New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-09-15
THE ENGLISH TOURISTS.
The Party Rt Meadville, Pa.-Mendvillc
and its Connections-The Oil Country
The Atlantic and Great Western
Road, and What Ii has Done-Oii.
From Our Special Correspondent.

Road, and What Ii has Done-Oii.
From Our Special Correspondent
MCIIENRY HOUSE.
MEANWHILE Pa Sept 10, 1865.
The party Of foreign capitalists and railroad
tourists which came over in the Scotia and which has
since been swollen by acoessons to nearly fifty persons
arrived here about twelve hours behind time having
been interrupted by sudden reshet, which destroyed
the track Of the Erie Road south Of Salamanca, and
damaged that of the Atlantic and Great Western,
slightly in several places. Instead Of arriving the
afternoon of Friday, at o'clock, they did not reach
here until l on Saturday morning. The peculiar mis-
fortune of the affair that sort of extemporzed
ball had been gotten up in their honor at the McIenry
House at which forty couples Of the elite of the
town. together with some officials from Cleveland and
elsewhere. who had come to greet the party, were
kept dancing and waiting until their arrival when all
partook OF an elaborate supper and resumed the daho
ing until late hour.
The guests seemed to be particularly we'll pleased
with their welcome and although their trip hther hau
not proved to be entirely without adventure anu ms
hap, they manifested very sturdy disregard iOr Tue
prvatons and entered into the good cheer Oh 'he o
sion.
Meadvlle you must know, is an old fashioned coun'
try town situated the crest of the Aneghany ranse,
which here is nothing more than an elevated broken
series Of hills. Upon its old life, however mas oee
grated new growth OF marvellous enarscter. in
ally its principal attractions consisted OF TWO conges
of religious denomination. the Unitarian having ob-
tanned respectable celebrity. Its only communication
with the outer world lay toward Cleveland by canal or
toward Erie by common roads Lately il has assumed
the dimensions Of city; is quaint old houses are sur
rounded by and hotels the streets. instead
of containing only few market wagons, are crowded
with all sorts of people from everywhere.
Less than ten years ago of the residents about
here commenced gather from the creeks species Of
odorous oil which exuded from the earth and to sell 1t
in small quantities for its antirheumac medicinal pur
poses In less than five years after had been dscov
cred that this oil could be found large quantities. and
be
poses the whoop OF the locomotive and the pulsaOn OF
the steam engine were heard IN TINS primeva forest
The original proprietOs of lands in this vicinity among
whom is Mr.. Titus made very little from this great
discovery, but the lucky spectators who bored and
pumped them have gained millions Soon after coal oil
became article of lucrative trade Pittsburgh Deing
the began 10 push her railroads up into
this hitherto deserted waste Fortunately for itself and
for the country, about that time the Atlantic ana Grea
Western Railway the offspring Of English designs and
English capital, constituting the missing link in the
great overland chain of broad gauge road. was pro-
iected and with astonishing promptneS pushed to COM
petion by unprecedented outlay OF capital and inc
energies of the friends of the road Mr. McHenry Of
Liverpool and its engineer, Mr.. kennard of London
The road was Just what was needed TO develop the
naseent oil regions and the oil regions necessary
to build up the traffic of the road; both were success
full From the first day Of its opening the Broad Gauge
has been serious competitor for the great through
traffic between the East aud the West The local traf
fc however has been sufficient to support it, and TO
absorb its energies and capital in moving 10 open the
traffic of the oil regions But faint idea be formed
Of the immense trade Of this locality. Within radius
of fifty miles around Franklin is collected not less than
200 900 persons or less dependent upon the OIL IN
ferests There more tickets sold IN New York for
this little territory than for the largest Western cities.
Meadyle has risen by these Developments of the new
commerce from struggling town 70 al Opuent city.
The Great Western built its car and locomotive shops
here; erected a commodous station; and what was
quite novelty its day erected also very fine hotel
attached 10 which is frst.class dining saloon which,
honor of the Great Protector. they called the Nc
Henry House.
Eating houses are such a necessity upon American
railways that is surprising that it should have been
reserved English enterprise TO lead the way IN pro
viding a spacious comfortable ROOM supplied with al
the comforts of tirst.class hotel such snowy nap
kins bright cut glassware, &c, where the travele
might partake Of meal as good as elaborate, and a
Iefreshment rooms at Meadyille feature II
their time but have since found several limitations
while the pressure and demand caused by tho vas
crowd Of oil adyenturers has occasioned sensible dc
terOratiOn in this one.
One party showed commendable energy in arisin
early after the daw and at 10 o'clock yesterday starte
for the midOil region. One has no need 10 dverge
get into this favored locality, for strike il befor
reaching Salamanca. An occasional derrick an
boring apparatus may be at the foot Of the hill
before leaving NewYork State, but reaching Crony
20 miles east OF here We are in the territory proper
BY that time the oil becomes disgusting thong
lucrative nuisance The air is impregnated with il
the rails saturated with il, faGcies IL one
clothing and that ones food has been favored with il
The inspection Of the oil regions occupied only few
hours and need not be described al length as il !
familiar TO all. Ii is everywhere the same; the sam
tumble Of derricks, pumps, steam engines shanes
wretched looking hotels muddy roads gambling an,
drinking shops, and the conversation about flow
ing wells, bumpers, ana surface showiDes The con
veIsation is oily and in it, we begin to look OF
men and their pursuits as alike slippery. The process
of boring. drawing the oil into watts, barreliDg ant
refining IT, was all gone over ana our foreign visitor
returned to their comfortable quarters at the hotel lat
at night, more than impressed with the wonderful
resources of our country declaring that these two o.
three counties Overpassed all the riches of the whale
fisheries or the Spice Islands 1t is fact, however
which they duly noted, doubt that the flowing WE'LL
are less numerous and prolific than formerly. and tina
the pumping wells are yielding less and less thu
average though there are individual wells increasing
The caprces OF oil wells notorious, and justify tn
singular applied TO them such The Coquette
The Flrt," The Maiden's Vow" and THE Ricl
Aunt
Tomorrow morning the party leave for Cincinnati
and the West.
A Chapter Of Accidents-Personel Of the
Parfy-The Atlantic and Great West