown at 12, thence down the Delaware to Philadelphia (30 miles) in the steamboat “Trenton.” We called at Bristol. Pa.; Burlington N.Y. [sic], and arrived at Philadelphia at 5 o’clock where we put up at the North American Hotel kept by Mrs. Yoke. Found this a good house and called on John Hall at evening.

Thursday, March 31^st- Pleasant. Stayed in Philadelphia- think it a beautiful city. Visited the Navy yard, went on board the Pennsylvania, the largest ship I ever saw. Traveled over a great part of the city; visited the water works at Mount Pleasant- a great work of art, by which water is raised from the Schuylkill by a forcing pump, to a great height into a basin on top of a hill, thence runs in an aqueduct to Philadelphia, and powerfully waters the whole city.

Friday, April 1- Cloudy. Left Philadelphia at 9 for Columbia (82 miles) on railroad. Went out three miles with horsepower, crossed the Schuylkill, ascended an incline [d] plane for 5/8 mile by means of stationary engine and thence by steam in good style with ten cars in train. Averaged about 20 miles per hour, stopped several times for wood and water Stopped at Lancaster, a beautiful place, and left two or three cars, thence quickly onward and descended an incline [d] plane 19 hundred feet and arrived at Columbia at 5 p.m., highly delighted with our ride. Like the country very much, put up at the Washington hotel, a good house.

Saturday, April 2- Pleasant. Stayed at Columbia, the canal not passable on account of brakes [sic]. This is a pleasant place situated on the Susquehannah [sic] at the termination of the railroad and canal. See many fine sights, particularly great six horse teams, with the driver riding near the hind horse guiding them with one rein. The bridge across the Susquehannah 1 ¼ miles long cost $130,000.00.

Sunday, April 3, Pleasant. Still at Columbia. Little regard is here paid to the Sabbath. There is no cessation of business on railroad or canal, people spend their time riding or loitering about the streets.

Monday, April 4, Pleasant. Yet at Columbia. Left at 5 for Hollidaysburg [sic] by canal (172 miles) on the boat Chespeake [sic] Libbart the captain. Passed Harrisburg that night.

Tuesday, April 5, Pleasant. (On the canal) crossed the Susquehannah 43 miles from Columbia, with horse on bridge and the boat pressed heavily down by the current. Thence up the Juniatta [sic] two miles and crossed the river by acqueduct, stopped at Newport and here crossed the river by rope ferry. Stopped, also, at Millerstown. Met a boat aground, and could not get by. Every man off and backed the boat several rods and started at full speed; raised a swell and went by. Passed Mexico, a considerable place. Horses were frightened and jumped into the canal and swam across; ran half a mile; flung one horse (we had three) but they stopped unhurt.

Wednesday, April 6, Pleasant on canal. Left the boat and walked one mile across the mountains (the distance around by boat 5 miles), bought some sweet cider and apples. Walked some distance. We crossed the Juniatta by aqueduct, passed Jack’s Narrows, a lofty mountain, with a stage road running across the side. Crossed the Juniatta several times by acqueduct and towbridges and passed through 111 locks and ascended 1,000 feet.

Thursday, April 7, Pleasant. Arrived safely at Holidaysburg at six, thence by Portage railroad 36 miles over the Alleghany mountains to Johnstown, drawn by horses on the levels, ascended 5 inclined planes by stationary engines. The longest 3,200 feet. We passed a mile and a half upon the summit, 2,475 feet aove [sic] tidewater. Here we breakfasted and found a cool climate with much snow. We descended 4 inclined planes, saw several coal mines, much heavy timber. Thence 14 miles by engine and passed through a tunnel 900 feet long and 260 feet beneath the surface. We descended another incline [d] plane and thence by horsepower to Johnstown, where we arrived at 2, then on by canal to Pittsburg (103 miles) on board the canal boat Cincinatti [sic] with Captain Hoffman. We passed the tunnel during the night and did not see it.

Friday, April 8. Pleasant. On the canal, passed down the Kiskeminitas by slack water. Dams were across the river setting backwater for several miles. We passed many salt works on the river bank where salt is manufactured by boiling salt water which is obtained by boring six or eight hundred feet through the rocks. It is raised by steam pumps. Their fuel is coal which is dug from the mountain above them. We crossed the Alleghany river by acqueduct thence down by this river and passed Freeport, a considerable place. Went through 65 locks and crossed the Alleghany again by acqueduct at Pittsburg, where we arrived at 6 p.m., and put up at the Exchange.

Saturday, April 9. Stormy. Stayed this day at Pittsburg. This is a great manufacturing place, particularly of iron work. Coal is their only fuel and it is the blackest, nastiest place I ever saw. Buildings inferior, people generally of the lowest grade. Engaged passage on board the boat Mountaineer with Captain Wells for St. Louis- put baggage on board and took lodging there.