The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-05-01
never heard of il before.


He was famous when 1 was child.
He stood high 10 the councils of his
party so high that he presided, be-
lieve, in 1914 over the National con-
vention that nominated James X. Polk
for President. Since then he has been
in our State Legislature, member OF
Congress, chairman of democratic State
committee, now candidate for COVER
nor, and yet does not know the loca-
ton of these streams The gentleman
is older than he was, and his memory
is possibly faithless to him. Let me
give him q little history. Now the
gentleman cannot have forgotten the
Pennsylvania Canal, the Pennsylvania
public works, that the democratic par
ty in our State controlled so long and
manipulated so well TO perpetuate their
power. The Western Division ran
from Pittsburgh to Johnstowu, the
Western base of the Allegheny Noun
tains, thence over the mountains by
the Portage Railroad to Holidays
burg, thence by canal 10 Harrisburg,
thence to Philadelphia, partly by canal
and partly by rail and when these
were sold for $7,500,000 the gentle
mans party, be along with them,
doubtless groaned and complained in
sadness. Now, sir, the western divis-
ion OF this canal from Pittsburgh to
Johnstown was up along the Allegheny
to Freeport, thence along the Kiski-
minetas and Conemaugh Rivers. They
were its only feeders, and along them
we're a number of dams built by the
State and slackwater navigation over
them a portion Of the way. From some
time in 1880 to 1850 all the travel and
traffic from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh,
from early spring to late fall, was over
these streams and canal. In the stat
ute-books of our State from the CON.
mencement of internal improvements
in Pennsylvania until this moment are
to be found the names Kiskiminetas
and Conemaugh Rivers in connection
with some public legislation. My friend
does not know enough of geography to
be our governor, l fear.
Mr.. WRIGHT. | wish to know
from my colleague if survey is order.
ed in the bill for these two little
streams.
Mr.. WHITE, of Pa. 1t is, and am
proud of my success in having obtained
it.
Mr.. WRIGHT. Are they navigablt
streams?
Mr.. WHITE, of Pa. They can be q
portion of the year, and it is practica
BILE, in my opinion, and / have also the
opinion Of the most distinguished en-.
gineers that they can be made naviga
BILE the greater portion, if not the whole
of the year. l want the survey to show
this for my part Of the State.
Mr.. WRIGHT. How wide are they
Mr.. WHITE, of Pa. At high water
the gentleman could not swim acros.
them he would lose his wind before
he got across.
Mr.. BRIDGES. I wish to ask tn
gentleman whether at low water yol
cannot step across them.
Mr.. WHITE, of Pa. No, sir. Their
are ferries and fordings for horses a
low water in some places across tn,
streams. Only last week, on a tri]
home, missing the train and walkinl
into Blairsville, some two miles, | bat
to pay ferry boat my ten cents to ROY
me across the Conemaugh. This wa
nearly forty miles above the mouth O
the Kiskiminetas. The gentleman
an old, old, democrat, too. He ha
forgotten his geography. He does no
know his own State. Let him com
away from his anthracite coal fields G
Eastern Pennsylvania and visit til
great diversities of resources in West
, ern Pennsylvania, across the noun
tains. Come out and see our coal
fields, our coke-ovens, our fire. bricl
works, our lumber-yards, our mill;
our agricultural wealth, our furnace
t and rolling mills run by natural ga
> yelling up from the bowels of tn
earth /; our oil wells, making wealth I
the State and the country. Come
, travel little and learn what you
State needs.
Mr.. ELLIS. That is the way the
slipped in so easily, being so wei
oiled.
Mr.. BRIDGES. I know they ar
' little insignificant streams.
3 Mr.. WHITE, of Pa. The gentlema
: is an old man. l want to be respect
ful, but must say he does not kno'
= what he is talking about. 1 want it t
go to the country that these gentleme
: from the Casters part of our State VIII
! have spoken are against the improve
, ment of our rivers, are against thei
S examination and survey, are again'
! giving ns an nnnnrfnnitv of shnwin