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PF2.2.82
Date
11-3-2838
Transcript
Levi Peck Esq
Woodbridge
Nestbill P.O.
New Haven Co. Conn.
Kenyon College November 3rd 1838
[To] Father and Mother
I arrived at Gambier a week ago yesterday being Friday the 2nd having been 10 days on my passage. I will [?] to give you [disen?etoire] of my journey, I started from New Haven as you well know on monday and reached New York the same day. On Tuesday morning I went on board the Albany steamboat, and arrived at Albany about 10 o clock in the evening. While in Albany I called upon Jane Goodelle and passed some 2 or 3 hours of the evening with her. She [?] to be very pleasantly sit [vatid], but more was a racehorse under a [shouser] curls than she appears to be. Albany is a large business looking town built upon a steep hill side principal street rising in an augh of nearly 30 degrees. The public buildings are very handsome but I could not observe much of them as I started on Wednesday morning at ½ past 8 for Utica on the Railroad. From Albany to Schenectady the land is missable more than most I ever saw in Con. After we passed Schenectady the soil [leaned] in some places the best I ever saw until we came in the vicinity of Settle falls where it is nothing but rocks and stones. For a distance of 3 or 4 miles the road is cut down 10 or 15 feet through the rock and in the village they are building a stone bridge about ½ a mile over the [molesawk]. At 2 or ½ past the car stopped at Utica and at 4 we stacked in the Paddle-boat for Rochester 4 miles an hour night and day. I should have taken a line boat but no one started until next morning and they only go 50 to 60 miles in 24 hours. After we left Utica the country began to have a very different appearance. Everything about looked new except the occasional log huts. They seemed black and old enough in conscience. Large stumps are standing in all the fields and occasionally in the villages sometimes 5, 10 and then 30 or 40 feet high. We passed through so many [bellays] that I would be utterly in vain to try to describe them. Suffice it to say they were all very new apparently very busy very compact and very dirty. Traveling on board a canal boat is the most sociable way of any that I ever saw. There was about 80 passengers on board from all parts of the U.S. and of all classes from a U.S. Senator to an Irish day laborer and each one was as familiar and talkative as if they had been acquainted from childhood. We reached Rochester on Friday Morning about 9 o clock having been 2 nights and 3 days on the boat and started immediately for [Stockport]. [We ?] ca,e to about 11 o clock the same night. I never was more surprised with at the appearance of a place than at Stockport. The village is on the left of hill I should think 50 or 100 feet high and the canal looks up this ascent within the assistance of [?] by 5 complete sets of double locks of heavy stone surrounded by [?] railings. To stand on the top and look off it seems as high as the hill fronting Lewis Sanford’s House. We started by rail road on Saturday Morning for Niagara Falls at 9 o clock and arrived there in something like an hours or an hour and a quarter. To attempt to describe the Falls would be a task for Shakespeare himself for even he could only attempt he could not succeed. I went under the shut of the Great fall and saw it pouring down in front of em so near that I could touch the falling column with my staff. I went to go and I stand in the center of the fall and went down the middle stair case as it is called having been reluctantly told by Nicholas Biddle that it is in the form of an octagon and from the top to the bottom there is 150 winding steps of about 10 inches each. I looked a while at the foaming of the water below the falls which boils as if all the fires of hell were beneath it gazed at the rapids above and deep green water of the river. Carved my name upon a rock cut a staff in the woods and left far famed Niagara perhaps never to see it again. After we arrived at the hotel we turned back and looked at the rain cloud which continuously floats over the falls where the sun shines and started for buffalo about 3 the same afternoon which we reached before 5 o clock. At Buffalo we found the Lake was so rough that but one boat had dared to put out for 3 days previous and had come back at about 4th day having broken her engine. However about noon on Sunday we got off in the Thos. Jefferson a steamboat as much more powerful than the New York as the New York is more powerful than the [?]. There was 120 gentlemen and 10 Ladies in the cabins 250 of all [?] in the storage and about 100 tows of freight in the hold and no deck. The waves were like small mountains every passenger wit the exception of 5 or 6 was so seasick as to be unable to move and for a wonder I was one of the exceptions not being troubled in the least. After making only 30 miles with 15 hours the captain put in to Dunkirk where there was soon 10 or 15 boats with the same situation. We at length reached Cleveland on Tuesday Morning about 3 or 4 o clock. I found out that in consequence of the roads no stage would start for [?] until Thursday morn. So I lay [?] until then. Cleveland is a very pretty place but except in Main St. the houses are not within hailing distance of each other. It has out grown itself. There are many large blocks of 4 and 5 story brick stores standing singly and alone without the shadow of an occupant. Mr. [Stoble] and his family are well. I stayed with