USA > Ohio > A history of the state of Ohio, natural and civil > Part 4
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When we say, that these rocks are found, thus, in a line extending from the lower end of lake Ontario, to the western side of the southern end of lake Michigan, we do not say, that these rocks are not found, east and west of these limits. But, thus far, we have seen them, and have carefully examin- ed them, in person, and have noticed, carefully, every circum- 6
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
stance attending them. We saw none of them, west of lake Michigan, between that lake, and the Upper Mississippi.
They are found, in some instances covering half an acre of surface-and sometimes, three acres. There is such a depos- ite, resting on the northeastern end of a diluvial hill, just south of the road leading from Dayton to Cincinnati, about three miles, perhaps less than three miles, southerly of Dayton. There is such a deposite, in the northwestern corner of the town plat of Circleville, partly covered with earth, by some later event than the one which brought these rocks here. There was, when this town was first settled, such a deposite, on the north side of the great mound, in this town. These rocks are found in considerable numbers in Madison county, rest- ing on the surface of that elevated, diluvial plain.
Considerable numbers, may now be seen, resting on the bed of the Olentangy creek, several miles below the town of Del- aware between that town and Worthington. They have been undermined by the washing away, of the clay slate under them.
These rocks, have been often used, for millstones and sometimes, one boulder, is so large, as to make several mill stones. These are granitic rocks. They are used too, for underpinnings of houses and barns. The court-house in Mad- ison county, stands on these old rocks.
By what means, were these rocks, transported here, and left, on our surface? That they have been brought here, long since the revolution, which deposited our sandstone and slaty rocks, of secondary formation; seems evident, from the fact, that they rest on the surface of a diluvial deposite of rolled pebbles. This diluvial deposite of pebbles, &c. is more recent than the sandstone and slate rocks. It seems evident, too, that the force which transported our primitive rocks here, was not so great as the one which transported the rounded pebbles, otherwise, the large boulders would have been whirled around the hills, and left at the southern ends of them.
Northern navigators, often tell us, of iceberges, floating in polar seas, with rocks, imbedded in them. We see the same
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GEOLOGY.
thing take place, on a small scale, in all northern countries, where the ice adheres to the beds of the rivers, on the re- turn of the spring, when the current breaks up the ice. At its bottom, pebbles adhering to the ice, are borne downwards, by the current, and transported, until the ice is dissolved by the warmth of the sun. So, in polar regions, powerful winds and waves, break up the ices, the rocks at their lower surface adhere to the iceberges, and are borne away, to climes far dis- tant from their native beds. What adds to the evidence, in favor of such a transportation of our primitive rocks, is the fact, that their lower surfaces, show evident marks of having been scratched, raked and injured, by coming in contact with obstacles, on their journey hither. The upper surfaces and sides, have not on them, marks of equal violence. The last revolution or catastrophe of our globe, brought these rocks here, and they moved slowly over the surface of the ocean, then elevated only seven or eight hundred feet, above its pres- ent level.
If the same catastrophe, at its commencement deposited the round pebbles, in oblong, narrow hills, their ends pointing a lit- tle east of north; our primitive rocks, though brought here by the same current of water, yet it had, by that time, lost nearly all its force, and had settled its surface, five hundred feet, at least, at that time, and, soon afterwards, subsided altogether, and left our present lakes and rivers, to accomplish what they have done since. Lake Erie has settled its surface one hun- dred and seventy feet, since that period, and many of our riv- ers have also lowered their beds, in the same time. These rocks, are FRAGMENTS OF HISTORY, not to be overlooked, by the historian. They speak a language not to be misunder- stood. The masses of rocks, in the hills of our sandstone region, show on their northern ends, and sides, marks of vi- olence ;- they are scratched, raked and injured by violence. We have examined these points of rocks, on the northeastern ends and sides of hills, in Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson, Fairfield, Hocking and Meigs counties, and we always found the same evidences, of violence done to their northern extremities.
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
The primitive rocks, were generally stopped, in their slow progress, southwardly, by the hills, in the State of Ohio, be- cause, we never saw one of them, in Kentucky or 'Tennessee; nor did we find them in the southern parts of the State of Illinois.
