.

WM. WHITE;
President of the Board of Trustees.

to the care of the gentlemen who conduct the institu- The constant influx of settlers from the eastern states tion. is also a considerable object. Being stopped, for the present, by the Indian disturbances from swarming into the western territory, many of them may be encouraged to make a halt or settlement in this state, if they find good roads and communications in the different parts. thereof.

Jos. REED, Secretary.
Philadelphia, August 30, 1828.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

It may be proper, therefore, before we proceed farther, to subjoin a general statement of the various communications and improvements of which Pennsylvania is capable in this way; so far as relates to navigation. DELAWARE NAVIGATION

From the tide water at Trenton falls to lake Otsego, the head of the north east branch of Susquehanna.

No. I.

Miles. Ch.

From Trenton falls to the mouth of Lehigh at

Easton,

To Lechewacksin branch of Delaware,
Thence to Stockport on Delaware, a little be-
low the junction of the Mohock and Popach-
ton branches,

50 15 94 12

In 1789, "The Society for promoting the improvement of ROAD AND INLAND NAVIGATION," was formed, having in a short time about one hundred members residing in various parts of the State, whose meeting was to be held on every Monday evening during the session of the legislature, in order to suggest information, schemes and proposals for promoting internal trade manufactures and population, by facilitating every possible communication between the different parts of the state. In 1791, that Society in the following memorial presented to the legislature a comprehensive view of the various routes for canals and roads, with estimates of expenses; which they conceived, best calculated to promote the great end for which the Society was established. It may be curious to compare their ideas, and views, and estimates with those entertained at the present day, so far as the same routes have been pursued. To the Honourable the Senate & House of Representatives From the tide water on Delaware to Oswego on Lake Onof the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met:

the

The memorial of "The Society for promoting the improvement of roads and inland navigation," Respectfully Sheweth,

That your memorialists, residing in various parts of this state, with a view to contribute their best endeavors to promote the internal trade, manufactures and population of their country, by facilitating every possible communication between the different parts of the state, have lately formed themselves into a society, by the name above mentioned. And knowing that the legislature, with the laudable intention of advancing the best interests of this commonwealth, and availing themselves of the extensive information, which they have obtained of the geography and situation of the country, have now under their consideration the important subject of roads and inland navigation; we, therefore, beg leave, with all possible deference, to suggest some important considerations which have occurred to us in our enquiries into this subject.

Pennsylvania, from her situation, and extent of territory, is a respectable commonwealth in the Union. Her soil is fertile, her products various, and her rivers, by the bountiful Author of Nature, have been made to flow

Portage from Stockport to Harmony, at the
Great Bend,

Thence up the north east branch of Susque-
hanna to Otsego lake,

No. II.

tario.

To Harmony, at the Great Bend of Susque-
hanna, as above,

Down Susquehanna to the mouth of Tioga,
Up Tioga to Newtown,

Portage to Conedessago lake, which may be
turned wholly into lock navigation hy New-
town creek,

Down Connedessago lake,

Down Sencca or Onandago river to Oswego,

66 24 20 00

70 00

300 51

230 51

65 00 18 00

18 00

36 00

86 00

453 51

in every direction, as if on purpose to bear from all As connected with Schuylkill on the east, and Ohio and the parts the wealth and produce of the land, in an easy, cheap and expeditious manner, to her principal mart and port in the city of Philadelphia. To combine the interests of all the parts of the state, and to cement them in a perpetual commercial and political union, by the improvement of those natural advantages, is one of the greatest works which can be submitted to legislative wisdom; and the present moment is particularly auspicious for the undertaking, and if neglected, the loss may never be retrieved.

hanna, the Ohio, and the great lakes, with the port of Philadelphia, an almost unbounded prospect of future wealth and importance opens to the citizens of this commonwealth. That this subject may be better comprehended in detail, give us leave to consider it under two great heads:

First, the Delaware Navigation, as stated in No. 1 and No. 2, by which the countries on the waters of the N. E. branch of the Susquehanna up to its head at lake Otsego, and all the countries lying from the mouth of Tioga to lake Ontario, may be connected with the city of Philadelphia; having only 20 miles portage from Stockport on Delaware to Harmony, at the great bend of Susquehanna, in the whole distance of 300 miles from the tide water of Delaware to Lake Otsego, and only 18 miles more in the much larger distance of 453 miles from the same tide waters to Oswego on Lake Ontario. The expense of this whole navigation, by the estimate annexed, is only

For the river Delaware
The portage of 20 miles

£2248 0 0
400 0 0

And the Tioga waters and portage about But as the Tioga waters, and the communications from thence to Lake Ontario lie within the state of N. York, and it is probable that they will not be improved by that state, unless it can be done with a view to draw the trade of that country, by the Oneida Lake, Wood creek, &c. into Hudson's river; and even when that shall happen, by a happy rivalship between the cities of Philadelphia and New York, to draw the trade of those vast countries to their respective ports; a great part of it will come with more ease to the former than to the latter; and while the waters are left in their present unimproved state, every advantage is on the side of Pennsylvania, by means of the navigation down the Tioga, and then either down the Susquehanna to the mouth of the Swatara, and thence to Philadelphia by the waters of Swatara, Quitapahilla, Tulpehocken, and Schuylkill; or from the mouth of the Tioga up the Susquehanna to Great Bend, and thence by the portage to Stockport, and by the Delaware to Philadelphia. Taking Conedessago Lake, as a central place of embarkation for the settlers in the Genessee Country, the distance to the city of New York, (see No. VII.) will be 435 miles, whereof 17 miles are land carriage; and the distance to Philadelphia by the Delaware, (see No. II.) will be 331 miles; or by Swatara and Schuylkill (See No. IX.) will be 401 miles -or if the middle of the Genesee settlement, on the Genessee river, be taken as the place of beginning, the distance to New York will be 487 miles, whereof 17 miles are land carriage, (see No. VIII.) and the distance to Philadelphia 365 miles, (see No. X.) whereof 38 miles are land carriage.

There is another route to Philadelphia from the Genesee Country by the Conasteo branch of Tioga, a fine boatable stream, with only six miles portage, viz.

From the middle of the Genesee settlement up the river to the portage

The portage to the Conasteo

Down the Conasteo to the painted post, at its junction with the main branch of Tioga Down Tioga to Newton

Miles.

30

6

18

-

90

1

and Popaughton branches, are each navigable for boats, of fifteen tons, for more than 50 miles above their junction, and considerably higher still for rafts.

The Lehigh and Lackawaxen likewise offer them selves as very important branches of this navigation, ly. ing in the interior parts of the state; but nothing needbe added to the report of the commissioners, on this head. We proceed, therefore, to the second great and most important head, viz.

Second. The Susquehanna navigation, as it may be connected with the Schuylkill waters on the one hand, and the Ohio waters and the great lakes on the other. Here is a navigation which we may properly call our own, passing through the most inhabited and central parts of the state; in which we can have no rivals, if duly improved, and opening such numerous sources and channels of inland trade, all leading to the port of Philadelphia, as perhaps no other nation or seaport on the whole globe can boast of.

For, in the first place, if we turn our view to the im mense territories connected with the Ohio and Mississippi waters, it will appear from the tables of distances, that our communication with those vast countries, (considering Fort Pitt as the port of entrance upon them) is as easy and may be rendered as cheap, as to any other port on the Atlantic tide waters The distance from Philadelphia to the Allegheny at the mouth of Kiskeminetas, is nearly the same, as from the mouth of Monongahela to Georgetown on the Potomac, and suppos ing the computed distances from Pittsburg to the Dunkard Bottom, to be just, and the navigation of Cheat river on the one hand, and the Potomac at the mouth of Savage river on the other, to be at all seasons of the year, equal to the navigation of the Kiskeminetas, Conemaugh, and Juniata; yet as the portage from Dunkard Bottom to the Potomac at the mouth of the Savage river is 374 miles, and the portage from Conemaugh to Juniata is 18 miles (may be considerably shortened by locks) there can be no doubt but that the transportation of all kinds of goods and merchandize from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, may be at a much cheaper rate than from any other seaport on the Atlantic waters.

