CHAPTER I

Departure from Philadelphia—Geological remarks—Route through Harrisburgh and Carlisle to Cammel’s-town—Loudon, and the adjacent mountain scenery—The North Mountain—Cove Mountain—Passage of the Juniata, and surrounding scenery—Bedford—Organic remains—The Alleghany Ridge—Stoy’s-town—First indications of bituminous coal—Laurel Mountain—Greensburgh—Arrival at Pittsburgh; manufactures; scenery, and peculiar character of its coal mines.

On the morning of the second of October, 1818, I took my departure from Philadelphia in the mail stage, which arrived safely in Lancaster, sixty-three miles distant, a little after sun-set. Though always pleasingly amused by the incidents of travelling, and the delightful aspect of rude or rural nature, I could not at this time divert from my mind the most serious reflections on the magnitude and danger of the journey which now lay before me, and which was, indeed, of very uncertain issue.

{10} Scarcely any part of the United States presents a more beautiful succession of hill and dale, than that which succeeds between Philadelphia and Lancaster; the valley, however, of Chester county, including Downingston, exceeds every other, except the site of Lancaster, in fertility and rural picture. It is about twenty-five miles in length by one in breadth, and pursues from hence a north-east direction. The rock throughout this valley is calcareous, and the soil is consequently of a superior quality. This lime-stone, which has been assiduously examined by the mineralogists and naturalists of Philadelphia, though not very dissimilar to that of the western states, except in the high inclination of the strata and the predominance of spar, has never yet been found to contain any kind of organic remains, and scarcely any metals more than traces of iron, manganese, titanium, and lead.

3d.] From Lancaster, I continued my route on foot, as affording greater leisure, and better opportunity for making observation. The rain, however, to-day prevented me from proceeding more than seventeen miles on the road to Harrisburgh.⁠[1] About twelve miles east of Middleton, I had again occasion to observe certain ledges of the prevailing calcareous rock, dipping at an angle scarcely under that of 45°, traversed by sparry veins, occasionally intermingled with epidote, in which are also imbedded bright, brown-red rhombic masses of felspar and amorphous quartz, a circumstance which had formerly fallen under my notice in a pedestrian tour on this road; I was now, however, enabled to trace this appearance into a connection with the transition formation which almost immediately succeeds, presenting masses of agglomerated rock, chiefly calcareous, of which the fragments are both angular and arrounded. Beyond this, on the first succeeding hill, occur layers of the old or transition sand-stone, not always red, though some of that colour appeared in the vicinity, interlayed with {11} brown-red slate-clay. Afterwards, and in connection with this formation, appears the green-stone of the Germans, and the bottoms of the valleys only are calcareous. Twelve miles west of Lancaster, we enter the fine fertile tract, once known to the natives of the Susquehannah by the name of Pe-quay, or the Pleasant Fields.⁠[2]

4th.] To Middleton, grunstein and argillaceous trap, with sand-stone conglomerate, and Spanish-brown slate-clay alternate and succeed each other, affording an indifferent soil, and forming lofty hills, with precipitous declivities and narrow valleys. The sylvan hills of the Susquehanna are, however, calcareous and underlayed with common bluish grey and chlorite slate, which as at Lancaster abounds with scattered or imbedded cubic pyrites.⁠[3] The long bridge of a mile and a quarter, connecting with a small island, crosses a wide and shallow part of the river, whose bed is of slate (or argillite).

5th.] About half past seven, I left Harrisburgh, and in the course of the day proceeded through Carlisle to within five miles of Shippensburg,⁠[4] a distance of about 31 miles, over a deeply undulated country, evincing, by the ease and comfort of its scattered population, no inconsiderable degree of fertility in the soil, which is calcareous. The first considerable chain of hills, proceeding from north-east to south-west, clad with unbroken forests, appeared on our left during most part of the day, and indicated an approach to the mountains.

6th.] This evening I arrived at Cammels’-town,⁠[5] situated at the foot of the North Mountain. The intermediate and surrounding country is deeply undulated with hills of a softish sandstone and slate clay. The more conspicuous hills of shale, accompanied {12} by organic remains, commence at Chambersburg,⁠[6] and, as in Virginia, are characterised by the appearance of Pine (Pinus inops), and scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia); here also occurs the fragrant sumach (Rhus aromaticum).