The same current seems to have swept over all the country, west of the Alleghanies, but it remains doubtful, with the wri- ter, whether any primitive rocks, were transported by it, west of the Mississippi river. Whether primitive rocks are found, between Fort Winnebago and lake Superior, we do not know, not having visited that elevated tract of country, in person.
RIVERS.
The streams of water, which we call rivers, and which orig- inate in this State, are the tributaries, either of Lake Erie or of the river which gives its name to the state.
THE OHIO RIVER,
Assumes that name at Pittsburgh, in western Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the rivers Alleghany and Monongahala. From Pittsburgh, it flows in a gentle current, southwestward- ly, nine hundred miles, to the Mississippi river. in latitude 37° north, where it is lost, in the "great water" as the Indian name implies-Meesysecpee. In a straight line from Pitts- burgh, it is six hundred and forty miles to its mouth, in longi- tude, 12º west of Washington city. Its mean breadth, is about eight hundred yards. Its gentle current, in a common stage of water, is no where great, except at Louisville, in lati- tude 38° 10' north, where, in about two miles' distance, it de- scends twenty-two feet. The Louisville canal, obviates these rapids, and promises to be forever useful to all the towns locat- ed above it, on the Ohio river. Towards the upper end of this river, are several islands, the largest of which, are Blanner- hassett's, below the mouth of the Little Kanhawa; Zane's near Wheeling; and one, a few miles above Steubenville, formerly
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RIVERS.
owned by General Darke. Between the states of Ohio and Kentucky, there are no islands in this river, worth naming. Those near Manchester, are mere collections of mud. Ten states of the Union, contribute to the volume of water, flowing along in the channel of the Ohio river,-to wit : New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Its valley occupies eight degrees of latitude, and eight degrees of longitude. It remains impeded by frost, but about two months in the year, from Cincinnati to its mouth. So many of its tributaries rise on its southern side, that it closes late in the year and opens early in the succeeding one. These southern streams have freshets in them, one after another, so as scarcely ever to be all up, at any one time.
When the freshets in the southern branches have done pouring their increased waters into the Ohio, the northern ones begin to pour theirs into it, though, inasmuch as the streams in Ohio state, all rise in about the same latitude, and on the same elevation, they often rise about the same time. The Al- leghany and Monongahala branches rise in the Alleghany mountains, among the snows and ices of that Alpine region, and these are the last to swell the Ohio. Those who dwell along the banks of this fine river, know, from the drift-wood, and oth- er indications, what particular stream, has produced the fresh- et. The Big Sandy, sometimes brings down from its sources, in North Carolina, the reed cane. The hemlock floats from the head waters of the Alleghany. When this last river is up, and it is the last to rise, the rafts of pine boards, descend the Ohio, covered with families, removing into the Western states. These bring along with them, their all-their wives, children, horses, cattle, dogs, fowls, wagons, and household fur- niture, of all sorts. Sometimes from four to seven rafts, after they have descended to Pittsburgh, unite all together, and float · onward to Cincinnati, before they are separated. Wherever the raft is sold, the immigrants either settle down, or land, and move forward in their wagons, to where they wish to settle.
Since the introduction of steam boats, the old keel boat, is
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
seldom seen on the Ohio. And, even the old Orleans ark, is less and less used, every year, while the steamer is employed more and more, to convey persons and their property.
If the surface, drained by any river, gives a very correct idea of the quantity of water, passing off through its channel; the Ohio is as large, as all the rivers in Pennsylvania, New- Jersey, New-York and the six eastern states. It rises early in February, and continues up, generally in good order for steamers, until in July or even in August. From that month and frequently, even earlier, it is too low for the navigation of vessels of much burden, during two, or even three months. until the autumnal rains raise it, so as to be in a good naviga- ble condition. It rises and falls, about sixty feet, on an aver- age, along the coast of the state of Ohio. Indeed it rises, even more than sixty feet, sometimes, as it did, early in the spring of the year 1832, when it rose sixty-five feet, and produced immense injury, by carrying off fences, houses, hay and grain. It carried off the bridges on, or near it, across its tributaries. From Wheeling to Cincinnati, this freshet did a vast deal of damage, to all sorts of property. It flooded the lower part of Cincinnati, and drove away, for several days, nearly all the people, residing in the lower part of the city. This was the highest freshet ever known, since the settlement of the west- ern states, by the English. This extraordinary rise, was occa- sioned, by a rise of all the streams at the same time, which empty into the Ohio, whether originating north or south of its channel. This circumstance was never known to have occur- ed before, and may not occur again, within a century to come. But, we must leave this beautiful river-this Belleriviere, of the early French missionaries and traders, and, notice some of its branches; especially such as originate, in "The Thriv- ing State," and we begin with the
MUSKINGUM,
Which rises and runs wholly within the limits of this state. In Richland county, it originates in a swamp, not over thirty
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RIVERS.
