USA > Pennsylvania > A gazetteer of the state of Pennsylvania : a part first, contains a general description of the state, its situation and extent, general geological construction, canals, and rail-roads, bridges, revenue, expenditures, public debt, &c. &c. ; part second, embraces ample descriptions of its counties, towns, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, rivers, creeks, &c. alphabetically arranged > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87
DAU
132
DAU
running west of south and east of north, at an angle of from 60 to 75 degrees. The dip is east, varying from an angle of thirty degrees, to almost a perpen- dicular. Off the mountains the angle is seldom more than 45°, but on the mountains the rock is so nearly per- pendicular, that it is sometimes diffi- cult to determine its inclination.
Anthracite coal has been found in all the mountains north of the Blue mountain, in greater or less propor- tions. Owing to its distance from the river, very little has yet been mined. Veins have been opened on the Third mountain, which separates Stoney cr. from Clark's valley, in Middle Paxton t-ship, and on the Short and Bear mtns. dividing Lyken's from Williams' val- ley, in Lykens t-ship. At the latter place several strata have been opened of the thickness of seven or eight feet. The coal is of good quality, and ap- pears to possess in some degree the qualities of the bituminous. It is light- er than the anthracite of Mauch Chunk, Pottsville and Wilksbarre, ignites more easily, and emits, when burning, great- er flame, but throws off less sulphure- ous gas than the bituminous. It makes an exceedingly pleasant and agreeable fire for the grate, and will be valuable for all manufacturing purposes. A rail road is now being made from the mines to the river. (See Lyken's val- ley.) The coal is overlaid with a light stratum of shale, bearing, as is usual, impressions of vegetable remains, and both are contained between strata of conglomerate quartzose rock, similar to that common to the mass of the mountain.
The streams of the co. are the Swa- tara, which, rising in the mtns. of Schuylkill co., traverses Lebanon co. and the lower part of Dauphin, to unite with the Susquehannah at Middletown. It receives from Dauphin on the north, Bow run, Manady creek and Beaver's creek, and from the south, Spring creek and Mine run. Paxton creek, rising in the Blue mountain, and flowing W. and S. W., in the rear of Harrisburg, empties into the river two miles below
the town. Another "Spring creek," also falls into the river near the mouth of the Paxton. North of the Blue mountain, Fishing creek flows between it and the Second mountain ; Stoney creek between the Second and Third mountain; Clark's creek, be- tween the Third and Peters' mountain ; Powell's and Armstrong's ereeks, be- tween Peters' and Berry's mountain ; and the Big and Little Wiconisco creeks between Berry's and the Ma- hantango mountains. All these moun- tain streams rush westwardly to the Susquehannah river.
'There are three turnpike roads lead- ing from Harrisburg to Philadelphia ; one by the way of Reading, Berks co., one by way of Euphrata and Downings. town, in Lancaster and Chester coun- ties, and one through the city of Lan- caster. There are two turnpikes from Harrisburg to Pittsburg ; one by the southern route through Carlisle, Cham- bersburg, Bedford, &c., the other by the northern route up the Juniata, through Mifflin, Lewistown, Hunting- don, &c. crossing the Allegheny moun- tain at Blair's gap. There is also a turnpike road from Harrisburg to Bal- timore, through Middletown and York, excepting five miles, between Middle- town and the river at Conewago falls. An act has been passed by the legisla- ture, with an appropriation of $18,000, for making a turnpike road from York Haven on the west side of the river to the end of the bridge opposite Harris- burg, a distance of 14 miles, which, when completed, will form a continu- ous line of turnpike roads from Har- risburg through York and Baltimore to Washington City. The Pennsylvania canal enters Dauphin co. by an aque- duct over the Juniata river at the head of Duncan's island, about a mile and a half above the junction of the Juniata with the Susquehannah, and sixteen miles from Harrisburg. It is thence constructed along the western side of the island to its lower end, where it enters the Susquehannah. The boats pass the latter river by means of a dam and tow bridge. Thence the ca.
DAU
133
DAU
nal is continued to Middletown, 9 ms. below Harrisburg, where it meets the Union canal, which follows the Swata- ra, 20 miles through the county to this point. From Middletown the state ca- nal is now being made to Columbia.
