Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-05-23

al Mines of the Hooking Valley.
In response to an invitation, from NJ.
NJ. Greene, Vice President of the Ii. v.
r. r., a delegation, composed of the fol
lowing gentlemen, s. NJ. Worth, r. n.
Taylor, j. B. Mcconnell, J. d. Sears, s.
w. Holmes, G. Berry. Z. B. Beidler,
John Agerter. L. A. Drummer and G. w.
Beery left here on Wednesday morn
ing, the 18th inst. They were also join
ed by Mess. D. Straw, 1 j. Anderson
| and C.. W. Zuck, of Carey and represen-
tatives from Marion and Delaware coun
| ties. Arriving i'm Columbus, they
we're taken in charge by Mr.. Greene,
and other prominent citizens of Colum-
| bus and shown the various manufactur-
| ing interests and State Institutions of
| the city. The recent growth of Colum-
bus astonished the delegations. They
had no IDEA that Columbus had made
such astounding progress. In the ev-
ening the delegation was Joined by r.
N. Taylor and the editor of this paper.
| Precisely at o'clock the following
morning. a special train was in readi-
ness for the eXcursionists and soon
were going down the Hooking Valley
at a rapid rate. For miles, on leaving
the city, our eyes were feasted with as
fine an agricultural country as we ever
saw. Then came the innumerable hills,
each of which bears an air of conscious
pride and independence because OF the
| ipo t,h
country is poorly adapted for farming
purposes. but God has so ordered thin gs
that evei y locality possesses it's pecul-
lar advantages.
| AT about noon. we arrived near Mel
sonville. Here the excursionists were
invited to alight and witness the opera
tion of procuring coal from the
bowels of the mountains. These are
called the Brooks Mines. A r. r. track
leads right into the mines. The cars
are pulled by horses. After an ascent
of several hundred feet arrived at the
entrance of tie mine. In bowed atti-
tudes, we followed guides to the inter-
nal regions, where the miners were ac-
lively at work. The deposits of coal
here vary FROM to feet in thickness.
The coal is OF excellent quality and as
it is obtained at considerable eleva-
tion from the Il. r. track, by means of
contrivances for the purpose, cars are
loaded with great speed and very little
labor. An ordinary engine pulls thirty
cars of coal.
All aboard again, we soon arrived at
Logan, and then taking the branch
road, found ourselves at Stratisville.
Mr.. Green informed us that when he
first visited this place, three years ago,
there was only solitary log cabin and
now the place contains population of
from ]. 500 to 1000. This amazing growth
is owing to the commercial facilities af-
forded by the new L. r.
Here we visited the Martin Coal
Mines. The deposits of coal in these
mines are from 10 to II feet thick and
the article pronounced among the best
in the country. These ines yield an
average of 10000 bushels per day.
On returning to the train. the party
was invited to partake of an excellent
dinner, spread in the car, which was
served in good style.
Dinner disposed of, speeches were de-
livered by G. w. Beery, NJ. NJ. Greene,
Gen. Powell, DR.. Fisher, J. D. Sears and
others. Resolutions of thanks were al
so adopted. Ere the speeches were end
ed, the train was in motion and sho. tly
after p. NJ, arrived in Columbus.
We should be glad to give more par
, ticulars of our flying trip down the val
ley of untold mineral wealth, but our
space and time forbid.
We will add, that the deposits of coal,
Iron ore and salt, in those hills and
valleys have only been touched, as it
were. They are of such magnitude
that we will make no attempt to de-
scribe them. The task would be i'm
possible and therefore we hope an op-
. portunity will soon be afforded ouI
readers to take ride on the C. d T. r.
r. and down the valley to see the sights
, for themselves. And we trust that ey-
cry citizen will do all in his power to
secure the proposed road as the bene-
fits to be derived from the same ia our
town will be of incalculable value. The
people of Columbus, and of Delaware
and Marion counties are in great earn
est and determined to secure the prize