USA > Pennsylvania > Crawford County > Pioneer sketches : scenes and incidents of former days > Part 12
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raised up his head, bleeding profusely, one horn was knocked off elose to his head, leaving a stub of the pith (inside of the horn) protruding from the ox's head. Well the poor creature wore a sad look, and I thought he looked more intelligent than the Dutchinan at the time.
With a eloth from the dinner basket and a coat lining, I tied up the wound the best I could. On arriving home I renewed the bandage and applied some warm tar. After three weeks Old Dave was again ready for work.
The sleighing during this time was excellent and the logs were being briskly moved. We had 300 or 400 logs skidded. Some of the whitewood logs were three feet or more in diameter, sufficient to cut 1,000 feet of lumber twelve feet long, which would make quite a load; but in coming to smaller ones, two feet or so, with long bolsters on the sleds, three of these logs were placed on the bottom, two logs top of them, then one log top of all-six-these making a nice load.
Cur road was on a down grade principally, from the woods to the canal, where they were mostly rafted to Tuckersville, foot of the eleven-mile level, to be sawed into lumber.
I shipped that season about 800,000 feet of whitewood and ash lumber. My first consignments were to Janes & Sanbor, Eric ; later to Farmer & Scachard, Mixer & Smith, and John A. Pitts, Buffalo; Francis Becbe, Troy, and Stephen Clark and others, Albany, N. Y.
I recollect the day that we were unloading a vessel load of lumber in the Niagara Basin for John A. Pitts' agricul- tural works. About 10 A. M. all the bells on the churches n the city simultaneously pealed forth the joyful tidings
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that the Atlantic cable was laid and in successful operation, that the American with a silent tongue could instantly talk with the European.
One pleasant morning soon after, accompanied by my wife, we took passage at Buffalo on the little steamer Arrow down the Niagara, making several stops at the Islands. On arriving within a couple of miles of the Falls the boat ran into Chippewa Creek, where, on the Canada side, we took the cars to the Falls. The view of Niagara Falls from the Canadian side is the best. Near by is situated those historic spots, Lundy's Lane and Chippewa battlefields, where, in 1813 the best troops of America and England met to try their steel. True, the armies were not as large, as to the numbers engaged, as in many other conflicts, though nearly equal in number and the fighting was terrific. General Scott heard a British officer shout, "TheAmericans are good at a long shot, but can't stand the cold iron. " He repeated this to his men, and called upon the 11th instantly to give the lie to that slander. They charged and the battle was won. General Brown was wounded in the early part of the engage- ment, and the command devolved upon Brigadier General Winfield Scott, who, it is said, covered himself that night with smoke, fire and glory. The loss on each side was about equal, and over one-third in each army were killed or wounded.
It has been quite a long time-78 years-since Eng- land has had any trouble with America, and I presume she has chosen the better part of valor-to keep hands off. It seems from our American conflict that America has cause to fear herself more than any other nation, and from the dear- ly bought lesson of the past our country will not be unmind- ful.
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But, to return to the lumber business: H. E. Salis- bury, assisted by his brother Tracy (my brothers-in-law) had set up a lathe in Michael's mill, near my place, and were engaged in turning setting poles, mower, reaper and wagon poles, for which I furnished them ash and maple lumber. After remaining there about a year, they removed to Albion, the former forming a partnership with R. McClellan, and for a couple of years done a large business manufacturing oars. They then removed to Edgerton, Ohio, where H. E. Salisbury formed a partnership with Wm. Webb, of New York, and engaged extensively in the manufacture of oars.
I furnished on a short notice to John Hill, of Erie, a very difficult bill of lumber to help him out of a tight spot, in the construction of Farrar Hall, he having been disap- pointed by other parties ; also heavy material for the Methodist church, which could only be accomplished by working night and day. At that time I thought I could endure almost anything.
The following year engaged with Howe & Clark, Erie, to superintend and sell lumber on the Elevator Dock. At the close of the season a partnership was formed under the name of Clark, Finn & Howe. The middle man I didn't like, so I quit them. In February I went to New York with Samuel Sherman. He was with Lathrop, Luddington & Co., 326-30 Broadway, a heavy jobbing dry goods firm. Sam brought a heavy trade to this house from his patrons in Erie, Crawford and Mercer Counties, Pa., and he had a good thing of it.
