The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-08-28
EDITORS CORRESPONDENTS.
n our regular correspondents

PHI ADELpHA, Aug 81, ls45
Meeting the other day in this city with some friends
from the interior of the State who had been brought
here to aid in the election of officers and in the organ
ization of the North Branch Canal Company, | have
been led TO some reflections upon the internal i'm
provements of Pennsylvania, and their importance
in national point of view
may fairly claim, en- PEASANT, that this State s
entitled to the credit of being leader in the great
march of public Improvement which has taken place
in this country; for more than eighty years since,
while a mere province the crown Of England,
were the first movements made to introduce the sys-
tenn within her borders Il is an interesting his.
torcal fact not generally known, that application
was made to the provincial Legislature of Pennsyl-
yania for authority to open communication, by
water, between the Schuylkill and Susquehanna
rivers, and survey made Of the route as early as
the year 1862. In 1871 the sSchuylkill and Sus-
quehanna," now known as the "Union canal, }" was
commenced, and one of the western sections COM
peted and opened for navigation in lisa There are
numerous enactments to be found, showing that
our legislators were awake to the importance OF
the subject of improvement prior to the year
1900 David Rittenhouse, the Pennsy lvania 'far-
mer boy" and practical mechanic Of ripe years,
who learned to read Newton's principal" in
what he termed his "idle hours,'' and who was as
Justly entitled to the credit Of discovering the meth
ed of fuxions as either Newton or Leihnilz, -Da-
vd Rittenhouse assisted in surveying route very
nearly the same as that occupied by the present i'm
provemenls between Philadelphia and Pittsburg.
He reported ''the whole distance of navigation by
water between the two places to be 426 miles, and a
portage of eighteen miles at Conewaugh" This
excellent and eminent philosopher died early
as 1896.
1t was not however, until the 4th day Of July,
lS26-a fit day to commence so glorious an enter
prise-that our State entered upon what is common
ly termed our present system Of internal improve
man ~ fnr M M
will stand, when completed, wholly unrivalled IN
modern times. Between six and seven hundred
miles Of these canals, and nearly two hundred miles
of railway, have already been finished and opened
by the State In this estimate / include none of
the numerous works of companies and individuals.
But she found herself two three years since, un-
able to 60 on with the extensive projects she had
undertaken. They had been so located as to pene-
trate all those portions of the commonwealth which,
from their known fertility, or great mineral wealth,
seemed to require such aid in the development of
their resources; and thus many (by some it is
thought too many lines were commenced at once.
When the State was obliged to suspend, measures
were Immediately taken for carrying out the un-
finished works, by invoking individual enterprise
and capital
The Erie Extension canal, connected with the
Beaver Division, unites the Ohio river, at the town
of Beaver, with Lake Erie, at the excellent harbor
of Erie, in distance Of 135 miles. That portion
called the Beaver Division (thirty miles) had been
completed by the State, and a comparatively small
amount OF work remained unfinished on the Erie
Extension. This was taken hold Of by some enter
prising capitalists, and the whole line is now in
profitable operation. The Wisconisco feeder, also
unfinished, has been undertaken by a company,
who, like those engaged in the Erie Improvement,
will no doubt reap rich reward for their expendi-
ture. This feeder twelve miles in length and untes
the Lykens Valley railroad from the region with
the Pennsylvania canal at Duncan's island, on the
Still more recently, the unfinished
portion Of the line on the north branch Of the Susque
hanna has become the object of individual enter
prise, and will open, in point Of mineral wealth, one
Of the richest regions of the Stateay,-I had almost
said, Of the world And it is not more rich in mine-
raj wealth than in its hardy, industrious and sser-
ling democracy OF this last enterprise, and its great
public utility, had intended more particularly TO
speak when embarked on the subject of canals in
this letter.
An inspection Of the map will show the Tide-wa-
ter canal, commencing at Havre de Grace, on the
Chesapeake bay, and ending at Columbia on the
Susquehanna rivera distance Of forty-fve miles.
Here it connects with the central division of the
canal, which continues up the river to
Duncan's island. At this place it branches off, up
the Junatr to Pittsburg, in one direction, and as
cends the valley of the Susquehanna in another.
The latter is the route we at present considering
II is completed up the north branch Of the Susque-
hanna to Pittston, eight miles above Wilkesbarrc,
in the beautiful and classic vale of Wyoming
From Pitlston 10 the northern boundary line of
Pennsylvania, II is more than two-thirds finished
almost three millions Of dollars having been ex-
pended upon the works: this distance is ninety
miles. Thence up the Chemupg river to Elmirn,
New York, ia some fifteen miles further, also unhn-
ished. At Elmira is the Chemung canal, construct
ed by the State of New York, running to the SEN
eca lake. The lake itself is then navigated about
forty miles, and connected from near Geneva with
n Al H. al
at Monezuma. So that, it will be perceived, when
the section between Piltston and Elmira shall be
finished, there piH be, through the heart Of the hoo
great Sfaies Of Pennsylvania and Nso York, complete
line Of internal navigation beceen Chts
apeake bay aud Lake Erie, Lake Oninio Lake Cham
plain and their hibuaries or, as might say bt,ceen
The Chesapeake and The ,rhoie cesiern Worid!
Now, as exhibiting most striking view OF the
rapid progress our country is making in the race
of general prosperity, let US trace again the line Of
internal improvements | have pointed out, and
make in detail its numerous connexions, and the
immense space over which they spread, like arte
ries in the human frame, difiusing life and energy
throughout great and prosperous country.
From Havre de Grace, on the bay, up the val
ley of the Susquehanna, TO the northern boundary
line Of Pennsylvania, is some three hundred miles.
From this to Lake Erie, through the Seneca lake
and the Erie canal, is two hundred and sixty miles
making, in round numbers, a line of commu-
nicaton between Chesapeake bay and Lake Erie,
FIVE hundred and sixty miles in lcngthl lntersectng
and lateral to this line, on our WY northward from
the bay, we have, first, at Columbia, the railway
to Philadelphia cighty-onc miles in length. Then,
at Middletown, we find the Union canal connected
with the Schuylkill river at Reading eighty-two
miles. From Reading, the Schuylkill navigation,
extending some sixty miles further, makes the line
complete from the Susquehanna river to Phadel-
pha. To resume our route: From Middetown,
up the valley Of the Susquehanna, we next have,
at Harrisburg, the railway through part Of the
fine old county OF Lancaster to the city of Lancas-
ter, thirty-fve miles. Crossing to the other side Of
the Susquehsnna from Harrisburg, is the Cumber-
land Valley railway lpartly hnishcd) to Chambers
burg. fly miles. Still upward, at Duncan's island,
il the line extending up the Juniaa, and across the
Allegheny TO Pn,sburg, two hundred and hfty-
EIGHT miles At Northumberland DIVORCES tho West
Branch canal, runnina almost to the geograph-
ical centre Of the State, seventy-threc miles.
Al wilkesbarre we meet with the works of the
Lehigh Navigation Company, which, crossing the
Delaware river at Easion, unite with the newly