miles, in a direct line, from lake Erie. The ponds in Portage county, (from whence the Tuscarawas issues, southerly and the Cuyahoga northerly,) are little more than thirty miles distant, in a straight line, from lake Erie. The surface drained by the Muskingum, may be fairly estimated, at about two hundred miles from east to west. It passes wholly, through a hilly re- gion, abounding in the minerals, most useful to man. Its cur- rent is gentle, with few rapids in it, and these will soon contri- bute to put in motion, the machinery of a great number of mills and factories.
On the banks of this river, from its utmost sources to its mouth, fossil coal and iron ore are abundant. In Tuscarawas, alone, these minerals exist in sufficient abundance, for this state during a century to come.
Next, lower down the Ohio river, the
HOCKHOCKING,
Pours its tribute into its parental stream. The Hock-hock-uk, [Bottle river] of the Indians, rises rather north of Lancaster, and after meandering along eighty or ninety miles, finally en- ters the Ohio river, in Meigs county, some distance below Blannerhassett's island, and twenty-five miles below Marietta. Its size, may be estimated from its valley, which is eighty miles, from north to south, and averaging about fifteen or twen- ty miles from east to west. Its only rapids are near the town of Logan, called the falls of Hocking.
This stream runs wholly through a mineral, hilly region, where fossil coal, iron ore, and salt water abound.
Into the Ohio river, at Portsmouth far to the west of the. Hockhocking, flows the beautiful, mild and gentle .
SCIOTO.
It rises, on the high, marshy summit level, between the Erie lake, and the Ohio river, in the counties of Hardin, Marion, Crawford, Union, Delaware and Richland. Its branches
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
are long and numerous; hence its Indian name, Seeyo toh! "Greatlegs." On the east side of it, empty into it, the Little Scioto, Olentangy, Gahannah, or Big Walnut, Little Walnut, and Salt creeks. On the west side, are Rush creek, Mill creek, Boke's creek, Darby, Deer and Paint creeks, and these are all " longlegs," for their size. They all rise in a compar- atively level and alluvial country, except Salt creek.
Where they rise, and also where they flow, the surface of the country, is either level, or very gently undulating. The soil, where these branches rise and run, is as fertile as any can be in the world, producing maize, grass, and grain of all the kinds which are cultivated in this state. At Chillicothe, the Scioto, enters the hilly, sandstone region, and passes through it, to the Ohio river, in a valley, of several miles in width. Above Chillicothe, the Scioto spreads its branches, like the frame work of a fan fully expanded, forming a semicircle, of about seventy miles in diameter at its upper extremity. The Scioto may be estimated by the contents of the surface of its valley. It is one hundred and thirty miles in a direct line, from its summit to its mouth, at Portsmouth. Its breadth from east to west, will average seventy miles. From the town of Delaware, to Chillicothe, a distance of seventy miles, from north to south, in the summer months, the traveler sees the most beautiful country, in Ohio. It is a perfect paradise, wav- ing with grass and and grain as far as his eye can see. The country is animated by a people, living either in beautiful towns, or along the road side on farms. Sometimes are presented to view, large droves of cattle, horses and hogs. From Delaware to Columbus, the road runs near the Olentangy. From Colum- bus downwards, the traveler almost every where sees the canal, with its boats, he hears the sound of their horns, and sees the Scioto winding its way along to the Ohio river. This is the SCIOTO COUNTRY, famed, in all time, since man dwelt on its surface, for its beauty and fertility. That ancient race of men, who were the earliest inhabitants, dwelt here in greater numbers, than any where else, in the western states. The Indians of the present race, preferred this country, to any other,
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RIVERS.
and lived here in greater numbers, in towns. Here, the wild animals lived in the greatest numbers, and we have placed our Capitol, on the most beautiful spot of the whole Scioto country.
