The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-11-03
n Trip to the OIL ReQiOns.
BosroN, Oct. 18th, 1865.


EDITOR "CALEDONIAN :"-Noticing in
your Bret Local" column in paper of
the 9th instant paragraph, referring to
oil companies about to be organized in
your section, thought it likely that a
short account OF a late trip to Western
Pennsylvania might not prove uninterest-
ing to your readers, although g correspon-
dence from the oil regions " must, of ne
cessity, be nearly sterreotyped matter
from the number of accounts which have
been given during the past few years by
parties who have, from curiosity or inter-
est, made the pilgrimage to the shrines of
the oleaginous Deity in Pennsylvania,
Western Virginia, Canada and elsewhere.
l left Boston on Thursday the 10Th in
slant, at p o'clock, P. NJ, for Irvine,
Penn, via Albany, Buffalo and Erie,
reaching the latter point at dark on the
evening of the 10th, 5SS miles from Bos-
ton. Next morning, at 8 o'clock, started
for Irvine via Cory, on the Philadelphia
and Erie r. R.,) 90 miles distant, which
place was made at noon. The town of
Cory was, but short time since, wilder
ness, as the immense quantity of stumps
now sufficiently Indicate, and owes what
little Importance it may ultimately pos
sess, to the energy of our well known citi-
zen Samuel Downer, Esq, the head of
the ,world-known "Downer Oil Compa-
ny" who had here erected, at an immense
outlay of capital-probably the most COM
plete oil refinery in the United States, if
not in the world.
Irvine was the end of my route, so far
as railway travelling was concerned, and
is altogether too insignificant to mention
except that it dignifies, by its rather grace
full name, some few or more structures.
one of which bears the high sounding title
of Corn Planters Hotel" and the rest
are one barn, one or more houses and the
Railroad Station. A most gloomy place
to be weather bound in from all appear
ance. My destination was Tidioute, on
the Allegheny river, Is miles below. with
which communication is had by stage or
by boat down the stream Warned before
hand that the roads We're rather mud
dy by which delicate alusion a road,
i'll which wheels sink TO the hub every few
steps, and over which Il slow walk is the
utmost speed possible to obtain-is term
ed, and former experience on Oil Creek
over - rather muddy" road decided me
to take the water, and accordingly went
down to the river and paid $40 for flat
bottomed thing, about the shape of Il v.
and taking in three tellow-passengers for
a compensation, with the understanding
that they were TO help "work ship" We
started. 1t had been raining for some
days and the river WAS i'll good boating
order, at this point being about twice the
width of the Connecticut at White River
Junction The ride down the river was
very pleasant, and for the entire distance
the river runs between high mountains
which are dcnselv wooded from base to
summit, and the foliage, just changed 10
It's Autumn colors, presented Il charming
picture, which the numerous bends In the
river sutiiced to render agreeably change
full. The result proved the wisdom of the
choice of conveyance, for we reached Tidi-
cute three hours in advance of the stage.
The town of T'idioute is as vet small. conf
prising, perhaps, 1000 inhabitants. but
the developments of the oil region here
abouts have been such that few months
Or weeks will suffice to make it perfect
hive. Already there are running" four
hotels. several stores, and Il small society
have erected church which is well at
tended-albeit the we'll borers and team
sters, who usually comprise a goodly por-
ton of the resident population are not.
as 4 ruIe, strictly church going people, as any
one can testify who has ever visited like
locality. The FLOATING" population is
not much better, being largely made up of
SPECTATORS, from the sharp New England
man with his few hundreds to invest in
some good thing" to the hook-nosed and
and sharper eyed Hebrew, whose outward
appearance would give but little promise
OF 4 plethOric wallet, but who, neverthe-
less, can as general thing " find a tlegt :"
who could go in with him in an unqualified
" good ting" but who is very wary in his
purchase, leaving a good snug loophole
whereout to crawl in case of mishap.
The village is built along the bank and
has but one street, back of which rises the
sharp spur of mountain; and, in the one
street aforesaid, was mud of unknown depth
4 L,.o,,al 1