Qass. Book. GEOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE CENTRAL OR MIDDLE UNITED STATES; containing accounts of their early settlement; natural features; progress of improvement; form of government; civil divi- si0n3 and internal improvements, of PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PARTS OF NEW YORK AND THE OTHER ADJOINING STATES : Together with particular descriptions of the Cities, Towna, and Villages ;^ Public Buildings; Objects of Curiosity; Literary, Scientific, and other Institutions, &c. By H. S. tanner. H. TANNER, JUN'R., 189 CHESNUT STREET. l?«i[eto Yorft : T. R. TANNER, 8 WALL STREET. 1841. •T' Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1841 By H. S. Tanner, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Easten. District of Pennsylvania. PREFACE. The object of the present work is to supply what is manifestly needed, not only by travel- lers, but by persons of every class, who desire a knowledge of the present condition of the inter- esting portions of the United States, to which it is devoted. To such, a familiar and brief account, divested of all extraneous matter, of the primitive history, progressive geography and civil institutions of those states to which it has particular reference, cannot, we think, fail to be acceptible. The want of such knowledge, which often exposes to ridicule, persons otherwise well in- formed, has become a matter of reproach to those who are indifferent to its importance in the common occurrences of life. A newspaper can scarcely be read understandingly, without, at least, a partial insight into those leading fea- tures of history, geography and statistics, an acquaintance with which, now, more than at any former period, constitutes an important in- gredient in the education of every intelligent and respectable person. In arranging the various topics, a plan essen- tially different from that of most other works, IV PREFACE- has been pursued. It is so framed, that everj thing' connected with any g-iven subject, is at once brought into view. Thus, for example : a g-eneral description of the history, physical and poUtical geogra[)!hy of each state is g-iven in the outset; then follows a topog^raphical and statistical account of each city and important town, with the distances along the roads leading from it in every direction, to other large towns, which in turn, are also described. Each table of distances is succeeded by a complete ac- count of every town or other interesting local- ity along each route, which, in every case, con- nects important towns. In this manner, all the larger towns, whose public buildings and objects of interest, are minutely noticed, form starting points, at which a traveller may select his route, and by consult- ing that portion of tlie work containing the routes from the place he may be at, and this can be found by a reference to the index, he can learn all the particulars concerning the towns through which he is to pass. By tills plan, which is the result of much reflection and personal observation, the reader, if a traveller, is informed, as he journeys along, of the name, character and condition of every town, as it presents itself during his progress through the country, and also has his attention directed to such interesting objects in the vici- nity of each, as he might desire to inspect. Whilst travelling, especially by rail-road, it is nearly impossible to obtain satisfactory infer- mation on these points ; and thus many an attractive object, both natural and artificial, perfectly accessible to the traveller, may be pa>ssed unheeded, because their presence is PREFACE, V ^nlitiown. These matters, though important to the traveller, are however, but secondary, in comparison vi^ith the more vi'eighty object of the work, which is to f^jrnish a just and oom- yREHENSlVE VIEW OF THE ORIGIN, PROGRESS AND PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CENTRAL STATES OF THE North American Union. Whether we have succeeded in attaining- this important object, is a problem which we submit to the candour of an indulgent public ST il ^ 1 J PENNSYLVANIA. GENERAL VIEW. The state of Pennsylvania is bounded on the north by New York ; east by the same and New Jersey ; south by Delaware, Maryland and Virginia ; and west by the latter and Ohio. The southern boundary is in lat. 39° 43' ; the northern, with the exception of a small projec- tion towards Lake Erie, is on lat. 42° The meridian of Washington passes across the state dividing it into two nearly equal parts. Its area is 47,500 