The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-11-08

June, for the running Of heavy boats
aud RATS, is also a matter of regret,
and as all boatmen know there is no
good reason why it could not be i'm
proved by slack water dams aGd other
arrangements, at no great expense, so
it could be used all the time, or a great
er portion Of the time at least, that the
world might have the benefit Of onr
timber forests in the valley Of the Ito.
nesta.
With the promising geological pros
poets of the Tionesta basin we have
not much to do futher than bearing on
transportation by water is concerned.
which is well known. as a rule, TO be
the cheapest for moving heavy articles
in the world. Former oil develop
ments we're failures for the reason that
they did not drill deep enough; lately
they drilled deeper and the result has
been the discovery of a 40 barrel we'll
on the Cooper tract, and the Grandin
and Kelly well, near Balltewn, pro-
duciDg about 90 barrels per day,w which
at the present time are only consider
ed but preludes to the discoveries that
will follow along said creek. The
eastern portion of Forest county is the
portion that contains the large forests
of pine and hemlock and other timber,
being essentially and entirely different
in the character and size of its timber
from the western part. Tionesta and
tributaries are lined with this timber
far back into the highlands; the ever
green timber stands clear through to
the Sinnemahoning, and a writer once
observed that eastern Forest, part Of
Clarion, Warren, Elk and Mexican
counties contained body of hemlock
timber OF gigantic growth, the largest
Of the kind in the world that there
was nothing like it in Russia, Briti,n
America, or the Islands of the seas"
Thls is literally true there is no such
continuous body as this on the face of
the earth. If any one disputes this
statement let him answer where. The
finest of this vast body of hemlock
timber lies 10 the Tionesta creek val.
ley, and by it must find its way to
the markets Of the land.
Forest county contains exactly 431
square miles; it is safe to say one half
Of it is covered with this heavy timber.
This area reduced shows a grand total
of 275,840 acres; of this the one-half,
or 1873, 900 acres nearly, is thus heavily
tim bered, and the lumber from the
same be run down Tionesta creek. 1t
is safe, from my knowledge of the tim
ber, to say there are over 900 millions
feet of hemlock alone that would go
down the creek, to say nothing Of the
bark this is a very low estimate con-
sidering the character of the timber;
of pine, say 800, 100000 feet; of Oak,
say 200,000,000, aud all other wood
including cherry, birch. beech, ash,
maple. chestnut, &C., 400,000,000 feet;
this is modest calculation of the tim
Der resources of the Tionesta valley.
The amount of lumber run from the
various mills, with all the disadvant.
ages of impeded navigation, amounts
to say 40 millions per year; this would
be doubled were the stream improved,
it is safe to say. The stream was, on
account of its prominence, over 35
years ago pronounced a public high
way, and an act of assembly passed
declaring it so to be, but iC did no
more good toward its improvement
than the pope's bull against the comet.
Though the stream was thus recognized
by the State on account of its import
ance, yet not one dollar in money did
the State ever give toward its improve
ment, and on many streams Of far less
Importance has the general govern
ment expended thousands of dollars.
1t is to be hoped on account of the
resources of its area that the govern
ment may do something toward i'm
proving its navigation for the reasons
set forth. l have long been familiar
with this valley and know its import
aDce. Very truly yours,
TSigned] SAMUEL ID. IRWIN.