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 24
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From the United States Gazette.
TIOGA COAL MINES, AT BLOSSBURG, PA.
The abundance of stone coal and iron ore, which the discoveries of a few years have brought to light, as the product of the mountainous districts of Pennsylvania, have given an immense value to sections of the state which ten years since were considered as burdensome to their owners.
The promise of the future is as cheering as the pros- pect before us, for every year brings new discoveries of mineral wealth, and unseated lands are now becom- ing objects of deep interest and value to their owners, who have so long held them without remunerating for the expenses to which they have been subjected.
The great extent and central position which Penn- sylvania holds on the map of the Union, with abundance of coal in almost every direction, shows to what amount her sister states may be benefitted by her mineral re- sources; and that to New York and the eastern states, who are less fortunate in possessing the same natural advantages, those resources are becoming objects of deep interest, is no less evident than gratifying to her citizens.
The mines at Blossburg in Tioga county, which are the immediate subject of this notice, produce the finest quality of bituminous coal.
The same veins, extending south and south-west, have been opened in Lycoming county, and prove to be of similar quality.
A recent accurate, geological survey and exploration have been made of the Blossburg mines, by a scientific engineer and geologist from England, Richard C. Tay- lor, Esq. whose report in a pamphlet form, accompa- nied by a lithographic engraving of the coal sections, was published last spring.
Mr. Taylor's high reputation in England, and in this country, as a geologist, must entitle his report to the fullest confidence; and he proves incontestibly the inex- haustible quantity, and superior quality, of this coal. Although from his survey, there appears at this point to be 20,000 acres coming under the denomination of coal land, he estimates the supply only upon one fourth that amount; and from the thickness of the veins at their crop only, which have been explored, he shows that one hundred thousand tons may be annually sent to market for the space of 500 years, from 5000 acres of this body of mineral wealth. TIOGA.
VISIT TO THE RAIL ROAD.
Having one day last week taken a walk with a friend to visit the new Rail Road, and witness the operation of ascending and descending the Inclined Plane, discharg- ing the coal into the boats, &c. we finally extended our walk along the Rail Road up to the village of Nesque- honing, and for the first time visited the Room Run mines at that place. We were highly gratified with the appearance of this little village which is springing up as it were in the midst of the forest. We had before seen the neat cluster of white buildings from a distance, in ascending and descending the Broad Mountain on the Berwick turnpike, on the opposite side of the Nesque- honing valley, but were not till this time aware of the extent of the improvements here. Several new dwel- ling houses and shops have recently been commenced and are progressing briskly, and the place bids fair to become a pleasant as well as flourishing little town. The buildings are nearly all painted or white washed, which gives it a very neat appearance from a distance.
One of the Contractors at these mines very politely escorted us up into those parts of the mines which are now worked. A number of drifts or tunnels have been penetrated several hundred feet into the banks, on each side of Room Run, nearly horizontally, in veins of the most beautiful anthracite, from 20 to 40 feet in thick- ness, exhibiting as at the old mines, an inexhaustible supply of the first quality of coal.
The loaded cars are let down two short Inclined Planes-drawing up the empty ones as they descend. From the foot of the lower Plane at Nesquehoning, the Rail Road descends to the head of the Plane near the new landing, on a grade so inclined as to let the loaded cars descend by their gravity.
This Rail Road may challenge a comparison with al- most any other in the United States, both in its materi- als and manner of construction. Its bed is laid of earth and stone, and the rails are firmly set it cast iron knees, bolted to stone blocks which gives them a solid and per- manent situation.
It is now in successful operation, and capable of al- lowing a much greater amount of business than is yet done upon it for the want of a sufficient number of Cars. The Company are, however, increasing the number of new ones as fast as they can be made, and the quantity of coal brought from these mines, is con- sequently fast increasing.
Mauch Chunk Courier.
From the Easton Argus. REMARKABLE CIRCUMSTANCE.
The following may be relied on as a fact, and per- sons are now in this borough who were present wben the occurrence took place. There is no doubt but that during the prevalence of the cholera, numbers were interred prematurely.
Albert T. Whelden left Easton on the 27th of June, 1832, and arrived on the line of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, near Shepherdstown, Maryland, on the 3d of July. On the 15th of August, at 3 o'clock, P. M. he was attacked by the cholera, which was then raging in that neighborhood, and which in almost every case proved fatal. Whelden sent for a physician, who at- tended, and prescribed the usual remedies. At 6 o'clock he was pronounced in the collapsed stage of the dis- ease, and at 7 was to all appearance dead. At 8 o'clock he was placed by a few friends in a coffin, and taken in a light wagon to the place of interment, about half a mile distant. When arrived at the grave, a groaning was heard proceeding from the coffin, and on opening it, poor Whelden exhibited signs of life, and was liber- ated from his disagreeable confinement. He is now alive and well, and resides in our borough.