I spent three weeks in the metropolis and returned to Buffalo, where Oliver Bugbee, a prominent lumber dealer, wanted to secure my services to look after his lumber business throughout Canada, Michigan and Ohio. I took
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his offer. The previous fall Mr. Bugbee had contracted with different parties in Canada, Michigan and Ohio, to deliver to him at certain places, to load on vessels or cars, pine, black walnut, whitewood, white ash and sycamore, cut to certain lengths and specified width and thickness, for which he had advanced them sums of money. This lum- ber was to be shipped to Albany, consequently Mr. Bug- bee did not see much of it at either end of the route ; hence the importance of getting the amount of the first and second clear in a cargo that the contract called for. Having had experience in the business it suited me, and in the course of a few days I went from Suspension Bridge into Canada, then took the Grand Trunk Railroad to Detroit, thence to Port Sarnie and across country to Wheatley and Two Rivers. At the latter place a quantity of whitewood and ash lumber was scowed down the river to its mouth, which was closed by a sand bar, and the scow had to be hauled over the sand bar six or eight rods by stays, the scow being placed on greased poles. When over the sand bar the lumber was reloaded on the seow and a line strung half a mile from the shore out into the lake to a vessel. The scow was kept under this line and the Canucks would pull on it and thus propel the scow out to the vessel, on which they would load the lumber and return for another load. This was a tedious way of loading a vessel, and suited the Canadians better than the Yankee.
Out in the lake where the vessel lay was arranged a fish pond, from which two fellows brought in two large sturgeon, weighing 60 and 80 pounds respectively. The men and fish were in a skiff near shore. While sitting lazily in the skiff a wave rolled it. The sturgeon rolled to one side, and over went the skiff, dumping its occupants into
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the lake. It required several dives by the fishermen to get the fish, but they got them out and hauled them ashore.
This place was situated about fifteen miles east of Point Au Pelee, Ontario, Canada. At Wheatley, the place where Bugbee had contracted for a lot of sycamore lumber, ent to order, to be used for tobacco boxes, the party, to whom he advaneed $500 for lumber, was a low-lived, drunken, shiftless wretch. The people living about there, with some exceptions, were a bad mixture-half-breeds, French and Indian-shiftless, lazy, and the carriage that they rode in was a dog cart, and some of the indolent lived on air and whisky. At St. Claire we found several hundred thousand feet of nice pinc, and run well into the uppers, got out as per contract by Burrows & Oaks, Detroit, who were gentlemen, and the place seemed more like God's country than did the former.
J. C. Farwell, of Detroit, another gentleman with whom we had transactions, was on deck and understood his business and seemed desirous to render unto Cæsar the the things that were his. J. C. Varnum, of Mansfield, Ohio, another with whom we had to come in contact, was anxious to do the right thing; but he had some difficulty in filling his contract. For black walnut counter top lumber to be cut 1 inch thick, 22 to 32 inches wide and 16 feet long, and free from all defects, 250,000 feet out of 1,000,000 fect of good walnut he could not fill. He tried hard to do it, but couldn't. When he had to furnish 300,000 feet of walnut in different lengths and widths, that was a horse of a different size and color. Varmum filled a part and bought out of a portion of his contract. This lumber was got on the Miami & Wabash Canal region, delivered to and shipped by us from Toledo, Ohio.
CHAPTER XLV.
RECRUITING - PROSPECTING -LEASING COAL LANDS-THE COX FARM, M'FATE-DRILLING FOR COAL-MY RETURN-DEATH OF MY SISTER- REMOVAL-DEATH OF OUR SON, EDWIN-PROSPECTING ARMSTRONG AND BUTLER COUNTIES-LFASE AND PURCHASE-OIL, BUSINESS - BEAR CREEK PROPERTY-SALE OF TIMBER LANDS-DEATH OF A BROTHER-IN-LAW-GRAIN AND FLOUR SHIPMENT-DROP IN OIL LANDS-DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY-INDIANS-PRISONERS RE- LEASED-BRADY'S BEND
N SEPTEMBER, 1861, while engaged in Erie County, Pa., recruiting volun- teers for the 111th Regiment at my own expense in time and money, I had reason to become indignant at the treachery of some of its officers, therefore I returned to prospecting in Lawrence and Mahoning counties, and ere long I leased the Cox Farm and secured some very fine specimens of block coal from a shaft in said farm, which is situated about one and a-half miles from the Harbor bridge, about seven miles above New Castle, on the Shenango River. I had also leased the MeFate coal bank, near the river, and put it into operation. It was a coal of different formation from that of the Cox Farm, yet it sold readily in the neighbor- hood, and at New Castle and Pulaski for fuel purposes. C. G. Carver, of Sharon, bought a one-half interest in the Cox lease for $2,000, paying $600 down, and drilling soon commeneed. The output was found at that time insufficient to warrant the great outlay necessary for mining and ship- ping the same, and the Cox Farm was abandoned.