square miles, and population about 1,700,000. The following is a list of the counties with their respective seats of justice. The small Italic letters annexed to each, indi- cate its situation in the state, as follows : e, east ; lo, west ; n, north ; s, south ; n e, north- east; m, middle; n m, north of middle ; s m- south of middle, &c. Counties. Chief Towns. Adams, s. Gettysburg. Allegany, w. Pittsburg. Armstrong, w. Kittanning. Beaver, w. Beaver. Bedford, s. Bedford. Berks, n. e. Reading. Bradford, n. Meanville, PENNSYLVANIA. Counties. Bucks, e. Butler, w. Cambria, m. w. Centre, m. Chester, s. e. Clarion, Clearfield, 7n. w. Clinton, Columbia, m. Crawford, n. w. Cumberland, m. ». Dauphin, m. Delaware, s. e. Erie, n. w. Fayette, s. w. Franklin, s. Greene, s. w. Huntingdon, m, Indiana, m. w. Jefferson, m. w. Juniata, Lancaster, «. e. Lebanon, m. e. Lehigh, e. Luzerne, n. e. Lycoming, jn. n. M'Kean, n. Mercer, w. Mifflin, m. Monroe, Montgomery, a. e. Northampton, e. Northumberland, m. Ferry, m. Philadelphia, s. e. Pike, n. e. Chief Towns. Doylestown. Butler. Ebensburg, Bellefonte. West Chester. Clearfield. Danville. Meadville. Carlisle. Harrisburg. Chester. Erie. Uniontown. Chambersburg. Waynesburg. Huntingdon. Armagh. Port Barnet. Mifflin. Lancaster. Lebanon. Allentown. Wilkesbarre. Williamsport. Smethport. Mercer. Lewistown. Stroudsburg. Norristown. Easton. Sunbury. Bloomfield. Philadelphia. New Milford. PENNSYLVANIA. £ Counties. Chief Towns. Potter, n. Coudersport. Schuylkill, m. e. Orwigsburg. Somerset, s. w. Somerset. Susquehanna, n. e. Montrose. Tioga, n. Wellsboro. Union, m. New-Berlin. Venango, n. w. Franklin. Warren, u. w. Warren. Washington, s. i^. Washington. Wayne, u. e. Betliany. Westmoreland, m. w. Greensburg. York, s. York. Physical Geography. — The eastern division of the state, includes extensive portions of the valleys of the Potomac, Susquehanna and Del- avi^are. From its extent, and from the wes- tern origin of its sources, the Susquehanna seems to form a natural chain of water commu- nication between the Atlantic slope and basins of the Mississippi and St. Lawrence. This valley penetrates more deeply into the central floetz formation than the Potomac. All its secondary confluentsof any considerable length of course, enter from the right, and having their sources on that formation, the aggregate stream crosses the entire Allegany system. If we turn our attention to the general struc- ture of the Susquehanna valley, we find its extreme northern sources in Madison, Oneida, Herkimer, and Otsego counties, New York, as high as N. lat. 4-2° 55'; and in Ion. from 1° to 2^° E. from Washington; within 16 miles from Oneida lake, and 15 from the Erie canal, and in the angle between the sources of the Oneida and Mohawk rivers. That branch 1* 6 PENNSYLVANIA. which rises farthest north is the Chenango, which after being augmented by many minor streams, flows by a general course south 60 miles, and joins the Susquehanna proper, a much larger river, from the north-east. The Susquehanna originates in the northern spine of the Catskill mountains, and with its western branch, the Unadilla, drains the space betv;een the Coquago branch of Delaware and the Chenango, and its most remote northern source reaches to within ten miles from the Mohawk river and Erie canal near Herkimer. The north-eastern branch of the Susquehanna is designated correctly the east branch. It is in fact the most eastern water of the Chesapeake basin, and what is very well worthy of notice, the most north eastern fountains rise within about 40 miles from the level of tide water in Hudson river, immediately below Albany. The eastern branch, after a general course of 50 miles south-west, receives the Unadilla at the south-west angle of Otsego county ; thence in- clining more to the south,' enters into and rapidly curves out of Pennsylvania, again enters New York, turns to v^est, and receives the Che- nango at Binghamton. Continuing a western course 20 miles, passes Owego, and winding to south-west and south, re-enters Pennsylvania, and joins the Chemung or Tioga from the north- west, after an entire comparative course of 140 miles. The Chemung is composed of two branches; the Chemung rising in Allegany and Steuben counties, New York, and the Tioga or Conne- wisque, in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. Join- ing in Steuben, the united waters turn to south- east, enter Pennsylvania, and form a junction PENNSYLVANIA. 