Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-09-16
From the Philadelphia Sunday Morcuryl
FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE ON MIN
ERAL LANDS AND MINING.
ny PROFESSOR wM. =. RoBERrs,
Of PhiladeIDhid. Geolo0ist aud JEhsy1 lngj

ny PROFESSOR WIN. =. RoBERrs
! Of philadelphia, Geoiogist and NMtdiogist
! Pressing engagements during last week
occupied my full time, and prevented he
| preparation OF the promised communica-
tion-the result of my visit to St. Mary s
in Elk county, in The Northwestern part
of our State. | therefore, take this OPP
Iportunity 10 give your readers briaf ao-
count OF the country | passed over at that
time. My first stopping place was Lock
/ haven, The county seat of Clinton--a
town--it may be remembered-a little
over a year ago-sutleled severely from
destructive fire which took place there and
burned down most of the business part of
! it, including the finest Hotels, large stores
and private dwellings. | was, however
! delighted to see the burnt-up district
pretty much rebuilt, in good taste with
substantial brick edifces Lock Haven is
very flourishing town the head market
for the unsurpassed West Branch timber,
of almost every description. Immense
mills are constantly occupied in the man
utacture Of lumber, and every freshet
brings with 1t hundreds Of RATS of ship
ping aud building material, from The hea-
vily wooded forests Of the counties above.
Lock Haven is pleasantly situated at the
confluence of the Bald Eagle creek with
the Susquehanna river. Its hotels are
commodious and well kept, especially the
Fallon House, where | stopped This is
conducted by Mr. Bigamy, formerly Of
Allentown, on the Ilehigh lie is a host
worthy the name, always attentive and
agreeable to his guests. The stores, which
are numerous, appear to be doing good
business. The papers are ably edited, and,
in fact, the whole place is lively and speaks
well for the intelligence and thrifty habits
of the people. .--e,a-
From this point Passed up the Sunbury
& Erie Railroad. now being pushed to
completion by its lessee, the Penn'a. Cen
tral r. K. Company. Atthe crossing over
to the Farrandsville side. a road branches
off, Leading to the bituminous coal mlnesl
at Eagleton. These are situate on the
sumrnit of the mountain, and are ap-
preached from the Valley of the Tanga-
scootack by means of switch backs, con
structed SO as to gain the top in the east
est way. The locomotive with its train OF
cars, are now pushed before it, then trail
ing behind, now backwards and, then for
wards up the steep slope, conveyed me IN
safety to the top, and afterwards down
again and those who desire a little ro-
mantle ride to witness the beautiful seen
cry, would be pleased with a trip to Ea-
geton with the train. Major Dickinson,
the Superintendent Of the Company's
works, will am sure, take pleasure in
granting them facilities for this purpose
The Northern Central, the Sunbury & Erie
and the Wiiiamsport & Elmra Railroads
use the lagleton coal in their locomotives,
and it is also used for steam and domestic
purposes in Lock Haven and the surround
ing country
Passing on up the Sunbury & Erie, Rem
ova is sreached This place is at the mouth
of Paddy's Run, four miles above Young
womanstown. The name It now bears
was adopted 10y the Penn. Central Compa-
ny, who are building very extensive loco
motive and car factories. and other works
shops, for their own use. They have pur-
chased several acres of fiat land for this
purpose. When completed il will be the
Altoona of the West Branch. Thence
continued to the meeting Of the waters OF
the Susquehanna and Snrcmahoning.-
There the railroad leaves the Susque-
hanna. crosses the Sinnemahoning and
traverses up its narrow valley 10 the
Forks )" or Driftwood branch, the pres
ent stopping place for travellers iourney-
ing onwaIds TO ST. Mays lGdgway, and
points in that direction There left the
train and although ] could have gone
some sever or eight miles further on the
locomotive, / should have gained nothing
in distance in reaching st, Marys, the
place of nv destination Luckily heavy
York wagon, without springs was about
leaving the Forks" and availed myself
of the opportunity Of continuing my Jour
ney in il, and at nightfall found myself
we'll iolted at a small place or Bennett
Branch, called Benezet. about five miles
east from Caledonia, in Elk county. Ben
ezel is at the mouth of Trout Run. There
are several well-built houses, small hotel,
a saw-mill and some other workshops
The Winslow family reside there, and are
well known, generally respected, and in
good circumstances, old residenters they
may be called There my greatest attrac-
tion was the discovery ol good salt spring,
which occurred in this wise:
The brother of therosident Winslow Of
the place, had been living in The OIL Re-
gion, and ialcyiuga a similarity Of position,
geological and Otherwise, between the OIL
country and his'own, returned to his old
home to try bis luck at boring. Having
fixed the point and placed his opparatns
for this purpose, he commenced to drill
aud drilled on to depth ofsome 25Vteet
; when 10, to his surprise, saltwater, instead
of oil gushed forth. lie still perseyered,
but the deeper he bored the more salt the
water become, and he left of at the depth
, of some 100 or more feet. The water
contains six degrees Of brine, and be Is
, now preparing to manufacture salt. 1.-The
found not what he sought, le folnd that
. which will reward him for his persever-
[ apce, and which viii result in great bene-
| fitto that part Of the country, fol salt was
/ reeded there in considerable quantities,
, especially in the farming districts, and
owing TO the distance il has TO be trans
ported, has been an expensive article TO
: obtain. The boring was commenced a.
| bout SOC feet below the conSlomerate-
the had roclz of the coal formation which