The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-11

course the White Mountains are not in the
background, but leaving out the giants that
surround their chief, Mount Washington, it is
difficult to realize that you are not in the val
ley of the Androscoggill and crossing its allu-
vial soil.
Lock Haven is in valley of most remarka-
ble fertility, and at this season is one of the
fairest towns I ever saw. The great farms
push their fields far up on the hill-sides, and
the rich green velvet of wheat and rye skirts
the close ranks of the forest trees. The houses
are mostly of wood, but of elaborate or taste
ful architecture, and ample margin OF lawn or
garden is secured for almost every one. Roses
are in bloom, cherries almost ripe, and sum-
mer heats and thunderstorms tell us that there
is no winter in a Pennsylvania June. Flat
roofs, asphalt pavements, and airy portlcoes
show that warm weather stays when 1t comes,
and comes early in the year. The natural
history of the valley connects it with the
West. The azaleas and mosntain laurel cover
with miles of boom the hills. The black war
nut has almost driven out the beech. Groups
vi SuCnc1 Iduu3 duu tlCoh WeSoSA, eAAnhOVA -
New England, abound on every side
Now, whatever of thrift, industry, and ener-
gy have raised up in these pastoral valleys the
large prosperity visible in this town and IFS
larger neighbor, Williamsport, have flowed
from the great fountain head of New Eng
land enterprise. and in no small degree from
the State of Maine Sixteen years ago, there
was not mill upon this river, and the far
mer was the quiet occupant of these intervales.
To-day, in the two towns just mentioned,
hundred and fifty million feet oflumber. 1t is es-
timated that as much more is produced by the
mills scattered through the side valleys and
runs of the Susquehanna, so that three hun
bred millions OF feet is the annual product of
this district Mr.. Isaac Smith, from Oldtown,
built, 1 am informed, the first mill at Williams
port, fifteen years ago, at time when Maine
lumbermen, blanchard Brothers and others,)
were invading the forests above. The great
booms at Williamsport and Lock Haven were
also constructed by gentlemen from Maine,
MIR. j. B. Wing, from Piscataquis County and
Crowell and Burton from Oldtown, being the
first operators in the latter place. For num-
Der of years the numbering interest was con-
trolled by colonists from our State. Now, of
course, all States are represented in the bust
ness. A.
The logs viii Oh supply these mills present
to stranger more attractive sight than the
rough material of the Penobscot or st. Croix.
They are white pine, larger than our own
trees, cut mostly TO an uniform length, and
stripped of their bark before they leave the
woods. There are still un touched, vast forests
of hemlock up the river-but no spruce or fir
trees are found. White oak timber, squared
by the axe, is however RATED down in large
quantities. The mills themselves are well
built, using steam as the motive power. In
other places, the furnaces inside the boilers
are constructed for economy-here they are
made to burn the largest possible Quantity of
fuel; as neither slabs nor sawdust are allowed
to choke the river, but all must be consumed
in the mills. They are noisy, putting high
pressure workmen, sounding in the air like
gigantic locomotives under some Is pounds of
steam-but very efficient ones. heard the
foreman of one mill with two gangs" of
saws and two "muley" saws) say that his days
work was sixty thousand feet of boards. The
logs are RATED from the boom through cross
canals to the mill, and then, when manufac-
tured, loaded on canal-boats which come di-
rectly beside the lumber-piles to receive their
freight. The markets for the lumber are Phil
adelphia and Baltimore, although 1 am told
that this district has supplied large quantities
of material for the mushroom cities of Oil
dom. Altogether, find myself in an indus
trious, successful community, where fortunes,
counted by hundreds of thousands, are not
rare, and the wealth of nature and enterprise
of inhabitants combine to make my visit a
happy and memorable one.
The only drawback to the prospect of the
permanent prosperity of these towns is found
in the extensive floods, which as the upper re-
gions of this district are cleared seem annual
ly to increase in severity. The West Branch of
the Susquehanna and the Bald Eagle River
Of these rivers as they flow down through
Lock Haven from the hill is there any natural
reservoir or lake to detain the rush of water
As the country becomes more open, the SHOWS
seem to disappear more suddenly, and in the
spring melting of year ago, from mountain
to mountain the town was completely sub
merged. At that time fifteen millions of lum-
Der went drifting off; this spring it is estimated
that from thirty to forty millions were scat
tered along the shores of Chesapeake Bay. 1t
is possible that it may be more profitable at
some future time to r"drive" the logs to be
manufactured at lower point, and even now,
mill is in process of erection at Havre-de-
Grace to saw the lumber now escaped.
The same canal which serves as the great
highway for the lumber, when the new life of
this region first began fifteen years ago) was
the only way of travel from Philadelphia and
the East. The journey then occupied three
days. Now you are embarrassed. by your
choice of railway lines, and the track sweeps
on to Erie to join the great roads of the West.
Then Williamsport had from 800 to 1000 in
habitants-now it is a fourishing city of over
10000. Lock Haven in the same time has
grown from 900 to 5000. This tells the story
of the increasing business Importance of these
places.
But though there is only beginning made
in this letter OF what might profitably be said,
forbear l am yours truly,
E. c. BoLLEs.
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REGENT PUBLICATIONS. M