- 6111 1 :11 =0
TOIVANDA:
iticbncsbaß Morning, .Scbruarp -7, 1849.
NORTH BRANCH CANAL.
LETTER 1.
Its early proicrthm—immense chain of Inland Navi
gation united and extruded by it.
I make no apology for presenting to the public
ta this:time, a series of facts and reasonings in re
lation loathe North Branch Canal. Governor Johns
ton, with a characteristic frankness and statesman
like precision, has called the attention of the Legi.s
}attire to the subject; and a bill, providing for the
oompletiwn of the work, is now under discussion.
At the same time, the citizens of Northern Penn
sylvania, with great unanimity, are urging the mea
sure by petitions.
In what I now undertake ; I . do -riot propose to
offer much that is new, either in fact or argument.
All that I expect to accomplish in -these letters, is
to collate, revise and combine in a convenient form,
such data as I deem best calculated to aid and in
form those who may be desirous of examining the
subject at the present moment.
If antiquity may be allowed weight, in consider...
ing Projected public improvement, the friends of
he North Branch Canal might urge, that the work
was One 'of the earliest to which the attention of the
people of s Pennsylvania and New-York was 'diree
ted., The union of the valley of the Susquehanna
iiiihtheiVreat IVestern Lakes—the opening acon
venient' avenue for exchanging the rich mineral
produdtions of the two States—entered into the ear
liest plans of internal improvement ; which enlight
ened enterprize conceived in this country. It was
shadowed forth in the project of Dr. , Smith the
scientific Rittenhouse, as early as 1762. The pub
lic spirited' Duane, .gives it a prominent place in
his pamphlet on "Roads and water Transportation,"
published in 1810; and points out the " practica
bility of a canal between the head of Seneca Lake
and the Tioga river." In 1811 and 'l2 ; the meas
ure was discussed before the Legislature of Penn
sylvania : and cont:nued to gain public favor, until
1817—when Messrs. Brooke and Treznyliny were
sent by the authorities of the State to explore the
mute. These gent!emen, at that time. adtually
surveyed and
. defined at the expense of Pennsyl
vania, the very line upon which the State of New
York subsequently constructed theChemung canal !
All this, was before the discovery that Anthracite
coal was the cheapest and best fuel in the world;
and when the trade in New York gypsum and sa't
was comparatively, in its infancy. In 1828Ahat
far-sighted Statesman, DeWitt Clinton, in his an
nual message to the New York Legislature, la
ments the failing forests of the fertile country bor
dering on the Lakes; and urges in emphatic terms,
the necessity of - securing some avenue throngh the
v.illey of the Susquehanna, to the coal fields of
Peniisylvania.•
This project continued to grow in public esti•
melon, until at length the State of New Yak
commenced and completed the Chemung and Che
n:lngo canals. avowedly for the purpose indicated
I , y Gov.Clintoii ; at the outset. Our own Fate corn
pleteil the North Branch canal as far as the mouth of
the I.,askaranna. From this point to the Northern
I oundary of Pennsylvania, a distance of ninety
four miles. (known in our 'Cabal Reports as the
" North:Branch Extension - )—the work progressed.
tritd May. 1 8 11. when all the unfinished improve.
TrlC[ll.l of the State. were abandoned by the Legisla
ture. At this time there halt been expended oil
the ‘• North Branch F,yterUott.•' the sum of tth
en/honv par hatred and rizhly pie titans out nine
kindred and thirty-nine (1011 , 11 . S II MI silty cents : De
tacked sections of the work had teen completed.
amounting to thirty tarn and a hilf miles : and noon
the remaining portion of sixty-one and a half miles,
more or less work had been done on every see,
Lon ! Locks and. Lock-houses Were' erected : and
a beautiful and exper.sive tow ing path Lodge across'
tiro Susquehanna at Towanda. awaited the use of
tae State. That such a work. requiring-a little more
than a million of dolling to c o m pl ete
have been abandoned by a wealthy and powerful
Com Mon wealth, is a case s holly unparalleled in
the history of public
proceed now to consider the extended and un•
broken chain of canal navigation, of which the
North Branch will form a irntral and unitcng link ;
and the immense extent of public improvements
with which it will be connected. In doing this, 1
shall/avail myself of a sketch which 1 have before
given to the public ; in another form and upon a
different occasion.
An-inspection of the Map of the United states.
will aid in the illustrations w:dch lam about to pre
sent. The Erie Canal or Nevv York lies itt the
locg talky which extends from the Cubes Falls
on the east, to the Irondequoit valley on the west.