HAZARD'S
REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA.
DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE.
EDITED BY SAMUEL IIAZARD.
VOL. XII .- NO. 6.
PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST 10, 1833. NO. 293.
AURORA BOREALIS.
Note of the effect upon the Magnetic Needle, of the Aurora Borealis, visible at Philadelphia, on 17th of May, 1833. By A. D. BACHE, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Chemistry in the University of Pennsylvania.
To the Committee on Publications.
Gentlemen-Circumstances having prevented me from witnessing more than a very small part of the unu- sually brilliant aurora which was visible on the evening of the 17th of May last, I am indebted for the following description of it to my friend J. P. Espy, Esq., who has kindly furnished it to me from his journal.
" On the 17th May, 1833, the temperature of the air being 68°, and tlie dew point 66°, a brilliant aurora ap- peared in the north, about twenty or thirty degrees above the horizon, and extending about thirty or forty degrees on each side of the north point.
4· 1 first saw it a few minutes after nine o'clock, when it was brighter than it appeared afterwards. Stream- ers, not in motion, were distinctly visible, rising from a dense light below, which seemed to rest on dark clouds underneath, reaching the horizon. All the rest of the sky was clear, and had been so all the afternoon. In a few mi- nutes the streamers disappeared,clouds, which suddenly formed, seemed to take their places, the northern lights still appearing nearly the same, only interrupted in part by a greater number of clouds. I continued to observe the aurora with intervals of but few minutes, and at nearly ten o'clock, I discovered that a very bril- diant arch had been formed, passing through the zenith, and terminated by the horizon, about twenty degrees south of east, and the same number north of west.
" The arch was much denser, brighter, and narrow- er, near the horizon than in the zenith. It passed gra- dually towards the south, and disappeared, at twenty minutes past ten, about eleven degrees south of Lyra. The clouds, at the time of the disappearance, were ra- pidly forming north of the arch, all the south being yet clear: in fifteen minutes afterwards the whole heaven was overcast, and the light in the north was hardly vi- sible through the clouds. The air had been coming from the north in the morning, and had changed round by the west, and at the time of the occurrence of the arch it is believed was nearly south-west; below, the direction of the clouds was not observed.
" The dew point had risen, since the preceding day, twelve degrees Fah. It is highly probable that an up- per current (not the uppermost) of air, was moving in the direction in which the arch moved,as the air had been moving in that direction a few hours before, and I have frequently observed, when the wind changes, the lower strata next the earth, change first. From the 10th until the afternoon of the 15th of May, the wind had constantly been, by night and day, almost exactly south, with a high dew point, carrying an immense quantity of va- pour to the north; on the evening of the 15th, until the night of the 16th, the wind was N. E. with rain, and on the morning of the 17th the wind was north."
On returning home at eleven o'clock, on the evening just referred to, and observing the different magnetic needles which I have arranged for observations on the diurnal variation, a considerable disturbance was indi- cated. The journal of the hourly observations, kept during my absence in the evening, confirmed that what
VOL. XII, 11
I had witnessed was buta part of the disturbance which had actually taken place, and which seems to have af- fected the horizontal needle especially.
The needles to which I have referred are three in number, two long horizontal needles, of which one is within-doors, and the other* is under cover in the yard attached to my residence, and a long dipping needle with a knife edge suspension, contained in a small ob- servatory, constructed for the purpose, and also in the yard of my dwelling house. The observations of the horizontal needle, within doors, were made very regu- larly, and also of the dipping needle out of doors, but the observer not being aware of the appearance of the aurora, did not take the corresponding hourly observa- tion of the horizontal needle out of doors, throughout the whole of the evening.
In order to convey a better idea of the variation on the evening in question, I precede the observations by those made on the following day and night, on which the changes of variation and dip were nearly the regu- lar mean diurnal changes at this time of the year. The variation is referred to the mean variation for the day, or to a point nearly corresponding to this, the sign being prefixed to the positions west of this line of mean variation, and the sign - to those east of the same line. The height of the thermometers contained in the boxes with the needles is given.
Horizontal Needles.
Dip. Needle
Time of observation.