Two bridges cross the Susquehannah in this county ; one at Duncan's island, mentioned above, used for ordinary travelling as well as for a tow bridge, erected by the state ; and the other at Harrisburg, built by a company, in which the state is a stockholder, to the amount of $90,000 dollars. Both are of wood, resting on stone piers and roofed. The first is of lattice work, on a horizontal line ; the latter is built with arches, upon which the passage way & superstructure rest, 50 ft. above the surface of the river at low water.
Dauphin county was first settled by emigrants, principally from Ireland and Germany, whose descendants com- pose the great majority of its popula- tion. By the census of 1810, the pop- ulation was 31,883 ; in 1820, after the county of Lebanon had been taken from it, 21,663, and in 1830, 25,303, of whom 12,287 were white males, 12,085 white females ; 469 free col'd. males, 444 col'd. females ; 18 slaves. There were 386 aliens, 5 deaf and dumb, and 6 blind.
The prevailing religious sects are German Reformed, German Lutheran, Methodist and English Presbyterians.
There are 3 forges for the manufac- ture of bar iron, 2 furnaces foriron cast- ings, 58 grist mills, 42 saw mills, 8 card- ing and fulling mills, 6 oil mills, 5 clover mills, 3 woollen factories and 1 paper mill in the county.
The exports of the county consist of wheat, flour, whiskey, live stock and salted provisions, which seek a market by the Susquehannah river at Balti- more, and by the Union canal at Phi- ladelphia. There are two banks in the county, both in Harrisburg, one a branch of the Pennsylvania Bank, and the other the Harrisburg Bank, with a capital of $158,525. A favorable view will be entertained of the com- merce of the county, from the fact, that in the month of November, 1830,
more than 130 wagons were sev- eral times counted in Harrisburg at once, loaded with produce for that market.
Dauphin, connected with Lebanon, forms the eighth senatorial district, sending one member to the senate, and Dauphin alone sends two members to the house of representatives ; and so connected, it forms also the 6th con- gressional district. United with Schuyl- kill and Lebanon, it forms the 13th Ju- dicial district, Calvin Blythe, president. It belongs to the Lancaster district of the supreme court.
The public buildings in the county consist of the state capitol and public offices, spacious and ornamental struc- tures, (for a particular description of which, see " Harrisburg,") a small state arsenal upon the public square, court-house and county offices, of brick, and prison, of stone ; the Harrisburg academy, which has received from the legislature at sundry times 2000 dol- lars in money, and the donation of a lot of ground, a Lancasterian school and a poor house, a masonic lodge and several churches. The number of children taught in the Lancasterian school averages about 300, at an ex- pense to the county of 7 dollars for each pupil. The county relieves, on an average, about 325 paupers per annum, at at expense of $7,850, be- sides the product of the farm pertain- ing. The county levy for 1829, was, for all purposes, $20,000. There are 8 printing offices at Harrisburg, six of which issue newspapers, four semi- weekly, during the session of the le- gislature, and the remainder weekly. Ofthe weekly papers two are German.
Dauphin county paid to the state treasury in 1831 :
For tax on writs, 437 27
Duties on deal'rs in for. mdze. 1600 32
State maps, 19 51
Tin and clock pedlars' licenses, 85 00
Collateral inheritances, 134 38
Hawkers' & pedlars' licenses, 131 10
Bridge stock dividends, 6750 00
Tax on bank dividends, 1014 66
$10,172 24
DEC
134
DEC
STATISTICAL TABLE OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.
Townships.
Lgth.
Bth.
Area.
Surface.
1810.
Population. 1820.
1830.
Taxa. 1828.
Valua. 1832.
Lykens,
10
7
31,500
Mount. Valleys.
1116
1356
1636
283
$277,570
Mifflin,
7
5
24,400
Do.
1195
1570
251
129,658
Upper Paxton,
6
6
15,000
Do.
1116
1444
1617
294
201,504
Halifax,
11
5
18,000
Do.
1364
2062
1772
434
209,019
Jackson,
19
6
40,000
Mountainous.
830
165
128,478
Rush,
20
3
25,600
Do.
Do.
707
973
1241
286
239,681
Susquehannah,
6
5
15,300
Undulating.
·3287
4166
5737
1031
1,129,721
Lower Paxton,
7
4
18,000
Do.
1180
1283
1371
286
323,513
Hanover,
10
7
36,000
Do.
461
2618
2543
493
400,368
Swatara,
9
5
15,800
Do.
2991
2355
2771
521
827,314
Derry,
8
7
18,000
Hilly.
