Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-11
INTHEYOUGHVALLEY
A Rich Country Opened by the Con-
huence and Oakland Road.
MINERALS IN THE MOUNTAINS.
The Region Famous for its Hunting and
Trout Fishing Grounds.
PITTSBURG WILL REAP THE BENEFITS

PITTSBURG WILL REAP THE BENEFITS
The valley of the Youghiogheny from
Confluence to Oakland, for scenic beauty
and picturesqueness, is probably unsur-
passed in the State; and as for its mineral
wealth, great claims are made for it by the
inhabitants. Its growth os hemlock, oak
and other varieties of trees on the mountain
sides can be seen, so that there is no doubt
about its lumber capacity. As a mountain
summer resort there are many places along
the beautiful river from Confluence to its
headwaters that far excel other localities
that have become famous for their sslubri-
business and height above the sea, and as
havens Of rest for the sick and weary
and trystIng hooks for youths and
maidens in the throes of loves
agony. The Yough river itself from Con-
nellsville through the mountains is beau
tiful stream, but from Confluence to Oakland
the river braces itself, becomes regular in
Its fow, and the wild country through
which 1t passes only adds to its attractive
ness. The waters swarm with trout, and
the track Of the deer can be seen frequently
at the waters edge. Wild turkeys strut
through the hills, and eat the scanty
growth of corn planted in rocky clearlngs
by the hardy mountaineers.
OPENING A NEW COUNTRY.
But what makes this valley particularly
interesting to Pittsburgers at this time is
the opening of the Confluence and Oakland
Railroad, which was built by 7.
Bayard Henry, Colonel Crawford
and other Philadelphia capitalists.
1t is strange that so beautiful a valley
should have been shut off so long from the
outside world, especially from the world of
railroads; vet the famous National pike,
which was once the boast of the State, run
ming from Wheeling to Cumberland, pene-
trates this region, and Is crossed by the rail-
road at Summervill9. The road, of course,
is not what it used to be when the mount
aims resounded with the coachman's horn
and the crack of the cattle drover's whip.
For some years it has been sadly neglected,
and the rough stones protrude through the
earth, making it anything but passable and
soothing TO the nerves of travellers. The
pike bridge across the YOugh river at
Summerville is a marvellous structure and
q model. 1t was built in 1878
and the inscription says that it was formally
opened on the Fourth of July, when doubt.
less the population, for miles around, in
cluding stray Indians, gathered for a holi-
day. The bridge is still in perfect condi-
tion, not j stone is out of place or plumb,
aud they adhere together in as compact a
mass as on the day on which the bridge was
opened to the public. The little village of
Summerville nestles on the high ground
Just across the river, and it consists of
few houses, the typical country store and the
public tavern. The CHIEF business man of
the town, it is stated "a few years ago had
never been in Somerset, the county seat, and
there were actually some people, so the
natives claim, living in the Yough Valley,
who had never seen a passenger train until
the one passed over the Confluence and
Oakland on the opening day.
ROAD TO OAKLAND.
T. Bayard Henry is much attached to the
village OF Summerville, and he and his
handsome Young wife manage to spend a
delightful month there in the summer. 1t
is the intention of the railroad company to
push the road through to Oakland, on the
main line of the Baltimore and Ohio. The
line will bring this mountain resort within
a few hours ride of Pittsburgh, and tend to
develop that section of the country, which
is rich in mineral wealth. Along
the Yough river the veins of
coal can be seen cropping out
through the b tes, and here and there the
inhabitants have opened a few banks for
their own use, and then abandoned them
for lack of transportation. The people
claim that the Connellsville veins run
through this section, and if this be true it
will some day make good coke region and
q rival to the Connellsville field. But the
topography OF the sections are so different
In the present coke regions the coal lies
under the level farms that have been ruined
bv the black smoke for all agricultural pur-
poses. In the Yough Valley the coal is
In the hills and mountains At any rate
Mr.. 7. Basard Henry and Colonel Craw-
ford propose to see what the beautiful val
ley contains, and if there be coal and iron
ore in the hills, as claimed, Pittsburg will:
reap the benefit of the find.
WEALTH UNDER THE HILLS.
Mr.. Henry and Colonel Crawford are en-
thusisstic as well as shrewd business men,
and they are satisfied that their judgment |
as to the richness of the country is correct. |
Mr.. Henry is a great Sunday-school worker,
and he has completely won over the |
people.
The other day, at the opening, when, with |
his white slouch hat under his arm, he ad- |
Vised the people wherever he spoke to i'm |
prove their roads, his remarks were indorsed |
with veil o. enthusiasm.
The party from Pittsburg were rovally |
entertained in the little log club house that |
was built last summer at the terminus |
OF the road. 1t stands on a ledge |
overlooking the river and a more pictur- |
in 4ba =. ]
hard to find. The view up the river is cut |
of somewhat by the nigh hemlock trees that |
tower above the club house. Colonel Craw- |
ford stated that he intended to construct a |
bridge across the river at this point next |
summer, so that the mountains opposite can |
be reached. Just below the club house Is a |
hole in the stream about 20 feet deep. and a |
gray-haired gentleman in the party from |
Somerset, who formerly lived in the Yough |
Valley, said that about 40 years ago thew |
pulled out of the hole in one haul Of net |
1000 trout
NOT so NUMEROUS NOW.
This feat has never been performed since
In those days he stated there were no laws |
regulating the catching of fish, and the |
natives slaughtered the speckled beauties |
by the thousand. The stream still abounds |
with the fnny tribe, but the population has
not been so numerous since the modern dis |
ciple of Isaak Walton has gotten in his |
destructive work.
In the neighborhood of the log clubhouse |
pet deer comes down every night to drink |
at the river. The men have learned to love
the animal, and they often watched for its
coming. 1t wouldn't be healthy for the 1
hunter in that region who, perchance, should
bag it as frst-class game His shot would |
be an unlucky one for himself if that deer's
friends should lay their hands on him.
Even if the people in this mountainous
region have been cut off from railroad COM
muuication and daily paper, a few days
L. Ill L.