Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-10-20


been found by actual and careful admeasurement til
565 feet above the tide of the Hudson, L
Albany; consequently, the Ohio, at Pittsburgh, al
265 fee, above the surface Of Lake Erie; the in fc
,ermediate distance, in a direct iine is lO5 miles,
therefore, if channel was opened from the Ohio t!
river at Pittsburgh, to Lake Erie, deep the Ii
bottom Of the river, and soping towards the Lake h
bv gradual descent to its surface, tho waters of the
Allegheny and Monongahe!a would. in place Of p
flowing down the Ohio, rush nto Like Erie with
the enormous velocity arising from fall of 2oo "
feet, lO5 miles; upward of 81 feet per mile I
When those Automatically established facts are
! contrastcd with the circumstances, that the ex-
treme northwestern waters of the Allegheny,
and those of Lake Chataughqe. rise within three
miles from Lake Erie the singular but real con-
struc ton of the country becomes apparent, which
nothing but actual measurement could render
credible, that Pittsburgh situated at the confu-
ence OF two streams, each OF which, following
their meanders, have flown above 300 miles and
one of which (Aeghcny,) having part Of its sour
ces so near the very marg of Lake Erie; and
yet that the city Of Pittsburgh should be elcva-
ted 265 feet above the surface Of the Lake.
But by far the most remarkable feature OF the
valley is, that real slope does not correspond
to the courses of the rivers. 1t is fact now well
known, that loaded boats ut high wafer, can pass (
from Lake Michigan into Illinois river, and rice
rersa. We have seen that Lake Erie 500 |
feet above the level of the Atlantic tides. The |
elevation Of Lake Michigan above Lake Erie
not, from the shortness and gentle currents OF
Detroit river ST. Clair river, and the straits OF
! Mackinaw exceed thirty five feet, we may there
fore, assume 600 feet the level OF Lake Michi-
gan. This would correspond very nearly with
D that Of the Ohio river between the mouths OF
= Miami and Kentucky rivers. Illinois river, We
will see, presents much more the aspect1: ga
nal than that of river,-whist the central table
land, we have reviewed, is SO elevated as to pro-
n duce water-courses whose descent Is rapid, and
e those flowing into Lake Erie all precipitate over
falls before reaching their recipient During the
continuance of spring floods, loaded boats OF large
al tonnage NAV be navigated from the rapids OF
% Ohio, by that river; the Mississippi and Illinois
Id rivers through the Canadian sea to the Cata-
n ract of Niagara wi,hou, meeting a single rapid:
s. whilst the direct line, between the extremes OF
" this navigation, would pass over an elevated ridge
Is When duo attention is pai! to the real phenomena
ID Of the connected basins of Missizs'Dpi and 81
SIS Lawrence, the true causes OF the apparent anoa
n lies, we have noticed, developed.
la 1t is at rem Tered apparent, that the true
10 slope of the Ohio valley, is nearly at angles
s. TO tho range of the Appalachian mountains, and
~ that its lowest line OF depression, the channels
~ Of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers So remar-
a kblc the courses OF the rivers in the southern
H. part of this valley that traveller who is suppo-
sed to be entirely Ignorant OF the interior OF West
ne Tennessee, West Kentucky, the Southern parts of
'y Indiana and Illinois, and the Eastern sections OF
or Missouri, to set out from the Gulf of Mex
lis leo, by the channel of the Moblle-ascend that
~, river. to the junction of the Alabama and Tom
CO. bigbee, and from thence, following the peninsula
ION between the two latter streams, reach the Ten
ON nessce above it's southeastern bend leaving Il
va large river flowing south and finding another pur
OF suing nearly tae same direction tray eileI
no would at once unite them, ana make tennessee
ry river a tributary of the Mobiie.--Let HIM then
IS the Tennessee, near where that stream Is
it'll iatersectcdby the southern boundary of Tennes
nj, see, and advance northward, pass Cumberland
18th mountains and discover Cumberland river, wher
ed it enters The Tennessee; here, again, he wou
SIS find another stream flowing nearly south, which
at to his mind and deneations, he would unhesita
$40 tngly unite the Tennessee, and thus render a
the the water in the southeastern section
10 the Ohio valley, continents Of the Mobile.-If
still advanced, and discovered the Ohio at tn
the mouth of the Wabash and continuing the course
live discover, aso the junction of Missouri MssissiE
ply pi and Illinois, and then descending the unite
we volume of the latter rivers, to the mouth, an
ent from thence Mobile bav still his erro
find respecting the streams OF East Tennessee. wou
the remain undetec,ed.-When descending the Mi
eny sssippi. from the mouth of the Missouri and fin
OF ing large stream coming In at north latitude s.
he would at once, unite the Ohio and Mississippi
val but the most distant conception could not ent
lnc, his mind, that through this Ohio, flowed the W
ers, he found two hundred miles southeast pu
pom suing nearly a southern course. If this regio
under review, had been thus discovered, nothiI
IN short Of repeated actual observation would ha'
are suiced, correct tho inaccuracy OF the origin
ac- map. So very remarkable, indeed, is the stru
sing ture of the rivers before u.s. in addition VIII
Tho have been already noted, may be added, that,
srn subsequent to the original town we nave trace
ne; another had been made, from the mouth of Pea
:on- river bv Sand, between the waters of Mob
mer Tennessee and those of Mississippi river; ev
.pi- this would, far from removing, tend so conh
,rh the original mistake. There is but 9th
are spot the Globe, bearing an analogy to the 81
ady gular assemb'age of rivers at the base of OF
valley that is the country from which flows
ope, superior streams of the Congo. in Africa-t
pla- Joba, or Nile of the Negroes.he Wad ell Gaz
and and the Miseland, have, by their very remark
ards BILE courses, produced on the Geography of I'll
nee part of Africa, similar error which would ha
been produced bv the route of discovery we ha
ape, traced, on the map of the United States. (To
reat concluded next week. ,. PIERCE.
cen,
rom TURNPIKE MEETING
}ea-