The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-11-06
The Greene and owen UOuaty stone.


On Wednesday evening a party of
3 ten or twelve of our citizens, byin7i-
tation Of the officers of the +. & G.
Railroad, took The Eve o'clock train
for Vincennesr Among thegnumber
we're some of our most experienced
stone-masons, and Mr. M URsTENA, the
architect. Arriving at Vincennes, the
party was most. substantially enter
tanned over night by Captain MASS,
mine host OF the Junction. Here. too,
it was joined By Mr.. JOHN INGLE, JR
Early Thursday morning loeomo-
tive and coach were placed at the
disposal Of the explorers, by Mr.
BRANHAM, Superintendent Of the In
dianapolis and Vineennes Road, aud
they started for the stone quarries Of
Greene aud Owen Counties. Hon
CYRUS M. ALLEN. one.of the coa
tractors of the 1. & " Road, and to
whose. energy and skill its early com
pletion is largely due, was added TO
the number.
10 most of the party trip up the
White River Valley was something
new, and, consequently, they were
greatly interested in observing the
eountry-its location, productions,
improvements, and general appear
ance. The country traversed by the
Indianapolis and Vincennes Railroad
was, perhaps, occupied by whites as
early as any other part Of the State.
From Vincenues, the first point ia
the State permanently settled, the
pioneers naturally ranged up the
White River Bottoms, both on &C
count of the richness of the soil and
the desirability of the water course,
and occupied the lands on both sides
that stream. The country, therefore,
presents the appearance of having
been occupied for years. But still,
while there we're some farms which
indicated enterprise and progress on
the part of their owners, the great
majority of them have been cultivated
IN the slip-shod manner peculiar to
the early pioneers, who preferred a
good gun and the pursuit Of game to
following the plow, swinging the axe,
or using the hoe. But already the in :
huence Of the new road is manifest.
Like q man aroused from a long sleep
by an unexpected yet desirable visit
or, the country seems to be rubbing
its eyes aud otherwise giving tokens
of wakefulness. The soil is rich,
sufficiently rolling to be pleasant, and
is capable Of producing the most mag
nifcent crops of grain and fruit
. At EdWardsport the party made q
hasty examination Of coal outcrop
adjoining the railroad track, and Sc
near that it could be mined and
pitched directly into the cars with ;
shovel. The coal seemed to be of ex
cellent quality. The vein is abou
four and a half or five feet thick, will
another vein below it from three ant
half to five feet thick. DR.. Cox
the State Geologist, pronounces tht
coal good for cooking.
Worthington, Greene County, ap
peared to be delightful little village
situated on beautiful sandy prairie
surrounded with low hills, and skirteC
on one side by Eel River, which emp
ties into White River within sight o
the town. The railroad has already
made a great stir in this heretofort
quiet little village. Some forty house
have been erected during the presen
season, and it is anticipated that
much larger number viii 90 up mex
year. A magnificent farming eountr.
surrounds the village, and conse
quently it will become one Of the bes
points for grain in the State.
a short distance from Worthing
ton, the party stopped to examine
quarry of sand stone. The stone