7 with the Susquehanna at Athens or Tioga point, after a comparative course of 80 miles. What renders the northern part of the Sus- quehanna valley in a particular manner worthy attention is, that the two great confluents, the Chemung and Susquehanna, encircle the two long and navigable lakes of New York, the Seneca and Cayuga. The latter stretching in an almost direct line from the Erie canal to within 20 miles from Newtown, on Chemung or Tioga river. At Newtown, the adjacent country, though very hilly, or, more correctly mountainous, is of peculiar structure. The intermediate space from the head of Seneca lake to Newtown, is a high valley. Nature in this section of country appears to have advanced half-way, to aid the efforts of man in forming channels of inter-communica- tion between the basins of the Susquehanna and St. Lawrence. The two fine lakes of Seneca and Cayuga are each upwards of 35 miles in length, and occupying the angle between the two main northern confluents of the Susque- hanna, appear to have been placed in their actual position, as if to give in their utmost extent the greatest assistance to the formation of canal lines. In the structure of the Susquehanna valley, we have before us some truly interesting phe- nomena. If we examine the rock formations, we find them in a great degree, though not altogether conformable to the range of the mountain chains, but the rivers flow evidently independent of either. It has been already noticed, that the Susquehanna pierces all the rock formations from the central secondary to the Atlantic alluvion. This river is seen pour- 8 PENNSYLVANIA. ing down from an elevation above the base of the mountain, against which its various branch- es rush, and have in the lapse of time torn pas- sages through the rock barriers, and gradually- uniting, at length reach the level of the tides, and tranquilly mingle with the waves of the Atlantic ocean. This contest between the apparently stable mountains, and the fleeting rivers, which began, it is most probable, with the creation, is far from having terminated. The various rivers of the Chesapeake, Delaware and Hudson basins, have had their struggle of ages to reach their respective recipients, and the beds of all yet retain much to remove before their streams can flow with tranquil or equal motion. This feature in the geography of the United States is highly favourable to canal operations, in forming a union between the Atlantic and central waters. The rivers have, during accu- mulated centuries, done that which man could not have dared to conceive. The rivers have torn the mountains to their bases, and given to human beings, and the fruits of their toil, a free passage. Man in his feebleness is relieved from labours beyond his aggregate force, and left to remove mere obstructions. When this subject is viewed with the eye of philosophy, it is one of those sources of reflection which gives exercise to every noble faculty of the mind. Below Tioga point, the already large volume of the Susquehanna flows a little east of south 15 miles to the north-western foot of the Alle- gany system, which it encounters at Towanda creek, near Meansville, in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and thence, turning to south-east, PENNSYLVANIA. 9 pierces the first chain, and flowing 30 miles, reaches the Tunkhannock creek and chain, having now passed over the secondary and entered on the transition formation. Breaking the Tunkhannock and some other cliains, the Susquehanna finally, at the mouth of the Lack- awana, 9 miles above the town of Wilkes- barre, enters the Wyoming valley, and winds to the south-west, continuing the latter Course down the mountain valleys about 70 miles, to the confluence of the western branch, between the villages of Northumberland and Sunbury. In all its course of 120 miles, from Tioga Point to Sunbury, the Susquehanna receives no tributary stream of fifty miles comparative course. Wyalusing, Tunkhannock, Lacka- wana and JNescopec from the left, and To- wanda, Mahoopeny, Bowman's and Fishing creeks from the right, are merely bold and fine, but only small mountain torrents. The western branch is, in all its extent, exclusively a river of Pennsylvania. Rising far within the central secondary, iis extreme west- ern sources in Indiana and Cambria counties, are within 35 miles from the Allegany river at Kittanning, and about 60 miles from the junc- tion of the Allegany and Ohio at Pittsburg. Draining sections of Cambria, Indiana, Clinton and Clearfield counties by a general course of N. E. 70 miles, the West Branch receives the Sinnamahoning from the north-west. Below the