Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-11
ON THE SUSQUEHANNA.
THE LUMBER INTERESTS OF THE
KEYSTONE STATE.
Location of the Western Eden
Industries on Poetic Grounds
laundering Scenes.

Especial Correspondence of the REcoRD-UNIoN.l
WILLIAMsPoRT, Pa, Jan. so, 1888.
The determination to put the best foot
foremost" harshly called Boosting, is de-
clareG to be an American characteristic
Whatever its nationality, its existence is
fact, and its exercise universal. To it the
gatherer of information owes a large debt
An attentive ear puts him in possession of
the advantages Of a given locality from
the dweller's point Of view, although a
trained judgment is sometimes called upon
to adjust the proper proportions Of need
and merit
A brief sketch of this city may be of
interest to your readers-because ''it lives,
moves, and has its being (fguratively
speaking) in an industry that is as vet one
Of California's undeveloped resources of
wealth - numbering. Williamsport is a
lively little city of $4,000 or 10000 peo-
pie briskly abreast with the times That
means good deal, when the times demand
such . shipping place to keep up with its
inventions and discoveries; times, for in
stance, which regards gas as an illuminant
Is belonging to an Anticipated past.
WILLIAMsPoRT Is PARTLY LOCATED
In a narrow valley, with the river and
mountains in the foreground and softly
rounded hills in the rear. The hills and
mountains begrudge space to the valley,
and have narrowed il to little more than
a mile at this point, on which account the |
city has taken to itself eight miles Of the !
river front, and proposes to add as it may
need. The mountains in whose shadows |
Williamsport lies is the Bald Eagle range |
spur of the Alleghenies The river is |
the west branch of the Susquehanna |
Susquehanna is Indian for 1.-THE long |
river" although this rather mathematical |
Interpretation was probably unknown to |
the English poets, who were so charmed by |
its melody as to select it for the river that |
was to water the new Eden it was their |
splendid dream to create in the solitudes |
of the Western World. To Coleridge, it |
was 1.-THE divine Susquehanna.' To
Southey, the very e-Susquehanna-
sounded as if it was the sweetest of rip |
ping rivers" One may wonder if in the |
summer of 1894, those twenty-seven Pan
tisocrats had been able to supply the |
modest demand of the American land |
agent had been able to plant their colony |
on the banks of their chosen river, live |
their ideal lives, found their new race ; |
whether this river would be as POLITICALLY |
historic as are the mounts and meres |
of English Cumberland, made famous bv |
those Of their number who became the |
lake poets. Those places, whose names
captiyate the least fanciful of readers: |
Derwentwater, Grasmere, Lodore, Greta
Hall and Rydal Mount, are visited by |
thousands. Who can say these pilgrims |
would not be seeking the valley of the |
Susquehanna for the homes and haunts of |
the poets-but for that lacking two |
thousand pounds.
THE EASTERN WINTER.
In our Northern States, where contrast |
is law of nature, it is the fashion to de- |
preciate the winter appearance of town
and country. With the leafess trees and |
snow-covered fields all beauty is supposed
TO have departed. The season of bells and |
cutter has not only a beauty of its own. |
but charm, which is undervalued by the
citizens of these parallels Air which
exhilarates, brings roses to the cheeks.
stlrs the pedestrian to miracles of speed, is
tonic and energizer not to be fouted as
Is the habit of the grumbler And SO the
lovers OF frosty fun seem to think, who
havepu to good use the six weeks of sleigh
ing which cannot protract itself much
longer.
1t IS said that California youngsters take
stock in the north-pole version of the Gar
den of Eden, and believe that the bows
paradise Is located somewhere in the outer
edge, or about this region of latitude: that
having once visited the land of the snow
ball, acquired the art of compromising and
handling the fascinating sphere, tasted the
sweets Of fights and BODYBUILDING, they re-
gard themselves as exiled sons of misfor
tune during the remaining years of boy
hood-but this may be libel
WILILAMsPoRTs LUMBER INTERESTS.
Having paid due Difference to Williams
ports innocent wish-to be thought hand |
somer than she thinks she appears; list
ened with an ear of faith to her advantages,
social, religious and educational; her in
dustries, commercial and manufacturing
the patient guest is finally treated to the
climax THAT for which he is waiting). her |
pre-emlnenee. No surprise is therefore |
experienced Though some is expressed) |
five years this has been the greatest lum- |
Der mart east Of Michigan, and will main
tam Its supremacy until the close of the |
century that to the manufacture of lum-
Der Williamsport owes its commercial i'm |
portance. And to substantiate the state |
ment an array of figures is brought for
ward thai would silence the most doubling |
Thomas.
hr.a,, ~t, e
has Its rise In Columbia county, and in its |
course o: zoo miles before uniting with |
the north branch at Northumberland re- |
celyes numerous large tributaries by whose I
and 1t drains sixteen counties-and has |
hoated Tor over forty years their vast for
ests OF pine and hemlock to the very doors
OF NiillamSport. laundering is distinct
business or craft, and like the course Of
empire moves westward It's centers of in
dustry- From Maine to California..will |
receive new significance when these
hardy men, following the lead of canital
nave invaded your forests, as you have
already hidden them to do. Ii is to
be hoped the Pacific slope viii not he
cleared in the wholesale fashion going
on IN the States The statistics of this one
region point the wisdom and necessity of
N-N ANN'-oNAN@ I'm the preservation OF |
forests as are introduced by Senator Hale
of Maine
BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE THOUSAND
"Woodsmen" are employed in this section
telling, peeling bark, and the preparatory
steps for floating the logs. Tkey are not
un-picturesqne on the streets, with their
scarlet flannel leggings tucked into low
cut rubbers, said to cover innanerable
pairs of stockings. 0tker portions Of their
costume might also indicate a knieker-
booker taste fer duplicate. There is no
poetry in the logging-camp or woodsrnen's
life, though the uninitiated are apt to
think SO Nature refnes, we are ted
Doubtless, but the forester runs no risk of
being mistaken FOR noblemau. He is
htted for his work. 4 man of Drawn whose
lie, hive months of the year. is one Of toll
not to say danger. Mex in order i the
hoom- There are booms many and yar;eus
IN these days, and while the Susouehanna
Boom is neither of the Presidential nor
Southern California pattern. ii is not
without merit. 1t has a chartered exist
ence Of forty years, and a capital stock of