them from Tuesday afternoon until Thursday morn. They live in about as good style as the well to do merchants do in Con. I rode all day Thursday all night Thursday night and reached [?] on Friday Morning at 11 o clock. About 2 I started in the daily stage for Gambier or the Hill as they call it here a distance of 5 miles all the way through the woods with here and there a Log Hut and at last found myself at Kenyon College on Friday afternoon this 20th of October about four o clock. The beginning of the time was as I supposed the 1st day of [class] and day before Yesterday I took possession of my room and here I am rooming by myself as solitary as a monk in a College containing at this present time nearly 200 students and not even all yet arrived. The students do not board in Commons as they do in New Haven but at different boarding houses. The college owns 4000 acres around the [building] of this part is cleaned up and under good cultivation and part is the preserved forest. The trees are mostly oak, maple, and hickory. Oak trees 2,3,4 and 5 feet long are as thick as hitched teeth. There is one square log near ascension 80 feet long 9 ft 10 in square at the but 2 ft 10 in or 3 ft at the small end of white oak. 200 or 300 acres around the college is clear of under brush and shaded by the trees. The [?] slopes each [?] from it. No building [?] are permitted, by the faculty but such as are wanted for the glee of the students. And every person on the hill is governed by the faculty. In consequence of the great [?] of [?] [?] has academics to 1.50 and 1.75 instead of 1.200 and 1.50. From [?] [?] 1.50 a card. For white oak 1.00 maple 1.25 hickory 1.50 season cut in [?] lengths and [?] at the college. The students [?] from it to [?] a soon through the [?] using fireplaces. Oil is 1.75 a gallon candles 12 a pound. [?] is of no consequence at all here and a pile of cloth coat is decidedly the best of any. Nothing is done for from 50 to 75 cents per month more only. Books are extra and gently dear. I expect, however the fault are about to take it up when they well afford them cheap. When I want clothes I shall have you get them and send them to me [?] it is some trifling [?]. Beds and bedding are more costly in proportion than anything else. Mine is the best in college. I promised when I left home to give you a regular account of my expenses. Below you will find them this page. You will see that my journey cost more than I anticipated. This was owing to the fact that [?] did not take into consideration the cost of living on the journey I did not stop long at Medina for that could not wait and I would have lost my passage. We halted at the Tavern only long enough to get dinner and [?] of the landlord if he knew [?]. He said he did. Sad he was doing well had a farm of 200 300 acres and lived about 30[?] miles from here. He said one of his boys was 20 miles a [?] as to be good for nothing and the other was good for nothing any [?]ay. I made a [?] better and left at the hotel for him [?] and if I remain here shall probably see him next vacation. The college is built of hewn stone and is 200 ft long by [?] wide. Milnor hall for the junior preparatory is 100 feet long of brick, and the senior preparatory is 80 by 60. The chapel is 100 by [?] of hewn stone. The [?] in all contain 10000 columns. There are no houses here there is no society I have seen the face of a woman I arrived except at the boarding house. We are scarcely yet by [?] to proceed in our [?] but will [?] get regularly under [?], and I think I shall [?] wish me to subscribe for the Gambier Observer [?] we know when you write. Please write soon and let me know how you get along. How go the lady. How do they get along [?] to Bethany I of course have not heard one more from Con since I started and this is the first letter I have written. For [?] is soon I must stop.
So I remain yours,
L.
Send me the papers
Account of Expenses
Fare to New York 1.50 Breakfast 50. 2.00
Portuage in NY. 1.00. Board and Lodging 1.00 2.00
Fare to Albany 3.00 Meals 1.00 4.00
Supper Loding and Breakfast in Alb 1.00
Fare to Utica 3.75 Ex the baggage .50 4.25
Board on the road 50 50
Fare from Utica to Rochester 6.50 Ext. Bag. 1.50 8.00
From Rochester to Lockport 2.50
Lodging and Breakfast at Lockport 1.00
Fare to Niagara 75. [?] at the falls 50 1.25
Fare to Buffalo 75 ext. Baggage 25 1.00
Supper Lodging and Breakfast at Buffalo 1.50
Fare to Cleveland 5.00 Extra Baggage 75 5.75
In all from N. Haven to Cleveland 34.75
Expenses Brot up --- 34.75
Breakfast and Dinner at Cleveland 75
Fare to Mt. Vernon by stage 5.00
Extra Baggage 3.00
Living from Cleveland to Mt Vernon 1.00
Fare from Mt. Vernon to Gambier 37 ½
In all for journey out - 44.87 ½
[?] for bedstand and table 3.00
Chains 2.00 Bookcase and desk 1.00 3.00
Candlestick and Broom 50 Oil can 1.25 1.75
Washbowl and pitcher 75 75
Blacking. [?] soap.
Looking Glass 75. Window Curtains 75 1.50
Wood/Cord 1.25 1.25
Latin [?] 1.00 Aly[?] 2.25
$59.00
Brot-up 59.00
Tuition in advance 15.00
Room rent do 3.00
Colege Physician do 1.00
2.00 to be deposited
With the treasurer 2.00
[?] fee 50
Society do 75
$81.50
You will see with the exception of about 2 or 25 dols I should have to have any of these expenses again this being for journey and furniture
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See catalogue
Recommended Citation
Peck, Lucius G., "Letter from Lucius G. Peck" (2838). 19th Century Correspondence. 62.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/correspondence_19thc/62