The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-05-03
HoUTzDALr, Pa. April q. 1873

DEAR FREENAN-Presuming that a letter
from this place will interest some OF your read
ers, at least, shall offer no apology for taking
up portion of your space for that purpose.
Houtznale- or NewtOwn, as il is called hy the
farmers i'm the vicinity, | will not attcmD, no
describe, as have never seen itssparallel, and
il has zoo much originality bout il for he non
or rather pencil, of a boy like me to portray.
| must, therefore. rest content with sketching
its main features, and giving n ,ijscuunected
account OF its comngs and shortcomings
W hat is designated HOutZdalc, or NewtOwn. Is
for the most part a promiscuouS diSorderIv
scattcTUent OF tembo~arv Gy,a1fi,dr Ir7bt b9 =
throughout n crooked, uncultivatcd, drcary
and partly marshy valley to the extent of about
four miles. The general extension of the val
ley is east ana west BY the inhabitants them
selves, W no areisaid to nun ber bout We tous-
and, the tOwH is divided into Sterling. Houfz-
dale proper, and West HOutZdale Sterling nd
West Houtzdae are, respectiyely mere eTreu-
siOns of a single street esst and west, and are
half in length. Houfzdaie nroneD VI f "a III ,S m aIu "a
were, the main bo0y of the town. situated on
the northern slope and giving to the place the
position OF an army facing south. A few build
Ings are scattered on the southern sIope, form
ing, so TO speak, the picket line to the main
body; respectable creek, called the Moshan-
uOnr flows through the valley from west TO east
and gives all desirable facilities for mills and
manufactures. A railroad also passes through
Tue town along the creek, connecting OsceJla
with Spruce Flat In HOutzdale proper there
are three churches, twelve or fifteen hotels. and
quite number OF stores. OF The churches the
largest IS the Catholic, which will accommodate
about eight hundred persons. The hotels are
generally good sized buildings, and some of
them are nrst class inl appearance and man
aRement The chief occupation of The jnhu hi
tdhte Is Wiliilg' ana as consequence the bus
inesslOf the place Is constantly under the sway
OF the coal traffic. There are nine mines work
ing now ana their agRre gate weekly shipments
ahouht 10 ABOUT 2UOu0 tons. Miners receive
forty cents ton for digging, but are never al
lowed 20 take out more than will supply the
immediate demands of the n,2 rlzet Business
IL generally brisk Tor two weeks nftcr pay day,
but exceedingly dull during the fortnight pre-
ceding II, store orders about that time being
the only circulating medium. No attempts are
Hade To tlil the SOIL, and the necessary farm
prodhce is Tor the most part brought from
northern Cambria. Such as have cleared the
rubbish from their lots and tried the expert
mcnt or making garden. raising potatoes, etc,
are quite successful. The lncality is decidedly
healthy- there being comparatively few deaths
ara oniy Sickness cnOugt: to give three doctors
1alr snare OF practice. rs regards the moral
anu peaceful tendencies OF the people / will
not venture an opinion, though it may be pro-
per to say that only one lawyer has had the
temerlty to take up his abode in their midst
IN snort, HOutzdaIe, which is by no means the
worst place in the world, offers the material
out of which first class business town can be
made in due course of time.
Yours, &c, BILLY