New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-18
FROM THE VEST.
Correspondence of The n. Y. Tribune

II is difficult for one not an actual observer TO
realize all that has been done in Western States
since the first coonists north of the Ohio landed
at Marietta on the 9TH of April, 1857. The diff
culties of the Ohio settlers were vastly greater
than those of the colonists of Wisconsin and
Minnesota, for two reasons: the immense labor
of TRANSPORTING the ordinary necessaries OF life,
ma immense forests to be removed in order 10
be in readiness for raising grain and grass for
man and least. There are few parts of Illinois,
Iowa and Wisconsin in which the pioneer could
not begin TO plow the soil the day be arrived;
but in Ohio and large parts of Indiana and Mich
igan, the great work to be done was to remove
such forests as but few this side Of the
Alleganes ever saw. The clearing and fencing
of a farm, even imperfectly, was the work OF
years and very often completely broke down the
workman. Well do / remember, many years ago,
the establishment with which saw grain growing
in the midst of girdled trees, some OF which were
not dead enough to prevent their putting out
leaves The log-rolliDgs of the West have given
us a cantphrase in politics only the real log
rolling was a more honest and honorable business
than Congressional log-rolling These Ohio log
rollngs of former years were jolly seasons, but
fearfully wearing on the men engaged In them
Let me tell you the process: The woodman glrdles
the green weeds usually in the Summer. About
three years after, he has dead forest on which to
work, and in the Winter he fells these trees in
every direction across each other and early in the
Spring begins the work Of lingering" them into
logs; that is, he kndles fires at the points where
the trees have fallen on each other. He also kin
dies fires so as to burn the logs in two at several
other places, so as to have the logs of convenient
length He lays large limbs on these fires, and in
this way he can have fire at the same time burn
ing in hundred different spots, while he also uses
up the brush. In due time ak and fire have got
the logs ready for rolling A messenger tells the
neieLbors within reach of several miles, and on
specified day fifty or hundred men are ready to as
sist in rolling the logs into heaps. Often the com
pany is divided into two, each of which takes half
of the field and then commences strife In which
all prudence is laid aside. | have seen such
stIiies and often wondered how the human frame
could endure it. Huge logs are rolled or lifted as
if they were nothing, and eyer and anon the ami
mating shout of the competitors rings through the
forest. Every nerve and muscle is strained,
and as the job nears its completion the excitement
increases; and as the victorious party rolls up its
last log and hastens on to help its crest-ialen
competitors, a shout of exutatlon goes up -
cbeeIily as ever rang out ON more bloody held OF
conflict In olden times rum was freely used and
the labor wound up with the best supper our land
"log-roll to-day; You must lend us hand tO-mor-
crow" This is literal log-rolling; and it is
very expressive as transferred TO politics.
These log-rollings in Ohio, Indiana, and parts of
Michigan, have made foul work with the sturdy
colonists; and many men have | seen there as old
at fifty, apparently as men in easier life at sew
enty. Considering how prOdlgious the labor is OF
removing the forests it is marvel that Ohio has
almost ten millions of acres ready for the pillow
o,,I u,,1n btah oh nj "a
surface; Indiana five millions of acres cleared, and
Michigan two millions of cleared acres. That is,
since the first tree north of the Ohio was cut IN
l7S7 sixty.eight years ago, seventeen millions OF
acres Of heavily wooded land in these three States
alone have been cleared by just such labor as |
have above described. At the West log-rolling
has been the right arm OF advancing civilization;
and therefore say, honor to the men whose tolls
have given such vast areas at such vast expense to
the plow and 10 the human family
BY the way, not long since / met an old pioneer
of Indiana who told me that it took him six weeks
10 reach the new country many years ago, and,
said he, My son performed that journey short
II time since in less than forty hours 1t is
astounding isn't it
But the growth of towns and cities at the West
is not less marvellous than the clearing away Of
the forests. In 1896 Cleveland received its first
white family, and the progress of this beautiful
city is seen in the following list in 1896 il had
inhabitants in 179S, 10 in 1875, 500; in 1881,
llC0; in 1885, $3.50; in 1876, 10, 1856; and in
1850, l7,04l. Many of the streets are beautiful,
and Eucld-st., near the Lake, is one of the finest
in the Union. The growth of the city is now very
rspid since the stream of rarOad-trayel of neces-
sity pOurs through il and il has become a great
center in the trade between the East and West.
In 1897 small settlement was made at Frank
linton ON the west bank of the Sciota opposite Co
lumbus. This continued the principal settementior
fifteen years; and here the venerable DIR. James
Hoge began his labors In February, 1912, the site
Of Columbus was an untouched forest. when the
Legislature resolved TO fix the capital there. This
last was not done in fact until October, 1916.
Here we have the facts in 1872 Columbus was
forest; in 1915 ii had 700 inhabitants; in 1870,
14C0; in 1880, $500; in 1910, 5000; in 1916, 10
Geo; and in 1850 almost $4,000
Such cities as GAINESVILLE, DAYTON Hamilton,
have improved in about this ratio; and consider
ing that they are so far inland, their growth is
wonderful, and is but q fair sample of general
progress in the State.
Tie settlement of Cincinnati was begun in De
cember, l7se, by small party under the lead of
Matthias Denman of Springfield, New-Jersey
This enteTprising pioneer purchased of Judge
join Cleves Symmes eight hundred acres-the
original plot Of Cincinnati-for five shillings an
acre; that is, five hundred dollars for the whole
The same year another party settled at Columbia
a short distance above Cincinnati, and for time
babe fair to take the palm of superiority In
January 1899, Judge Symmes-the purchaser
of vast tract of land from Congress- leading
Jerseyman in Sussex Co., n. j., during the
revoution-led third party 10 what lie now
known as the North Bend, and put his proprietary
influence to work TO make that THE City of the
West. For while il seemed as if he would carry
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