It Is bounded by the highlatgls that separate it from
the Ontario valley on the north, and from the Sus
goeliannk on the south.
• Oswego river, the outlet of fifteen lakes. is the on
ly stream which pene.rates the norhern mountain
barrier; it breaks over this at an elevation of one
hundred feet above Lake Ontario. The southerh
i tan:ze is not intersected by a singlei I imponatit
stream. These highlands are nearly allot' the same
alulude y and have numerous depressions. The low
e‘t and most remarkable one in the southern
rage, is that in which Chemung, Canal is located,
between Seneca lake and Chernung river. The
summit here is 465 feet.above the lake.
From the Cayuga Lake to Hudson river, the low
e!t derression is the Oriskany valley -now occupi
ed by the C`tenango Canal. This ridge, bounding,
a 5 we have said, the long valley on the math, tro
ve ses the country in an undulating line. Its sum
mit is generally from twelve to fourteen miles (Ha
unt from the Erie Canal : us tar west as Onandaga.
At the Port Watson summit, the rise is almost en
tirely within the (list wee of five miles. From this
;P-no, the range W 3 are rurality, sw.:e.s t ,s
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southwesterly direction, and becomes the southern
boundary of the Skeneatales, the Seneca, the Cay
uga, and the Crooked lakes.
The Susquehanna river, and nearly all the streams
flowing into it, rise near the summit of the ridge
we have traced. Geologists would term the whole
country between This summit and the Susquehanna
valley, table land—worn by the .action of water,
through successive ages, into numerous large, and
nearly parallel melties--having, generally, a course
north east arid south-west. Through these ravines,
or reifies, flow the rivers of thecountry with a gen•
tie current on their way to the Atlantic, through the
valley of the Susquehanna. No one viewing this
part of the State of, New York, and tracing the nu•
memos fertile rallies which branch northwardly
from that of the Susquehanna. and terminate near
long navigable rivers, or within a few miles of the
i✓rie Canal—can avoid being strongly impressed
with the simplicity and beauty of the geological
structure of the country, and the name:oils filed
ties for internal trade
I waive, for the present, a particular considera
tion of the character and extent of this trade—in
order to follow out the view 1 have commenced.—
Let the reader again -recur to the Map: Havre de
,Grace, on Chesapeake Bay. At this-point commen
ces die' Susquehanna, or Tidewater- Canal, which
extends to Columbia on the Susquehanna river—a
distance of forty-five miles. Here it unites with
the Central division of the Pennsylvania Canal,
which continues up the river to Duncan's -Island.—
At this place, it bri.nehes off; up the Juniata to the
Ohio river, at Pittsburg in one direction, and as-
cends the valley of the Susquehanna, in another.—
The latter. is the route we are considering. A wide,
well constructed Canal is compleied and in opera
tion along the Susquehanna to Pittston, at the month
of the Lackawanna. From Pittston to the North
ern boundary line of Pennsylvania, as j have be
fore stated, the canal is more than two-thirds fin
ished. Thence to Elmira, seventeen miles--also un
finished, which will unquestionably be provided
for, either by the State of New York, or by indivi
dual euterprize. as soon as the work on the North
. Branch of the Susquehanna shail.be resumed. At
Elmira we reach the Chemung Canal, constructed
by the State of New York, to the head of SeneC'a
Lake. Here this beautiful Lake, narrovc, deep and
never frozen, is navigated by steamboat t s at all sea
sons, d'own to the outlet at Geneva. Thence partly
through the outlet of the Lake, and partly by a State
'improvement; we reach Montezuma, on the Erie
Canal. Thus, it will be perceived—when the sec
tion between Pittston and Elmira is completed
(and the work is already more that half done)—
there will be, through the heart of the two great State,
of Pennsylvania and New York, an unbroken line of
internal no-rico/um—uniting Chesapeake Boy, Lake
Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain and (he Hudernt
ricer !
