History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 50

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650

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The faculty, on the organization of the seminary, consisted of President Bow- man, B. H. Crever, and his wife and sister as assistants. Although the number of students in attendance the first year was 212, yet the revenues barely paid expenses. After struggling along for twelve years it was finally sold by the trustees to A. Updegraff, John Smith, Jacob Sallade, and Levi Hartman, all ardent friends of the young institution. These gentlemen soon afterwards offered the property to the Methodist Episcopal church at the price they had paid. This offer was accepted by the conference, a stock company was formed, and many of the ministers of that body became members. The stock is now mostly held by the Preachers' Aid Society of Central Pennsylvania.

Bishop Bowman, as shown, was elected in 1848 and continued in office ten years. After his resignation Rev. John H. Dashiell was elected, and at the expiration of two years returned to the pastorate and was succeeded by Rev. Thompson Mitchell, D. D. He resigned, August 27, 1869, and Rev. W. Lee Spottswood was appointed. During his administration many improvements were made. He resigned, January 8, 1874, and on the 13th of the following February the present incumbent, Rev. E. J. Gray, D. D., was elected president. Under his efficient management the semi- nary has taken rank among the best institutions of the kind, and its prosperity is now greater than ever before. The buildings occupy an eminence overlooking the city, and are surrounded by beautiful grounds and shade trees. The members of the faculty live in the building, eat at the same tables, and have constant oversight of all the students. The institution is regularly chartered by the legislature and is anthorized to confer degrees upon those who complete the prescribed course of study.

YOUNG LADIES' SEMINARY.

In 1865 the Misses Wilson, ladies of excellent culture and fine scholarship, opened a seminary for young ladies on Pine street, which is still continued by them. The room is large and well furnished, and the school has been well patronized at each successive session and sustains its well earned popularity.

THE KINDERGARTEN.

To Mrs. Phobe Riddell belongs the credit of first introducing the kindergarten system of teaching in Williamsport. She opened her first school, September 1, 1885, and continued for five years. During that time, she says, "I met with various degrees of success. Sometimes my kindergarten was full-more times it was not." In March, 1890, Mrs. Riddell gave up her school to accept a situation in the Pres- byterian mission at Muscogee, Indian Territory, where she has since been engaged in teaching.

TEACHERS' INSTITUTES.

Since the passage of the common school law in 1834, with the exception of a few early drawbacks, the cause of education has made rapid progress-especially in the

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WILLIAMSPORT.

last thirty years. The plan of holding county institutes for the benefit of the teachers was adopted in 1863, and has been continued to the present time. By act of 1867 the sum of $200 was authorized to be paid annually to aid in their support. The first institute was held at Muncy, and with few exceptions the meetings have continued to take place there in December of each year. The last, which was the twenty-ninth, met there and was largely attended. The elegant and well appointed school building in that place is particularly well adapted for these meetings, and the teachers are always cordially received and hospitably entertained. To show the steady increase of interest in these meetings, it may be stated that only about twenty teachers were present at the first institute; at the last, the attendance was 260, nearly every teacher in the county being present.

A city institute, in accordance with the provisions of the act of June 25, 1885, was established the same year, and meets annually in the High School building. Questions of discipline, methods of teaching certain branches of studies, progress of pupils, and various educational subjects are discussed, which aids to unify instruction. At all these institutes, both city and county, lectures are delivered and instructions given by prominent educators, which have proved to be largely beneficial to the teachers.

In his annual report for 1891, Superintendent Lose says that the most important advance attempted during the year was in the direction of district supervision. This was accomplished by the aid of the exchange, by dividing the county into seventeen districts and appointing in each a leading teacher to act as district superintendent. The districts contain from ten to twenty-three schools. It is the duty of each district superintendent to furnish to the exchange a monthly report of the condition of the schools in his district, which are considered. The plan works admirably.

The exchange, which was founded in 1873, meets the last Saturday in each month at the superintendent's office in the court house. for the discussion of ques- tions relating to the welfare of the teachers and the schools. The superintendent presides. The annual dues are 50 cents, and the membership averages about 150. The library contains several hundred volumes and is well patronized. The exchange in its practical workings has been most successful and is rapidly growing in popularity. "It has made our teachers," says the Superintendent, " self-re- specting, enthusiastic, and successful."

