Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-07-29
"A cEIE1 AHANe ErAK1N, NOTES. J,

"DIEDRiCH," correspondent of the Som
erset Herald & IFhig, has recently been trayel-
ing through our region OF country, and gives
the following sketch of his. trip from Tyrone
to Clearield.
ssWe slept at Tyrone. The next morning
we were pleased to an old-fashoned, four
horse coach ready to convey us over another
mountain to Clearfield. The coach looked like
an old acquaintance; we entered it on the
best of terms bnt the road was bad, SO bad,
indeed, that the coach lost all self command,
and went jumping and pitching at desperate
rate, and without the least regard for the feel
ings of seventeen men, women and children
that were in and upon it. Indeed, it became
SO familiar with us, and took so many PRIV
ilegcs, that we were all perfectly satisfied be-
fore the journey was half completed, to cut its
friendship ana bid it adieu forever.
ssThe country through which We passed is very
mountainous, and the inhabitants sparce. The
soil is shallow, shallow that or two crops
are said to exhaust its native productiveneSs,
and render manuring and careful culture nee
essary. Il has always been wonder TO me,
how settle down in this wild, noun
famous country, aud exhaust their energies
and their trength in clearing away these dense
forests OF pine, hemlock and laurel; in plough
ing among pine stumps, rocks and roots, with
other prospect than that of reaping crop
too scantv 20 furnish themselves and their fam
lies Win pfeaH, anu eSpecldiIy Is IL Il WOnueF,
when It Is known that these same men, by GO
ing few days ride farther west can obtain
land at half the cost Of their own, cleared of
trees stumps. and stones, with I soil so deep
and productive that an ordinary lifetime is too
short to exhaust it. This country, so destrnc-
tive TO energy and human comfort, is neyerthe-
less beautifully wild and romantic. The eye
rests with pleasure upon the blue mountains
rolling along the distant skies, and upon the
dark green foliage of the hemlock laurel and
pine. The surface in many places Is COM
uetciy covered with MOSES, mouutain-tea
and other winteT-greenS the low laurel and
honey suckle bloom beautifully Just above the
nlossy carpeting; above these is the high laur-
ell; and out of this laurel thcket the dark
trunks of the heInlock and white pine rise ma
iestically to the height of q common tree and
then reach out their branches, tapping one u
pom another high up in the air, and forming
leafy arch. The sight is beautiful. As far as
the eye can penetrate, these dark trunks rise
I'D from the moss clad earth like round col
umns and sustain the arch of foliage, forming
a grand temple of the Druids. Merging from
this dense forest, came suddenly upon the
small EiiIage of Phlipsburg, where We rested
and took refreshment.
ePhiIipsburg, small village surrounded
with forests of pine, takes its name from its
proprietor. Mr.. Philips was an Englishman
b~ l,srs ,sossessed of wealth and taste for rural
eniovment. The wild and romantic aspect of
this country, together with its mineral resour-
ces pleased his fancy :.ad promised fair to IN
crease his wealth. Having purchased large
tract OF land he laid out the village, establish
ed large iron works, and built himself beau
tifui dwelling on hill covered with primeval
forest which he improved to suit his taste.
He kept his horses and mis- hounds, and found
much enjoyment in the chase. He lived in
tine F.eifsh style while he lived, and, although
his enterprise proved failure, and Mr.. Philips
rs nov no more yet his beautiful dwelling still
stands q n,o1uiaent to his memory. and the
yfllage associates his name with the pioneers
cf c;,r country, aad viii band it down to pos
teriiy.
The old cc.ch resumed its rocking, pitching
ard jolting over very bad road, through
dense forests and half cultivated feids- Ihe
cfors we saw were as good as couid be eSpec-
ted of sell so shallow and so hard TO cuiei-
Yate. Wfs1t. rve and oats look very wen, out
corn :. little sickly. Merging from the woous ,
on the top Of hill, we looked down upon .he
town of Gisarfeld. The site oft town IS al
most level, with the young Susquehaniia on
one side and its bluffs or the other Inc pup
&c buildings are good and substantial, but they
.riong TO style of architecture, which is now
rapidly giving way to one iauch more symme-
trical and convenient TIE good citizens oi
Clearfeid can accomplish a good work FOL
their little town and very pleasant one for
themselves, by putting down vide sidewalks
and opening drains along the curbs. The
streets become very muddy. Judging from