2481
2704
2273
392
645,403
Londonderry,
7
6
17,500
Do.
800
1100
1822
323
401,029
14,803
21,246
25,303
4602
Dauphin, p-t. formerly called Portffinto the Juniata river, about one mile Lyon, of Middle Paxton t-s. Dauphin below Lewistown. county, on the turnpike road from Decatur, t-ship, Clearfield county. Population in 1330, 434 ; taxables, 82. Harrisburg to Millerstown on the Sus- quehannah, 8 miles from the former, and on the left bank of the Susque- hannah at the confluence of Stoney creek with the river, and 119 miles from W. C. contains about a dozen dwellings, 2 stores and a tavern. On the S. side of the creek is an extensive tannery, carried on by Eldridge & Brich, of Philadelphia.
Davidsburg, village of Antes t-ship, Huntingdon county, W. of the Brush mountain and the left bank of the Lit- tle Juniata river, about 20 miles N. W. of Huntingdon borough, contains 5 or 6 houses, store, tavern and tan- yard.
Davisville, p-t. of Southampton t-ship, Bucks co. 10 miles S. of Doylestown, 169 N. from W. C. and 118 E. from Harrisburg, contains 3 or 4 dwellings.
Decatur t-ship, Mifflin co. bounded N. by Armagh t-ship, E. by Union county, S. by Greenwood t-ship, and W. by Derry t-ship, centrally distant N. E. from Lewistown 14 miles; greatest length 13, breadth 9 miles ; area, 55,680 acres ; surface mount- ainous ; soil, slate and gravel. Jack's mountain is on the N. and Shade's mountain on the S. boundaries, and Limestone and Black Oak ridges are in the interval. Jack's creek has its source in the N. E. confines of the t-ship, and flows S. W. about 20 miles
Deer, t-ship, Allegheny county, bounded N. by Butler county, E. by the Allegheny river which divides it from Westmoreland, S. by Indiana t-ship, and W. by Pine t-ship. Cen- trally distant N. E. from Pittsburg 16 miles ; greatest length 13, breadth 41 miles ; area, 34,560 acres; sur- face hilly, coal abundant ; soil, loam. Population in 1830, 1,642; taxables, 312. It is drained by Bull and Deer creeks, which flow S. to the river. The turnpike road from Pittsburg to Butler, runs through the t-ship, near the west linc.
Deerfield, t-ship, Tioga co. bounded N. by the state of New York, E. by Elkland, S. by land now or formerly of Delmar t-ship, and W. by Westfield. Centrally distant, N. W. from Wells- borough 13 miles. It forms an ob- long of 11 miles by 4}, containing about 34,000 acres. It is drained on the N. E. by Cowanesque creek, and on the S. E. by Marsh creek, a tribu- tary of Crooked creek ; surface hilly ; soil, gravelly loam. Population in 1830, 320; taxables in 1828, 71.
Deerfield t-ship, Warren co. bound- ed N. by Spring creek and Broken Straw t-ships, E. by the Allegheny river, which separates it from Lime- stone t-ship, S. by Venango county, and W. by South West t-ship. Cen- trally distant from Warren S. W. 20
58
8
14,358
Middle Paxton,
10
5
18,600
DEL
135
DEL
miles ; greatest length 12, breadth 9 miles ; area, 40,320 acres; surface somewhat hilly, and soil alluvial along the river bottoms; gravelly loam in the interior, well wooded. The p-o. of the t-ship is named after it, and is distant 309 miles N. W. of W. C. and 242 from Harrisburg.
Deep creek and valley, Lower Ma- hantango t-ship, Schuylkill county, S. of . the Mahantango mountain. The creek flows into Long Pine creck.
Deep run, a tribuary of Tohickon creek, Bucks county, rising in Hilton t-ship, and flowing eastwardly about 7 miles through Bedminster t-ship, falls into its recipient about 5 miles from its mouth.
Deep run, a tributary of the Little Swatara creek, which has its source and course in Bethel t-ship, Lebanon county.
Deer Lick creek, Rush t-ship, Sus- quehannah county, a tributary of the Wyalusing creek, which rises and has its course in that t-ship, and flows N. into the main stream between Lake creek and the middle branch.
Deer Creek, Deer t-ship, Allegheny county, rises with many branches in the N. part of the t-ship, and flows S. through this and Indiana t-ship, into the Allegheny river.