In his annual report Superintendent Lose submits some interesting statistics which show the status of education in the county. They are as follows: School districts, 53; school houses, 227: school rooms, 278; seating capacity, 12,251; schools, 267; pupils enrolled, 9,90S; male teachers employed, 121; females, 147; average age of teachers, 23; estimated number of children between the ages of six and sixteen not in school, 682; directors constituting school boards, 315.

In the review of townships the local names of school houses are given, together with whatever information could be obtained relating to first school teachers and school houses. Five new schools were created last year and ninety-five more pupils were in attendance at the schools than during the previous year.

The superintendent's report for last year shows that the whole number of schools in the county (the city schools were not included in the figures given above) were 358; number of male teachers, 139; female, 238; male scholars, 7,257; female,

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

7,266. It will be noticed how nearly equal the sexes are in number, the females only having an excess of nine, out of a total of 14,523. This is remarkable. The total amount of State appropriations to the county was $28,728.42, and the total receipts for school purposes from all sources were $222,505.

COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.

The act of May 8, 1854, authorized the election of a superintendent of schools in each county of the State by the directors thereof. This important law was care- fully prepared by H. L. Dieffenbach before it was submitted to the legislature. He was chief clerk of the school department, was an ardent friend of the common school system, and did much of the thinking for the State superintendent at that day. The new law encountered much violent opposition at first, but it has steadily grown in popular favor and could not be dispensed with now. The county superintendent serves for a term of three years, and is elected by the directors meeting in conven- tion the first Monday in May at the county seat. The superintendents of Lycoming county from 1854 to the present time have been as follows: J. W. Barrett, elected June 5, 1854; he resigned before completing his term, and E. B. Parker was appointed, October 21, 1856, to fill the vacancy. His successor was Hugh Castles, elected May 4, 1857, and re-elected in 1860; John T. Reed, May 4, 1863, re-elected in 1866 and 1869; Thomas F. Gahan, May 7, 1872, re-elected in 1875 and 1878; C. S. Riddell, May 3, 1881, re-elected in 1884. Mr. Riddell having died before completing his last term, Charles S. Lose was appointed, August 31, 1885, to fill the vacancy. He was elected, May 3, 1887, and re-elected, May 3, 1890, and is the present incumbent.

The directors fixed the salary of the first superintendent at $500 per annum. Many persons thought this was an extravagant sum. But Lycoming was more lib- eral than many other counties. Sullivan only voted $50 a year, Elk, $75; and sev- eral others $300. Lancaster paid the highest, $1,500. Since that time the salary has been gradually advanced, until to-day Lycoming pays $2,000, and it is not con- sidered extravagant.

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GEOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE.

CHAPTER XXV.

GEOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE.

THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN PLATEAU SYSTEM-FIRST GROUP-SECOND GROUP-THIRD GROUP -WEST BRANCH VALLEY-A MIGHTY ARCH-THE GLACIAL PERIOD-COAL IN LYCOMING COUNTY-IRON ORES-FLAGGING STONE-AGRICULTURE-THE FIRST NURSERY-EARLY MANUFACTURE OF SALT-AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES-TOBACCO CULTURE-VETERINARY SUR- GEONS.

T THE following is condensed from an elaborate paper on the geology of Lycoming county, prepared by Abraham Meyer, the well known local geologist of Cogan House township. Mr. Meyer says:

The geological formations of Lycoming county comprise all the rock formations from the carboniferous (No. XIII) measures down to the limestones of the Trenton group, (No. 11) rep- resenting a depth of about 12,600 feet.

The main range of the Allegheny mountain chain sweeps across the county in the form of a crescent-like curve for a distance of forty-five or fifty miles, entering the county on the west side about the middle of Watson township, thence in a general northeast course across Lycom- ing creek, above Crescent Nail Works; thence across Loyalsock creek, above Loyalsockville, to near the eastern border of the county in Shrewsbury township, changing to a northeast course on entering into Sullivan county.

