The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1872-06-11
From the Butler County Soap Mines
SOAR MINES, Nav 81. 1879.


ED. REPUBLICAN Accepting your
courteous request extended so long
ago to "dish up" something for your
paper, we proceed to comply. The
Soap Mines are myth; this we have
ascertained to our financial injury.
We came here to engage in opera
tions connected with the mines, hav-
ing previously provided ourself with
elaborate and expensive manchinery,
manufactured on scientific principles.
We sold vast quantity of soap in the
same forms that oil is marketed,
"Call," p" "B. O." as. o. A P" "Spot"
&c. All this, bear in mind, before we
had visited the mines. Accordingly,
with soap on the brain, but nary any
on our visage for the previous six
months, we took our departure from
your sweetly slumbering village Owe
mean no offense) and wended our way
hither in quest Of Soapderado. Up
on arriving in the vicinity where, ac-
cording to the eminent soapollogists
with whom we had consulted, the
mines were said to be located, we put
up for the night at farm house. The
inmates being very communicative and
kind we embraced the first favorable
opportunity to introduce our darling
project, the soap question. Upon in
qulrlng the distance to the mines all
looked at us in perfect amazement;
Stranger" said the honest farmer,
"yOu are sold, there are no soap mines
here" He had rightly judged by our
serious manner that we were in earn
est, and proceeded at some length to
dispel our soapy visions. We wilted,
slumber was not given to our eyelids
that night. AS soon as we could hear
any of the family astir in the early
morning, we arose and making a
hasty toilet-soap minus-stepped
down stairs where we were kindly
saluted by the farmer. We could OBJ
serve broad grin prevailing his coun-
tenance, but our feelings were such
that we could not reciprocate the ex-
preston, for very good reasons. Were
not our anticipations for the speedy
accumulation of wealth suddenly dis
pelleG and had we not been gorgeous
ly soldH Rallying our shattered spir-
its as well as we could we entered in
to lively discussion as H. Gree Lee
would say, on "what l know about
farming" In answer to our inquiry
in reference to the average yield of
crops just harvested, he said, "Taters,
corn and sich didn't do very we'll,
but buckwheat and pumpkins,
(whistling) 'whew p"
After partaking of hearty repast,
and giving the farmer a "stand- off"
in compensation for hospitality, we
came to Parker to meet the parties
with whom we had made contracts for
future delivery of soap. The time hav-
ing elepsed they called" their soap, of
course we could not "ante." We had
contracted to furnish several thousand
tons at a small margin, and the price
of soap suddenly advancing when it
became known at the "boards" 1--WE
mean the wash-boards) that our bubble
had busted, we had to furnish the ar
ticle or settle the difference; we were
compelled to the latter course, and in
consequence We are rubbed out"
We have returned to the scene of
our departed greatness, and have COM
menced 10 bore for oil, and judging
by the amount of hard rock we en-
counter, the farmer was about right,
as soap would suggest the idea to us of
something soft, but the internal re-
gions of this country do not verify
that theory-but we have already in
serted more dye" than we had intend.
ed.
We observe by your paper that
there are quite a number of aspirants
for official honors in your county. !