Nature has already done her part, for this region, and man has done, is doing and will continue to do his, to make it all that man can ever desire it to be, forever, " A HOME, SWEET HOME."
Next in order, as we descend the Ohio river, one hundred miles below Portsmouth, near the small town of Columbia, the
LITTLE MIAMI
Pays its constant tribute, to the Belle Riviere. It rises in Madison county, in a small spring, a few miles from London. Some of its branches, rise in Clinton, but most of them in Green county. This river passes through a limestone region. Its length is nearly eighty miles, and its average breadth of valley, may be estimated, at about twenty miles. Originating in durable springs, it is for its size, one of the best mill streams, in the state. Though its valley is not much longer than that of the Hockhocking, yet, in summer, while the latter is dry in its bed, at its mouth, and for many miles upwards, the Little Miami rolls along, its good sized volume of water, to its mouth, fertilizing and adorning the earth along its banks, and furnish- ing a water power, which the people of that region, are con- stantly using for mills of all sorts, and for other machinery, moved, by its power. On this river, JEREMIAH MORROW, our former member of both houses of congress, canal commissioner, and governor of the state, owns and superintends, himself, sev- eral excellent mills. Along this stream, more sea shells are found, than any where else, in the limestone region of Ohio. Many specimens of them, are perfectly uninjured and entire.
' The soil of this region is warm, especially on its western side and is very productive of grass and grain. Green and Warren counties, lying in the Little Miami valley, are among the best watered, most fertile counties in the state, and they 7
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
are as healthful, and their people as good, and live in as easy an independence, as any farmers in this state. Towards the head of this river are some remarkable falls and rapids.
Descending the Ohio river, thirty miles below the mouth of the Little Miami, we come to the mouth of the
GEEAT MIAMI.
It rises on the same summit, as the Muskingum and Scioto, in wet, marshy grounds, or in ponds, and small lakes.
The main branch of this river, rises in Hardin county, and some of its waters interlock with the Au Glaize, a tributary of the Maumee, so that by a portage of only five miles; we may pass from the waters of the Mississippi, to those of the St. Law- rence. The Cincinnati and Dayton canal is progressing north- wardly, and will soon make a line of communication, by canal navigation, from the Ohio river to Lake Erie.
MAD RIVER,
A tributary of the Great Miami, rises in some ponds, from which, not only the Great Miami flows but the Scioto also. Mad river empties its waters into the Miami, at Dayton, a thriv- ing town of 5000 people. The Miami valley has always been admired for its beautifully variegated and fertile surface. Its valley may be estimated at one hundred and ten miles from north to south, and forty miles, or more, from east to west. Some of it lies in Indiana. This is called the Miami country, and take it, all in all, for soil, climate, water-power, but more still, for its improvements in agriculture, and for its denseness of population, compared with any part of this state, and it is unsurpassed. Cincinnati is a large city, with all the arts of one-all the institutions which are calculated to enoble, exalt polish, refine and render happy, the human family.
Dayton, Xenia, Hamilton, Springfield, Urbana, Troy, Piqua and Rossville are thriving towns, in this region.
But, we must leave for awhile these towns, and the waters
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RIVERS.
of the Mississippi, and pass over the miry, marshy summit, at their heads, and visit the Great Valley of the St. Lawrence. And, we will cross over to the
MAUMEE,
Of lake Erie. The surfaces of the states of Ohio and Indi- ana, have, in a friendly way, contributed equally to make this river, as the citizens of the same states now are uniting their efforts to make a splendid canal along its whole length. It assumes its name, at Fort Wayne in Indiana. The town of Fort Wayne stands at the confluence, of the St. Mary's, which rises in Ohio; and the St. Joseph's, a stream of Indi- ana. After this junction of waters, the Maumee, flows onwards, crosses into the state of Ohio, and feeling new life, after it has moved along slowly awhile in our territory, it finally leaps madly from rock to rock forming for eighteen miles above Perrysburgh one of the best, if not the very best mill stream, in the state. At the latter town, it finds itself on a level with lake Erie, and is at rest. The lake vessels will ascend it to Perrysbugh. The Maumee, is one hundred miles, in length, and for the first fifty miles from its mouth upwards, it is sev- enty rods wide. It is one of the largest rivers in the state. Its banks are high, and begin to be very well cultivated. Along its borders, are fine bottom lands and its waters are stor- ed with fine fishes from the lake.
