The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII, Part 17

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 438

USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 17

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).

There is probably no stream of its size on the conti- nent whose water power has contributed more to the wealth and comfort of the country, than the Brandy- wine. From its source to its mouth, on both its branches it is studded with mills and factories to which a popu- lons and fertile country gives abundant employment. Our imperfect knowledge enables us to enumerate about twenty mills on the Big, and fifteen on the Little Bran- dywine. Below the forks the hydraulic advantages are still greater, and the manufactures more important. Among these we would name that great one for the manufacture of Gunpowder owned by E. I. Dupont, Esq. We had heard much of the fruits of Mr. Dupont's enterprise, and knew how universally and deservedly sought after was his powder, but had no conception of the extent of the works, nor how wild, and romantic, and beautiful is the country in which they are located, until we made him a passing visit. Our limits forbid a description in detail. One thing deserves notice, how- ever, as it has been the fruit of dear-bought and bitter experience. For some time the amount of powder in a building, produced at several successive explosions a great waste of labor and of life. The remedy has been found to lie in multiplying the mills for grinding, glaz- ing, &c., and setting them so far apart as to confine the explosion to the mill in which it may take place. This multiplication of buildings gives to the bank of the stream, for a considerable extent, the appearance of a town; and the fine mason work, and bridges, &c. would justify the conclusion that they had been the work of some rich borough, under the direction of some pros- perous, and public spirited corporation.

A manufacturer of so much skill and probity, of an article so important to the defence of our country, may

be looked upon in the light of a public benefactor. Be- sides the manufacture of powder, Mr. Dupont is a man- ufacturer, also, of cloth. Here, too, he has acquired a just celebrity. It is to suçli men all countries owe their independence, and strength, and prosperity.

The flourishing city of Wilmington is the product of the water of the Brandywine. On the Big Brandy wine, four miles above Downingstown, is Mary Anne Forge, where iron is extensively manufactured.

The two branches of the Brandywine unite about eight miles below Downingstown; and some two miles below the forks is the famous battle ground-if the af- fair of the 11th September, 1777, may be called a bat- tle, when it was in truth nothing beyond a surprise, and a rout.

We go back to Downingstown, and leaving it, travel on the Rail Road, now occupying the surface of the valley, and undulating occasionally as that surface re- quires, in a direction a little south of west, for a dis- tance of eight miles, to Coatesville, where we cross the west branch, or Little Brandywine, by a viaduct 850 feet long, with piers 73 feet high above the water. This is indeed a stupendous structure. Its western abut- ment touches a projecting part of the North Valley Hill, which the Rail Road immediately ascends with the max- imum grade of 28 feet in the mile.

The scenery at this point has in it much of the sublime, as well as the beautiful. The Brandywine has just passed the North Hill, through a rude chasm, which seems to have been made by the force of the waters.

Coatesville is a thriving and neat village, apparently containing about 60 houses. Within the last three years, it has increased rapidly, and put on an air of prosperity, and business, which promise to make it an important place.

Ascending the North Valley Hill, the rail road and Lancaster turnpike lie side by side, for a short distance. They soon separate, however: the latter boldly climbing the hill, the former creeping gradually up its side. A heavy embankment, succeeded by a formidable deep cut, mark the scite of the rail road, immediately west of the Little Brandywine.

The rail road continues to ascend the North Valley Hill, crossing the head waters of Buck run, (a noble mill stream, ) and of Octorara, (a branch of the Susque- hanna, emptying above Port Deposit,) until it reaches its summit about the point of its junction with the Mine Ridge, of which it seems to be a spur. In the Mine Ridge, near this point, at the head of a small branch of the Octorara, is a remarkable gap, or indentation, which lessens its elevation by about one-half. This gap is the locality selected for passing the Ridge, and it constitutes the second and last important summit be- tween the Delaware and the Susquehanna.

The distance from Coatesville to the gap is something more than thirteen miles, of which ten miles have an ascending gradation as you proceed westward, at the rate of about twenty-eight feet in the mile. - The eleva - tion of the gap above tide water is five hundred and ninety-two feet. This is reduced by a deep cut of thirty-seven feet, so that the surface of the rail-road is five hundred and fifty five feet above tide, or eight feet above its level on the summit near the Warren.