Diurnal changes of
variation. Needle
Attached Thermo-
Diurnal changes of
variation. Needle
Attached Thermo-
Dip of the needle.
Thermometer at-
Weather.
Minut. Fahº Minut. Fahº
o 1
Fa, º
A.M
O
8ł -
7.5
0.0
72
71 40 71.4
Cloudy.
9
-16.5
70
0.0
73
“ 36 72.5
Do.
104
. 7.5
72
-1.5
73
.4 36 72.5
Do.
11
- 4.5
74
-3.0
74
“ 36 74.2
Do.
12
_ 0.5
74
0.0
74
" 36;753
Do-
P.M
1
13.5
77
0.0
74
" 33 78.1
S sun out Z occ'ly.
2₺
L12,5
82 13.0
75
“ 30 82 1
3
15.0
83
3.0
75
82.6
S.out. C.
4-13,5
82,13.0
76
" 42|83.8 Clear.
54
_ 6.0
82
-1.5
76
" 42 82.6
Do.
6
1
.81
1-3.0
76
" 48 81.51
Do.
7
- 4.5
79
-3.0
75
" 51 79.3|
Do.
8
0,0
75
" 45.75.9.
S L.fle's
94
-10.5
76
0.0
74
“ 48 74.8
10%
-10.5
74
0.0
74
" 48,74 8
11
- 3.51
74
" 42 74.0! Clear.
tached.
out of doors.
meter.
meter.
in doors.
1.5
2 (Cirr. )
* A complete description of this needle is given in a paper read before the American Philosophical Society, 'in November last.
82
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE.
From the table just given, it appears that on the 18th of May, the westerly variation, as given by the horizon- tal needle out of doors, had two distinct points of mini- mum, the first at 9, A. M., and the latter between 9} and 10g, P. M., and two points of maximum, the first at 3, P. M., and the second at some period, not ascertain- ed, after 11, P. M. The same variation shown by the needle within doors, had its minima at 11, A. M., and from 6 to 7, P. M., its maxima between 23 and 43, P. M., and at some hour of the night which was not ascer- tained. The Temperatures of the two needles being very different, the effect of changes of temperature should be ascertained to render the results strictly com- parable; a remark which suggests the object, in part, of the observations upon those two needles, so differently situated.
In the dip we find a minimum at 23, P. M., as the only point very decidedly marked: there is an appa- rent maximum at 7,'which the subsequent observations seem to indicate to have been the result of causes fo- reign to those producing the regular diurnal changes of dip.
The observed changes for this day, just given, are not entirely regular, and should be considered, of course, in the light of particular results affording mere- ly a term of comparison, which is sufficiently accurate for the purpose in view.
· I now give a table of some of the observations for May 17th, with a column of remarks, the portion of which relating to the aurora, is drawn from the descrip- tion by Mr. Espy, already given.
Horizontal Needles.
\Dif. Needle.
Hour of observation.
Changes of varia-
tion. Needle out
Attached Thermo-
Changes of varia-
tion. Needle with-
Attached Thermo.
Changes of dip.
Attached Thermo-
Remarks.
Minut. [Fa.º
Minut. Fa. º
0 1
Fa.º
A. M
8+
5
60
-9.0
70
71 33|59.6
11
-1.0
703
cloudy. sun out.
P.M. 1
17.01
71
3
7.0
72
“ 12 74.8
4
>15.01 ~ 1.5
67 77
A5 5
72
" 18 75.9
clear.
73
" 36173.4
8+
-3.0
72
“ 30 71.9
9
-1.5|
72
" 34 71.4
103
-13 5
72
" 30|70.3) sky ov'ct.
11
1-13.5|
68
" 36,69.1|low strat.
* Aurora bright; streamers; arch forms about 10, P. M .; arch disappears 10h. 20m.
By comparing the third column of this table with the corresponding column of the first table, we find throughout the day, the general accordance in the re- lative positions of the needle of a minimum of westerly variation at about 8, A. M., a maximum between 1, P. M. and 4. P. M,, a second minimum about 8 P. M., a tendency towards a second maximum, which was inter- rupted by the aurora. There does not appear to have been any marked change from 83, P. M., to 9; so that the first part of the phenomenon does not seem to have affected the variation. Observations are wanting to show when the effect began to be felt, and when it was at the greatest, and the near coincidence of the observa- tion at half past ten with the time of the disappearance of the arch, must, of course, be regarded as accidental.
