Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-01-13

Susquehanna, and entered upon the hard
but free and adventurous life of the pio-
neer. 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
a daughter of Gopher Blakslee name that
will be recognized even now by many In
Northern Pennsylvania She proved a
worthy wife to Asa Packer; in his early
struggles. While he was about his work III
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 household Her nimble fingers, with
the aid of the spinning-wheel, made all the
garments worn by the family during the
first ten years of their married life. There
was no dispute about the authority or
sphere of either each found appropriate
work close at hand, and was content with
doing it, and with reciprocating sympathy
and counsel.
In the valley of the Lehigh, Josiah White
and Erskine Hazard, representatives of as
sociated capital of Philadelphia, had pro-
jected and executed improvements which
made the wonderful riches of this section
its coal, iron, timber, lime, cement and
slate-partially available. Hither came
Asa Packer, a poor artisan. to labor with
his hands, to mix with a crowd of men sim
larly employed and undistinguished. What
has raised Asa Packer so far above the
throng of which he then was but unit
Here was field for the highest intelli-
gence and the most untiring energy. Ac-
cordingly, in the spring of 1888, when he
was y years of age, Asa Packer left his
farm i'll Susquehanna county, and perma-
nently settled himself in the Lehigh 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 dollars. His capital lay in his
active mind, stout heart and strong arms,
and in industrious and thrifty habits. His
first and second summers were employed in
boating coal from Mauch Chunk to Phila-
delphia, in which he acted as master of his
own boat.
About this time Mr. Packer made visit
to his relations at Mystic To his brother,
Robert Packer, and his uncle, Daniel Pack
er, he gave such an account of the advanta-
ges of the coal region, that they were indu-
ced to accompany him on his return. They
visited in company the collieries established
in the valley and went, over the great field
just opening for business. Daniel Packer
was so struck with the magnitude of the
opportunity, that he declared that age
alone deferred him from closing his busi-
ness, and selling all his property in Con-
necticut and coming to the Lehigh Valley.
He advised the brothers to unite their
means and engage in business at Mauch
Chunk, offering to assist them with money
and credit, and to stand before them in ev-
cry emergency. This advice exactly accord
ed with the veiw of Asa Packer, and the
two brothers Immediately engaged in bust
ness in general merchandise in Mauch
! Chunk under the firm name of A. & r.
W. Packer, with a capital of $1,000 The
most of this money had been saved by Asa
! Packer from hard earnings of former years.
| The new house entered, from the mo-
ment of opening, upon an extended and
profitable business. 1t soon became known
| by its large transactions both on the Le-
high and Schuylkill rivers. They were the
! first through transporters of coal to the
| New York market, and it is fitting return
that the business should still continue to be
! the largest item in the income of Asa Pack
er its protector, Through his coal-mining
| operations he was brought into close rela-
| tions with the late Commodore Stockton,
and between them there sprung up a
warm friendship, a friendship which prov
| ed of great value to Mr.. Packer at trying
moment, when pushing forward to compile
ton the great enterprise of his life, the Le-
high Valley railroad
Up to the year 1850 the transportation of
coal of the Lehigh Valley to market had
been altogether by water, but the business
had now reached such magnitued as, in
Mr-Packer's Judgment, to justify the bull
ding of railroad along the banks of the
Lehigh river. Accordingly he urged upon
the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
the policy of building road as part of
/ their system of transportation but the
project was not faverably regarded by the
company. Experience, it was answered,
had proved that coal and iron would only
pay water freights. The Reading railroad,
which enjoys unusual facilities in grades and
water connections, was instanced to clinch
the argument. Asa Packers opinion how
ever, was not affected by this adverse criti-
cism of his proposition, and he determined
to take the matter personally in hand.
! The ground for railroad in the Lehigh
Valley was embraced in charter for road
of much greater extent, projected by that
great Pennsylvania financier, Edward r.
| Biddle. 1t was embraced in the charter of
] II I I. II