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In November I learned that sister Cornelia was very ill. I returned to Spring to her bedside. She lingered a few days and died.
In a few days I returned, with my wife and two chil- dren, to Lawrence county. On the 10th of March following Edwin. our youngest son, died. In May of that year we returned to Spring and remained there that year.
In February, 1863, I made a prospecting tour through Armstrong, Clarion and Butler counties, Pa. I made some leases at the latter place, near Martinsburg; also purchased the Samuel Meals Farm, 200 acres, for $6,000.
The oil business having been for some years in full blast on Oil Creek and contiguous thereto, was then extend- ing up and down the Allegheny and Clarion rivers and other places. At Parker's Landing a gusher was struck and the oil business began to boom on the Allegheny. Specu- lation ran wild.
Through every gulch and ravine,
Over hill-top, valley and stream,
Most every man had oil on the brain,
And to hear him rattle and swell would give you pain.
But such is life, and we have been constrained to believe that as oil can be applied to soothe or calin the turbulent waters, it can also be applied to fuddle the brain.
In April, 1865. about the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the bottom began to fall out of the oil speculation. It had for years become, so to speak, a bad spoke in the wheel of fortune for many. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of speculative oil transactions were carried on, by paper and fictitious charts representing oil interests in close proximity to good producing oil territory.
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The unwary man or woman in distant cities, eager to become suddenly rich, would bite the bait like a sucker, and in many cases they found that the seller knew no more about the merits of his oil territory than did an ordinary horse about the science of geology.
I had shown the Martinsburg property to one J. W. Spader, of Chicago, who said he and his brother would take it for $40,000 as soon as he could return to Chicago and make arrangements, and I felt in disposing of that property that he would have a better bargain in the transaction than I. However, while awaiting results, I kept my eye on the smaller fry, and had some timber lands, taken on refusal, to sell, adjoining my home. One day in Mead- ville I saw ex-Sheriff Brooks coming down Water Street; I asked him if he knew anybody who wanted to buy some good timber land in Spring, not as an oil speculation, but simply on its merits. He thought for a moment, looked up street and said: "There comes a man, he has money from the sale of a farm, try him." "If it's a go, $100 to you." He introduced me to the man-J. M. Beatty-and moved on. I told him what I had to sell and that my time on the property would expire in forty-eight hours, after which I could not offer him the lands at the same figures. He asked me who I knew in the city and I named several, among them Sheriff S. G. Krick, Banker Gideon Mosher; that was sufficient. We stepped into Mosher's bank, told him what I had to offer Mr. Beatty; the banker readily assured Mr. Beatty that the transaction would be all right; Mr. Beatty handed over $500 to bind the bargain and came on Monday to see the premises and was pleased with the lands. We made arrangements with the owners, J. F. Woodard and Morton Cornell, to go to Meadville, where
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the proper transfers were made. By the terms of that sale Mr. Beatty's greenbacks were nearly equally divided between the original land owners and the seller.
A few days later I received word that my brother-in- law was lying very ill at Edgerton, western Ohio. I soon started for that place, but before leaving the railway sta- tion learned that he had expired. However, my wife and I went on, and after a few days reached Butler, and met some relatives. I then went to Chicago, and found my friend Spader unable to come to time on his land contract for very good reasons.
I bought a car load of flour and a couple of car loads of oats for the Oil City market, with a view to paying my expenses and something more. The flour and grain were shipped via the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad. There was such a rush of business over that road at that time that my consignment, with others alike unperishable, was laid over and side-tracked three weeks at Leavittsville, Ohio. However, when it came, on account of the rush and mud at Oil City, I stopped it at Franklin, Pa., where a sale was made, realizing first cost and freights, with a promise of considerable more. After a while the buyers left for Buffalo, and I followed them, effecting a settlement as best I could. In those days the white man in the oil regions was uncertain.