In the interval of an hour and a half, between 9 and 10}, P. M., the needle had moved to the eastward 12', or one-fifth of a degree; and the observations during the early part of the phenomena, tend to show, if they do not prove, that this motion took place in the latter part of the interval, the mean hourly rate of motion, as shown by the observations at 83 and 9, P. M., being only three minutes. I regret that the observations were not more regular; but as no particular interest at- tached to the evening, the observer, as I have already stated, not being aware of the presence of the aurora, I considered myself fortunate in the frequency of those observations which were made; this being a part of the evening in which, usually, there is nothing to require regular observations, being the interval between the evening minimum and the night maximum.
The observations on the horizontal needle out of doors, do not contradict any of the remarks just made, and they show further, that at 11, P. M., forty minutes after the disappearance of the arch, the effect on the needle was still strongly marked; the westerly variation at 11, P. M., having been 10 minutes less than on the same hour of the next succeeding evening. The very rapid formation and disappearance of clouds during the evening, and the low stratus which formed about eleven o'clock, would all, in ordinary cases, have pro- duced slightly marked changes in the variation, but nothing of the character of those noted in the table. The temperature having remained stationary, within doors, during the evening, no part of the changes in the position of the horizontal needle noted in the third column, were due to variations of temperature. The results, in the absence of correction for these changes, are therefore the more valuable.
The dip, recorded in the fifth column of the table last given, has its minimum at 4, P. M., a rise then be- gins, which is so very irregular as not to permit any in- ference from it; diminishing between 7g and 83, P. M., it increases between 8₺ and 9, decreases between 9 and 103, and subsequently increases to 11 o'clock. These changes do not seem to attach to the different phases of the aurora, and are not more considerable than ordi- nary meteorological phenomena would produce, such, for example. as are recorded in the first table.
My aim having been merely to establish that a decid- ed disturbance of the horizontal needle was produced by the aurora of the 17th, I have not thought it neces- sary to supply the corrections for the temperature of the needles which the successful establishment of the changes in diurnal variation will require.
Journal of the Franklin Institute.
ALLEGHENY COLLEGE.
It affords us much pleasure to congratulate our fel- low citizens of this region of country, and society at large, with the brightening prospects of this Institution. It was incorporated by an act of our Legislature about fifteen years since, and was commenced, carried on, and raised up, by the enterprise and activity of a band of zealous friends, aided by the unexampled liberality of a few; and kindly patronized by the commonwealth. A few years since it arrived at a state of completion for the reception of students, so far as relates to a noble col- lege edifice, an extensive and highly valuable Library, and a respectable Philosophical and Chemical appara- tus, but having reached this important point, and as we fondly hoped, about to dispense its blessings through- out our land, to our great mortification, we learned through the many ineffectual attempts of its warm friends to put it into active operation, that the prospect of doing this without the further generous aid of the Legislature, was entirely hopeless for years to come- that the funds necessary to procure and support a suita- ble faculty of the college, could not under its existing circumstances be raised, in the ordinary mode of indi- vidual donations, Thus situated, it has for the last few
cloudy. sun out.
17.0
72
" 09 75.9
5
of doors.
meter.
in doors.
meter.
meter.
83
SKETCHES OF PENNSYLVANIA:
1833.]
years been standing the silent but imposing monument of noble, but unsuccessful efforts in the cause of Liter- ature and Science. In this embarrassing state of things, and when the extensive internal improvement system now in progress in the state, precludes the expectation of receiving much at this moment from that source, a kind Providence, as we sincerely trust, is opening its way to usefulness and fame, and, that at no distant day Allegheny College, surrounded as it is by a widely ex- tended country, healthy and fertile, and rapidly in- creasing in population and wealth: and where no insti- tution of the kind, has yet been commenced, will justly rank among the most useful of our nation. With these introductory observations relative to this College, the brightening prospects alluded to, we will now explain. Some few years since an interchange of sentiment took place between some of the Trustees of said College, and clergymen of the Methodist denomination of Chris- tians, having for its object an arrangement for securing to the College, the patronage of the Pittsburg Confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church. With a view to effect this desirable object, an agent from the board of trustees of the College attended the meeting of said Conference at Wellsburg, Va, in August last, and made known to them the wishes of the College. With a desire, therefore, to be prepared to act with the best information on the subject, the Conference kindly re- solved to hold their next session at this place. The Con- ference met here on the 16th instant, consisting of the Rev. Bishop Roberts, presiding, and upwards of one one hundred clergymen. Those of us who have view- ed them in the transaction of business sitting in Confer- ence, or have listened to them from the pulpit, or have had intercourse with them in private life, must fcel a pleasure in attesting to their virtues-their talents, and their amiable deportment. A more pleasing state of society has never blessed our village, and with such an interest and influence united with the College, it cannot, under the smiles of Heaven, do otherwise than prosper. We believe the bounds of the Conference extend to more than equal the size of Pennsylvania. On the first day of their meeting they visited the College Edifice, and viewed the Library, &c, and after a few days, resolved unanimously to accept the proposition of the Board of Trustees, by taking the College under their patronage, and appointed a committee to unite with the College in carrying the same into complete ef. fect, and which has since been accomplished so far, as relates to organizing a Board of Trustees, and appoint- ment of faculty, &c. A Roberts' professorship, in ho- nor of the venerable Bishop of that name, has been endowed, and the college will be opened for the recep- tion of students, the first Monday in November next- The following gentlemen have been selected Profes- sors, viz. Rev. Martin Ruter, D. D., President of the Faculty and Professor of Moral Science; Rev. Homer J. Clark, A. M., Vice President and Professor of Mathe- matics; and Augustus W. Ruter, A. B., Professor of Languages .- Crawford Messenger.
