Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1889-07-04
bargained for but not as much as you did,

bargained for but not as much as you did,
that is certain.
Fifty years ago when came to Brad
ford County as boy, large portion OF
the county was a wilderness, with plenty
of deer, which furnished large amount
of food for the early settlers, also bears,
wolves. panthers and wildcats. All of
the above named animals have long since
been eXterminated, except on some back,
uninhabited mountains, but they Will
maintain their position but II few years
longer. We have a beautiful black SPUR
rel about the size of the common gray
squirrel. | presume the most of you new
er saw one, as there are none in the east
ern states that / know of. AT the time
referred to above there were Il few small
settlements or little villages as they
called them quite far apart with rude
buildings surrounded by forests, with
here and there setter or a squatter, as
they called some of them, trying to start
a home farm or establish a possession
right, with poor school privileges and
other necessities in proportion, conse-
ouent to early settlements. Hardy and
rugged pioneers came with their families
or alone seeking homes, most of them
from the eastern states. There is now
considerable of an impression upon the
people of Yankee industry and persever-
ance. They laid waste and subdued the
forests under unfavOrable circumstances.
Now cultivated fields, towns, villages and
boroughs are quite numerous. There Is
no city in our county yet, but our county
seat may be city in the near future,
though not as beautiful as the little city
of Keene. 1t is, however, situated on the
Susquehanua River and modern style
| 4, 1>,N, cob, hnt ntn
| are numerous. The soil was very pro-
ductive in an early day, but seems to be
losing its strength. ] think it is more or
less due to GENERALIZATION without prop
| er nOurishment. There is no more War-
whoop or wild dance of the savage, I'M
| less some of our liberty loving Americans
use too much fire water.
We are privileged with all the modern
improvements of the age. think Penn
sylvania has a right to say we furnish
you with plenty of oil and coal There
! is bituminous coal in the western
part of the state, anthracite coal in the
eastern part and anti bituminous or soft
coal in the north central part, oil in the
western part | was looking over west
ern paper year or so since; | noticed an
advertisement from parties having the
Blossburg coal for sale, the same being
|
coal etc, and at only small advance in
price per ton. Do not be duped by any
such stuff. | live about 20 or % miles
from these places and know all about it.
Some 80 or 60 years ago the anti bitumin-
Gus or soft coal business commenced at
Blossburg, doing an immense business,
after railroad was constructed for trans
portation. The mines at Blossburg have
been exhausted some % years. The same
range of mountains have been tapped,
from four to six miles from that place
and each other, sometimes taking the
name of the places where worked as Il
common name. The quality of the coal
is the same, but it is largely converted
into coke now before shipping. Monop-
oily and trust make coal higher than it
should be. Coal is worth only about
$1.75 per ton at the mines.
The oranges here are trying to exert
influence against such practice of all
kinds. All grangers should cooperate
and claim quality. with all honorable
classes, occupations and professions. We
have quite prosperous grange here, with
membership of from 100 to l75, called
Columbia Grange, No. rs, p. of H., the
ladies being interested in the cause here
as well as in other places. Western Brad
ford and eastern Tioga County have a
mutual grange fire insurance company
with about 81 800 900 insured farm prop
erty. Some Join the grange expressly for
the insurance and are not much benefit to
the order. f. Z. BAKER.