General Lee having surrendered to General Grant and Johnson to Sherman, the Rebellion closed and the great Lincoln assassinated, there was a great change-a great change also in prices of most all commodities, and this sud- den collapse was not more keenly felt throughout the whole country than in the oil regions. The bottom generally was knocked out of the sale of oil lands.
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During the spring of 1864 I fitted up a couple of coal banks at Miller's Eddy on the hill side of the Alle- gheny River, about five miles below Parker's Landing, ob- taining the use of river boats to load with coal for paying the tow bill of said boats to Oil City, there to be loaded with oil by the owners and floated down the river to Pittsburg. Before the Valley Railroad was built this sort of boating was a great industry on the Allegheny.
I started a coal yard near the ferry landing at Oil City, where I could readily sell the coal at that time as it came from the mines unscreened, at fifty cents per bushel. Oil Creek gipers would come alongside our coal boat at Oil City and take aboard from 200 to 500 bushels and tow up Oil Creek to Cherry Run and other places and sell the coal at from $1.00 to $1.25 per bushel to drilling oil well opera- tors. M. S. Rouse, a former lumber dealer at Lockport, Erie County, bought an interest with me for $1,000, con- tinued for some months, when I purchased his interest and sold the same to a Nashville man for $2,000.
During heavy rains the Allegheny and Oil Creek would suddenly rise several feet and play havoc with the boats, many of which were tied up along the shores, and we at. different times lost hundreds of bushels of coal. At one time, in the spring, we had two boats tied up at John Dunlap's coal chutes near Brady's Bend, to be loaded. Sud- denly the river rose, taking down quantities of flood wood, which lodged under the bows of the boats, parting the lines, and the boats went miles down the river. Some parties at Red Bank put out in a skiff, boarded the boats and tied them in an eddy. A tug was procured to tow them back to the coal chutes, where they were loaded with coal and towed to Oil City.
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Much property was yearly destroyed and damaged on the Allegheny, and thousands of barrels of oil were destroyed by flood and fire.
In August, 1864, I think, light crude oil reached the highest price ever attained -- $14 per barrel. I still held the Bear Creek property and George Selden, of Meadville, thought he could dispose of the same in New York, but it was too late in the day to sell oil lands in the metropolis. Finally I did sell to a Mr. Smith, of New York, realizing the amount paid on it, but feeling at the same time that I was letting a bonanza slip through my fingers; yet knowing that payments would soon become due on the same, I let it go. This property in the course of a year was developed and yielded a large sum of money to the operator from the proceeds of its flowing oil wells.
The lower Allegheny, its tributaries, mountainous hills, valleys and table lands contiguous thereto, are wonderful, and rich in minerals throughout Butler, Armstrong and Allegheny Counties.
One of the great iron plants of Pennsylvania was the Brady's Bend Iron Works. The iron ore, coal and limestone were mined on the company's premises and generally about 1,500 laborers were required in operating the works.
Just above the site of the iron works the famous Samuel Brady one night discovered a lot of Indians preparing a funeral pile, on which to burn several white prisoners they had in captivity. He told them in the Indian tongue to wait until he came with his pale-faced prisoners and he would join them and they would make one job of it. About midnight Brady, with several trusted scouts, forded the river just above the Indian camp, liberated the prisoners, surprised and killed several Indians, the remainder fleeing in terror. This incident gave to this place the memorable name of "Brady's Bend."
CHAPTER XLVI.
MINING AND SHIPPING COAL-TOWING BOATS-LOW STAGE OF WATER ON THE ALLEGHENY RIVER-PEGG'S CHUTE -- CRAPO HOUSE -A REBEL LANDLORD-A LOYAL CONNECTICUT MAN-PALMY DAYS OF OILDOM.
N THE EARLY DAYS keel boats were used on the Allegheny River, and the motive power was the oar, setting poles, and hooks to catch on to overhanging branches of trees and walk from bow to stern, and thus pro- pel the boat. Later, horses were brought into requisition, which was a great improvement over the muscular and tedious mode of navigation. Yet it was a hard place for horse flesh. Tow- ing on the canal was no more to be compared to river tow- ing than riding upon a smooth road or over the mountain- ous hills, jolting along its rocky bed. The beach of the lower Allegheny is generally uneven and rocky. Frequently large rocks overhang and project into the river, so the horses must be ferried over to the other side to get a foot hold.