Delaware county, was separated from Chester co. by act 26th Sept. 1789, by which the following boundaries were prescribed to it : " Beginning in the middle of Brandywine r. where the same crosses the circular line of New- castle co. thence up the middle of the r. to the line dividing the lands of Eli- zabeth Chads and Caleb Brinton, at or near Chads' ford ; and from thence on a line as nearly straight as may be, so as not to split or divide plantations, to the great road leading from Goshen to Chester, where the Westown line in- tersects said road; and from thence along the lines of Edgemont, New- town and Radnor, so as to include those t-ships, to the line of Montgomery county, and along the same and Phila- delphia co. line to the river Delaware, and down the same to the circular line
aforesaid, and along the same to the place of beginning." By the same act the st. jus. was established at the bo- rough of Chester.
The co. is bounded N. and N. E. by Montgomery co. E. by Philadel- phia co. S. E. by the river Delaware, S. by the state of Delaware, and S. W. and W. by Chester co. Central lat. N. 39º 55', long. 1º 33' E. from W. C. Length 16, breadth 11 miles ; area 177 sq. ms.
This co. with the exception of a narrow margin of alluvion along the Delaware, pertains to the primitive formation, and its constituent rock is gneiss in every variety of cohesion. This furnishes an abundance of excel- lent building stone, and the quarries of Crum and Ridley creeks are famed for the quantity and quality of curb and building stone which they send to Phil- adelphia. The soil formed by the de- composition of this rock, vivified by lime and stable manure, under the care of its industrious, enterprising and skil- ful inhabitants, is scarce surpassed in fertility by any in the state. The al- luvion which borders the primitive re- gion is reclaimed from the waters by mounds or dykes, banking, and affords a large quantity of excellent meadow and pasturage, upon which innumera- ble cattle, brought from the west and south, are fattened for the Philadelphia market.
A mine of copper ore has been open- ed on Chester creek, about a mile above the town of Chester. The ore is said to contain 53 per cent of copper, 48 ounces of silver in every 100 lbs. and one grain of gold in each ounce of the ore. The sulphuret of molybdena is found here, also in quantities.
The surface of the country above the alluvion is rolling, and becomes somewhat hilly towards the west.
This co. was the first settled of the province. It was the carly and favor- ite habitation of the Swedes, and Up- land, the present borough of Chester, was already a village when Penn came to take possession of his province, in October, 1682. His pioneers sent
.
DEL
136
DEL
Out in the preceding year landed at this place on the 11th December, and the Delaware having frozen over that night, they were hospitably entertain- ed during the winter by its inhabitants. At that period the Quakers had a con- gregation and a meeting house here. On the 4th December, 1782, the Pro- prietary commenced an assembly of the Freemen, who, in three days, pass- ed 65 laws, comprehending the chief subjects of legislative attention in a society without commerce or foreign connections, affording an instance of unanimity and prompt legislation ne- ver equalled except in a despotic mo- narchy.
The streams of this co. are, Cobb's creek, upon its eastern boundary ; Darby creek, Crum and Ridley creeks, Chester creek, Hook creek, Mukini- pates and the Brandywine, which touches its western boundary. These streams all flow into the Delaware, and are navigable through the alluvi- on, from a half to nine ms. in extent, but in the greater distances having ve- ry serpentine courses. A canal about a mile in length, with two locks, has been made by George G. Leiper, Esq. from the tide water of the Ridley creek to his extensive quarries. The en- terprise is creditable to the proprietor, and the execution of the work to the artists employed in it.
Authority was granted in 1812 for constructing a turnpike, which was de- signed as a link in the great southern road, but the stockholders, after paving it for 8 or 10 miles, found the under- taking unprofitable and have not com- pleted it. It is almost the only in- stance in which an attempt of this kind in the vicinity of Philadelphia has not succeeded. A company was incor- porated in 1831, for making a rail- road to Chester, but the work has not been commenced; and it is now pro- posed to obtain authority from the le- gislatures of Pennsylvania and Dela- warc to connect the line with that now made from New Castle to French town.