When the great movement which culminated in the formation of the many folds and phe- nomena of the anthracite coal fields in the southeastern part of the State occurred, there was a contemporaneous general movement all along the Appalachian range, which, in Pennsylvania, extended from the South mountain in Cumberland and York counties, to Williamsport, Lock Haven, and points beyond ou the West Branch of the Susquehanna river, and was the cause of the many disturbances and phenomena in Lycoming county. And when it occurred the crush and active agencies involved formed the many plicated and contorted rock strata south of the main Allegheny mountain chain, and the resulting movement north of the mountain range being less violent, formed the broad undulating mountain plateau, with its intervening Devon- ian valleys.

FIRST GROUP.

The first group, or Allegheny mountain plateau system, forms an interesting study here. This plateau system, with its intervening valleys, has a mean width of about eighteen miles. There is comprised in this group Watson township, in part, all of Brown, Pine, McHenry, Jackson, McNett, McIntyre, Gamble, Cascade, Lewis, Cogau House, Plunkett's Creek, and the north corner of Eldred and Cummings, Mifflin, Anthony, and Shrewsbury township, in part. In these townships the mountain plateau assumes a general elevation of 2,000 feet above tide, while the intervening Devonian valleys of Rose and Cogan House have an elevation of 1,000 to 1,600 feet, the valley lands being composed of the formation (No. IX) red and grey Cats- kill (Ponent) or Upper Devonian with a rim or formation of (No. X) Poco sandstone (Ves- pertine) around the valleys, with the exception of Jackson, McIntyre, and McNett townships, in which an uplift of (No. VIII) Chemung measures occurs.

While the mountain plateau lands of these townships consist largely of the formation of (No. X) Pocono rocks along the south escarpment of the Allegheny range, and around the

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

mountains generally, with small areas of (No. XI) Mauch Chunk red shales (XI a) and in parts with mountain limestone (No. XI b), which here assumes the importance of being massive ledges from one and a half to three miles in length: and being also the most northern exten- sion of this formation at present known, the higher portions being composed of (No. XII) Pottsville conglomerate, forty to fifty feet thick; and above this, generally occupying the crest of the mountains, occur the productive coal measures.

The carboniferous (No. XIII) occurs in three canoe-shaped coal basins, very much divided in small detached beds, occupying anticlinal or synclinal basins, with dips as usual to the bituminous measures in the western district of the State; and it is observed that (No. XIb) car- boniferous, or mountain limestone, existing here is a typical rock, being the dividing line between the true and false coal measures, and is the main Allegheny range crossing Lycoming county with its south escarpment.

Catskill (No. IX) red shale and sandstone, or Upper Devonian of English geologists. are noted for producing agricultural lands, affording a luxuriant growth of grasses and excellent soil for fruit, which is largely due to the detritus of the decomposing rocks of a calcareous nature (known as carnstone, breccia, etc.,) which impart to the soil a fertility not much short of that of the same mountain and valley ranges further south.

On the south escarpment of the mountain are numerous peaks of a general height of 800 to 1,000 feet above the adjacent streams, which project into the Chemung measures in the valleys adjoining, in bold relief, and form prominent points of view in the landscape; while the rocks are cut out between 800 to 1,200 feet deep in the measures, forming deep gorges or true canons, through which Lycoming and Pine creeks cross the entire mountain plateau, while many others cut out from within the mountains wend their way through their rocky channels into the West Branch, being the natural home of the speckled trout, which, with the pure water and low temperature, invite many tourists and pleasure seekers during the summer months.

SECOND GROUP. .

The townships north and east of the river, and up to the south escarpment of the Allegheny range, form a marked contrast to the general regularity of the sections north of the mountain range by their various disturbances and much greater appearance of plications and faults.

The townships embraced in this group are all of Porter, Piatt, Woodward, Old Lycoming, Lycoming, Hepburn, Loyalsock, Fairfield, Muncy, Mill Creek, Muncy Creek, Penn, Moreland, Franklin, and Jordan, and Watson, Mifflin, Anthony. Eldred, and Shrewsbury in part. The formations of this group are best shown in the order of their superposition along Loyalsock creek, commencing at the mouth of that stream. The upper member of (No. V) Clinton shales is observed along the grade of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, the same formation underlying portions of Muncy, Muncy Creek. etc., townships. Next above occurs (No. VI) Lower Helderberg or Lewistown (Pre-Meridian) limestone, in Lime Ridge, about 120 feet thick This formation underlies all the townships bordering on the river, and Muncy and Wolf town- ships, showing exposures at various places on the north and south banks of the same.