This deep cut, which occurs very near the Gap ta- vern, has proved exceedingly difficult and expensive, in consequence of quicksands. It is not yet entirely finished, though the principal objects are believed to have been overcome. Just before reaching the gap, we leave Chester county, and enter the rich and popu- lous county of Lancaster. The Mine Ridge, upon which we now stand, is so important as a geographical feature of the state, as to deserve particular attention.

An observant traveller, passing from the Atlantic to - the interior, will perceive a series of distinct mountain chains, which traverse the state in a general direction from north-east to south-west, and pursuing a course nearly parallel to the sea coast. Each successive chain

SKETCHES OF PENNSYLVANIA.

[JULY

has an increased elevation, until you arrive at the great Alleghany mountain-the last of the series from which you descend into the great basin of the Mississippi. They are marked by distinct geological features, exert a decided influence upon the character of the country, and of the streams; and govern, in an important degree, the course of all roads and improvements. A general knowledge, therefore, of the great mountain ranges, is indispensable to a tolerable acquaintance with the geo- graphy, the resources, and connexions of the interior.

The Mine Ridge, (as it is here called, ) is the first of the great ranges which can be distinctly traced, though the hills farther east show a decided conformity to the general plan. It bears various names in different sec- tions of the country, and is of various elevation, some- times almost disappearing, and then rising again abrupt- ly to a considerable height. Under the name of the Welsh mountain, it forms for a short distance the boun- dary between Chester and Lancaster, and afterwards between Chester and Berks. Pursuing a north-east direction, it crosses the Schuylkill a little above Potts- grove, and the Delaware near the mouth of Durham creek. From the Delaware, eastward, it is rather diffi. cult to trace its course as it there approaches very near, and is perhaps lost in the second great chain, known in Pennsylvania as the Conewago, and Lehigh Hill, and in Virginia as the Blue Ridge. Darby, wbo paid great attention to this subject, thinks he has ascertained its course through the northern part of New Jersey, and Orange county, in New York, till it forms the celebrat. ed highlands of the Hudson at West Point. The more generally received opinion, however, assigns the high- lands of the North river to the second great chain, of which we shall speak hereafter.

From the gap, the Mine Ridge is traced with less dif- ficulty in its course to the south-west. It passes between the head waters of the Pequea and Octorara, and cross- es the Susquehanna into York county-thence through Hartford, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Montgomery counties, of Maryland to the Potomac, where it forms the falls twelve miles above Georgetown in the District of Columbia, and enters Fairfax county in Virginia. Its further progress may be distinctly traced through Vir- ginia, and North Carolina, and probably still further south.

When we leave our position at the gap, we shall de- scend into the Pequea valley; the second great lime- stone formation of the state, and one requiring more notice than we have room for in the present number.

No. 4.

The Gap of the Mine Ridge, through which the rail- road passes, is about two miles south of the Lancaster Turnpike. Its distance from the Susquehanna, by way of the rail road, is 293 miles; and from the Schuylkill at Peter's Island 492 miles. The Wilmington turnpike passes through the same Gap, uniting with the Lancas- ter turnpike, three miles further on at Slaymaker's ta- vern at Salisbury.

From the Gap summit the rail road descends along the side slope of Mine Ridge, into the Great Lancaster or Pequea Valley. Seven miles from the Gap, it crosses Pequea creek, by a viaduct 145 feet long, and 18 feet high. For nearly all this distance, the graduation is descending at the rate of about 30 feet in the mile. At this bridge, therefore, it may be considered as having attained the general level of the Lancaster valley in which it continues, conforming to the undulations of the ground all the way to Columbia.

The Lancaster and Pequea valley is an extensive range of rich and productive country, the basis of which is transition limestone, passing through the state in a ge- neral direction from north-east to south-west. Its south- eastern boundary is the Mine Ridge, which we have just passed, and whose course we have endeavored to de- scribe. On the north-west, it is bounded by a lofty