Now, bef we t proceed to remark upon the
cost of completing this work, let us trace again
the line I have pointed out, and mark in detail its
numerous connections and inlets, and the immense
space over which they spread, like arteries in the
human frame, itiffnsing life and energy thmughout
a great and' prosperous country. From Ha , re de
Grate up the valley of the Sitsipie‘ianna, 'to the
Northern boundary line of Pennsylvania. is about
three hundred- miles. From tai through the Sen
ora lake dud by the Eri-t canal to Biiflaln. two hun
(Led ati,d -ixty more—making, in round numbers,
hue or rommuttietition between Chesapeake
Bay .tiel Lake Erie. five hundred anti sixty miles.
liiiersecing and lateral to this line, on our way
Northward from the hay, we have, first, at rolum
bia. the railway to Philadelphia. eighty min miles
in length. Then, at Middlenic r. we find the l'n
ion canal rotro.eted to ith he Stitto a,ifl ri‘Or at
Reading. eighty two n ale-.. F win Readin 7, the
Sthu)I1,11: I:art.:3llon. ex titilii.g some sixty miles
further, males the luny complete from the Suitque
liattna river to Philadelphia. To resume our mute:
from Midillenown. up the valley of the Susquehan
na. we next have, at Ilariisburg. the railway thro'
a part of the fine old 'county of Lama, er, to the
coy of Lancaster, thirty-five miles.
CrosQing to the other side of the Sus ehanna
from Harrisburg, is the Cumberland Valley rithsray
(partly finished) to Chambersburg, fifty miles—
:Still upward. at Duncan's Island, is the line extend
ing op the Juniata. and across the Alleghany to
Pittsburg, two hundred and fifty-eight. Here,
the Pennsylvania rail road also takes the same
direction. At Northumberland diverges the West
Branch canal, running almost to the geographi
cal centre of the State, seventy-three miles. At
IVilkes-Barre, we meet with the works of the Le
high Navigation Company, which, crossing the
Delaware river at Easton, unite with the newly im
proved Morris canal, and make the chain perfect
from Wilkes-Barre, on the North Branch of the
Susquehanna, to the city of New York, one hun
dred and ninety four miles. At Towanda, Brad
ford county, a railroad near twenty miles in length,
penetrates a rich bituminous coal field, with exten
sive beds of iron ore intermingled, like those at
Pittsburg. At the State line, above Athens, MOW
ing the line of navigation, we have been pursuing,
is the New York and Erie railway, four hundred
and forty-six Miles. This point is about eqei-dis
tatt between the two extremities of that great work
—Dunkirk, on Lake • Erie,' and Tappan bay, on
Hudson river..' •
At Elmira there is a connection by canal and
railway, with the bitmninous coal fields of Tioga
county, Pennsylvania, fifty miles. From Elmira,
our route proceeds by the Chemin canal (which
should be enlarged to accommodate the immense
trade that will crowd through it wheu the remain
der of the line is completed) to the Seneca Lake,
twenty-three mile*. deep, narrow - lake
stretcher some forty miles through a beautiful coun
try, precisely in the requisite direction and boats
are easily transported upon, it to its outlet at Gene
va ; thence partly through this outlet, and partly
through an artificial route, (which is also connect
ed with Cayuga lake) to Montezuma, on the Erie
canal. From Mont izuma to AlLany is two • him.
PUBLIMED EVERY WEDNESDAY, AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA 'GOODRICH,
U REGARDLESS OP DiINVINCIATION FRO.II ANT QS:ANSEL."
dred and five miles—to Buffalo; one hundred , and
fifty-nine miles. Those two distances make up
the entire line of the Erie canal s conneeting Lake
Erie and the Hudson I and may also be embraced
in the lateral and minute survey we are taking.
Between Albany and Buffalo (not overlooking .the
fact that Albany is united to Beaton by an excellent
line of railways)we find meet, nine aides from Al
bany, on our. way northward, the Champlain canal,
extending to White ball, on Luke Champlain, sec
etity-six miles- Then at Rome : the Black Ricerca
nal unites with the Erie—running eighty-six miles
Into the northern interior of New York. At Syra
cuse, the Oswego canal diverges to Lake Ontario,
thirty-six miles. Passing Montezuma, the point
where the route to Chesapeake hay unit a with the
Erie canal—we next, at Rochester, find the Gen
esee valley canal, extending to Olean Point, on the
Allegheny river, one hundred and twenty-two miles.
When we arrive at Lake Erie, • the almost endless
naviguion of the great northern lakes is before us.
We can reach the ocean through the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, or proceed inland to the Gulf ol Mexico!
Where, in all the wide world beside, can such
an exhibition be form(' •Nhere, a country so In
terlaced with such an extent of artillcial internal
navigation.
The North Brandt canal is the only unfinished
link, that too, near the centre of this great chain of
improvement; which passes two of the finest an
thracite and bituminous coal regions in the Union,
and through, also, large deposites of gypsum and
lime. The rich salt springs of New York are by
its side, and its whole distance is through a thickly
populated and fertile country.
LETTER 11. . •
Present condition, and probable cost of completion—.