entrance of Sinnamahoning, the West Branch continues north-east ten miles, thence turning 20 miles to the south-east, receives Bald Eagle creek from the south-west. Thus far of its course the West Branch drains the central secondary, but immediately above the 10 PENNSYLVANIA. entrance of the Bald Eagle, it breaks through the Allegany, and entering on the transition, turns to a little north of east. Receiving the two large creeks Pine and Loyalsock from the northward, and passing Williamsport, this now noble stream continues its course of nearly east, forty miles from Bald IGagle to Muncyboro. In the vicinity of the latter village, the stream turns to nearly south, twenty.five miles to its junction with the north-east branch at Sunbury, and thirty-five from thence to the junction of the Juniata from the west. Juniata, the south-west branch of the Sus- quehanna, rises in and drains the northern part of Bedford county ; flowing from the south- eastern side of the Allegany chain, and thence about twenty miles nearly east, passes Bedford, and rushing through several minor chains, turns abruptly to a course a little east of north 40 miles, receives the Frankstown branch near Huntingdon. The general course of Franks- town branch is from north-west to south-east, and below their junction the united stream continues that course 15 miles, to its passage through Jack's mountain, between Huntingdon and Mifflin counties. Again inflected to north- east, the Juniata enters Mifflin county, and pursuing that direction nearly thirty miles, passes Lewistown, and again winding to south- east, breaks through Shade mountain into Tus- carora valley ; and thence, crossing that valley, in a course of 10 miles reaches the north-west base of Tuscarora mountain, where it once more bends to the north-east, and following the base of the mountain 10 miles, turns to south- east, and forming a passage through, leaves Mifflin, Juniata, and enters Perry county, over PENNSYLVANIA. \^ >i V I which it continues 15 miles to its junction with the Susquehanna, nearly on the meridian of W. C. and N. lat 40° 23'. Like every other branch of the Susquehanna, the Juniata is as noted for the number of its rapids as for its exemption from perpendicular falls. Though originating in, and having its whole course amongst craggy mountains, it is navigable at high water to near Bedford. The Juniata is the last tributary of impor- tance which enters the Susquehanna. The Conedogwinct, Yellow-Breeches, Conewago, Codorus and Deer creeks, from the right, and below Sunbury on the left, the Mahanoy, Ma- hantango, Svvatara, Conestoga and Octoraro, are comparatively creeks, none of them having a general course of 50 miles. The Svvatara is important, however, as its valley forms part of the route of the Union Canal. We have already seen that from Muncy to the mouth of the Juniata, the Susquehanna pursues a course of very nearly due south 60 miles. The southern course of the Susquehan- na, below Muncy boro to the mouth of the Juni- ata, is actually the most mountainous part of its course by either branch. Independent of minor ridges, in this distance of 60 miles, this remarkable river traverses six or seven of tlie principal chains, and even at the last curve to the south-east, below the Juniata, it has not yet passed the Allegany system, but again in a course of 80 miles, it carries its now immense volume through the Blue Ridge, 8 miles below Harrisburg ; and lastly, the south-east mountain, below the Conestoga. From the Blue Ridge the channel becomes more and more interrupted with shoals and rapids, until the stream pours. 12 PENNSYLVANIA. over the last rocky ledge and loses its name and rank as a river in the Chesapeake bay. The valley of the Susquehanna, from its posi- tion naturally and politically, and from its pecu- liar features, must at all future times attract a full share of attention from the traveller and statesman. It has often been observed, that rivers are the most diversified objects in nature, and defy generalization most effectually. To be adequately understood, they must be studied individually. The Susquehanna and Delaware are contiguous to each other, and the former has interlocking sources with the latter, and they pierce the entire Allegany system ; and yet, in those intrinsic features which give char- acter, no two rivers can be more strikingly distinct. It is true, that in their respective courses, the Susquehanna and Delaware present an accordance, which must have arisen from some general and inherent structure of the country they