range, worthy of the name of a mountain, known in Pennsylvania as the Conewago and Lehigh Hills, and in Virginia as the Blue Ridge. We adopt the latter name, with a caution not to confound it with the Blue Moun- tain or Kittatiny, of which we shall have occasion to speak at a future period. No mountain range in the United States is more distinctly marked, or more uni- form in its general course, than the Blue Ridge. It crosses the Delaware below Easton, and follows the south bank of the Lehigh to near Allentown; then pass- ing through Lehigh and Berks counties, crosses the Schuylkill just below Reading, to the Susquehanna be- low Middletown, forming the Conewago Falls in that river; thence between Cumberland and York, and Cum- berland and Adams, to the southern angle of Cumber- land county, where its course is changed from south- west to due south. It next forms the boundary between Adams and Cumberland, till it crosses the Maryland line. Through Maryland its southerly course is contin- ued between Frederick and Washington counties to the Potomac, which breaks abruptly through it, forming the celebrated pass of Harper's Ferry. In Virginia, this mountain resumes its general south-western course, which is continued through North Carolina and into Georgia; where it is finally lost near the head waters of the Chattahoochee. After leaving Pennsylvania on the north-east, it passes through Warren and Sussex coun- ties in New Jersey, into New York, and reaches the Hudson at West Point.

We have been thus particular in describing the course of the Blue Ridge, because it forms one of the most re- markable geographical features of the country, and is equally important in a geological point of view. As an evidence how distinct this range is, it may be observed, that from the Susquehanna to the north-west angle of South Carolina, a distance of more than 500 miles, its general south western course, it every where forms a line of demarkation between counties.

Under this mountain, and between it and the Mine Ridge, whose course we described in our last number, lies a range of fertile country which we call by the ge- neral name of the Pequea Valley. Its breadth is from 15 to 20 miles-and it includes the most valuable land in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Caroli- na. The Lancaster turnpike follows this valley from Slaymaker's westward to Lancaster. The turnpike between Lancaster and Harrisburg, crosses it nearly at right angles, and leaves it at Elizabethtown, 18 miles from Lancaster. The Conestoga, Pequea, and Chiques branches of the Susquehanna and the Monacasy,a branch of the Potomac, have a great part of their course in this valley. It includes a large portion of the counties of Lancaster, Berks, Lehigh, York, and Adams, in Penn- sylvania; of Frederick in Maryland; and of Loudon, Farquier, Culpepper, Madison, Orange, Albemarle, Nelson, Amhurst, Bedford, Franklin, and Patrick, in Virginia. It contains also the towns of Lancaster, Co- lumbia, Mountjoy, Marietta, York, Gettysburg, in Penn- sylvania; Fredericktown in Maryland; and Leesburg, Barboursville, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg, in Vir- ginia.

We have said that the range of country is a limestone formation. To the presence of that invaluable material, it owes its fertility and agricultural wealth. The lime- stone disappears as you ascend the boundary hills in all places where the ground rises considerably above the general level. That portion of the county of Lancas- ter which it embraces, may be regarded as the most valuable land for agricultural purposes in Pennsylvania. In absolute fertility it is equalled, perhaps surpassed, by the Kittatiny Valley and by the fine alluvial bottoms on the west branch of the Susquehanna. But its per- fect state of cultivation, and its proximity to a market, give it a decided advantage.

The term valley, as applied to the great range of country lying under the Blue Ridge, is not strictly cor- rect. A bird's eye examination from one of the boun-

LYKENS VALLEY AND THE COAL REGION.

1833.]

dary hills gives to it the appearance of a valley, and hence the title by which it is properly designated. A nearer inspection shows it to be an undulating country, intersected by water courses in every direction, each of which runs in its own valley or ravine. The term, how- ever, as applied to the whole range, is convenient, and by comparison with the lofty hills on either hand, it is reasonably correct, so that for fault of a better one, we will continue to usejit.

We have not room to indulge ourselves in an accurate account of the important county of Lancaster, to which our journey has now conducted us, nor have we the materials for such an undertaking without more labor than other occupations would permit.

