Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-05-27
MARIETTA, MAY l9, 1857

S. B. Row, Eso.-Dedr Sir: Thinking that
perhaps some news from this place might be
of some interest to the readers of the Journal,
and having nothing else to amuse myself with,
l proceed to devote this evening to their en-
tertainm ent.
This is the latter part of spring and yet the air
is cold and raw, SO much SO that ones fingers
ache while walking the streets, in case he has
no gloves to cover them, which article you
know most Raftsmen disdain to wear at this
season of the year.
The rain which commenced falling sometime
during the night still continues to descend
with violence. Much trouble is anticipated in
holding the lumber at this place should it con-
tinue much longer. The banks are low and
sandy with but few trees, which render the
holding of much lumber during high fresh
ct, quite difficult matter.
There is a large quantity of timber in mar
ket, of which there is very little changing
hands at present, owing suppose to the unfa.
vorable state of the weather. The price has
heretofore been rather favorable to holders,
but this week it has fallen off to some extent
yet, think, if owners were not SO anxious to
get home to their farms and families, the pri-
ces would still continue good. The prices last
week ranged from to IL cents per foot for
pine some oak sold for 10 cents, but this
week il ranges from 9 to 10 cents, still think
the timber is all needed, and those who are a
bic TO hold on TO it for time, will be apt to
rcasze a fair price.
Boards are selling at Middletown and this
place, at from . to 13 dollars, according to
quality. Shingles, from 10 to ii dollars.
Expenses attending rafting this spring are
almost double what they were formerly. This
is owing to a series Of floods, only one Of which
was suitable to raft OH yet. They were all
used and mostly to the Raftsmans' disadvan-
few scattering RATS which were stoved in the
mountains, and even those have fair prospect
of joining their mates ere long.
Mr.. Editor, did you ever visit Marietta for
week during the rafting season If not, you
have lost one of the best opportunities of stu
dying human nature you ever will have. 1t is
quite amusing to loiter around Front street
during the day and observe the n,odus operandi
of fleeing the more ignorant part of the wa
out VI tuelT cdTnCu money. AT
every alternate door you will observe a small
board stuck out with the notice that within
the dirty walls cakes and beer are sold. Some
of them, and the fewest number too, bear the
look of respectable shops the balance are at
tended by one or more young females of
rather suspicious character. The Hotels on
front street are crowded to overflowing and
free fights are plenty beyond conception. The
bad whiskey drank here during the season Of
rafting would of itself float half the lumber TO
Peachbottom, or perhaps into the Bay. There
are several fancy jewelry shops in operation,
in which is sold, any amount Of brass in the
shape Of brcast-pins, ear-drops, lockets and
watches, to the unsuspecting backwoodsmen
and warranted by Simeon or Levi, or some o.
ther anti-Pork-eating rascal, to be pure gold,
and in which the poor buyer thinks he sees
quite speculation. Then there are three or
four Patent Medicine venders mounted on
chairs and door steps, rendering the streets
hideous with their songs and gulls, to come
| and buy or test the virtues of their nostrums
And then, such combination of talent and
curiosity as is offered to the people of Mariet-
Ia for the low price of 123 cents is astonish-
ing. Last week we had Mr.. Edwards and La
dy, the celebrated ballad singers, and the E.
| thiopean serenaders, and this week a person
lecturing on phrenology at the TownHal aud
the Mammoth Lady from Missouri, said to
weigh $50 pounds. She is certainly scrouger,
but / do not think she would weigh that much,
yet il is hard to tell without seeing her weigh
ed. To-day cock-fight passed of in an old
tobacco dry-house near town, on which 1 sup
pose there was about three dollars staked. AT
ter pushing them at one another some few
times, Bob's chicken turned tail to and run,
which terminated the contest. So you see
| that the good people of this place and those
sojourning here have many ways OF amusing
themselves, to which the Clearfeld people are
| almost strangers.
J must say for tho Donegal House, where ]