The road, on which several bands of labourers were employed, was now nearly completed to Pittsburgh, affording that convenience and facility to the inland commerce of the state which had been so long neglected. The states of New-York and Virginia, equally interested in the advancement of their internal trade, now begin to show themselves as the serious rivals of Pennsylvania, which, till lately, with the exception of New-Orleans, enjoyed the most considerable portion of the commerce of the west.

7th.] To-day I proceeded about 21 miles, over a very poor and mountainous country. From the little village, or cluster of cabins, called Loudon,⁠[7] we commence the ascent over the North Mountain, by an easy and well-levelled turnpike. From its summit appeared a wide and sterile forest extending across the glen, and, only at small and distant intervals, obscurely broken by scattered farms. The soil is here argillaceous, a slate-clay passing into argillaceous trap and siliceous sandstone, occasionally changing into an almost homogeneous quartz, predominates. At Loudon, there is a small iron-furnace, and ore in inconsiderable quantities found in the neighbourhood. Passing this range, sometimes called the Cove or North Mountain, we descend to M’Connels’-town,⁠[8] which now presents itself in bird’s-eye view before us, here the soil is calcareous, but still, to all appearance, destitute of organic remains. Deep and narrow valleys, steep hills every where presenting shale devoid of impressions, though often so far bituminous as to blaze, abound, but no coal is to be met with nearer than the valley of the Juniata, where organic impressions also commence. Within the great valley of the {13} North Mountain, are several other lower and interrupted ranges. The chain also called the North Mountain, proceeding much to the east in its southern course, presents in that direction acuminated peaks, and appears interrupted as towards Staunton in Virginia. From this summit we are distinctly enabled to mark the direction of the South Mountain, so low where we crossed it as to afford an almost imperceptible ascent.

What still remained of the old road,⁠[9] appeared here as bad as can well be imagined; a mere Indian trace, without any choice of level, over rocky ledges and gullies, threatening at every instant the destruction of the carriages which ventured over it.

8th.] After travelling about 28 miles, I arrived, in the evening, at the very pleasant and romantically situated town of Bedford,⁠[10] hemmed in by a cove of mountains to the south and west, near whose declivity issue the chalybeate springs, occasionally the resort of the sick and convalescent. Very little of the road over which I came to-day was yet turnpike, and as bad as may naturally be supposed over a succession of mountain ridges, which, though scattered, and interrupted by the passage of waters, scarcely fall short of the North Mountain in point of elevation. These ridges, of which in the above distance there are three or four, are all often confounded in the name of Cove Mountain.

I crossed the Juniata by a wooden toll-bridge, which, like all other private accommodations in the United States, does not exempt the pedestrian traveller. The valley of the river is narrow and romantic, embosomed by cliffs, rudely decorated with clumps of sombre evergreens, particularly the tall Weymouth pine and spruce, with the splendid Rhododendron and the Magnolia acuminata. As we approach towards Bedford the valleys widen, are more fertile, and present calcareous strata still inclined at a lofty angle, and generally destitute of organic remains. Every elevation, {14} and most of them short and steep, presents a predominance of argillaceous earth, either red or greenish and slatey, as it may happen to contain an admixture of iron or chlorite; there are, however, no iron furnaces nor ore in this quarter nearer than the vicinity of Huntingdon. Seams of coal have been discovered on the banks of the Juniata, but unworthy of notice or difficult to drain. Fifteen miles from Bedford, coal begins to appear. Indeed, about a mile from the town I observed in the siliceous sandstone made use of for repairing the road, and which was obtained in the vicinity, casts of orthoceratites? or something resembling them, collected into fascicles or clusters, and aggregated over the surface of the rocks in which they are found; the transverse septa or channels are all proximate, and their circumference is about two inches. Excepting a second impression, something similar, but much smaller (and which rather resembles some alcyonite), no other reliquiæ appeared in this stone, which is also the first occurrence of the kind on my journey to the westward.

