Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-23

SO long dS such accounts are reaching us
from one ofthe most prosperous nations OF
the world, let US be certain that We are not
the most miserable people, and be quite sa-
.is6ed that we have abundant reason 10 be
grateful not only for the enjoyment of all
our religious, civil and political rights, but
for all the blessings which the Giver of
every good and perfect gift has poured up
on OUT highly favored land. Dem. Press.
GEOLOGY OF THE WEST.
Extract of letter from Caleb Atwater Esq.
Circisvitle, Feb. 90, 1918.
DEAR SIR:
BY looking over your two last papers,
perceive that you are re-pubiishing from
the Journal Of Science, an essay of mine on
the Prairles and Barrens Of the VEST
Since writing that essay, | have collected
some additional facts, which 90 to esta.
bli>h my speculations as to this country's
being formerly covered With the waters OF
the Upper Lakes and that their outlets
were through the Sciota, Miami, and ILL.,
nois rivers. On the rocks OF Mackinaw J.
STAND, | am credibly Informed there are
marks of the water OF the lake, in which
that Island is situated, having once been
at least one hundred feet above its prese mt
level All AROUND the present shore OF
Lake Ere there are two distinct ridges,
composed of exactly such pebbles as are
now seen on the present shore OF the lake,
rounded by atirition in the water. At
kidgeviie, Cuyahoga county, Moses FL
dred, Esq. writes ne, that, nine miles south
of the present Lake shore, in digging a
well at some considerable depth below the
surface OF the earth, cedars were found,
and other things evincIng that the ridge,
in which the well was sunk, was once the
shore OF Lake Erie. One gentleman in
iorms me, that thee hundred feet above
the present surface OF the Erie, petrihed
fishes, frogs, trees, &c. have been found IN
these ridges, presenting appearances SINH
lar to thuse found along the present shole.
Permit me to mention another fact, IN
continuation OF an opinloa, DIS to Lake Erie
and the Ohio being about on the same lie.
vel. Eli Baldwin, Esq. has taken levels
OF the country between lake Erie and the
Ohio River, froD the mouth OF Grand river
to the mouth OF the Mahoning or Big Bea-
yer, and hy actual measurement, the surface
OF the OHIO at that point IS seventy feet
higher than The surface OF Like Erie. The
surface ot the lake has been ascertained
70 he 558 feet above tide waller at Albany
which gives 62B feet for The height OF the
Ohio, al the Mouth Of M"honing, above the
surface OF Tie ocean, and shows that the a.
yerage decent OF the Ohio and Mississippi
is about four inches to mile. l. proves
alsu that my conjectures as 10 The Ohio IN
iresnet at Portsmouth,, and lake Erie, be.
ing aEuu: ON the saue level, cannot be tar
from, the truth. Ii the surface Of lake Erie
were raised only 100 feet, ii would now
empty lseifin into the Ohio: that it has been
much higher, do not doubt.
Ertraci from unpublished Notes ON the
Stole Of Ohio "
ARTICLE GEOLOGY.
Many of these plies OF sand and stone
are seen from tie town Of Lancaster, OIL
both sides OF the Hockbocking, but one OF
them so lar exceeds the others that it claims
particular descnption.--W hen the coun-
try was first settled, tbs pie was known
by the name OF Standing Rock but is
now called Mount Pleasant" In travel
ling eas.wardIy along the great road from
Cbllicothe to Wheeling, Oh decending a
gentle hill into a beautiful prairie, to the
we.tw ard OF Lancaster, about one mile
from the town. this tail and venerable pile
OF sand stone presents itself to the vie" OF
the traveller, in northeastern direction
from The eye, about two miles, and about
one rather 10 the east or north from the
Town. Before him, be sees, acloss the
prairie, the beautiful town If Lancaster
containing nearly one hundred and forty
houses, many Of which ale Lofty and eveI