Connedion rrilh the New York Improoesnenis.
Before entering upon any consideration of the
revenue which the State would derive from the
completion of this work, it is proper I should look
at its present condition, and the probable Cost of
such completion.
The dimensions of the work, as far as construct
ed above the mouth of the Lackawanna, correspond
with those on the line extending down the river to
Columbia. The width is twenty-eight feet on the
bottom; forty feet at the surface,—providing for
four feet depth of water. The locks are ninety feet
long by seventeen feet wide in the chamber ; and
the lockage, from the mouth of Lackawanna to the
State line, averages but little overtire feet per mile !
Its capacity, when completed, would ,therefore, tk
ample to pass a million of tons each way, every
year.
I have NUJ, that part of the North Branch line
above the Lackawanna, is designated in our Canal
Reports as the " North Branch Extension ;" in or
der, probably, to distinguish the expenditures upon
it, born those on the line below, which, down as
far as Northumberland, was called originally, the
" North Branch Division of the Pennsylvania Ca
nal." This "North Branch Extension," is again
divided into the u Tunkliannock - Line"—from Pitts
ton to the mouth of Wyalusing Creek, fifty-four
miles and nineteen chains: and the "Tioga Line'
—extending from the Wyalusing Creek to the State
bite, tinny-nine miles. The amount already ex
pended on each of these divisions, is about the
same ;—the gross sum on both, is :2,484,939 On.
The amount necessary to complete the upper sec
tion. or " Tioga Line," is estimated by the State
engineer. at *215,656 08 ;—the lower, or "Tunk
liantiock division," would te.quire upwards of a,
million of dollars. To be precise: the amount te
quire I, according to his estimate, to complete
both hues, is *1,277,452 81. II is proper to sia . e,
boa ever. in this place, that the experienced En
gineer. (W. R. Foster,) who made this estimate,
on the . f t.te State, made it in accordance with
the on4itial. plaits of 'he work, which. were of the
most beautilul and durable description. If comple
tell under the specifications and contracts existing
at the time of the suspension—(and more than two
thirds of it has been already so completed)—it
would be one of the best canals, in regard to the
manner of construction, in the Cnion : and I may
add in the same connection, one of the cheapest.
The same able Engineer, at the instance of
some public spinted individuals of Philadelphia
and the Northern counties, made a resurvey of the
work in 1847, with a view to report upon its pre.
sent condition, and to ascertain the probable cost of
a substantial, but economical completion; such as
consisted with the more limited means of private
enterprize. His gives the following as the resultof
a careful examination:—
1 Dam across the Obemang, at Athena, $14.767'110
2 Dam across the Bnsquehann, 107,222 00
Total estimated cost of Dams, $122,019 00
9 Aqueducts, three of which are part
)3+ built, 6109,710 00
27 Locks and 2 Guard-gates, three of
the former being completed, Dottie '
work done at six others, 148,825 00
31 Culverts, tangang from 2 4o 24
feet span, 33,220 00
2 Towing-path bridge over
the Chemoug, $11,028 08
I do do over small
run at Towanda, " 500 00
84 Road and farm bridges
over the canal, of which •
21 are either linishedor
partly so, 27,500'00
Total estimated cost of bridges, 8,191211 00
27 Lock-houses. 0,500 00
19 Waste-weirs, five of which are
partly finished, 10.000 00
18 water-ways around Locks, 5,400 00
Making roads where destroyed by canal, 11.600 00
Making fence, 15,000 rods, 11.700 00
Removing buildings from the' Ihte of canes, 2,400 00
sections, comprising Excavations of
Ea nh . and rock, embankments, Ver
tical and Slope Walls, Lining, Pad
dling, &e.„ 599,727 .00
Total mid cost of completing line, .1,106,037 00
The foregoing estimate contemplates , a perms.
neat and useful work, dispensing with all orna.
meat, and only providing for what is necessary to
wake it substantial..
The Darns are designed fe be made of round
and square timbers, well framed and planed toeth
er, and compactly filled with stone; the slopes to
be covered with oak timber, not less than eight
inches thick, and well secured to the Dams With
iron bolts. The abutments are to be Piunded at
such depths as to render them secure, and to be
built of heavy durable stone. At each dam, pro
vision has been made in the est:mate, fur the con.
struction of a schute, suitable for the sate descent el
arks and other river craft.
