The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-16
From the Allentown Chron. q Ne,os.
cor.etp tp,ndence From Northwestern Penn
sylvanis.

1
lS75.-By advice of physicians I am
spending few weeks iu the noun taius
accompanied by my wife, in the
healthy air of the pine and hemlock
forests, for recreation and the promo
zion of health, at the same time max
ing observations among the people and
in the country which may be useful 10
my calling.
Yesterday a week ago we came here
to Ridgway, the county seat Of Elk
county, Oh the Philadelphia and Erie
Railroad, about halfway between Will
Transport and Erie situated on the
western part of the Allegheny Monn-
tains, VIII ere we are high up in the pure
air, water and otber good gifts of nature.
Ridgway was named alter Mr.. Jacob
Ridgway, of Philadelphia, who ua red
about 10000 acres of land in this
neighborhood, and who sent Mr.. James
L. Gillis here ffty-tbree years ago 10
dispose OF it, This whole county was
then a perfect wilderness, with bowling
wolfs. with plenty of deer, bears, panth.
ers and other wild aIimals.
After Ridgway was settled by few
persons colony of German Catholics
com menced large settlement ten miles
itom here, establishing the town of St.
Mary's which now numbers 5000 in
ha1itauts, most all of them Catholics,
with very large German and also a
good sized English Catholic Church,
aud other institutions belonging to
them. st. Mays commpccd with
great personal sacrif ces and under many
privations, has now become a great
stl ongholG of the Catholic church il
this part of the State.
Ridgway numbers about 500 inhab-
itants, with four churches, and fine
large school house, and has greatly i'm
proved in every respect during the last
FIVE years. All the houses are built OF
wood, except the Jail and few Others
used for banking and public Office pur-
poses, and being painted white and
partly surrounded with flowers make
an attractive appearance.
Among the newcomers is our friend
D. K Kline, from Allentown, who was
formerly employed in Mr.. Fishers
Foundry and in Mr.. Aineg's Furnace
and was also very active member Of
the English Reformed (Rev. Waguer's)
Church He moved here with his family
during last mouth, aud is now, with the
assistance of Mr.. Hyde, Gone of the
wealthiest men Of the place. building a
wel-arranged foundry and maching shop
which will no doubt add greatly to the
business of Ridgway.
There are two large tanneries here
one employing about thirty, the other
eighty hands, for whose accommodation
neat frame tenant houses, with yards in
front and gardens behind, have been
built, and the rent of which amounts tC
only $3 or 81 per month. The mer
must work eleven hours day, from six
to six with an hour for dinner Almost
onc-half are Swedes and about twenty.
FIVE Germans.
Mr.. Grant, of New York, manages
one Of the tanneries, and is now build
ing himself fine frame house for his
home near it. The other, the larges,
tannery here and one of the best estab.
lishments of the kind in the country, is
owned aud controlled by Mr.. w. H
Osterhout, a native of Ulster county
New York, man of wealth and great
business tact and activity. Yesterday
we spent very pleasant evening with
him and his excellent family at his fine
mansion, celebrated for its hospitality
and refinement.
Last Sunday we had services in three
languages in the Lutheran Church
English, Swedish and German, at IL,
and 3 o'clock. The Sunday School was
held in the morning at half.past nine
o'clock. At halt-past five o'clock we
attended Episcopal services, and at half
past seven o'clock we heard a good ser.
mon from Mr.. Stevens, Presbyterian
clergyman, who came from Ireland when
young He spoke an hour and quar-
ter-rather long for an evening sermon
but kept the audience very attentive
to the close.
After having been to church five
times aud to Sunday School once, we re-
tired to rest.
On Tuesday was a Saints Day in
the Episcopal Church-St. Bartholo-
mew's-and the Rector, Mr.. Miller,
whose worthy family knew we'll at
Washington, Pa, had service iu the
morning, and we attended. The con-
gregation itself being not large aud the
people not yet accustomed 10 weekday
or Saints Day services, the number
present was very small, but the faithful
Rector went through with the regular
services as if the church had been full.
During the last four years the Rev
Father Breneman, faithful missionary
of the Pittsburg Synod, in Elk and ad-
joining counties, visited from house to
house, travelling often long distances on
foot in visiting and collecting the scat
tered Lutherans, some of whom lived
here twenty years without seeing a
Lutheran minister. Here in Ridgway
he has collected a promising copgrega-