The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-07-23

age, he felt that 1t was time for him to
make serious effort to establish him
self In the world, Taken up by the cur
rent, in the year 1922, when but just
seventeen, with knapsack, which con-
tained his whole wardrobe, and few
dollars In his purse, Asa Packer set out
on foot for Susquehanna county. Penn
sylvania. Arriving at the town of
Brooklyn, he apprenticed himself to
the trade Of carpenter and Joiner.
After serving his time as an appren.
tice, and becoming the master of his
business, he continued to work at It as
siduousIy for several years. when he iu-
vested his savings in a lot of wild land
in the upper waters of the Susquehanna,
and entered upon the hard but free and
adventurous life Of the pioneer. He
made clearing, and reared with his
own hands the cabin to which he soon
after brought bride. The lady whom
he selected to be the mistress of his
home was daughter Of Gopher Blaks.
lee, a name that will be recognized even
now by many in Northern Pennsyl-
vania. She proved a worthy wife to
Asa Packer in his early struggles. While
he was about his work in the fields, or
striking sturdy blows in the forest
which hemmed in his homestead on
every side, Mrs. Packer was equally
hard at work attending to the domestic
affairs of the house hold.
Her nimble fingers, with the aid of
the spinning-wheel, made all the gar
ments worn by the family during the
first ten years Of their married life.
There was no dispute about the authori-
| ty or sphere of either each found APP
propriate work close at hand, and was
content with doing 1t, and with recipro-
eating sympathy and counsel.
In the valley Of the Lehigb, Josiah
White and Erskine Hazard, representa-
tives of associated capital of Philadel-
phia, had projected and executed i'm
provements which made the wonderful
riches of this section-its coal, iron, tim
Der, lime, cement and partially
available. Hither came Asa Packer, a
poor artisan, to labor with his hands,
to mix with crowd of men similarly
employed and undistinguished. What
has raised Asa Packer so far above the
throng of which he then was but a
unit?
Here was a field for the highest in.
telligence and the most untiring energy.
Accordingly, in the spring Of 1888, when
he was q years of age, Asa Packer left
his farm in Susquehanna county, and
permanently settled himself in the Le-
high valley. His advent into region
In which he was destined to accomplish
so much made no stir. He brought to
the new field but few hundred dol.
; lars. His capital lay in his active mind
stout heart and strong arms, and in In
dustrious and thrifty habits. His firs
and second summers were employed il
i boating coal from Mauch Chunk Il
;. Philadelphia, in which he acted maste
of his own boat.
: About this time Mr.. Packer made {
visit to his relations at Mystic. To hi
e brother, Robert Packer, and his uncle
Daniel Packer, he gave such an accoun
= of the advantages of the coal region, tina
they were induced to accompany hin
e on his return. They visited in compa
: ny the collieries established in the val
ley, and went over the great fields jus
3 opening for business. Daniel Packe
D was SO struck with the magnitude o
: the opportunity that he declared tina
G age alone deferred him from closing hi
r business, and selling all his property il
e Connecticut and coming to the Lehigf
: Valley. He advised the brothers to unit
t their means and engage in business u
Il Mauch Chunk, offering to assist then
n with money and credit, and to stan,
n behind them in every emergency. Thi
advice exactly accorded with the view
Of Asa Packer, and the two brother
t Immediately engaged n business j
g general merchandise In Mauch Chunk
8 under tho firm Of A. & r.. w. Packer
e with capital of 5000. The most @
4 this money had been saved by AS
J Packer from the hard earnings, of for
t mer years.
s The new house entered, from the mo
$ ment of opening, upon an extended ant
i profitable business. 1t soon becam
e known by its large transactions both o.
: the Lehigh and Schuylkill rivers. The
i were the first through transporters {
o coal to the New York market, and it
t a fitting return that the business shoul
n still continue to be the largest item &
o the income of Asa Packer, its protector
Through his coal-mining operations h
Y was brought into close relations witt
o the late Commodore stockton, and be
d tween them there sprung up warn
e friendship, friendship which proves
of great value to Mr.. Packer at tryin
moment, when pushing forward to CON
plete the great enterprise of his life, tn
Lehigh Valley Railroad: l.-. a
Up to the year 1850 the transports
tion of the Lehigh Valley to marke
o had been altogether by water, but tn
n business had now reached such magn
l. tude as, in Mr.. Packers Judgment, I
l. justify the building of a railroad al0n
"a the banks OF the Lehigh river. Aceu
r dinghy he urged upon the Lehigh Coz
d and Navigation Company the policy
i building road as part of their systel
l. Of transportation but the project W,
e not favourably regarded by the con
l. pany. Experience, it was answered
l. had proved that coal and iron woul
le only pay water freights. The Readin
IN Railroad, which enjoys unusual facil
le ties in grades and water connections
a was instanced to clinch the argumen
If Asa Packers opinion, however, WI
m not affected by this adverse criticism
o. his proposition, and he determined
8. take the matter personally in hand.
a The ground for railroad in the l.