The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-09-30
OBIGTTTMEho
For the ColumJia Democrot.

TWO RAINY DAYS IETEIE MOUNTAINS,
In fhe summer of the year 1923 I was
one Of a party employed to explore the
mountainous region between the Susoue-
hanna and Schuylkill, and the former and
Lehigh. At that time there was few
scattered novels in the wilds, and few
public houses along the different leading
roads, but nevertheless the appearance of
the country denoted nothing Ike the hustle
Of business. There was then one solitary
tavern where the pleasant village of Beaver
Meadows now offers to the weary travel
Ter not only the neceS8ayies but the hllu-
'ies of life. The same may be said Of
Hazleton, and perhaps still less of Tama-
qua, and several other fine villages which
have sprung up, as by magic, under the in
fluence of that all-moving hand, internal
impr0Uenlenf. | was wealEer-bound then.
las now,) in The neighbourhood of Beaver
Meadows. sat down, sad and disconso-
late, with the whole wilds Of the mountains
before me. saw the raylncs, the streams.
and the swamps, skirted with laurel and
other hardy ever-greens, woven together
with vines and green briers, till they pre-
sented barrier formidable to the traveller:
the mountains were hcayng up their pine
clad spires, with aspect as wild as in the
ages Of their subjection to aboriginal gov
ernmens untrodden by the foot of civilized
man. In traversing the wilderness | found
occasionally a narrow path, which my
guide would say ''leads somewhere" but
which appeared more Ike the footway of
the tawny savage or the beast Of prey,
stlaa like that cf civilized men in the nine
teenth century.
! was exploring with view to Railroad
or Canal communication, but upon revolv-
ing the subject in my mind during gloomy
day, could scarcely persuade myself that
The whole project was not visionary. The
trackless space, the rugged hills, the tang
led forest, all conspired to defy human en-
terprise, and fautered in uncertainty at
every new difficulty.
But how different is the scene now!
The railroad from Tamaqua to Port Clinton
In complete operation, and its extension to
Cattawlssa under contract so that the whole
line presents hustle in complete contrast
with its primeval solitude. The Hazleton
road under contract, with a force which
dispols despondency; and the coal mines in
operation to such extent as to convince the
most credulous of their wealth and the
practicability of making that store available
4 pleasant hamlet at the mines enlyens
the prospect with glance at domestic
comfort, while the more magnificent cdiG
ces at the village proper, carries the visitor
In imagination, to the portals of ancien
Greece, ard, in reality, furnishes every ac
commodation that an eplcure need demand
AT the Beaver Meadow mines is anothe
hamlet larger than the former, because the
mines are worked to a much greater extent
and the village proper contains numerous
population of mechanics and operatives
who fill the streets with all the hustle Incl
dent to active life in the most populous dis
tricts. The sound of tools and machinery
the clatter ofbells and drums, and the con
fusion Of many voices, disPel the gloom o
mountain residence and form astriking con
trast to the loneliness of 1928. The loco
nNSgiye on the railroad, with his train o
thirty loaded cars, grim in aspect, pushini
forward as with the elements of an earth
quake, defying all opposition, fnishe
t9e picture, and proclaims at once that wit
the aid of these elements, and the light q
science, man is invincble. The might
barrier and the fleet invader, the nuid antaq
onist and the adamantino opposition, all la
before the force of coufningled elements, @
yield their powers and qualities to aid tn
mighty operation.
Thus the cities on the seaboard, and tn
hamlet in the interior, become near neigl
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