The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-02-13
A Picturesque Winter Trip.


Says the Railway Editor of the Pitts
burg Post One of the most interesting
trips that can be taken in mid winter is
ride over the narrow gauge division OF
the p. & W. between Butler and ormsby
and thence over the connecting narrow
gauge line from Kinzua junction to Ole
an aud ride over the Kinzua visduct ON
the Erie railroad branch.
Leaving Butler the little narrow gauge
engines and cars speed along through a
thickly settled region passing through
forests and winding IN sombrous noun
tain passes with snow clad hillsall around.
The rugged water shed is crossed with
many quaint villages and relics of the
early oil boom, and finally by a rapid de-
scent along a deep and swim flowing
stream the little engine drops to Parker
on the Allegheny river, and then follows
the river to FoNburg, where a high bridge
of ancient design is crossed and the train
stops at the junction where the Alleghe-
ny Valley R.R. trains connect. From this
point on the ride is very interesting. BY
/ the switchbsck system the train is gradu-
ally elevated 400 feet abb the river ter
race, and then over the plateau across
high trestles and around horseshoe curvos
the run is made to Clarion junction. Sew
en- miles from CLARION FUNSTON, the snow
is deep and piled up along the tack five
feet high, and the pine and hardwood
forests stretch away for miles without a
single break except the narrow swathe
cut by the railroad and burnt out by fires
started by the locomotive sparks.
After long ride through the forest
Marienville is reached You come upon
the town uneS pectedly. 1t is a thriving
place with hotels, bars and many large
stores. Beyond Marienville Salmon
creek is seen deep down in a dark can
on among tangled fallen hemlocks.
The scenery becomes wilder. Pine
woods predominate, and the hills begin
to rise to higher attitudes. Lumber, tam
bark and porcupines ate the principal
produpts. Ifyou sit on the rear seat and
can keep the window clear you see snow,
snow everywhere. There are rabbit
tracks, deer tracks and occasionally bear
tracks, for bruin still haunts this wilder
ness country. The dainty little tracks of
a rutfed grouse are seen with each clean
cut impression in the snow so nicely
aligned that one would suppose the bird
had been walking a chalk line. Gro
tesque looking lumbermen stand at the
small stations, and some of them board
the train. A pretty girl, a flower in the
forest depths, waits to greet arriving
| friends, and several sleighs with abun-
dant robes are seen and the jingle of
sleigh bells unfamiliar to Pittsburg ears
is heard. Another start. Another long
vista of hemlock or pineclad hills and
deep valleys with the white snow every
where, and you are again in the midst OF
a great wilderness that spreads out for 40
miles in every direction. The few lone
ly cross roads are untraveled and the i'm
maculate snow, white as Parian marble,
Aios tutit uu llI0Sstu anu Win Ho sttpS
upon the paths.
At Sheffield junction, the Tionesta Val
ley 4. R., another narrow gauge line,
connects, and many passengers change
cars. This road takes passengers to
Sheffield or Warren. The P. Il w. line
takes you on to Kane, where you behold
an enterprising city with g.ass factories
and various enterprises on large scale.
From Kane you pass on TO the pine forest
again, and the little train pushes its way
like an antlered deer through the slash
ings, making many sudden turns, and
you pass through Mt. Jewett and come
to ormsby. Here you are still surround
ed by the deep and gloomy forests, with
| the white sheet of snow suggesting a
shroud. The ride all the way is interest
ing, and it is surprising that more Pitts
burg people do not make the trip occa-
sionally over this picturesque and quaint
little road.