Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-11-12

and Centre counties, at cost here of so or &C
cents per bushel.
LUMBER.-The townships of Burnside, Bell,
Chest, Jordan, Beccaria and Knox, lie along
the waters of the Susquebanna, Chest and
Clearfeld creeks. Vast quantities of lumber
in the shape of boards, slaves, shingles, hoop
poles, spars, square timber, &C., are manufac-
tured and taken to the eastern markets by wa
ter on the spring floods, either in RATS or
arks. Then comes the harvest for Toys to
gather up the dimes and shew what stuff they
are made of: as it requires stout hearts, willing
hands and an iron constitution, to go through
all the rough and tumble of a rafting excur-
sion.
MINERALs.-Stone coal is abundant in every
hill and along almost every stream in the
county. Iron ore is found in many places,
but for want of rail rocds, these valuable ma
terials are of little use at present. Gold and
silver is found in the pine and oak regions, but
not quite so plenty as in California.
FACE OF THE CoUNTRY.-The land is hilly
and broken, but not mountainous or much bar
ren, and most OF the land is susceptible of cul-
catur and Morris, Boggs and Bradford, lie be-
tween Clearfeld and Moshannon creeks; not
very hilly land mostly arabic and has i farm
ing and numbering community. l may saw
the whole county is lumber county, for every
township is SO situated TO do more or less
at the business. The timber Of most value in
the county is pine, oak, hemlock, chestnut,
D0nlar linn chprrv lOcuSf and Panp
Pike and Lawrence lie along the Susquehanna,
in the heart of the county, and are among the
best and most populous townships. Soil,
good; land hily; plenty of stone coal. 4
farming and numbering community. Brady
and Union lie on the west, next to Jefferson
county, and export large amount of shingles
and boards; face of the country, broken and
hilly; land mostly arabic. Glover is used as
a fertilizing agent in the county generally.
Huston, on the waters of Sinnamahoning, has
numbering community land, hilly and bro
ken; great need for railroad to get there.
COyington, Goshen, Girard and karthaus are
hilly and mountainous; lie along the Susque-
hanna; hills come in very steep, and little or
no bottom land along the river. Soil poor;
some barrens, not many good farms but any
quantity of stone coal, lumber and iron ore.
which will be of great value in few years.
Fire-brick clay is found, of good quality,
from which brick has been made for the east
ern market, in times past.
The northern townships are sparsely settled,
and the schools not so progressive as in the
more densely settled districts. People are no.
ted for general intelligence, industry and en-
terprisc.
IMPRovEMESrs.-The Erie Turnpike runs
thro' Decatur, Morris, Boggs, Pike, Lawrence,
and Brady townShips-East and West. A
turnpike is in progress from Luthersburg to
Pnnxsutawney in Jefferson county. plank
road from the Central Railroad at Upton,
Blair county, intersects the Baid-eagIe & Glen
Hope Turnpike, at Muddy run, near Mount
Pleasant, Beccaria township, and will eventu-
ally be continued to intersect the Erie pike
five miles east of Luthersburg. The contem-
plated railroad, from Tyrone to ClearfieId, by
way of Phillipsburg, viii no doubt be made in
a few years.
WEALrH.-The wealth of Clcarfield will ncv-
er be fully developed until the iron horse finds
fair footing through the forests and hills. to
convey away the long hidden treasures, which
are of little use to the inhabitants, in a state
of nature, but invaluable when brought to
light, and the means of transportation ever at
hand, ready to carry away the surplus minerals
and lumber.
We need more light, more knowledge, more
good teachers, and eight months schooling an
nually in place of three or four months To
bring about these desirable results, We need
uniform school tax on every citizen in the
State, rich and poor, according to valuation,
and State normal school, or county high
school in each county, to train teachers in the
profession of teaching, so that they may have
a love for the calling be qualified to guide the
mental powers in gaining knowledge be i'm
pressed with the dignity and Importance of
the cal4tng, and possessed of the right kind o.
knowledge in the branches to be taught. The
teachers business is, to make every part of
knowledge interesting to the learner. to
strengthen and develop the powers of the
mind to adorn and elevate the character.
A. T. SCHRYVER,
Co. Supt. Clearfield.
One of the certificates of death, written by
a s'physician of large practice" received at