To any citizen of that county, who would furnish us with such an account we should feel ourselves under lasting obligations; and we should hasten to present it to our readers. Suffice it for the present to say, that Lancaster is the 17th county of the state in point of ter- ritory, and the first in wealth and population (Philadel- phia of course excepted.) Its area is 928 square miles, and its population in 1830 was 76,600. Its wealth has sprung chiefly from agriculture. The Conestoga, Pe- quea, and Chiques, and their branches, afford a number of valuable mill seats, where flour is prepared for the Philadelphia and Baltimore markets. Distilleries are also numerous, to supply which, an immense quantity of rye is annually raised. The millers and distillers, of Lancaster, purchase also a large quantity of grain de- scending the Susquehanna. Iron is found and manufac. tured in the northern section towards the line of Leba- non county. After crossing the Mine Ridge, and pass- ing from Chester into Lancaster county, a remarkable change is visible in the character, habits, and language of the population. In Lancaster, the German prevails in about the same proportion as the Quakers do in Chester, retaining their language as a means of commu- nication with each other, though the greater part of them are able to converse in English.

There is something very harsh and unmusical in the dialect which this people speak, and which differs of course from the classical German, which Goethe and Schiller have immortalized. The German of Pennsyl- vania is, to all intents and purposes, an unwritten lan- guage, transmitted from mouth to mouth, and therefore constantly corrupted, and changed by the introduction of foreign and new fangled words. We have been at the pains to count the words in a legislative document, professing to be in the German language: and have dis- covered that about one-fourth of the whole number are English words a little disguised by the German mode of spelling. A German scholar set down among the farm- ers of Lancaster, would probably be as little able to comprehend what he heard, or to make himself under- stood, as if he had lighted upon a tribe of the Abori- gines.

Besides the peculiarity of language, two other cha- racteristics invariably mark a German settlement, namely, huge stone barns, and gigantie horses im- moderately fat. It seems as if these frugal and in- dustrious people, looked first to the preservation of their crops and the comfort of their cattle, and clevoted no more attention to their own accommo- dation, than could be spared after thesc primary objects had been accomplished. Not that dwellings arc bad, on the contrary, they arc substantial, durable, and of sufficient size. But they always look diminutive, in comparison with the barns, and the fact is always obvi- ous that attention has been given to the useful and the productive, far above the beautiful or the ornamental.

The Germans comprise the great mass of the popula- tion of all that portion of the Pequea Valley, which lies in Pennsylvania, and they are also numerous in Frede- rick county, in Maryland. They are of various religious denominations. A very considerable portion belong to the society of Mennonists, who resemble the Quakers in their tenets as to war, and follow the Jewish custom of VOL. XII. 8

leaving the chin unshaved. We never saw one of these personages driving his wagon along the turnpike, with a six inch beard, filled with limestone dust, without wondering that in a country where cleanliness was so essential as in Palestine, the barber's profession had not risen into higher repute. Nor did such a sight fail to dissipate all our notions of the picturesqe, as connected with flowing beards, in certain books of poetry.

But it is time we had ended for the day. The village of Paradise is close by the crossing of the Pequea, and in a certain tavern there, we remember once to have seen a comely Dutch damsel, that would make no bad representative of Eve-at Paradise, then, we pause for the present.

LYKENS VALLEY AND THE COAL REGION.

The senior editor of the Intelligencer, in company with other gentlemen of Harrisburg, visited, during the past week, the coal region in Lykens Valley. This delightful valley, situated in the northern part of this county, is bounded on the west by the Susquehanna river, on the north by the Mahantango mountain which separates it from Northumberland county, on the east by the mountains which separate it from Schuylkill county, and on the south by Berry's mountain which separates it from Armstrong's valley in this county. It is about 23 miles long, and from 8 to 10 in width. On the east, a branch of the Schuylkill mountains, called in the valley, the Short Mountain, runs over the Schuyl- kill line about 9 or 10 miles, and ends near the middle of the valley within about 12 miles of the Susquehanna. This mountain from appearances contains inexhaustible quantities of anthracite coal of the best quality. Be- tween two or three miles from the end of the coal moun- tain, is Bear Gap, a singular entrance into a narrow valley in the middle of the mountain, some miles in length. Out of this entrance issues a stream of water, called Bear creek, and large enough todrive a saw mill, and on which, one is now placed and in operation. The stream is formed of two branches, one running through the east and the other through the west part of Bear Valley, and uniting just before the stream breaks through the entrance. Bear creek runs about half a mile sonth after leaving the entrance, when it unites with the Wis- conisco which runs the whole length of Lykens valley from the cast to the west, and enters the Susquehanna at Millersburg. At this entrance into the mountain at the gap, on both sides of Bear creek, mines of coal have been opened, and about six THOUSAND TONS of the best coal we have ever seen has been mined, and is now waiting for the completion of the rail road to be taken to Millersburg on the Susquehanna. The strata of rock on the south side of Bear valley pitches to the north, and on the north side to the south, both having an incli- nation of about 45 or 46 degrees,and having the appear- ance of meeting under Bear valley. It is probable, that the part of the mountain which is not divided by this singular narrow valley, is also full of coal, it having been found in various places. The strata of rock hercinelinc to the centre of the mountain, and probably meet in the middle. At the entrance, where a company is now mining, we entered one of the mines running horizontal- ly into the mountain about 80 yards. The vein of coal was six feet thick, having no termination but the moun- tain itself. About 20 yards from this, was another vein 11 feet in thickness-cvery 20 yards there being a vein. Between these veins of coal are alternate layers of pud- ding stone, slate, and sometimes sand. The slate or shale generally lies next to the coal, but not always- sometimes the pudding stone lies next to the coal, and in one vein we saw a layer of sand lying next to the coal. From this gap a company is now constructing a rail road, about 17 miles long, to the Susquehanna at Millersburg. From the mines at the gap it runs south or south-west about a mile until it reaches the side of Berry's mountain which bouuds the valley on the south-

