The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-07-19
RANDOM TMOUGMTs-NO. %.
BY THE EDITOR.

On Monday Of last week made a short visit to
my friends and relatives at Bloom Furnace, In
Scioto county. had not been at Bloom for more
than twenty years. The place looked quite fa-
millar, and some recollections of the past render
this place, and some persons who reside at the
furnace, quite dear to me.
Mr.. John PAUL, the manager, informed me that
the engine that now creates the blast, is the same
that was used at this furnace when 1t first went
into blast, now about thiEty-Ave years ago. This
engine had been used az Steam Furnace, in Ad-
ans county, before 1t was broughtto Bloom. Mr..
PAUL Is boring for water at the furnace. The
workmeu have got down more than six hundred
feet, and found no water. II has been slate all
the way down. ...,..... ..... .
Mr.. PAUL informs me that where the white oak
timber vas cut off twenty-five or thirty years ago,
thicket of black oaks came up and that II now
yielded twenty-five to thirty cords of good wood
per acre. When this second growth Is cut off.
from two TO four sprouts will come from each
stump and in ten or twelve years, from ten to if-
teen cords can be again obtained So 1t will be
seen that the charcoal furnaces are In no danger
of running out of timber Bloom has been in
blast about thirty-ive years, and now the coal is
not over three miles distant from the furnace.
cut cord-wood at the head of Smoky Hol-
low" mile northeast of Bloom, in the winter
Of 1885, now nearly thirty years ago. got 80
cents per cOrd, and by working from daylight to
dark, could cut and cord up two cords. took
bacon, corn-meal, beans and dried pumpkins
from home, packed upon horse The meat
would fry in a skillet, which wood choppers were
entitled to "drnw" at the furnace, and which was
charged at the time, but returned and credited at
the final settlement. Water was poured into the
grease where the meat was fried, and corn meal
was stirred in and then baked No coffee was used
in those days. Corn bread, meat and beans, or
dried pumpkins constituted the three meals We
did our own cooking and it took but little time.
We would build a log ''shanty," with three sides
to it, In front of the open side, great fire was
kept up during the cold nights bed tick was
taken from home, and filled with leaves. We
would also take quilts with us, for covers. No
matter how cold and stormy the weather, work
ed every day but Sunday, Making only sixty
cents day, at most, even If the board was the
plalnest and cheapest, no time could be lost, or
would get in debt. have held on to the Ak
handle until my fingers would become dead with
cold, and the lnsides Of my hands would be almost
az hard as sole leather. II was hard life, and
thank God that few boys or young men at this
day are compelled to undergo such hardships, or
submit to such privations. With the proceeds of
that winters work l bought books, and in the
Spring went three miles to school every day, and
paid for my tuition, until had pretty thoroughly
mastered Murrays Grammar and olney's Geog-
raphy.
! If the boys Of the present day had to earn all
their money by cutting cord-woOd at sixty cents
day, and board themselves, they would not spend
| quite so much for whisky, beer, cigars, &C., or
spend so much time and money around billiard ta-
bles If had had the opportunities enjoyed by
the young men of Jackson at the present day, l
might have amounted to something; but did
the very best could under the circumstances in
which Providence placed Inc, and am content
Ny young readers, l have written this truthful
sketch Of one portion of my boyhood, for your en-
couragement. Will you profit by t1 / may at
some future time tell you more, if you will prom
Se to improve your opportunities. Nothing is
impossible to him who Is determined to succeed,
at all hazards. d M
P.s. lam writing this under tree on the hill
above Portland, as l am awaiting the cars. On
the hill north of me, about mile distant, see
the graveyard where Ishsm o'Bryant Is buried.
knew him at Bloom Furnace in 1886. He came
to Oak Hill, aud died of consumption, in 1887.
Near this graveyard, on the farm OF Capt. Evans,
yet stands the house where was married, July g.
1912. How many recollections of the hopes and
fears the joys and deep sorrows of the past twenty
four years. pass through my mind. D. NJ.