Next in ascending order occurs (No. VII) Oriskany sandstone and shales (Meridian). This formation, with its characteristic fossils and accompanying flinty shales, is well exposed in Sand Hill cemetery, Loyalsock township, and has a thickness of about 120 feet. Above this occurs (No. VIII) Chemung measures with its various subdivisions-being the Vergent, Cadent, and Post-Meridian series of the old survey of Professor Rogers. This formation in its subdivisions forms the greater part of the area of all this group of townships, making generally rounded dome-like hills, where capped by the softer shales of the series, and quite high where capped by sandstones. Between the river and foot of the mountain the measures consist of many strata of shales, slates, and sandstones, intercalated in lower and upper parts with many calcareous bands, which vary from two inches to five feet thick. The detritus from them has given a fair soil to the greater portion of the upland, while numerous small streams traversing the township cause the narrow intervales to become fine meadows for grass and grazing. The subdivisions of (VIII) are known as Chemung shales, sandstones, and limestones, (VIII f); Portage shales, flags, and sandstones, (VIII e); Genesee shales and flags, (VIII d); Hamilton shales, flags, and sandstones, (VIII c); Marcellus shales. (VIII b): Upper Helderberg limestone or corniferous group, (VIII a).

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GEOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE.

These measures sweep across the entire county in two belts separated by measures resem- bling Red Catskill (No. IX), but the manner in which they occur at some points in the field would lead to the conclusion that there was a fault along this belt. The strata are all on a very high angle of dip, and a close examination will be required to determine their true relation to the adjoining formations.

Next above the belt of (No. VIII) Chemung measures, and up to the foot and side of the main Allegheny chain, occur (No. IX) Red Catskill, which makes up the greater part of the side of the mountain across the county, and caps the adjoining hills at the foot of the mountain. The corustone (breccia conglomerate,) which is an invariable accompaniment of this formation, is not seen in the narrow belt referred to.

THIRD GROUP.

The third group comprises the townships south and west of the river, viz: Nippenose, Limestone, Susquehanna, Bastress, Armstrong, Clinton, Brady, and Washington. These can be divided into three sub-groups: Those parts of these townships lying between the mountain and river; Nippenose valley, comprising Nippenose, Big and Little Mosquito, and Morgan's valley, and Bastress township. The White Deer section, comprising the townships of Clinton, Brady, and Washington, lies mostly on, or between, the north and south White Deer mount- ains. The formation, commencing at the river and in descending order, consists of a number of portions of (No. VI) Lower Helderberg or Lewistown limestone, held in the synclinal folds of the shales (No. V) which, lying generally at a high angle, comprise the greater part of the north face of Bald Eagle mountain, and can be seen in the immense sheets of gray and red shales, with their calcareous bands along the railroad, which, though geologically lower than (No. VI), topographically are higher; as also the formation next succeeding, which is (No. IV) Medina and Oneida conglomerate, (Levant series of Professor Rogers,) and is a very massive formation, being about 2,000 feet thick and forming the greater part of the mountain on the north dip at an elevation of 1,325 feet above the river, and 1,875 feet above tide.

Going over the crest of the mountain, on the south side, succeed (No. III) Hudson River slate shales and limestone, (matinal series,) forming the rim around, aud surface of, the center of Mosquito valley; and also the rim around the base of the mountain ridge on the north and south side of Nippenose and Limestone townships. {These black shales and slates have been the occasion of many mistakes, in being supposed to he slate of the coal formation, there hav- ing been found shale in pockets highly charged with carbonaceous matter, and in some instances burning very feehly; and much money has been lost in sinking wells and shafts in fruitless search of coal.] In Mosquito valley the formation (No. III), where it occupies the center of the valley, makes a dome-like hill at an elevation of about 800 feet above tide, and consists of the Hudson river shales (slate and limestone), the limestoue hands being quite thin aud fossiliferous. The measures have been worked for marble, but not successfully.