The agricultural population of this
county consists chiefly of the descend- ants of the first settlers, Swedes, Eng- lish, Welsh and Irish, and no inconsi- derable portion of it is connected with the religious sect of Quakers, but the Baptists, Episcopalians and Presbyte- rians, have churches in the co. The county is certainly thrifty, and the population of no part of the state en- joys more fully the comforts of life ; but the increase of its inhabitants was slow, until the impulse given by the establishment of manufactories. In 1800 the population amounted to 12, 809; in 1810 to 14,734 ; and in 1820 to 14,810, increasing in ten years 76 persons only ; but in 1830 the num. ber amounted to 17,361, making an increase of 2551. Of this number 8142 were white males, 7958 females, 705 free colored males, 554 females and 2 slaves. There were 386 aliens, 5 deaf and dumb, and 6 blind.
The public buildings in the county consist of a lazaretto, in Tinicum t-ship, where there are erected two large buildings for hospitals, and also dwell- ing houses for the physician, steward, &c. &c. and commodious stores, for the reception of cargoes when it is found necessary to unlade vessels. All these buildings are of brick, and are neat and commodious. At Chester are the court house, public offices and prison, a Quaker meeting house, an ancient church; and a bank with a capital of $77,510; a poor house and house of employment, established on a farm, governed by three directors, one of whom is elected annually, and main- tained by a tax levied by the co. com- missioners, at the instance and upon the estimate of the directors. There are 9 Quaker meeting houses in the co. 1 Baptist, 1 Presbyterian and 4 Methodist churches, and schools suffi- cient for teaching the rudiments of English education.
There are also 2 newspapers prin- ted at the borough of Chester, viz. the Upland Union, and the Weekly Visi- tor.
The exports of the co. consist of wheat, corn, rye, oats, flour and other
DEL
137
DEL
great agricultural products; and also of large quantities of horned cattle, sheep, fowls, and esculent vegetables, for the Philadelphia market, and also a vast amount of stone, for building and for curbing the streets. . The co. claims, too, high consideration for its manufactures, which are found upon almost every stream. Some idea may be formed of the business and capabili- ties of this co. by the statistical ac- count from a report of a committee of the co. appointed to ascertain the facts, in 1828 ; some important additions have since been made. There are 38 flour mills, 16 of which grind 203,600 bushels of grain per annum; 53 saw mills, 16 of which cut 1,717,000 ft. of lumber per annum ; 14 woollen facto- ries, employing 228 hands ; 12 cotton manufactories make 704,300 lbs. of yarn per annum, value $232,445 ; em- ploy 415 hands, wages $51,380, 5 rolling and slitting mills, which roll 700 tons sheet iron per ann. value $105, 000, employ 30 hands, wages $7,200 ; 11 paper mills, manufacture 31,296 reams of paper per annum, value $114,712, employ 215 hands, wages $29,120 ; 2 powder mills manufacture 11,900 quarter casks per annum, value $47,600, employ 40 hands, wages $12,000 ; 1 nail factory manufactures 150 tons of nails per annum, value $20,000, employs 8 hands, wages $2, 400 ; 4 tilt, blade and edge tool manu- factories, 2 of which manufacture per annum 2,000 axes, 200 cleavers, 1200 dozen shovels, 200 dozen scythes, and 500 drawing knives ; 1 power loom factory weaves 30,000 yds. per week, value $3000, employs 120 hands, wa- ges per week $500, looms 200; 2 oil
R
mills manufacture 7,000 gallons lin- seed oil ; 1 machine factory, 5 snuff- mills, 2 plaister or gypsum mills, 3 clover mills, 3 bark mills, and 1 mill for sawing stone. There are also 42 mill seats on the principal strcams, which are unimproved ; making in the whole 158 mills and factories in ope- ration, and 42 mill seats unimproved in a district not exceeding 12 miles square, in the five kinds of manufacto- ries which have returned the number, viz. paper, woollen, cotton, powder and edge tools, employing 1,038 hands.
Delaware, Chester and Lancaster cos. form the 4th congressional district, sending three representatives to Con- gress, and now represented in the 22d congress by Joshua Evans, William Heister and David Potts, Jr. United with Chester it forms the 4th senato- rial district of the state, sending two members to the senate, and alone it sends one member to the house of rep- resentatives. Connected with Chester it forms the 15th judicial district- Isaac Darlington, president. The courts are holden at Chester on the 2d Mondays after the 3d Mondays in Jan. April, July and October. The county belongs to the eastern district of the supreme court, which holds 2 sessions annually, at Philadelphia, on the 2d Monday in March and 2d Monday in December.