The mountain scenery, at first so grand and impressive, becomes at length monotonous; most of the cimes, terraces, and piles of rocks lose their effect beneath the umbrageous forest which envelopes them, and which indeed casts a gloomy mantling over the whole face of nature.

To judge of the inland commerce carried on betwixt Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, a stranger has but to view this road at the present season. All day I have been brushing past waggons heavily loaded with merchandise, each drawn by five and six horses; the whole road in fact appears like the cavalcade of a continued fair.

9th.] To-day I proceeded about 20 miles from Bedford on the way to Pittsburgh, and in the evening lodged at a tavern situated on the top of the Alleghany ridge. About nine miles from Bedford I first observed {15} the occurrence of fossil shells, consisting of terebratulites, and amongst them the Anomia trigonalis of Martyn, with some other species. They occur in the sandstone employed for mending the road, with which also alternates much liver-brown argillaceous shale. From hence the dip of the strata gradually diminishes, and the hills are no longer so short and steep; slate-clay with appearances of coal are also visible, but as yet there are no zoophytic, or, as some consider them, phytolithic or vegetable impressions. The ascent to the summit of the Alleghany from the east is much more gentle than that of the North Mountain, or the other mountains scattered through this valley. The Alleghany, here from 10 to 20 miles broad, is apparently the boundary of the transition, and the long slopes and salient coves of its western declivity are within the range of the secondary formation. Much of the Quercus Primos monticola (or mountain chesnut oak) presents itself on the mountain, together with the Magnolia acuminata and Sorbus americana or service-berry.

10th.] To-day I walked nine miles to Stoystown,⁠[11] if a handful of houses like this deserves such an appellation. The declivity of the surface is much more gentle and inconsiderable than that which I had passed. Indications of coal were also apparent along the margin of the road. The valleys are now broader, and the soil of a better quality. The inhabitants, however, chiefly Irish, are indigent, and considerably deficient in prudence and cleanliness. I spent most part of the day in collecting seeds of the Magnolia acuminata.

11th.] To-day I proceeded 18 miles to the little hamlet of Liganier⁠[12] lately begun, and passed through Loughlinstown, equally inconsiderable, except for dram shops, improperly called taverns, with which this road abounds. The turnpike is completed nearly throughout this distance, and also to Greensburgh. Towards evening I crossed the Laurel Mountain, and found abundantly on {16} its western declivity the Circæa alpina. In the valley on the eastern ascent I likewise saw the Betula glauca, and a profusion of the common Rhododendron, which gives the name of Laurel to this mountain. Indications of coal, and a continued declension in the dip of the strata are still obvious. The sandstone, which is almost the only rock I have seen throughout the course of the day, is remarkable for the absence of organic reliquiæ. In some places it appears like grauwacke blended with angular fragments of a soft slate. Near the western base of the Laurel ridge the usual zoophytes make their appearance, chiefly Culmaria striata⁠[13] (Striaticulmis of Martyn), also casts of enormous channelled Culmariæ like those of Bradford, in Yorkshire (England). Vegetation at this advanced season still appeared very luxuriant on the western descent of the Laurel, and the valleys bore the appearance of fertility.

12th.] This evening I arrived at Greensburgh,⁠[14] 18 miles west of Liganier. The last considerable mountain range to the west on this route is Chesnut Ridge, {17} which I crossed to-day. Here I met with the Imperatoria lucida of Sprengel, also abundance of the Cimicifuga americana and Asplenium angustifolium. The dip of the strata becomes now more and more inconsiderable, but organic remains, except those peculiar to the coal formation, are scarcely to be met with, and there is a predominance of slaty and argillaceous sandstone.

13th.] The turnpike was now completed through the last 40 miles up to Pittsburgh, and scarcely any undertaking promises more advantage to the state in general. It will tend to check the competition of the inland navigation of the state of New York, as well as that of the state of Virginia, through which the United States have established a national road⁠[15] as far as the town of Wheeling on the Ohio.

