A Geography of Pennsylvania, ... with a separate description of each county, and questions for ... teachers. To which is appended, a Travellers' Guide, etc

Front matter

PHILADELPHIA, FROM KENSINGTON. A GEOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA: CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORY, GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES, SOIL, CLIMATE, GEOLOGY, BOTANY, ZOOLOGY, POPULATION, EDUCATION, GOVERN- MENT, FINANCES, PRODUCTIONS, TRADE, RAIL ROADS, CANALS, &c. OF THE STATE ; WITH A SEPARATE DESCRIPTION OF EACH COUNTY, AND QUESTIONS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF TEACHERS. TO WHICH IS APPENDED, A TRAVELLERS' GUIDE, OR TABLE OF DISTANCES ON THE PRINCIPAL RAIL ROAD, CANAL AND STAGE ROUTES IN THE STATE. BY CHARLES B. TREGO, Late Assistant State Geologist ; Member of the American Philosophical Society ; of the Association of American Geologists and Naturalists, &c, etc. Illustrated by a Map ofthe State and numerous Engravings. PHILADELPHIA : EDWARD C. BIDDLE, 6 SOUTH FIFTH STREET. STEREOTYPED BY C. W. MURRAY * CO. 1843.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843, by EDWARD C. BIDDLE, in the Clerk's Office ofthe District Court ofthe Eastern District of Pennsylvania. C. SHERMAN, PRINTER, No. 19 St. James Street, PHU.ADKLPHIA.

Preface

. Every citizen of a free commonwealth, and more especially he who exercises the right of suffrage, should, as far as practicable, be made acquainted with the character and condition of the State over which he is one of the joint sovereigns, and for the proper government of which he is partly responsible. A consideration of the advantages to be derived from a more intimate knowledge of the physical features, population, institutions, productions, resources, trade and improvements of Pennsylvania, has led to the preparation of this volume, in the hope that it might be found serviceable in the cause of education, as well as acceptable to the community at large. There is no work extant which affords that general and minute information both useful and desirable to the student, the man of business, and the traveller, who may seek for a more extended knowledge of this noble State than is to be obtained from the Geographies in common use, in which but a few pages (generally three or four at most) are devoted to the description of a commonwealth containing almost two millions of inhabitants, and having a territory nearly equal to that of England in extent.

To supply this defect, and to give such an account of Pennsylvania as may lead to a more full and intimate acquaintance with its actual condition, has been the object of the present work, which, it is hoped, will not only be found useful in families and to individuals as a book of reference, but one which may be used with advantage in our general system of school education. With this view, questions have been added to each section for the convenience of" teachers. The work is divided into two parts, with a historical introduction prefixed. The first part contains an account of the general geographical features of the State, its soil, climate, &c, with a de scriptive sketch of its geology, botany and zoology; the character of its population, education, government and finances; its pro ductions of agriculture, manufactures, mines and forests; its internal improvements, trade and commerce.

In the second part will be found a particular description of each county, in alpha betical order; embracing an account of its physical aspect, geological character, mineral products, soil, streams, towns and villages, productions, canals, rail roads, turnpikes, bridges, &c, — the as sessed value of property, the state of education, colleges, academies and schools, religious denominations, natural curiosities, &c, together with historical sketches of the early settlement, and such other particulars as have been deemed worthy of notice. With regard to the sources from which our information has been derived, care has been taken to select those upon which the most reliance could be placed, and to reject much that has been hereto fore published which was found to be erroneous or doubtful. In 1*

PREFACE.

. the course of his duties as Assistant State Geologist during four years, and on various other occasions, the author has visited most parts of the State, and has thus enjoyed opportunities of acquiring much local information concerning the different subjects embraced in this work. For a description of the geological character and mineral productions of those districts which he has not had an opportunity of examining, and for the general arrangement and classification of the various rock formations, reference has been had to the annual reports made to the legislature by the State Geologist. In our sketches of historical events, the works of Gordon and other historians of the State have been freely used; as have been also many other books and documents containing information suited to our purpose.

In order to obtain more full and complete materials for our un dertaking, and to enable us to do ample justice to every portion of the State, letters requesting information upon various interesting subjects were addressed to such gentlemen in the different counties as were deemed most likely, from their known intelligence and ability, to afford the desired answers; but we regret to say that from only a very few of them have any replies been received. Our grateful acknowledgments are, however, due to the following named gentlemen for valuable communications respecting their several counties : Professor Jacobs of Adams, Isaac Lightner, Esq., of Allegheny, Dr. M'Crea of Berks, Dr. Cartee of Bucks, James Lesley, Esq., of Dauphin, Judge Smith and Messrs. Crozer and Painter of Delaware, George Ford, Esq., of Lancaster, and T. Nicholson, Esq., of Susquehanna.

The author would also respect fully acknowledge his obligations to those of his fellow members of the legislature who have kindly aided him with information on various subjects in the districts represented by them. For the substance of the article on Zoology we are indebted to Professor S. S. Haldeman, and for valuable assistance in that on Education, to Professor A. D. Bache, — gentlemen whose acknowledged abilities and zeal in their respective pursuits, as well as their labours for the promotion of general science, are well known and highly appreciated. Whatever merit may be found in our account of the Trade and Commerce of the State, is due to the kindness of a friend whose commercial pursuits and general acquaintance with the subject have enabled him to supply our want of knowledge in this department.

For the original drawings from which most of our engravings illustrative of natural scenery have been taken, we are indebted to the kind liberality of W. T. Russell Smith, an artist of acknowledged merit in his profession. A book of this kind must, from the nature of the subject, be little else than a mere compilation. The writer is therefore aware that he can lay but small claim to originality, and will be satisfied if it shall be found that he has compiled judiciously, and his la bours be conducive to a more intimate and thorough acquaintance with the features, character and resources of his native State. Philadelphia, August, 1843. CONTENTS. fAGE Historical Introduction, 9

Part I. Of The State In General

1. Boundaries, extent, and political divisions, . . 25 2. Face of the country, mountains, &c, .... 26 3. Rivers, 30 4. Soil, 34 5. Climate, 39 6. Geology, 41 7. Botany, 57 8. Zoology, 75 9. Population, 84 10. Religion and morals, 86 11. Education, 88 12. Crime and its punishment, 96 13. Pauperism and the poor laws, 100 14. Government and legislation, 102 15. Defence, . . . 106 16. Finances, revenue and taxation, 107 17. Productions, 110 18. Trade and commerce, 129 19. Internal improvements, 147