From the Commercial Herald. SKETCHES OF PENNSYLVANIA.
No. 7.
therefore, sell for any price, or lose all. We hold it to be a sheer fabrication, got up in malice, or in envy, at the prosperity which Columbia enjoys above most of the towns of the river. Still, it must be admitted, they arc a shrewd and long-headed people-tight hands at a bargain-who do all they can to make hay while the sun shines, or rather to make money while the river is high.
We have another reason for selecting Columbia as a place of temporary sojourn. It contains one of the pleasantest and best conducted taverns in the state, making no great pretensions to style, but embracing every thing essential to comfort. The landlord, Joe Jeffers, is a wag moreover, of the first order, brim-full of droll stories about the men and things of Lancaster county, and ringleader of all the fun and frolic of Co- lumbia, for the last twenty years. ITis humour and his gossip have more than once refreshed us after a long ride, quite as much as his glass of good wine, or bowl of iced punch.
As a preliminary to an attempt at describing the Susquehanna, it is necessary that we complete our view of the great mountain ranges of Pennsylvania, two of which (the Mine Ridge, and the Blue Ridge, ) we have already described, as also of some other leading geo- graphical features of the state. Without a previous knowledge of these, no one could fully comprehend what we propose to say in regard to the river, since the relative position of certain great features affects, mate- rially, the character of all.
The third important mountain range of Pennsylvania is the Kittatiny, or Blue Mountain, (we shall use the former title, ) which crosses the Delaware at the cele- brated Water Gap, 20 miles above Easton, and then tra- verses the state in a general direction from north east to south west. It crosscs the Lehigh at the Water Gap of that name, the Schuylkill just above Hamburg, the Swatara half way between Jones' 'l'own, and Pine Grove, and the Susquehanna about six miles above Harrisburg. West of the Susquehanna, it forms the northern boundary of Cumberland county, separating it from Perry, and then entering Franklin, is inflected, like the Blue Ridge, to the South, which course it con- tinues till it enters Maryland, and crosses the Potomac at the village of Hancock. In Franklin county, where it is crossed by the Turnpike to Pittsburg, it is called the Cove Mountain. East of the Delaware, this great Range traverses the Northern part of New Jersey and a portion of New York, till it reaches the Hudson, where it is known as the Catskill Mountain. South of the Potomac, it pursues a south western course, under the name of the North Mountain, through Virginia and into North Carolina. By this time it has approached so near the great Allegheny range, as that it can hardly be dis- tinguished from it, and indeed the two are frequently confounded, on the map. In its course through Penn- sylvania it is far more distinctly marked, and exhibits a more uniform appearance than any other. Hence it often proves a boundary between counties, dividing Lehigh from Northampton, Berks from Schuylkill, Cumberland from Perry, and Franklin from Bedford. Viewed from some elevated and distant point, and par- ticularly from the Blue Ridge, it has the appearance of a vast wall built across the state, of nearly uniform height, except where a deep notch indicates that it is broken by the course of a river. There is a hill not far from Easton, from which may be seen the whole line of the Kittatiny Mountain, from the Delaware to the Sus- quehanna, with the passes of those streams, and of the Lehigh, and Schuylkill, and Swatara, plainly marked. Half way between the Lehigh and Delaware is a re- markable depression called the Wind Gap, not because it abounds in wind, but because it appears to have been made without the agency of water. It is a deep notch in the Mountain, suddenly reducing its height by about two-thirds, and which seems to have been produced by
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