THE WYOMING MASSACRE MONUMENT.

[JULY

and then it takes nearly a direct west course to the Sus-| dianship of funeral ceremonies, and they are now every quehanna. This rail road is already graded, and the ; where regarded as religious rites. The most humble rails are laid on about one-half of the road. One of the | as well as the most exalted member of every communi- company told us that if no accident happened, all the ty, is entitled to these rights, unless forfeited by some flagrant violation of the laws of God and of nature. rails would be laid down in about 60 days, so that in about 90 days, coal would be carried to the river. When this is done, none can tell what a busy scene will be presented near these mines. The coal is one hun- dred miles nearer the market. than any on the Susque- hanna now worked. It is of the best quality, and although anthracite, it is light and burns with a blaze, and may be kindled without charcoal. It is inexhausti- ble, and must be a source of great wealth.

Messrs. Elder, and Haldeman have had the foresight to possess themselves of some of the most valuable pro- perty in this valley. Their coal land on the mountain extends from a few rods from the gap to the Schuylkill line. They own likewise a tract on the west side of the gap, and also a tract on the west side of Bear valley. The company of Gratz, Shaeffer, and others, own the land immediately at the gap and the coal that is now being mined; but Elder and Haldeman own the land immediately below for a considerable distance. Tho- mas P. Cope, of Philadelphia, owns the end of the mountain nearly to the gap, about three miles in length; but the lands of Elder and Haldeman inclose it on three sides. On the north side of the mountain next to Gratz- town, there are several tracts of coal land, one of which is owned by David Krause, Esq. of this place.

We are particularly pleased with the appearance of a great number of farms in Lykens valley. Near the end of the mountain is one of about 400 acres owned by Elder and Haldeman, which for location, the beauty of funeral honors, are now publicly exhibited. The rela-

its situation, its handsomely laid out and well fenced fields, the buildings and the excellence of the crops, is almost unrivalled. The estate of James Buchanan, a little south of Elder & Haldeman, through which flows the Wisconisco, is another delightful place. This farm, containing more than 400 acres, was the place where Lykens the first settler of the valley lived. From this place to the Susquehanna, on every little eminence the eye will be delighted by the sight, from mountain to mountain, of wheatfields and cornfields, of stone houses and barns, and orchards and groves.

Let those who wish to visit one of the most delightful spots in Pennsylvania, visit Lykens valley in Dauphin county. Excellent accommodations will be found at the coal mines, near the gap, at a public house kept by Mr. Michael Schaeffer,

THE WYOMING MASSACRE MONUMENT.

JUDGE SCOTT'S REMARKS.

In addition to a statement of the contents of this box, my venerable friends have also requested me to make some further remarks on this occasion. In complying with their wishes, I must necessarily be brief. It is un- necessary for me to notice the events, which the pro- ceedings of this day, and the monument to be erected, are intended to commemorate. They have just been detailed, by the gentlemen selected by the committee to address you on this occasion.

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.

The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII, Part 17

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870 Publication date: 1828 Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ; Number of Pages: 438

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 438