Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-06-01
THE PINES IN NEW JERSEY.
HISTORICAL RExrxIscEscEs.


We had driven no great distance when my
| companion lifted his whip, and pointing to
! long, dark, indistinct line, which crossed the
4 road in the distance, blocking the prospect "a
head on either side, as far as the eye could
reach exclaimed ssfhein's the Pines 20 As
we approached the forest, change, theatrical
| in its suddenness, took place in the scenery,
| through which our course taken. Tho
! rich and smiling pasture lands, interspcrsed
with fields of luxuriant corn,were left behind
the red clay of the road was exchanged Tor
gritty sand. and the road itself dwindled to 9
mere pathway through clearing. The 10
cality looked like plagiarism from the Ohio
backwoods. On both sides OF our path spread
the graceful underground, waving in ocean
of green, and hiding the stumps with which
the plain covered, while far away, TO ths
right and left, the prospect, was bound by for
est walls, and gloomy bulwarks, and parapets
of pines arose in front, as if designed, in their
perfect denseness. TO exclude the world from
some bosky Garden of Paradise beyond. Not
so, however; for our pathway sqGeezes itself
through two melancholy sentinel pines, tra-
cling its white scroll into the forest further
than the eye can follow and in 4 few moments
we leave the clearing behind, and pass into
the shadow of the endless avenue, and bow
beneath the trailing branches of the silent,
stern, immcvable warders at the gate. We
were fairly in the Pines; and drive OF some
what more than three miles lay before us STILL
Hc iliilcilSc llluS SutSl-
ed covers an extensive portion of Burlington
county, and nearly the whole of 0ceaH, beside
parts of Monmouth, Camden, Atlantic, Giou-
cester, and other counties. The prevailing
soils of this great area-Some sixty miles IN
length by ten in breadth, and reaching from
the river Delaware TO the very shore of tho
Atlantic-are marls and sands of different
qualities of which the most common is a fine
white, angular sand, of the kind so much in
request, for building purposes and the manu-
facture of glass. In such an arid soil tho
coaif fere alone could flourish; and according
ly we find that the wide spreading region is
oyergrown almost entirely with white and yell
low pine, hemlock and cedar. Hence its dis
tinctive appellation.
1t vas most lovely afternoon, warm and
serene as only an American autumn afternoon
knows how 10 be; and while we hurried past
the mute. monotonous,yet ever shifting array
of pines and cedars, the very rays of the sun
seemed TO be perfumed with the aroma of tho
fragrant twigs, about which humming birds
now and then whirred and ffuttered as
startled them, scarcely more brilliant in color
than the gorgeous naples which grew in one
or two dry and open spots. For three quarters
of an hour our drive continued, until at length
4 slight undulation broke the level OF the
sand, and fence, inclosing patch of Indian
corn, from which the forest had been driven
back, betokened for the first time the proximi-
ty of some habitation. In fact, having reach
ed the summit Of the slope. found myself in
the centre of an irregular range of dwellings,
scattered here and there in picturesque disre-
gard of order, and next moment my hand was
grasped by my friend B. / had reached my
destination, (Hanover Iron Works. and was
soon walking up, past the white gateway, TO
the Big House.
Somewhat less than eighty years ago, Mr.
Benjamin Jones, merchant of Philadelphia,
invested portion of his fortune in the pur-
chase of one hundred thousand acres of land
in the then uubroken forest the Pines. The
site of the present hamlet of Hanover struck
him as admirably adapted for tie establish
ment OF smelling furnace, and he dccording
ly projected settlement the spot. The
Rancocus River forms here a broad embay-
ment, the damming of which was easily ac-
complishcd, and one of the hest thus Oh
tanned. On the north of this bay or pond
moreover, there rises sloping bluff, which
was covered at the period of its purchase,
with ancient trees, but upon which a large and
commodious mansion was soon erected. Here
Mr.. Jones planted himself, and quickly drew
around him settlement which rose in number
to some four hundred souls and here he com
the manufacture of iron. At frequent
intervals in the Pines were found surface de-
posits of ore,the precipitate from waters hold
ing iron in solution, which frequently cover
ed an area of many acres and reached depth
OF from two or three inches to many feet.
The ore thus existing in surface deposits, was
smelted IN the iron works, and the metal thus
obtained was at once molten and moulded in
the adjoining foundery. Here, in the midst
OF these spreading forests, many pondrous
casting, many fiery rush OF tons OF molten
metal has been seen. Here, five-and-forty
years ago, the celebrated Decatur superinten-
ded. during many weeks, the casting of twen-
ty-four Founders. to be used in the contest
with the Algerine pirates whom he humbled
md the echoes of the forest were awakened
with strange thunders then.
AS the great guns were raised from the pits
n which they had been cast; and were declar-
ed ready for proof, Decatur ordered each one
20 be loaded with repeated charges OF powder
md ball, and pointed into the woods. Then
or miles between the grazed and quiyering
ooies, crashed the missiles of destruction,
startling bear and deer and squirrel and rae
coon, and leaving traces of their passage which
ire even still occasionally discovered. The
cannon balls themselves are now and then
round imbedded in the SAND of the forest. In
his manner the guns were tried which were
% thunder the challenge of America against
he dcnS of Mediterranean pirates.
Hanover, too. in its day of pride, furnished
many city with its iron tubes for water and
or gas, many factory and workshop with
Is castings, many farmer with his tools;
ut the glow Of the furnace is quenched for
vor now. The slowly gathering ferrugineus
eposits have been exhausted, and three years
ave elapsed since the furnance fires were
ghted. The blackened shell of the building
tands IN cold deereptitude, q melancholy
estige OF usefulness outlived.
n