By Water to the Columbian ExpositionWisthaler, Johanna Sara
History
By Water to the Columbian Exposition
Wisthaler, Johanna Sara
Great Lakes (North America) -- Description and travel; New York (State); World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
A long walk through Utica made us acquainted with a regular and handsomely
built city, which rises from the south bank of the Mohawk River to an
elevation of 150 feet. Among the stately buildings are six large hotels,
the handsome city hall, the postoffice and the bank edifice. There is also
a State Lunatic Asylum. Utica, being in the center of a great dairy
region, has become the most important cheese market in the United States.
Genesee Street is the principal thoroughfare lined with large blocks of
commercial houses.
The city has not yet attained its centennial; but during its history of
less than a century it has experienced a wonderful growth, especially
during the last fifty years.
At 7 o'clock the next morning we resumed our voyage, sailing on the
so-called sixty mile level; having thus the delightful prospect not to
be detained by going through numerous locks.
We were also _in limine_ of the far-famed lake region, and soon traversed
one of the finest portions of New York State.
Passing the hamlets of York Mills, Whitesboro and Oriskany, the
"Marguerite" advanced near to the city of _Rome_ towards 10 o'clock A.M.
In its vicinity the famous battle of Oriskany was fought; and Fort
Stanwix, which was besieged by the British in 1777, occupies a site now in
the center of the city of Rome. The latter is laid out with wide streets
well shaded with maples and elms. In the resident portion, a very high
artistic taste has been displayed in the erection of dwelling houses.
Although this thriving city of almost 16,000 inhabitants has not so many
points of interest as its namesake, the ancient metropolis of the glorious
Roman empire, whose wealth of antiquities is perfectly marvelous and whose
relics of classical and papal times are alike almost innumerable; still it
possesses one interesting feature that ought not to be left unmentioned:
It was here that cheese was first made in factories.
Other important manufactures are merchantable iron, brass and copper,
locomotives and agricultural implements.
Greatly favored by the clemency of the weather, we sped through this
beautiful region, which is a never ending source of interest to the
tourist, sailing past New London, Grove Springs, Higginsville, Dunbarton,
State Bridge, Durhamville, Lenox Basin, Canastota, New Boston,
Chittenango, Bolivar, Pool's Brook, Kirkville, Manlius and Lodi. At the
latter place the bed of the canal suddenly widens considerably, being
about twice its average width. Entering that portion of the grand
artificial waterway, we found its waters so shallow that we could plainly
discern its rocky bed.
We entered the city of _Syracuse_ when the last streak of daylight had
faded from the west and the blush on the waters was followed by the
reflection of the far blue arch and its starry host.
Opposite the city hall, a magnificent structure, the "Marguerite" was made
fast to repose after a fifty-five miles' course that day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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