drain ; but here the resemblance ceases. Including all its higher, and in parti- cular its north-east branches, the Susquehanna is peculiar in the physiognomy of its valleys. Very wide bottoms of two, and often three stages, spread along the convex side of the bends ; whilst along the concave rise steep, frequently precipitous, and sometimes mountain- ous banks. Here are at once, and over a large space, combined in never-ending variety, the most bold and the most soft and tranquil scene- ry ; the fine glassy surface of the rivers, bor- dered on one side by wide spreading vales, rising by acclivity after acclivity, and on the other by high swelling or abruptly rocky walls. Exuberant fertiUty is here followed on an almost perceptible line, by the sterile though PENNSYLVANIA. 13 wood-clothed mountain. TJie varied hue of the foliage again gives a truly rich drapery to the landscape. The natural timber of the bot- toms differ materially from that of the moun- tains. On the former, sugar-maple, black wal- nut, elm, beech, and other trees indicative of a productive soil abound. Rising to the higher stage, the deep green of the pine is seen inter- mingled with the softer and lighter lints of the timber of the vales. On the slopes and even summits of the moutains, we meet the pine, oak and chesnut, and above the Lackawana, the hemlock. As a navigable stream, the Susquehanna is much less interrupted by rapids or dangerous shoals, than might be expected from the tortuous course it pursues through an extensive moun- tain system. It is also a feature strongly marked, though common to the other rivers of the Atlantic slope, that where the volume of water passes the particular chains, rapids sel- dom, and perpendicular falls no where occur. On so large a space as that of the Susque- hanna valley, mere difference of latitude would superinduce a sensible difference of climate ; but here respective elevation enters as a very power- ful element, in changes of temperature. The mouth of the Susquehanna, at Havre de Grace, is at N. lat. 39^ 33', one degree east from Washing- ton City. The extreme northern sources, are, as already noticed, at N. lat. 42° 55,' between one and two degrees east of Washington. This gives a difference of three degrees and twenty minutes of latitude ; the summit level between the Chemung at Newtown and Seneca lake, is 885 feet above the level of the Atlantic tides, and the pass between Newtown and Seneca 14 PENNSYLVANIA. being a mountain valley, falls far short of the mean elevation of that part of New York com- prised in the counties of Tioga, Cortland, Che- nango, and Otsego. The latter region is safely estimated at a height of 1000 feet, or equivalent to at least 2^ dsgrees of latitude. Thus we find, that in effect, the climate of the basin of Susquehanna differs upwards of five degrees in temperature. Again, if we examine the rela- tive position of the mountain valleys of Penn- sylvania, drained by the West Branch and the Juniata, it will be seen that the mean height of that region is 1200 feet, or equivalent to three degrees of latitude. Tlierefore all the higher sources of the Susquehanna, flow virtually tironi N. lat. 44° or 45°, if reduced to the ocean level. Though much less extensive than the prece- ding, the basin of the Delaware is a very impor- tant feature in the hydrography of Pennsylva- nia. It rises by two branches in the western spurs of the Catskill mountains. The Coquago to the north-west, and the Popachton to the south-east, flow from their sources, south-west 50 miles, draining the central and south-eastern part of Delaware county. New York. Reaching within 5 miles from the north-east angle of Pennsylvania, and within 10 from the Susque- hanna river, the Coquago turns to south-east, and continuing that course 15 or 16 miles, receives the Popachton. With rather serpen- tine individual windings, tiie Delaware main- tains a south-east direction 60 miles from the north-east angle of Pennsylvania to the mouth of the Nevisink river from Orange county. New York. FJncountering the Kittatinny, the Dela- ware then turns to south-west, almost washing the mountain base, 35 miles, to the mouth of Broadhead's creek, from Pike and Northampton TENiVSYLVANIA. 