The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-05-17

for store goods with pcdlars and
others for many years, or until roads
were opened and The lcompetition for
their purchase brought many of the
cverlastingly busy, bustling, prying
Yankees, into the country, whose expe.
ricncein the fur aud skin trade, would.
4 as II we're, smell oute martin or fox skin
at one of the remotest cabins 10 the
country. The honest, unsuspcctiug
owner Of two or three martins, or per.
haps silver gray fox, would often be
surprised at the appearance of pur.
chaser, perhaps at night, and by the
time a bargain was closed and the skins
tied up, another of those "lonsel
scouts sweating aud putting, would
show himself too late for a bargain, but
with ill.concealed feelings Of chagriu,
fully conveying to the mind Of the orr
ginal proprietor the intrinsic value Of
his property. This kind Of game has
almost entirely disappeared from this
immense region of ten Thousand square
miles. The reason is obvious, although
stranger to the face of. the country
would impute it to other causes than
actually exist.
Unlike the northern aud northeastern
part of New York, or many other vii.
dernesse. in our country, where noun,
tains and sharply defined hills are piled,
as it were, upon each other, where rocks
and precipices alternate, where gulches
and thickets inaccessible, arrest the
most hardy adventurer, where animals
ere completely beyond disturbance by
man, this portion Of Pennsylvania is
geographically and geographically the
reverse This whole area though quite
elevated, is a broad expanse Of table
land, no Mills of any magnitude and
those along the margin Of the streams
There is no I" sublime and picturesque
scenery, no hiding places for bears,
wolves, catamounts, nor elks. Patches
of laurel frequently occur just sufficient
to point out to the hunter, where for
protection from his unerring bullet,
the animal might or would seek refuge
This table land or plateau, as it may be
termed, gives rise to the Allegheny
river aud its tributaries, aud affords a
navigation during spring and summer
foods, to nearly its summit. and so grad.
uaHas to excite the wonder of a stranger.
The wstcrs Of the. Genesee here CON-
mcnce their descent for the Gulf Of ST.
Lawrence. as also the Susquebannab
starting on its more rapid journey for
the Chesapeake Bay: So contiguous,
or iateFlocked are these fountains of
swelling waters that the thunder
cloud, oftentiines pours out its profuse
receptacle of mist upon one or another
spring, and though apparently convey
ing its boun:y to the whole, is only
solved by contrasting the turbid, swol-
Zen waters, that has caught its showers,
with the clear and tranquil streams, still
continuing On in their contiguous peace.
full, silent flow So clearly defined are
all these streams great OF small in this
large territory, that the hunter or intel
ligent pedestrian can scarcely lose his
way, though score of miles from any
babitation or mark of footsteps. His
compass may direct him by shorter
route, but the unerring waters will sure.
ly guide his way and lead him through.
1t is easy to comprehend why all OF
most OF the animals before mentioned
have disappeared, with such facilities
for their destruction They can now
be dispensed with as a source of food OF
revenue, as the people have now turned
their attention and labors to more pro.
-duetive results; by cultivating the soil oi
manufacturing The forests into usefu
lumber SO far, this brief description
of the topography of the country in and
about Ridgway is intended to correct
the prevailing opinion of many, who
have, and yet suppose this whole are;
Of land to be a rugged, mountainous
inaccessible territory. The hitherto re
diculous cheap value set upon the land'
has deferred many from even giving
them thought, whilst the tide of emf
grafton has been westward to lands NOR,
easily cleared and cultivated, though il
might be at the expense of health, tn,
only real enjoy yment of life. The open
4 ing Of the Sunbury aud Erie Railroad
J will dispel the erroneous impression
that so widely exist abroad, From
: these few remarks it will be observed
! by the reader, as well as those acquain
ted with the country, that great change
have been wrought in this wide wilder
ness domain. Within less than gen
Grafton it has been accomplished b,
labor--hard, unremitting toll. So far
the lumber has contributed solely to it
exports, except the furs and skins be
fore mentioned. This branch of busi
} ness has become large and extensive
and with the prospect of agricultur
keeping pace to supply the whole o
part wealth must assuredly flow int
the country. To trace the origin an,
? details of the settlement and improve
ments in this country, it will be neces
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