The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-04-11
LETTER FROM OILI4NA.
OILIANA, Apra 8, 1861.

To the Editor Of The Alleghanian:
am progressing. But had bad luck
the other day. When l had attained the
depth of thirty-four feet-which remark
able event occurred on last Tuesday at
11.20 A. M.-the augur | was using be-
came firmly fixed in the rock, and all my
efforts to remove it therefrom proved abor-
tive. [ didn't waste time in useless lam
entations over the mishap: on the contra
ry, wasted it in vain attempts to dislodge
the drill by block-and- nd-tackling it. Marie
which is the Hindoo for mo 60 am
philosopher, you know: SO | concluded
to take things as they came, and trust to
Prov for the rest. Therefore, procured
a copy of the Deasd Sentimental, and sit
ting down on the spring-pole, proceeded
to read aloud some of those pleasing col
loauies between Mordicai and Jonathan
Oldbuck, Jr., which are only to be found, or
discovered, in that singularly interesting
sheet-terms twelve bits in advance, and
the only Buckinridge paper in the county.
Strange for till relate, even inanimate
iron and wood could'nt stand all that. In
exactly twenty minutes from the time of
the stoppage, and FIVE minutes after | had
commenced reading, the boring apparatus,
becoming disgusted with the aforesaid eff
fusions, and thinking, doubtless, that its
silence wo'd be construed into acquiescence
with the sentiments they contained, began
groaning and creaking: | immediately
sprang to my feet and gave the wlndlass
heave-ho: and in few minutes more /
had everything in excellent working order
again. During the quarter Of an hour
intervening before noon, | busted myself
drinking to the health of Mordicai, my
oil well, and bores in general. After
which, with undiminished appetite, took
my accustomed grubular refreshment.
I am not superstitious, but don't this
little episode Of the clogging of the augur
seem to typefy the distracted condition of
our National affairs and the ultimate set
tlement of the same The thirty-four
feet-them's s the thirty-four States compo-
sing this great and enlightened old + p.
Unum the banging of amicable relations
between the tools and the workmen sug-
gests the Secession dodge; and the sue
cess Of my de,nier resort, the literatorical
effort, shows that the righting of affairs
rests principally with the Press. Who
can doubt it? Not me.
But Politics avaunt.
We are talking of extending the Eb. &
Cresson RR- to this place. We need such
an institution the worst Kind Of way. We
held an informal meeting the other night
to ascertain the sentiments of the people
on the subject and 100000 were sub
scribed on the spot by me and few 9th
ers. And this is only an earnest of what
we can and will do. The road is to be
called the "Oiliana Sheet Lightning
Branch" Bangs suggested as a motto
for the Company the following: "Wheie
we Branch we Rue it." OF course he was
kicked out of the assemblage.
The other day, quoth Cruise to me,
"Why is the perfumed oil from my well
something of an anomaly 2" gave it up
on the third guess. Because" said he,
"although it comes from above it is scent
from below l thought it was pretty
big thing on oil.
But--I must to work. Great is
oil, and | am its profit.
Pray for me.
Yours, Nevertheless, CALEB SMITH.