Another exposure of these measures is seen above Antes Fort, or Jersey Shore Station, on the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, where there is one exposure below the river bridge, which is much contorted; and again, up towards the grist mill, they seem to occur, resting uncon- formably ou the edge of yellow shales, showing on the opposite hauk of Antes creek a portion of measures concealed; while in the railroad cut just above the station is a large boulder of calciferous sandstone, (Chazy group) with large nodules of black chert scattered through the mass.

Next in succeeding order comes (No. II) Trenton (Auroral) limestone. The various sub- divisions of this formation are met with from the west to the east end of the valley, aud about 300 feet thick of measures are exposed.

At the southeast part of the county occurs the White Deer valley group, the formation of (No. VI) Lower Helderberg limestone, forming a double fold against the North and South White Deer mountain, while (No. V) Clinton shales comes in above, and in some parts forms the face of the mountain; while (No. IV) Medina forms the crest alike of the North and South White Deer mountain, and (No. VI) Lower Helderberg forms the lower part of the valley in Clinton and Brady townships. Clinton shales (No. V) form the center and greater area of Washington township, and (No. VIII) Chemung forms the greater part of Brady township.

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

The lands of these valleys compare favorably with any of the limestone valleys in the State in their agricultural value, and the finely cultivated farms and fruitful orchards give evi- dence of the generous fertility of the soil.

WEST BRANCH VALLEY.

In addition to the three general groups just described, there is lying within the area of the second and third groups what has been known ever since the first settlement was made upon its soil as the " West Branch valley." This term has been applied by some to the narrow strip of rich alluvium along the river, but the term is intended to take in the broad belt of land from the river mountain on the south to the foot of the Allegheny mountains on the north, a belt of some eight miles wide, and having a general elevation of 530 feet above tide nearest the river, and some 850 feet on the uplands back from the river, the present river channel being about 500 feet above tide. But a careful examination discloses the fact that the ancient river channel was some sixty-five to eighty feet below the present surface, which has been filled with drift and alluvium, and is now the present site of the city of Williamsport. The city owes much of its facilities as a business center to its stratagraphical position, in a measure due to the influences of surface geology, which formed the greater portion of the lower levels, as well as the higher portion of the present site of the city, and gave the beds of clay that produce so much of building material; and by this vast deposit of modified drift it has furnished such natural drainage that needs only to be effectively supplemented to give Williamsport econom- ical and proper sewerage.

A MIGHTY ARCH.

In Sec. 3 geological phenomena are observed in the anticlinal of Nippenose and Mosquito valleys, which may be thns described: Commencing at the southeast corner of the county there is a synclinal valley which is shown in railroad cuts along the river, and the upper measures above Watsontown, and back of Muncy and at Hall's station. At the latter place (VIII c) Hamilton (Tnlly limestone) occurs, and Marcellus (VIII d) etc. are succeeded by (No. VI) Lower Helder- herg limestone around the Black Hole and White Deer valleys. Next, against the North and South White Deer mountain, occur (No. V) Clinton shales and sandstone; and next above, forming the crest of the two mountains, is (No. IV) Medina and Oneida conglomerate, which in the North White Deer ridge, or Bald Eagle mountain, forming the south dip of the great anticlinal of (No. IV), the Medina group, which, stretching upward, formed an immense arch over Mosquito and Nippenose valleys. The distance on a base line from the south dip of (No. V) in Washington township to the north dip on the face of the mountain along the West Branch of the Susquehanna is about six and one-fourth miles; and with the estimated thickness of measures it would be over 2,400 feet; and including all the superior measures, would make a column of a total height of some 17,500 feet, or over three miles-some estimate five miles-which has been carried away over these remarkable valleys by erosion.

Some of the effects are seen by a walk over these mountains. The wonderful agencies exerted to have produced such varied phenomena can he partly seen in the ruins of formations strewed over the surface, as if hurled down the precipitous sides of high mountains, and leav- ing the open page to be read with awe by finite minds! The field of broken rocks seen- from the turnpike going down the monntain to White Deer valley, vulgarly called the " Devil's Tur- nip Patch," and "Featherhed Lane," together with the craggy rocks up Mosquito valley and the overturned anticlinal towards the east end of the arch, near the Mosquito valley quarries and Culbertson's path, are among the debris left as indications of the mighty forces that formed the present surface and made the great changes as we now find them.

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 50

Author: edited by John F. Meginness Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1650

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650