The Aqueducts will all be upon gravel founda
tions, and ate designed to have heavy stoue abut
ments and piers, resting upon a platform of timber
and plank, stink to such depths as to render them
secure from the action of the floods in the several
streams, and prevent their undermining. The ma
wary to be rublie-work, of large durable stone,
well bedded and jointed and laid dry. The MTN.-
structures to be of wood. In cases where the spans
do not exceed thirty-five feet, the trunk will be sup
ported by string pieces lair! longitudinally Mule:. it
and where the spans are to exceed thirty-five feet,
the trunk will ce supported by arch and truss work
of sufficient strength to bear any weight that may
be re,quired.
Th• Locks are designed to be built tfith good,
heavy, durable stone, laid dry and faced with
planks. The composite Lock is best adapted to
the circumstances of this canal, as no stone suitable
for cut stone locks are to be had, at reasonable
cost; while those of a good quality for a composite
lock, are easily obtained..
In regard to the present condition of the work,
he states that he finds it in a remarkable state of
preservation." The walls and embankments stand
firmly, and the only injury t. e work has sustained
by its sitspension,consists in the natural decay of those
wooden portions of the locks,waste wiers and bridges
which were whol,ly,or in part complete.l ; and at three
points on the line, where land slides have broken
from the mountain sides and partially filled the ca.
nal. This latter source of difficulty, does not exist
to near as great an extent, as he had amsrehentled;
and makes but a small item in the estimateal amount
of work required to complete the line. The points
at which these slides are likely to occur, are all
I now well developed, and by proper care in con
struction, the line may be so . arranged as to avoid
for the future, all interruption or difficulty from this
cause The location of this canal is upon a high
level ; and unlike moat other canals in Pennsylva
nia, will not be liable to injury from the periodical
floods in the river. On this point he examined par
ticularly with reference to the flood of March last,
which had proved so destructive upon the Dele
ware, Susquehanna and North and West Branch
Divisions of the State canals; and firma, with the
• exception of the leeder levels, that this, the great
est flood which has occurred for more than half a
century, had not reached in general, abcrvethe plane
of canal bottom ; and in no single instance had the
water passed over the banks of the canal where
they were raised to their full height. 1 feel entire
confidence in the opinion, that if this canal had been
finished and in use, it would not have sustained
damage, by this extraordinary flood in the fiver. to
the amount of e5OO, throughout its entire length.,
This is an important fact in reference . to the- value
of this improvement. IVbile the Deleware Divis
ion sixty miles long, was damaged to the amount
of twenty-eight thousand dollars, the Susquehanna
and Branches oue handfed and eighty-six miles, to
near sixty thousand, and one hundred miles of the
eastern portion of the Main line, to the amount of
thirty thousand dollars, here we have a line of
ninety-four miles, so located and t r . farconstruct z
ed. as to be secure from the highek flood that has
occurred within the past sixty years.
Another important fact in reference to theiost of
completing the North Branch Canal should not be
omitted in the present view. The latirfs to Le oc
cupied, have nearly all been released to the Com
monwealth, for the use and occupncy of a canal,
to be constructed by, or v ndix the aughorif yof the
State of Pennsylvania." Th / iii item,, often a vexa
tious and costly one in thst construction of public
works, is nearly out of thi question so far as con
cerns this work. Th,e few remaining cases, where
releases were not obtained, present no serious ob
stacle in the way of its progress; as the desire of
the citizens and owners of lands along the line o 1
this improvement is so strong fur its completion,
that I do z not apprehend the least embarrasmeut or
difficulty from this source.
A. connection of the North Branch line with the
Chemung Canal at Elmira, is essential to make up
the whole chain of inland navigation from Tide
Water to the great Lakes; and without this, some
of the advantages which would otherwise be de
rived, might fail to be realized. There need be no
hesitation, on this account, in urging forward the
wotk on the North Branch. The distance of the
connection is only seventeen miles along the val.
ley of the Chemung ; and wilt be easily and expe
ditiously made. Prom information recently de
rived through a member of the Canal Board of New
York, I have no doubt that State will carry oat its
original plan of uniting the Chemung line with the
Pennsylvania improvements.. Be this as it may—a
law containing very liberal provisions, was obtain
ed from the New York Legislature, in the winter ,
of 1846, incorporating the " Junction Canal Compa
ny" for this route. I speak advisedly, when I say,
within one month from the time Pennsylvania re
sumes her work on the North Branch, a company
will be organized and measures taken to complete
this seventeen Mike, from the State line to Elmira.
Besides, the New York and Erie rail road will be
finished to Elmira next summer. At the State line,
this road is located within a few rods of the termi
nus of the Canal; and provision has been made by
law, for connecting with it, if necessary.
