Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1860-08-15
TO RIDGwAY AND BACK.


Mcbride, Esq, we started from here in bug
gy for Ridgway to attend the Congressional
Conference. We followed the new road which
passes along Moose creek, through the ''green
woods" to the Sinnamahoning. We have
travelled over some bad roads in our time, but
this is decidedly the worst one we have ever
seen. There are mud-holes so large and so
deep that it is almost impossible for horse to
draw vehicle through them, 1t not unfre-
quently happening that the wheels would
sink until the green, Shiny mire would cover
the hubs and axle, whilst at other times our
buggy was in imminent peril of being over
turned, and we in danger of being immersed
in the ssrankest compound of filth that NOR
tai ever beheld Had it not been for the ge-
nial conversation, and sswinning way" of
Squire Tyler, who led the van, we should GER
tainly have been disposed to lose our temper
and indulge in some CALCULATIONS that might
not have been regarded altogether pious or
refined. The delightful scenery of the Sim
namahoning valley, the fields of thrifty corn,
the sweet odor OF the buckwheat blossoms,
and the excellent dinner prepared by the hos
pitabe family of Mr.. Tyler, soon restored US
to our usual good humor. and repaid US amply
for all we had undergone. The Squire has
fine farm, and has just erected large, COM
modious brick house, which will be completed
in short time, and i'll make his property as
part of the country.
Leaving Tyler's about five o'clock, we re-
sumed our journey, and reached Centrevile,
romantic little village 10 miles from our des-
tination, some time after dark, and there gut
up for the night with Lew. Zimmerman, who
is we'll known to many here, and who keeps
one Of the best country taverns We have stop
ped at recently. On the way We had the ben
eft of heavy shower, which caused us to
travel more tardily than we had expected, and
had the effect of dispensing several parties
that had that day been s'huckleberrying' on
the stbarrens'' beyond the Sinnamahoning.
Next morning we hurried on to Ridgway
The "Hyde House" presenting a fine exterior
induced us to stop there, and we found
that, in this instance at least, appearances
were not deceptive. Mr.. Osgood, the lessee,
is a live Yankee and clever fellow, who knows
how to entertain guests and render them COM
Portable. There is another hotel, the eek
change" kept by Mr.. Luther, which also has
the reputation OF being a good house.
Ridgway is new town, situated at the
junction of the Clarion River and Elk creek
1t is surrounded by high hills and ssdim
woods.' the fields filed with stumps and dead
trees, but upon the whole it is thrifty place.
bearing unmistakable evidences of having an
enterprising, go-ahead population. When the
Sunbury and Erie Railroad is once completed
it will be an important point, and cannot fail
to do large business. The town is supplied
with water by large spring at the base OF one
of the hills, from whence it is carried by means
of pipes to the houses, and we were told that
the spring was of sufficient capacity to supply
population of several thousand. The Court
House is a small wooden building, but we
have no doubt it will in due time be superse-
ded by larger and more substantial structure
We were surprised to find the town contained
no church of any descripton-a deficiency
which the citizens should at once supplv.
Our friend, s'Hank'' Souther, has snug res
idence, surrounded by trees and shrubbery,
and to use common saying, sslives quite at
home" In the forenoon he invited all the
delegates to his house, where an hour was
spent very agreeably. Indeed, so far as we
became acquainted with the citizens of Ridg-
way, we were favorably impressed towards
them, and cannot but regard them as a kind
open-hearted, hospitable class of people. In
the afternoon the Congressional Conference
met and nominated Gen. Patton, and in the
evening the Representative conferees assem-
bled and made their selection of candidates,
but as the proceedings arc given in full in an
other column, we refer our readers to them for
particulars. We must not omit to mention
that we were very courteously treated by Mr.
Barret of the .4duocate, and by the accommoda-
ting employees of the establishment
On Thursday, We took up our homeward
march, but instead of returning over the mis-
cradle road through the egreen woods, we
went up the Sinnamahoning, through Huston
and Union townships, expecting to reach
Luthersburg the same evening. Having mis-
calculated the distance, night overlook us in
the dense forests which cover the northwest
ern portion of our county, and contain some
of the finest pines the world can boast Of
After cropping along in the dark, we finally,
about O'Clock, whilst slowly climbing hill,
met man, whom We hailed, aud finding that
he was none other than our friend David
Dressler, We at once gladly accepted his inyi-
tation to stay with him till mornng-and it is
altogether probable that our jaded horse was
not in the least sorry that we did so. The
kindness and attention of Squire Dressler
and his estmabe lady will not soon be forgot
ten by either ollr comnanion or aurself