The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-26

You have heard of the shocking condl
ton Of the roads in the Oil Regions. Did
} ou ever stretch your Imagination to Thick
GOsv bad they might BET If you had any
grains of unbelist in your mind as to the
Justice of the claims Of Oil Creek men to
having the worst roads in the world, l
woull that one or two, or half q DOZEN OF
YOU fsithless ones we're with me to-day ina
Tile up from Oil City to Housewife. Lesv-
ing Cleveland at s.55 T. N, by way Of
MeAdville, (sud as usual finding the Nc
Henry House SO
"a Crsmmed full,
tndJsmm.d iuII.
Mt 70 saJ id full"
IS to render bed thing lost to sight, to
memory dear,) we reach the station at
.olrOity shortly after 8 o'clock A N hsv-
ing followed the course of French Greek to
Rankin, aud thence wound our way by
the banks of the Allsghsny. This station
is nearly a mile from the heart of the city,
but already saloons and other evide~ces Of
municipal civilization lave advanced bold.
IL and met the incoming railway, sothst
we have 3 continual street from the cars to
the mouth of Oh Greek, which first FORM
ed the nucleus of the settlement. Your
ears are sssailed by cries of This way for
I'D town. "This way for Housewife,
aHsck here for Piumsr," sc, &c Having
a f~oreboding of finding the roads 8 little
rough, we select q substantial looking
wagon, bound for Rouseville, and step
aboa.d d. Already on board are an eastern
oil operator and his daughter, who, in a tit
o, insanity, has determined to see the oil
country for herself, her father being equal
" insane in ever conserving TO bring her.
In bliesful ignorance of future woe they
cast smu.ed glances st all the new scenes
around them, and the fathers glossy tile
and the daughters bird of paradise plum
aye. shine with all the lustre of Broadway.
Besides these are q decsyed gentleman,
who trusted to a friends advice and put all
the little savings he had INTO q " working
interest F" up the creek, and has come out TO
see Whist prospect it gives of yielding him
auy return, and s wide awake. young chap
who has come for curiosity alone to zee the
country. He is a sensible, joviSl fellow,
who has brought no baggage but a hsver-
sack, and worn the oldest and toughest suit
of clothes in his wardrobe. While We have
bean taking these personal notes, tie con-
fused crowd of teams aud people shesd has
b,en u~orsveing Itself SO that we can start
up the street.
And such q street, Huge, gaping holes
where your horses sink up to the belly in
mud; rocks sgsiost snd over which Uur
wagon joits and thumps until it seems that
wood aud iron can no loo ger ho'd together
sulties worn by the rains, and piles OF
rubbish thrown out by the hOuse-ksepers
on either Size here q huge pile OF lumber
with which 3 house will be built next week
now occupying more than half the road
way, and here y team stuck fast, blocking
the passage so that we must drive up &c
the very doors of the houses on either side
to get by. Stretched along this street fol
a mile are sll sorts snd conditions Of houses
from the portable hut put up yesterday tc
ba tsken down to morrow, 70 the preten
tious wooden shell, four stories high, which
was begun last week and will be cbristen ed
the ST.. Nicholas or Fifth Avenue Hotel
rhree weeks hence Here an old cans
boat hes been mo9red, and is made to dc
duty as 8 silicon and lodging place
there a capiEsd wagon-b bed is made the
sub stratum Of 8 grocery store. On tht
upper, or mountain side of the street, th'
houses are two stories in front and one II
the rear, being built against the eide Of tn,
hill. On the opposite side, the contrary i
the case-the street front having one st0rJ
less than the farther side. Dsrricks ar
erected and walking beams st work direct
ly upon the sidewalks, and you may looi
down into the tanks without moving from
your seat in the wagon. Imagine 81
these, IS the features of the one stree
of the town, and then add to tn
picture an unceasing succession of OF
teams, each way, the horses stumbling snt
crawling their weary way, the wagon
cresking and swaying with the roughnes
of the road, and the drivers Except whel
blocksded or stuck taking it all cooliy AM
guiding their tears ~unconcerned througl
qusgmires and over stone heaps that woul'
AppAl. q green nADo-
This one street comprises the town upol
the west side OF Oil Greek. Upon the cas-
side the streets are as bsd, but the inhabi
tsnts have boldly scaled the precipitOu
hills and crowned the hill sides and sum
mits with residences, many Of them HAVING
not only q comfortable but even tastefulAnl
luxurious appearance.
1t is with the western part Of the town
that we have to do, for through that we ar
now winding our way. From the frs
"g'lang" of the driver at the station on
gymnastie exploits commence. As "
start you kindly suggest to the young lad!
in front that she will get her light kid
soiled and you ofsr her II pair of suitable
riding gloves at the same time intormin:
her that it will be much safer to tucl
her dress inside the wagon, anC
thus protect it from the mud WI
shall be sure to find. A contemptuous 81
lence and a whitening glance are your onl!
reply or thanks and you rejoice In you
secret soul at the discontinue you know i
in store Tor her. At the first lurch of on
craft into 8 slough of unknown depth, sh,
screams with fright, grasps the p~sternal re
lstion TO save herself from falling, an6
makes an effort to draw in her vOluminou
skirts. But the revolving wheel, drippins
from its submersion in the foul mire, hs
been too quick for her, and plsstsred hel
dress with 8 vile compound that has ruineC
both the dress and the delicate glove
which have seized It. -..s.i.I
i b AS we round the bend in the road at thu
mouth Of the Creek, a man with TIN borI
pFoelsims the fact that the splendid pscke
boat "CiPper No. l." will start at Onc'
j for all points up the Creek. You glsne'
iatO The bed Of the stream to observe tn,
floating palace, and you see an oil barge
with g temporary, rough board cabin buIr
up midway, the propslling power Of tbs
craft being two objected horses
hsrnessed to the forward end to tow it uI
sgAibss the current, not by ioE-p4ths, as i
the custom of canals, but WAding in the bee
OF the s.resm eli the way. In this way
slloil boats, which with their cArgoes, have
ao3ted down with the current, from
Saafer, Petroleum Center, the Tarr Farm
or other points, are hauled back for new
loads. 1t is killing work for horses and
they soon break down uRder it, besides
which, The constant work in the wateI
soft. rs and rots the hoofs. Many teamsteTt