15 counties. Curving' to the south, the Delaware now passes the Delaware water gap, and enters the fine mountain valley between the Killatinny and Blue Ridge. Continuing south, it receives the first large confluent, the Lehigh, at the foot of the latter ridge, at Easton; then pierces the chain, and again 5 miles below, breaks through the south-east mountain, and winds to the south- east, having flowed in a southern direction 30 miles. Pursuing a south-eastern direction 35 miles below the south-east mountain falls over the primitive ledge at Trenton, there meets the Atlantic tide, and at Bordentown, five miles still lower, once again bends to south-west. Passing along or near the outer verge of the primitive, this now widening stream continues 40 miles, passes Philadelphia, 5 miles below that city, receives the Schuylkill from the north-west ; and thence passing Chester, Wilmington and Newcastle, opens into a bay 5 miles below the latter vil- lage. The Delaware bay again turns and opens to the Atlantic ocean to the south-east. The length of the Delaware from the Catskill to tide water at Trenton, is 185 miles, and 120 from the rapids at Trenton to the Atlantic ocean, having an entire comparative course of 305 miles. Though rolling over numerous rapids, no cataracts, in the true sense of that term, interrupt the navigation of this river, which, at seasons of high water, extends by both branches into New York. The general course is very nearly from north to south, along a meridian tv/o degrees east from Washington City. Similar to the Susquehanna and the Potomac, the Delaware receives its only two large con- fluents from the right ; these are the Lehigh and Schuylkill. 16 PENNSYLVANIA. From the positions of their valleys as chan- nels of intercommunication, and from the min- eral treasures found along their mountain sourc- es, the Schuylkill and the Lehigh have become of great importance. The Lehigh rises by various mountain branches in Northampton, Pike, Wayne and Luzerne counties, uniting below Stoddartsville, and forming a small and precipitous river current, which pouring first to the south-west, gradually turns to south, and thence south-east, passes Mauch Chunk village, and struggling between mountain masses, fi- nally escapes through the Kittatinny range, and continuing to the south-east, meets the north- •west base of the Blue Ridge at Allentown, in Lehigh county. Here it turns to the north-east, along the foot of the latter chain, and passing Bethlehem joins the Delaware at Easton. The Lehigh is truly a mountain torrent. There is perhaps no other stream of the United States, except Schoharie in New York, of equal length, which presents so great difference of level be- tween the points of source and discharge. In comparative course, it is about 25 miles from Stoddartsville to Mauch Chunk, and the intermediate fall amounts to 936 feet. Ten miles below Manch Chunk, in a direct line, this stream passes the Kittatinny. From the Lehigh water gap, or passage through the Kittatinny, to its junction with the Delaware, it falls 205 feet in a comparative course of 35 miles. The entire fall from Stoddartsville to Easton is 1289 feet : comparative course 70 miles. The dis- tance from the town of Stoddartsville to the extreme source is from 15 to 20 miles, with a fall it is probable of 500 feet, giving to this mall river a course of 100 miles, and falls of nearly 1800 feet; and what may be considered PENNSYLVANIA. 17 ill a peculiar manner remarkable, no actual cataract worthy notice exists in all its course. Above the water gap, the bed of the Lehigh lies at the base of steeply rising and often pre- cipitous mountains, leaving between them sel- dom more space than the mere width of the stream. The scenery is in a high degree wild, grand, picturesque and frequently sublime. Below the Kittatinny, the features of nature are less magnificent, but still follow in a romantic succession of strongly contrasted and elegant landscape. This varied and pleasing character, of its banks gives a delightful diversity to the vicinity of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton. The banks of this beautiful river most highly reward the enlightened traveller; one scene alone upon it would repay a journey of many hundred miles : that scene is Mauch Chunk, with its inexhaustible mines of coal, and the stupendous works erected and erecting to pro- cure this valuable mineral. The Lehigh is now rendered navigable by dams and falling locks to Stoddartsville. The discovery of immense masses of anthracite coal, made in its vicinity, led to the improvement of the river, and the roads leading from it to the mines. Similar mineral wealth in interminable strata of anthracite coal, led to the improvement and importance of the Schuylkill. The latter rises in and drains about the five eighths of Schuylkill county. Formed by two branches