Delaware paid into the treasury of the state in the year 1831, for Tax on writs, $124,78
Tavern licenses, 400,14
Duties on Dealers in foreign merchandize, 422,53
On collateral inheritances,
544,85
$1,492,30
DEL
138
DEL
STATISTICAL TABLE OF DELAWARE COUNTY.
Townships.
Greatest Lgth.
Bth.
Area in Acres.
Face of Country.
Soil.
1810.
Population. 1820.
1830.
Taxa- bles.
Aston,
4 3-4
2 1-4
6400
Level.
Clay.
765
1070
224
Bethel,
4 1-2
3
5000
Level.
Clay.
299
394
367
71
Birmingham,
3 3-4
2 3-4
4480
Hilly.
Clay.
586
515
584
100
Chester borough,
3 1-4
3
4800
Level.
Clay.
1056
1295
1672
317
Concord,
4 3-4
3
8000
Hilly.
Loam.
1061
1032
1002
203
Chichester, Upper,
3
2 3-4
3840
Level.
Loam.
417
413
431
102
Chichester, Lower, 2 1-4
1 3-4
2560
Level.
Clay.
511
502
465
91
Darby,
4
2 3-4
5120
Level.
Clay.
1085
692
1085
233
Edgemont,
4
2 3-4
5700
Hilly,
Loam.
611
640
758
170
Upper Providence,
4
2 1-4
3840
Level.
Loam.
561
736
748
160
Nether Providence, 4
4
4
6400
Hilly.
Loanı.
649
700
793
171
Springfield,
3 1-4
2 1-4
3840
Level.
Clay.
541
600
700
144
Newtown,
4
4
6400
Hilly.
Loam.
601
667
141
Middletown,
4 1-2
4 1-2
7680
Level.
Clay.
948
994
1188
228
Tinicum,
3 1-2
1 1-4
2000
Level.
Alluvial.
249
182
166
30
Upper Darby,
5
3
7680
Hilly.
Loam.
966
1004
1325
239
Ridley,
4
3 1-4
6400
Level.
Clay.
991
893
1058
279
Haverford,
3 3-4
3 1-2
7680
Hilly.
Loam.
754
750
980
191
Thornbury,
4 3-4
2 1-2
6000
Hilly.
Loam.
564
537
610
124
Radnor,
3 1-2 3 1-4
7680
Hilly.
Loam.
925
1059
1097
257
24
5000
Level.
Clay.
594
566
747
158
Marple,
Level.
Clay.
657
848 }
Chester,
Delaware River, and Bay. This river, called by the Indians Poutaxas, Marisqueton, Makeriskitton, Makerisk- kiskon, Lenape wihittuck, (stream of the Lenape,) by the Dutch Zuydt, or South River, Nassau River, and by the Swedes, New Swedeland stream, one of the most considerable of N. America, rises by two principal branches in the state of New York, the northernmost of which, called the Mohawk's or Cookquago branch, is- sues from Lake Utsayemthe, lat. 42° 45', takes a S. W. course and turning S. E. crosses the Penns. line, in lat. 42°, and about 7 miles from thence re- ceives the Popachton branch from the N. E. The latter rises in the Katskill mountain. Thence the river runs southwardly, until it touches the N. W. corner of New Jersey, in lat. 41º 24'. It has a very crooked course above and below the Blue mountains ; the country is very mountainous through which it passes, until it leaves the Water Gap.
It probably had an elevation of 150 or 200 feet, forming a lake of more than 50 miles in length, covering the Meenesink settlements. This height must have formed cataracts similar, the quantity of water excepted, to that of Niagara. It has been conjectured, that this this dam, was engulphed by some great convulsion of the earth, and the following reasons have been assigned for this opinion. The dis- tance through the mountain is about two miles, within which the river has an average width of half a mile, and the water is as still as a mill pond, so that a raft will be driven by the im- pulse of the wind up or down ; and the boatmen report that 98 years ago, they could not find bottom with their longest lines. Had the mountain been worn by abrasion, such a gulf would not have existed, and the bottom of the river here would have consisted of the same material which forms the side of the pass ; but the bottom is of alluvial mud, and the nucleus of the mountain is of a hard granite, peculiar to the place. It is also well known that allu- vial particles which float in the swift current, subside in the pools ; and it has been noted by an accurate observ- er, that the river is always much more muddy (or rily as the phrase is,) above, than below the gap. Hence a large proportion of the alluvion car-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.