True policy would dictate the commencement of
the work On the North Branch at both ends of the
unfinished line, Less than 6100,000 would com
plete and open it for navigation, above Towanda—
a distaneeof seventeen miles. The whole " Tioga
line" from the mouth of Wyalusing creek erterd;
thirty-nine miles, could be opened foss Me mote
'than :200,000, octording to Nti. Fester's estimate.
I A company is now oiganized, and only wait the
commencement of the work on this upper piutton
1. of the Canal, to construct a rail Way or a plank road,
to the Towanda Coal mines. So that this uppe r
division would !ilea be in profitable operation. It
wou'd be an illiberal and unwise policy to retard
all enterprize on this divi,ion, unul all eltz.ttid be
complete below ; and nothing would be gained by
Puck a manse, to the people of the Wyoming coal
*region.
Hrving, thus adverted to ei.ltters naturally pre
liminary to a discussion of the probable trade :Ind
revenue of the North Branch Canal—l shall•proceed
in any nest to consider those E. übjects.
jFrum the Model American Coat erj
PENNSYLVANIA.
A song of home, a song of modern days,
A tribute to my glorious native land!
0 would the muse but aid my feeble - praise,
And nerve with honest pride my faltering hand!
The KeystoLe of this mighty arch. Which holds
A continent within its vast embrace;
Which to the waiting eye of hope unfolds
Of Freedom and of reties the resting place. -
Far in her quiet valleys many a gem
Of rarest beauty greets the asking eye,
As emerald. on Nature's diadem,
Lie shining green beneath the bending sly
Fairest of these, and fairer far than ill, .
Brightest of scenes, whose beauties never pall ;
The western Tempe," where the muse might dwell,
With transatlantic song to 1111
ber shell
Queen of the Keystone, on thy mountain throne
1 bon reign'.t, Wroitisc, by thy grace alone'! '
The stranger, pausing or the roeky brow,
That far above absorbs the ling ering glow
Of the fast setting sun, wid Get the power
That oft in such a scene, and such an hour;
Can lend imagination all it needs,
Filling the heart with Poesy's brialt seeds,
And but for Holy Writ might locate there
The garden of the lost, primeval pair)
As if creating nature sank to rest,
Had laid her fairest ottspring on her breast.
Touched with each pace, her power could du no more
The first born beauty of her lavish store.
Well might his truthful pencil touch the scene;
Whbse strong desire to breathe his tale aright,
Led him where poet's eye bath se'dom been,
A calm spectator of the deadly fight,
When rang the shout on Hoenli oden's field,
And thousands to the sword and tempest yield.
Well might the bard's poetic fancy soar.
And give to Gertrude time-enduring fame.
Her forest Eden by the winding shore,
" A local habitation and a name."
Thus, when he formed her for all hearts to lover
And gave her beauty a poetic.l.fe
The eagle's courage blendett with the dove,
And cast her lot amid the savage strife—
Too strong of heart for all but hive's sad pain,
The sweetest image of the poet's brain.
Full well he laid the scene, where after years
The fairest of their sex in pease should dwell,
And give to her the tribune of their tears,
Who lov'd, alas! too fondly and too well.
Oh ! Susquehanna! on the earth's green breaSt,
No br:ghter river greets the morning ray"—
No sweeter water, flowing to its rest. /
Add. its fiesh'inbute to the Oceari f s / iprayi
I see in many a sorrow-fostered dreant, -
The mountain-guarded home of her years;
Thy shelving beach, and rock-reftecting stream,
They stir once more the fountain of my tears.
Green are the graves o'er moray an early frieud.
And happier far in th;seiince all must die; .
They sleep in that old cheirch yard, and their end
Is hallowed where I,May not hopevo lie.
On, Pennsylvania! trbuld the muse impart
To my weak pen uipraise thee as thou an!
Great in thy ',wire wealth as thought could crave,
Great in thy wi*th, thou never hadst a slave!
True to 111;1j/under's law, the proud increase
Exemplihe the noble arts of peace.
Thy playis are whitened with the waving grain,
Thy mountains teem with many a winding Veill
Of that rich ebon gem which sends afar
Thlrgiant ship, and whirls the giddy car.
The rough munitions of embattled fields.
/And ocean war, thy pregnant bosom yields.
Shall we not be as hope would fon . dly ask,
The bright example to pregressive'manl
Oars be the glory, ours the noble task,
To teach all nstiens liberty, and span
The rolling earth with mane a mighty chain
Of firm-wrought links, and draw'mankind again
In that love-hated circle, where the lxiiist
should be—who acts the wisest, does the most.