interlocking sources with tlie Lehigh, Nescopec, Cattawissa, Mahanoy,Mahantangoand Swatara,the Schuyl- kill bursts through the Kittatinny chain, be- tween Berks and Schuylkill counties, after a course of 35 miles from the west. Below its 18 PENNSYLVANIA. passage through tJie Kittatinny, it turns to nearly south 20 miles, in which distance it has received Maiden creek from the north, and Tul- pehocken from the west, and passes Reading, immediately below which town it pierces Blue Ridge, and assumes a south-eastern course. In the latter direction this river continues to the environs of Philadelphia 50 miles, winding to nearly south at the mouth of the Wissahicon, and passing through the western part of Phila- delphia, is lost in the superior volume of the Delaware 5 miles below that city. The entire comparative length of the valley of the Schuylkill is about 100 miles ; 20 above and 80 below the Kittatinny chain. A strong resemblance is perceivable between the Schuylkill and Lehigh, though the scenery along the former is less rugged and rich than upon the latter stream. Flowing from the same mountain valley, the soil and mineral produc- tions are in a great measure similar on the two streams : but in situ, the respective masses of an- thracite are very differently distributed. That of Mauch Chunk lies in immense irregular strata, open in one place to the day on the summit of the mountain, and with little if any regular incli- nation ; on the contrary, the mines on the Schuylkill and the valley of Wyoming, near Wilkesbarre, dip like the other incumbent and decumbent strata. The Schuylkill is now navigable by canals and locks to a few miles above Mount Carbon, near its source, ten miles above Orwigsburg; and the Union Canal Company have completed a channel of water communication by the Tul- pehocken and Swatara, into the Susquehanna at Middletown. A canal is in operation from the Delaware, opposite Easton, through New PENNSYLVANIA. 19 Jersey, which serves as an aquatic line of transmission between the Delaware and Hud- son basins. Beyond the mountain chain which separates the waters of the Susquehanna from those of the Ohio, the country is broken and hilly. Somerset, parts of Fayette, Westmoreland, Cambria, Indiana, Jefferson and McKean, are mountainous; whose valleys are from 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the ocean level, and their ridges from 500 to 1,000 feet higher. Wash- ington, part of Fayette, Westmoreland and Allegany counties are remarkable for their lofty insulated and fertile hills, with narrow and ex- uberant bottom lands intervening. The appear- ance of this country, variegated by elevated hills which are seldom in Ihe shape of ridges, but rather disconnected and conical, with innu- merable vales, is exceedingly picturesque when viewed from some elevated part of the most western range of the Alleganies. The counties which lie northward of Pittsburg, although bro- ken, are not generally covered with such high hills as those just mentioned. They have also rcuch more level bottom lands along the water courses. On French Creek, and many other of the confluents of the Allegany river, there are extensive bottoms, covered with beech, birch, sugar-maple, intermixed with the Wey- mouth pine and the hemlock spruce. It is from these extensive forests, and those on the sources of that river, that the vast quantities of lumber sent to the country below, as far as New Or- leans, are annually drawn. The soil of the southern counties is generally good, excepting Somerset county, and some portions of Greene, which are called glade lands. Corn, wheat, rye, barley, oats, flax, the 20 PENNSYLVANIA. potatoe, &LC. grow well in every county. Few* portions of the West have a soil belter adapted to these productions than Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland, Allegany, and parts of the other counties. The counties which lie towards Lake Erie and New York have a thinner and colder soil than those towards Virginia. They are well adapted to the purpose of grazing. They abound in herds of cattle and other live stock ; and, as has already been remarked, they furnish vast supplies of lumber, of which it is supposed that no less than 30,000,000 feet of plank annually descend the Allegany river, and find a ready market in the towns and cities which border on the river from Pittsburg to New Orleans. In a state of nature, this country was covered with continuous forests of oak, walnut, hickory, sugar maple, poplar, beech, elm, sycamore, and buck-eye along the streams, chesnut,