This is not mentioned with a view to disparage the internal, navigation of our sister states, more especially Maryland and Virginia. We admire their noble exertions to improve the natural advantages of their country, and desire to imitate and to emulate them. Every im provement, and every new communication with the west ern territories, promoted by any of the United States, by which the trade of the lakes, the Ohio and the Mississippi waters, can be drawn to our sea ports, is a benefit to the whole union. By no other methods than by opening easy communications, both by good roads, and safe water carriage, can the settlers in these vast western countries be made useful to the Atlantic states, and comfortable in their own situation. Nor can we expect by any other means than by inviting their trade, and making it their interest to be connected with us, that we can long secure such connexion.

But although a considerable part of the settlers on the Ohio waters may be acommodated by the Potomać na36 vigation, and the state of Pennsylvania may only have a share in the trade of these waters; yet there remains to us the immense trade of the Lakes, taking Presque Isle, which is within our own state, as the great mart or place of embarkation. Here there can be no competition, in respect to the distances or the ease of water carriage, between the port of Philadelphia and any other port on the Atlantic tide waters, whichsoever of the three com munications between Presque Isle and Philadelphia, we may choose to pursue.

Thence to the mouth of Tioga, and either down Susquehanna to Swatara, &c. or up Susquehanna to the Great Bend-the distances as above, to Philadelphia. Connected with the Delaware navigation, we beg leave further to add, that above Stockport, the Mohawk

• In this route to New York, there are the same portages, viz. 17 miles, as in the other from Conedessaga Lake, supposing Genesee river could be made navigable; but it is doubtful whether it can be made useful in navigation, having many falls, and one of them about 60 feet.

Of those three communications, it is of importance to choose the best in the first instance, and not to neglect the improvement of it; nor to entertain doubts and delays, till the opportunity of receiving benefit from it be entirely lost, and the trade of those vast countries drawn into other channels.

We shall speak first of the communication with Presque Isle, by the Chadaghque lake, the Conewango river, part of Allegheny, the Sinnemahoning, Susquehanna, Swatara and Schuylkill (No. III.) which appears to be the shortest, being about five hundred and twenty-four miles and an half. The navigation of the Conewango and north branch of Sinnemahoning, according to the report of the commissioners, may be made very good, and is, on that account, as well as the shortness of the distance, preferable to that by the way of Toby's creek and the west branch of Sinnemahoning. But a considerable part of this communication lies through the state of New York, in a yet unsettled country; and although it leads, in the most direct way to Presque Isle and the great lakes, it cannot be of any great use in the main communication with the Ohio and Mississippi by the way of Pittsburg, which is the great object of present consideration.

immediate attention of the legislature. Among these are the different portages mentioned in the respective water communications stated above; and, particularly, that between Stockport on Delaware, and Harmony, at the Great Bend of Susquehanna, and between the mouth of the Poplar Run on Juniata and the Canoe Place on Conemaugh. Another most important road, as connected with the navigation scheme, will be from the highest boatable waters of Yohiogeny, near the Turkey Foot, to the junction of the Ray's town branch of Juniata and Dunning's creek near Bedford; or even to the mouth of Poplar run on the Frankstown branch. By this road, all the inhabitants of the upper parts of Washington and Fayette counties, and part of Bedford county, would have access to the great water communication by the Juniata, or to the great state road from Bedford to Philadelphia; avoiding the mountainous and circuitous course they are now obliged to pursue; and a great part of their trade, which would otherwise go to Potomac, would be thereby secured to Pennsylvania.

improvement, both of roads and navigation.

The second route from Philadelphia to Presque Isle, by the west branch of Susquehanna, as connected with Swatara and Schuylkill, and by the Sinnemahoning and In this view, also, the state road, through Lancaster, Toby's creek, being five hundred and sixty miles and a Carlisle and Bedford to Pittsburg, is an object of priquarter (see No. IV.) passes indeed wholly through mary consideration, and may be undertaken without deour own state; but besides what has been already men- lay or injury to the plan of western navigation. This tioned concerning the waters of Toby's creek, compa- commonwealth, we are happy to believe, is now, in its red with the Conewango and Chadaghque lake, this na-resources, equal to the accomplishment of all necessary vigation could be of no farther use than the former, in respect to the main communication with Pittsburg, as the mouth of Toby's creek lies fifty miles higher on the Allegheny than the mouth of Kiskeminetas; and even with respect to Presque Isle, the navigation from Philadelphia, by the way of Juniata and Kiskeminetas, is as short as by the way of Toby's creek, the latter being five hundred and sixty miles and three quarters, as mentioned above, and the former five hundred and sixty-one miles and an half.