In April, 1864, as previously mentioned, having got the mines in order, consisting of laying in new tracks, driv- ing forward the main entry and rooming off into solid coal, mined and shipped a boat load of 2,000 bushels, towed by the steamer Hawkeye on a good stage of water to Oil City. This first load was a test. I readily sold the coal at fifty cents per bushel, which I found left a good margin over ex-
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penses. I found, however, it was necessary to have a good team at the mines for use, and not depend entirely on hir- ing. Therefore, I went to Spring, Pa., purchased a good team and wagon and sent them with driver to the mines. Returning, I engaged actively in mining and shipping coal to my yard at Oil City. There was a good stage of water most of the time that spring through April and May and up to the June freshet, affording a good opportunity to get coal boats towed by steamers.
In July I bought a river boat, 16x100 feet, and with about $100 in repairs put it in good condition. The low stage of water had come, when the motive power used on the Allegheny was horses and mules. On a bright morning in August, my boat being loaded, my wife and sister thought they would like to go on our boat to Oil City, on their way home to Spring, Crawford County, that they might see the wild and picturesque seenery along the river, a distance of sixty miles, requiring a three days' trip.
Three good horses were put on the tow line, two good river boatmen and a driver, myself as roustabout and captain of the giper, and my wife and sister composed the party. In due time we passed Bear Creek, Parker's Falls and the Clarion River. Everything went smoothly and we had a pleasant time the first day. About 10 o'clock the second day as we were entering Pegg's Chute (rapids) we saw a skiff containing a man, woman and young girl. The man was quite feeble, unacquainted with the river, and his skiff came shooting into the rapids of the chute, making directly for the bow of our boat. We all sprang forward to their assistance. Their skiff struck our bow violently, crushing and eapsizing the skiff. The girl and woman floated along the left side of our boat and were quickly
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GODDARD.
WRECK IN PEGG'S CHUTE.
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rescued. The man clung to his broken skiff, half filled with water, his face was as pale as death, caused by sickness and fright. The girl's bonnet and the woman's band box and some other trinkets floated down the river and one of my skiffs was quickly dispatched and the articles all secured by one of our boatmen. When the shipwrecked man had sufficiently come to his senses, he exelaimed, "My God I am thankful to be thus saved, but where is our trunk ?" I told him that it was probably safe under the boat, when we commenced searching for it and found it firmly wedged under the boat by the force of the rapid water. We finally got out the trunk in a nearly sound condition, except its contents, which were nicely sprinkled and ready for an ironing.
We toll the party that at first we expected to have to fish them out from under our boat, same as we did their trunk. Having two skiff's aboard the boat, I let the un- fortunate party have one of them in which to continue their journey to Hillville, which was to be left there for me with the enjoinder not to run again into Pegg's Chute, or any other rapids under the bow of a river giper.
Our horses stood braced in their harness, the driver urging them to hold the boat taut while we were regu- lating the mishap, and putting the rescued party into the skiff, saw them again gliding on their way down the rapid river.
The scenery was grand, its lofty hills towering above us on each side as we pass the "Indian God," a large rock projecting boldly out into the river, and thus named by the Indians from the shape of its head, neck, body and facial appearance.
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CHG
THE INDIAN GOD.
The next place of note was Patterson Falls. There it took some good pulling to ascend: but our team was equal to the occasion, and we passed up nicely. The next was Montgomery Falls. At this point I noticed one of the horses, a spirited animal, began pulling for her life, and commenced to choke. I called to the driver to stand upon the tugs and hold down the collar, but too late: the noble animal fell broadside, apparently dead. The tugs were quickly unhooked when she got up. trembling like an aspen, although recovering after awhile.
In passing up Patterson and Montgomery Falls steam- ers towing coal boats frequently labor for hours, and many a good horse has been injured and killed in pulling over these falls.
The hardest part of our trip was over and we got on pleasantly to Oil City, where we arrived in good time the third day. From there my wife and sister took the cars for Meadville and Saegertown, thence by stage home.
The coal being unloaded my boat was reloaded with oil for Kittanning, and at that time, about the 15th of
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August, 1864, oil reached the highest price I ever knew in the history of Oil Creek -- light crude was $14 per barrel. Money was plentiful, and the Oil Creek boatman, or wag- oner, thought he was making poor pay unless he made $10 to $25 per day. Everybody seemed to have money, conse- quently it made it pleasant to do business generally.
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