1% here the ehim light neon each peacefip land
Sheds the colt radtance of commencing heaven
When f .es extend the land-he'd hostile hand.
And mutual wrath and wrong are all forgiven;
While in that time the conqueror's cruulbling car
Lies rotting in a love-pr deeted worldi
And -rapine, avarice, revenge, and war,
To the dark region whence they came are htirl'd
The n Don day sun no more shall hide his ray
Behind the veil of battle-wreathing dna.
And moss-grown bastions mouldering to decay.
Shall signal forth the reign of peace begim.
This is the promise, are we not the means
To bring the end—the -taffwhere Witte still leans
Her tired form, and wt is the uttered word
That twinged' rest—the mandate of the Lord?
Philadelph:s. January 114.9. J. R. BARSTOW.
A Goon Wirr.—A friend of ours, who has been
spending a lew weeks in the "country," and who
has visited some of the private dwellings of the rus
tic inhabitants, tells of a singular old man who
lives near Brookfield. lie is somewhat noted for
his oild expressions. He was one day visited by
a small party of ladies and gentlemen ; who went
to hear his "talk." " Now, young gentlemen,"
said he, "I will give you some - thrections how to
tell a good wife. A good wife will be like three
things, and she will not be like them. She will
be like the snail who stays at home, and she not
be like the snail who carries all it has on its back.
She will be Bice the echo, that speak# when Spo
ken to, and she will not be like the echo, always to
have the last word. See will be Me the town
clock, that speaks at theright time, and she will
not be likd the town-clock. heard all over the town !"
A Pooa Esnottsea.—A worthy, but poot miniA
ter, writing to a friend from the country, requested,
a few days since, the loan of filly dollars from the
cashier of one banks; and kr the ma requesting
the favor, he said that if the cashier would oblige
him, he would pay him in ten days, on the faith o
Abraharti." The cashier reamed word "chat by
the rules of the bank, the endorser must remade in
the Stato.---Kaickerbocter .
GOOD natere is one erf the sweetest gifts of Pro
vitlenv. Like the pure sonsnine, it gladdens,
enlivens and cheers. Ili the 'midst othate, re
venge, sorrow and drepair, how glorious:ere its
efforts!
. , • .
it* follhwLig letter in releteime tn * this place,
sud'the Tatey o(the . ;ineeptehatnnawa:toi'er ettrir fie,*
the LAger, and war; alitten in Nove - Mteriast. Ik's
suspect it is (rOmilie. pen ore gentleinan of
tietphia r focally a member of the Penns) krauts
Eieg,tela-ure. (full rhll 4 tielphimo, had as mu c h
telligenee, tAul liberal 4 as our friend F., the North
Branch-Canal would hake been tir.i."4hed years ago.
The town ofTuwarhia is built on the west side 4.. f
the &1St: 2 1101;1.1111a ;Ma is appoael.e.l from the snich
east by a ma.! a !orb wifuLs round a steep hill And
suddenly exposes to flit stranger's sight a bill viiew
of the place. The main rdrerf runs :Ons a bet - of
table land near the edge of the river. but the most
picturesyie p"rtion of the town is located on the
slope of a hill which rises to a cowiderable eleva
tion, and is dotted upon the brow wi•hrotiazes aw l
puttees. ,erne of the•-e'cortr, , es are of beautiful.
denim, hnitarl finished and furnished wish elegance
and good taste. The one planned and occupiedby
C. L. Ward Ls' a hospitable citizen and acrovit
plisttect ty.entleman, who bas done and is doing more
to improve Towanda Oran any oth.,r man in it, wilt
eompare to advantage with any reeidence of the
kind to be bound to the &ate.
C. L. WARD.
his impossible to traverse the valley of the Snit.
quehanna and not be impressed with - the COI/ vitlion`
that Philadelphia, in . her long neglect of this region
has been blind to her own interest and the interest
of the conitnoncrealth. The whole trade of that
country, which might easily be drawn to Philadel
phia is eing rapidly directed to tile city of New
York by means of hey finished and prijeeled rail
roads and canals. The New 'Fmk and Erie Rail
road already emmet:ts tror:fiern Peniist 'tarifa tridi
the city of New Yolk, and -another reamed is being
constructed down the valley of .the Litykawanna
through the heitiii of the Wyoming coal field. In
addition to these tiro works,. - which, unless coon. •
tervailing measures be soon adopted will ineviwbly
result triiiriously to Philadelphia and to the Penez /
Sylvania -improvements, a third railroad is talke • of
and strring.ly urged. to eitend frr•tn Pittston
the north Branch t],l" the Susquehanna to th
hannock Creek. and thence by the best
ward to the Great Bend near the State ir
tersect wilt the NeW York and Erie -1.;•
latter scheme if carried into eller
two, will in a measure superse
North Branch Division of the
upon the tnifinishril portion' f
expended two and a-half iv
Atork - -
q
/Tun
nt nor li
me, 10 lip
.railroad. This .
