Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-11-22
BY FRANKLIN H. WENTWORTH.

If you get off the train at Moylan, an
unpretentious little station 10 miles south
west Of philadelphia, turn down the road
to the left and come to point at which
the road forks, you will see an artistic
little finger-bo pointing down the hill
bearing che inscription: "onehal mile to
Rose Valley" The hill Is thickly wooded
at this point, but when you have gone
on few PAGES, and rounded a little knoll,
Rose VALLEY lies before you. Although
there ere no massive mountain peaks
thrustng their white points into the blue
20 accentuate the attractions Of the val
ley, there yet comes to one In looking
at this Pennsylvania landscape a feeling
singularly akin to that engendered by the
first view of some of the most attractive
Of the Swiss valleys
Charles BatteIl Loomls says that the
most interesting thing to be seen In Eu-
rope ls the American tourist, and trav-
elers returning from the Orient say the
only blot upon Japanese landscape is
the house built by an occidental Perhaps
the charm a Swiss valley holds for one
springs from the fact that the contribu-
lions made by man there do not affront
this little Pennsylvania valley, at the bot
tom Of which winds Ridley Creek. All
about here is historic ground, with tradi
lions Of Washington and other revolu
tionary heroes; and yet, though so close
to the great city of Philadelphia. the
world curiously has moved =, st 1t.
Forty or fifty years ago Ridley Creek,
with its modest little 35horse- power, was
turning the wheels of a number of small
mills. The principal industry was snuff
making. Around these mills at attractive
points of vantage clustered stone houses.
Both houses and mills were given walls
like those of a medieval castle. 1t was
before the present era of cheap and shoddy
structures.
Polite society abandoned snuff taking
and the snuff makers abandoned Rose Val
ley, leaving their stone houses and their
stone mills empty of machinery aud all
human occupancy.
For 90 years Rose Valley was n well.
nigh deserted village and the waters of
Ridley Creek rippled away TO the sea
without turning wheel. its possibilities
In dynamic being too limited to attract
the great factories of modern Industrial
In riotous profligacy. and the valley justl-
fed It's name; the name given to II In a
moment of admiration by the first Epis-
copal bishop of Pennsylvania bishop
White.
One day In the early spring of the year
1901 two men of Philadelphia on Sun
day morning tramp came 10 the brow OF
the hill and looked down into the valley
W.
Lanahan, men of some mears and con-
siderable ideaIlsm. Both had built pa
latial residences OF their own taste and
choosing in different desirable parts of
the city; both were artists IN tempera.
ment, and both were expressing their
lives In the profession of architecture.
"Hawley." said Price, how would you
like to take an exquisite vale like this
and beau;ify 1t and live in II. getting en-
tireiy away from the tyranny of mere
things and choosing your own neghhors7''
I'D like 1t" answered MeLanahan.
I'D like to spend an hour at your house
occasionally without paying two hours on
trolley cars or In cabs as the penalty.
and I'd like to get away from the house
that's being inflicted on the landscape In
view Of my screened piazza. Every time
/ look In that direction I'm In danger of
hydrophObia
at would be fun" added Price, ITO
take these old stone buildings and work
cut 9 harmonious scheme with them.
They would lend themselves readily TO
artistic effects We could make homes
of the houses aud studios and workshops
of the mills. When we had the job fin
ished we could go cunning for agreeable
neighbCs and come and live here our
selves. Everything We care for In town
Is tace than hoif-hnuF auavH
"All right said McLanahan: lets
do it."
Today both of these men are living at
Rose Valley. One OF them is permanent
" established In one OF the remodeIed
houses: the other is occupying a remod-
eled house while his permanent home is
In process of erection. Both have sold