Third, This third communication, then, is that which embraces all present interests. It connects Philadelphia with Pittsburgh and all the Ohio waters, by the Schuylkill, the Swatara and Juniata branches of Susquehanna, and the Kiskeminetas branch of Allegheny, with the distance of five hundred and sixty-one miles and an half (No. II.) and also Philadelphia and Presque Isle, using the same waters, as above, to the mouth of Kiskeminetas, and then by the easy waters of Allegheny and French creek. In this whole communication to Pittsburg, there are only eighteen miles portage between the Juniata and Conemaugh (which may be considerably reduced as is said before) and only the addition of fifteen miles and an half more at the portage from Le Bauf to Presque Isle, which portage is, likewise, included in both the other communications. In this statement of portages, it is supposed that the canal or lock navigation between the heads of Tulpehocken and Quitipahilla, is to be completed; but if that work should be thought too great to begin with, it will be only the addition of four miles portage, by an excellent and level road.

We would beg leave, before we conclude, to point out some other roads as worthy of attention, viz: I. The road through Reading and Sunbury, and thence to be continued by the best and most practicable route to Presque Isle, or the lands on French creek.

II. The road through Bethlehem to the northern boundary of the state, at some point between Delaware and the Great Bend of Susquehanna.

III. A road leading from Hudson's river, in the state of New York, to be continued from Stockport on Delaware, across towards the west branch of Susquehanna, between Munsey and the Great Island, and to join the road, mentioned above, as leading to French creek and Presque Isle.

But, in every view, we humbly conceive, that the laying out and improving those roads ought not to interfere with, or delay the improvement of our inland navigation. The ease and cheapness of water carriage, compared with every other, furnish sufficient arguments, on this subject, if there were none else.

The annexed comparative view, of the expenses of both, is submitted to the consideration of the legislature, as a conclusion to this memorial.

Signed on behalf, and by order of the Society, ROBERT MORRIS, President. Feb. 7th, 1791.

Remarks and Calculations respecting the Communications between Schuylkill and Susquehanna.

In the present year 1790, by the best estimates that can be obtained, the quantity of one hundred and fifty The navigation, by this route, we beg leave to re- thousand bushels of grain has been brought down the commend to the legislature, as one of the first and Susquehanna, and passed through Middletown, on its greatest works which they can undertake for the honor way to Philadelphia market. Juniata has afforded a very and advantage of their country. It is a work within considerable part of this quantity; and here it must be their reach a work in which not only the citizens of observed, that the lands on this river are but in an infant this state, but of the United States in general, are deep-state of cultivation, and suppose them to be ever so well ly interested. The expense, even including the canal, has been estimated, and doth not exceed the sum which would be requisite to complete a good road of fifty or sixty miles in some of the interior parts of the state, and which, after all, would only be of partial benefit, con tributing but little to unite the remote parts of the same, in one easy central chain of communication, with the capital.

The improvement of roads is, however, one great part of the design of our association, and we mean to make it our endeavour to bring forward and to encourage useful plans for this purpose. Some roads, as connected with the plan of inland navigation, require the

improved, the proportion they bear to the lands on the other branches of the Susquehanna is not more than one-fifth part.

In the year 1788, large quantities of wheat and flour were carried up the river for the use of the settlers in Northumberland county: since last March, about thirty thousand bushels of wheat returned down the stream to market from said county. It may also be reasonably expected, that should an easy inland communication be effected between the Susquehanna and the Schuylkill, the whole produce of Cumberland, and part of York county, would cross the Susquehanna to the Philadelphia market. From these principles it is evident, that

It is supposed, by these calculations, that the boats £220,561 0 0 Whole amount of carriage by water. for the beginning of the carriage, will be taken in the estimate with the canal.