Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-19
cLmpsss OF MEN, THINGS. AND PLAcEs-No. $.
MIRA. CHsxuxe County,,

GLIMpsEs OF MEN, THINGS, AND PLACEs-No. s.
ELnxRA, CHsAuxe CousTv,
NEW YoRK, JUnI 80, 1851.
An arm of the Chemung valley stretches away
% the north of Elmira some eight or ten niles
and through this branch of the valley runs Ine
Chemung canal, connecting the waters OF ChemSng
river with Seneca Lake, distance OF about twtn-
ty miles. The canal has been in operation neaay
twenty wears. There is also railroad running
from Elnira 10 Seneca Lake. This road, tnougi
built by another company, has been leased 70 tis
Erie Road Company for a term OF years, ana the
company has nut fine steamer on the Seneca tc
connect with the road at Jefferson, the southern
point of the lake, and convey passengers 70 anc
from Geneva at the northern end Of the lake. distance
some forty miles. So the New York and Enc ComPan,
here reach out long Of sixty miles 70 'ne nor.n
draw travel through the interior and norher portion o. 'ns
State to their great thoroushare And TINS seneca LAKE
arm s mid 70 draw petty we'll
Tsrs srs hisccsl neidsns connected with Em'r'
and " vslsy of shs Chsmung canal worthy Of note Nsa
the 49, Il s ass esnu LOUIs Pnnrx, late King Of the
FrDo "a hs o tsothsss being hsn sxiss IN this coun-
try usvssd On foot through the wilaness (for must
then have been wilderness nearly all the wsy from Cansn-
daeua few miles from the northern end Of Seneca Lake.
up through the present valley Of the Chemung canal TO
Emira between sixty and seventy miles And, after stop
ping short time Elma, they followed down the valleys
the Chemung and Susquehanna rivers to Harrisburg
Pennsylvana. What an interesting work would be we'll
written biography Of Louis Philippe His li certainly was
one Of remarkable vicisstude.
Emira was the of of the conflicts OF the Revo-
luton In l779 body Of New York troops had been de-
eated and nearly all slain by the fierce Chief Brandt and
his bloody warriors some halfway between here and New
York Brandt then etreated up the valley Of the Chemung
and was pursued soon aterwad by Gen. Sullivan with five
thousand men. On the north bank of the Chemung, at
Emra almost within stones throw Of where am now
writing, Brandt made stand having been reinforced by two
hundred and fifty British regulars and attempted to defend
the pass between the river and mountain on the left When
Gen. Sullivan up be sent Gen. Poor with detach-
up the mountain to turn the enemys flank, while ne
at the time attacked them vigorously in 'front.' The
Indians gave way and retreated north through the valley
Seneca Lake. Sullivan pursued them fve six miles from
this place. where he encampsd plain and remained for
time. While here, for want Of forage, and to prevent
their falling into the hands Of the Indians he killed large
number of his horses and for many years the ground
whitened with their bones From this circumstance the
place derived the name Of and has continu
ed bear that till the present day. modern at
tempt has been made to change the name, and see put
down on the maps "Fairport." think, however,
will be slow task to eace that old revolutionary title Of
" Horse-heads" rode out there with friend Satu
day. where found pleasant village, containing popula
ton Of five or six hundred, and in front Of the principal
hotel there large swinging sign, with four horses
heads painted on each side sFaipo may figure in maps
and books, but Households" will be the popular title Of
the place in this part of the country for generations yet to
come.
This morning sunrise tho g1nioon Of tho hotel
took out TO ride through the town of Southport on the
opposite side Of the river from Elmira We made circuit
Of five or six miles round and ascended Of the high
bills that overlook this u1uant valley The view
csedngy fine and picturesque The hills in this vicinity
are about as remarkable the valleys for though many of
them are steep and lofty they generally fine farming land
even 10 their very SUBMITS. Some of them ,hcky
vered with their native forest mante and some present the
rich green fields Of highly cultivated farms. What bless
inc to these farmers the New York and Erie Railroad
opening ready market for their surplus products, and bring
ing the treasures of to their very doors The
hoarse whistle Of the locomotive it echoes through the
valley must undoubtedly "discourse sweet music" to their
ears in view of the accompaniment which attends it.
hear b little about politics here great deal is said
about good SOIL but hear nothing about free-so And
as the Union the people here to be unanimously Of
the opinion that shis is great country" and have no
doub, they are equally agreed that cannot and shall not in
their day and generation become less.
Since writing the above learn that the Legislature, in
obedience the popular sentiment has been obliged to take
back the fancy name of Fsrpor" and restore the old
volutionary designation Of :" Horse-heads."
ELMIRA, CHEMuHG CoUHrY,
NEW YoRK, JuLY l, 1851.
As write the date above, am reminded that
the cheap postage law goes into operation to-day
one Of the greatest blessings, think, which legis-
lation has conferred upon the whole people OF this
country for many years. The rate should undoubt-
edly have been lower; two cents for single letters
prepaid would probably have been the right mark |;
but, as it is, the law will prove blessing to the
country. It's moral influence, though silent and
imperceptble, will be great and sautary. To say
nothing of its aid in all the common business rela-
tons Of life, it will exert most kindly influence
upon the social affections and upon intellectual cu-
ure. II will add another strong cord to the bands
which shall hold this mighty republic together as
one people. Millions Of letters will be annually exchanged
between friends and acquantances and family connexions
who are separated from each other millions Of letters TO bless
both the writer and the receiver which but for this law would
never be written. Children and youth will earlier acquire
the habit Of writing letters and old age will retain 10 later
dsy than now the social Of the pen. Mail matter will be
more than doubled and the Of the Department in
creased-a result at which might have arrived with
eerainy even without the evidence derived from the expe
renee Of England Therefore, let the ls Of July, as well
| as the Alb, be greeted with annual rejoicingf
"The Court Of Appeals" the highest law court Of the
State ba. now been in session here about weeks and