like 'he other
... the use of the
enroylvania Canal,
1 - which the State has
, Mons of dollars.' This
phians hate heard much
•essful - opetation for a &Tr
ies, from the junction of
rams of the Susquehanna
moutli of the Lackawan
ihe State lii:e it is unfinish
tole length of ninety miles,
been done The stage in
I tbe bed of the canal for
to base of mountains and
7 . In many places the
:lark is out through the solid tuck, and hundreds
of leet overhead the mountain turrets look down
with frowninT. aspect. On the river. side.it is pro
tector" by a sCope wall. rip rap and solid embank
ment, against the fierce , l floods and freshets wtili
out iojary or longer, which is more than earl be said
of the main line of canal running up the Juniata.
Utile North Branch eztension.rvere completed; it
would connect wlh tne Cliemung canal in New
York. and give a northern and western mar ket to
Pennsylvania coal and iron, whilst the gypsum anti
salt of New York' would be received in•retnrit. The
immense lumber trade of the river would then her
eondarted b* canal narigatrion the productsof agri
rnkure would find a market in Philadelphia:. the
business ericirgies of the North would beenrourag
ed, and the resources of the State wrath , increased,
It any doubt this, let them visit alai iew for thenr.
gelves,• and then act ns yball become - the sober J ude
meat of good citizens.
THF: ISF.IITABLE DOWT.—Human It I> like a
road which terminates in a frightful : we
are.-Arneil of it from the first step; hut the law is
gone birth , : we must constantly advance. I would
wish to retrace my steps. on, on, forward ; we must
unceasingly advance towirds the preCipice. A
tlittusand vexatious ; a thousand troubles; fatigno
and distress us en the road ; but if I could .only
avoid that frightful precipice ! No, no, .we roust
advance,awe must even run. such is the rapidity of
years. We console ourselves, however, becausil _
from time to time we meet with objects write
amuse us; running waters, passing flowers. We
would wish to pause: on, on And yet we sees!l
that no have passed falling into ruins oettind us,
frightful erach, inevitable destruction ! W'econ.sole
ourselves because we have carried off some Haw,
ens. gathered by the wayside, which fade in our
hands ere the evening approaches; some fruits, *
which we lose in testing; enchtuirment, illusion I
Still hurried on, thou approachest the. gulf: already
everything begins to pass away: the gardens are
flowery, the meadows less brilliant, the streams
less pure; all fade, all pass away; the shadow of . ;
death appears; we begin. fo feel - .the ap . woaeh
the fiat gulf Bet we must advance to tins brink,
another step. Already horror hint seizedzupon the
scene; the head grows die 2y, the efes wander....
on, on, on. I would retrace my-step; impossible;
all has vanished,. all is lost. . •
:1 need not tell you this toad is Life; this gulf is
Death.'
MILKING COM.--It is important that all the milk'
should be drawn from the adder; if it be not, the
quantity secreted will diminish in proportion to the
quantity left at each milking. That 1% bleb is left in
the udder is re-absorbed into the system, and the
next milking - Will be so much less in quantity.
Cows will sot yield their milk to a person therdis
like; bat will show by their. quiet attittkli mid
chewing the ettd that the operation, when per'
formed by a gentle and expert milker, is prodned
tire of pleasure. The udder and tea's should al+
ways be Washed clean with water,- which in OM
'winter should be trained, This will. not onlY ind
sure the cleenliness of the milk, but Will tame` it to
} How more freely. • • •
Mrs. Partington saysffie Neter rereeiteet bet
synonimotel pester in hllife, and that spoke 1 •
gorically of all her ne*Vntan' oink,
Goon gaszbiscc.--Greitt talent renders a man &-
mom; goat merit procures/ennui era learning
gains esteem ;.abut. good breeding. Mane. ensures
love and affeetkit.,
Ts Batags over ther . Ohio #ll Wheelint
olicu *ititxiviii brit/0d fejill deg,
. _.. r..
•
MN
=ME
I swo
talky of the Susquehanna
I=l
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