'The state of Ohio, is about to make a canal along it, from its mouth upwards, sixty feet wide, six feet deep, with a double set of locks, so as to admit lake vessels to navigate it to Fort Wayne. At no distant day, the Maumee valley will be thickly settled, and well improved; and, this canal will be studded with flourishing villages, towns and cities.
SANDUSKY
River, rises in the western part of Richland county, on the same summit level, with the head waters of the Muskingum river, and turning westwardly, crosses Crawford, Seneca, San-
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HISTORY OF OHIO.
dusky and Huron counties, and finally discharges its waters into Lake Erie, at the mouth of Sandusky bay. It is about eighty miles long including its windings from a straight line, and its volume of water is about equal to that of the Little Miami. Its Indian name, imports a water with whirlpools in it. It abounds with lake fishes, and it has a safe and excellent harbor, for lake vessels, at its mouth. We proceed to
HURON
River, whose mouth is a few miles east of the Sandusky bay. Huron river rises in Richland county near the heads of the Sandusky and Muskingum. Running slowly out of Rich- land into Huron county, which it crosses, it pays its tribute to the lake, at the town of Huron. It is forty miles long and turns many water wheels, in its course.
Sailing eastwardly, sixty miles, along an iron bound, and rocky shore, mostly; we arrive at the mouth of the Cuyaho- ghan-uk, of the Indians.
In our voyage, we have passed two small rivers, rising in Medina county, and running quite across Lorain county, in- to lake Erie. They are fine mill streams, for short ones-forty miles long. These are Black river and Rocky river. But we are now at the mouth of the
CUYAHOGA,
Or, as the Indians called it "Cuyahoghan-uk," Lake river. It is emphatically lake river; it rises in lakes, and falls into a lake. Rising in Geauga county, on the summit, it proceeds along on that second level above the Erie in doubt, whether to unite its waves with the Mississippi or St. Lawrence, until, it wends its way cautiously along, across Portage county, to its falls, which are about thirty miles, in a direct line, from the lake, where having determined which way to go, it leaps exult- ingly, from rock to rock one hundred and twenty five feet, in one mile, pouring along its channel, even in a dry time, five thousand cubic feet of water, in a minute, creating the very best water
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RIVERS.
power, in the state, within so short a distance. These are THE CUYAHOGA FALLS, on which, mills of all sorts are erected, and erecting; creating an active, thriving and prosperous vil- lage. The people seem to be emulating the activity of the mills, and water, near them. The saw, the plane, the hammer, the trowel and the axe, are rivalling in speed, the roaring, tumbling, descending waters. Turning abruptly, here, away from the dull homely ponds, on the south, the Cuyahoga runs eagerly and rapidly to join lake Erie, falling on an average, eleven feet in a mile. The Cuyahoga, is about eighty miles in length, forty miles of that distance, or more, are on the same summit, with the Mahoning and Tuscarawas. The former runs into Pennsylvania, and enters the Ohio at Beaver. The lat- ter is the main branch of the Muskingum river.
From these falls to Cleveland, the water power is great; and on the canal, at Akron, not very far distant from these falls, the same descent, is already under the control of man, creating twenty-eight locks, within the distance of about six miles. From Akron to Cleveland, there may be, and soon will be, one continued village, for the distance of thirty-eight miles. At the very falls, themselves, are iron ore, sandstone of different colors, of a fine grain, and of good texture, suitable for build- ing stone, grindstones, whetstones and many other articles, useful to man. Fossil coal exists also, on the spot ;- so that, here are all the materials of industry, health, happiness and prosperity. The forest presents its trees, the earth holds out her minerals, and the water offers its never failing power, in aid of industry in all its forms, to produce wealth in all its shapes; and happiness in all its modes of existence, either cor- poreal, mental, or mixed. From Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, to Cleveland, including the last named town; and all the space between them, there will be eventually, one great city of five "hundred thousand people, The river, the canal, the coal, the iron ore, the sandstone, and, finally, the most beautiful inland sea, in the world, all conspire, to produce the same great result. The harbour of Cleveland now presents, in summer, a port as bustling, active and heart-stirring, as the port of Baltimore.
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