14th.] West of Greensburg, and indeed east of it, from the base of the Chesnut Ridge, the surface of the country is deeply undulated, and laborious to travel. The land upon the height is sterile and thinly populated; still every five or six miles we meet with some poor-looking hamlet, which commonly, out of 12 to 20 log cabins composing it, contains six or seven licensed dram shops, besides three or four stores for the retailing of merchandise. How much is a scattered and independent population like that of the honest and industrious Germans inhabiting the eastern parts of Pennsylvania to be preferred to these towns whose inhabitants are brought together by no prospect of general industry or economy. To say that coal is common throughout this country, and that it is generally employed for fuel, is repeating a fact familiar to every one who has ever visited the western country.

15th.] To-day I arrived again in Pittsburgh, and endeavour as I may to drive away my former prejudices against this very important commercial and manufacturing city, I find it impossible. Nothing appears to {18} me to predominate but filth and smoke and bustle. The rivers and surrounding country are engaging and romantic—its situation—the Thermopylæ of the west, into which so many thousands are flocking from every christian country in the world—its rapid progress, and the enterprising character of its inhabitants, are circumstances which excite our admiration. In national industry, the true source of wealth and independence, Pittsburgh is now scarcely inferior to any of the older and larger towns in the Union. The shores of the Monongahela were lined with nearly 100 boats of all descriptions, steam-boats, barges, keels, and arks or flats, all impatiently and anxiously waiting the rise of the Ohio, which was now too low to descend above the town of Wheeling. A bridge was at this time nearly completed across this stream, and one of the piers of another across the Alleghany was also laid.

The day after my arrival I went through the flint-glass works of Mr. Bakewell, and was surprised to see the beauty of this manufacture, in the interior of the United States, in which the expensive decorations of cutting and engraving (amidst every discouragement incident to a want of taste and wealth) were carried to such perfection. The productions of this manufacture find their way to New Orleans, and even to some of the islands of the West Indies.

The president Monroe, as a liberal encourager of domestic manufactures, had on his visit to those works given orders for a service of glass, which might indeed be exhibited as a superb specimen of this elegant art.

Mr. Bakewell was now beginning to employ the beautiful white and friable sandstone which had been observed near to a branch of the Merrimec by Mr. Bradbury⁠[16] and myself, as well as others, in the winter of 1809. It promises every important requisite for the production of the purest flint-glass, and exists in inexhaustible quantities.

{19} 16–19th.] Still at Pittsburgh, waiting for an opportunity to descend the river, which was now almost impracticable in consequence of the lowness of the water.

19th.] This morning I took a walk to Grant’s Hill,⁠[17] from whence there is a delightful view of Pittsburgh, and on the hill itself some very pleasing rural retirements of the wealthy citizens.

My attention, as usual, was directed to the surrounding minerals and stratification, which are no unimportant matters in the economy of this settlement. The coal basin, or rather bed, which has been so long wrought on this hill, about six feet thick, is almost exactly horizontal, and consequently worked by a simple parallel drift without making any inconvenient quantity of water. The coal bassets out towards the edge of the hill, and so near the summit as to present scarcely any other overlay than a thin shale, more or less friable, and no sandstone. The dip, such as it is, is to the north of east, but scarcely manifest. It is bituminous or inflammable, and of a very good quality. Beneath this single bed of coal, occurs a fine grained, micaceous sandstone, rendered greenish from an admixture of chlorite earth; still lower in the series appears a compact calcareous rock, in which I did not perceive any reliquiæ. At the southern extremity of the hill, where it approaches the Monongahela, the laminated micaceous sandstone, however, exhibits great clusters of culmariæ (striaticulmis of Martyn), almost ancipitally compressed, and with the striatures very fine. Here the calcareous rock beneath the micaceous sandstone exhibits masses of terebratulites, some of which are very minute, but in great quantities. Near to the precipitous termination of Grant’s Hill, and in several other contiguous places, the sandstone appears to have been disintegrated with violence, and the angular fragments again to have been cemented by a stalactitial deposition of calcareous spar, of a fibrous {20} texture, almost similar to Arragonite. Seams of fibrous gypsum, possessing a silky lustre, have also been discovered in this vicinity.

In the course of this ramble I found abundance of the Monarda hirsuta, which as well as M. ciliata, do not much resemble the legitimate species of the genus.