The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-06-04
LETTER FROM LEBANON, PA.
LEBANON, May 25, 1869.

4
erence of the u. B. Church, which,
here last Thursday, is
making little progress, as yet, in its
Though this is the
fourth day of the session, and the
various committees have had repeat
ed sessions, yet few conclusions have
been reached, even by the commit
tees. The Committee on Lay Dele
cations are divided, and will proba
bly, bring in Majority and Minority
reports one for, and the other
against submitting the question toI
the people. When Conference comes
to take action on the subject, there
will no doubt spring up heated
discussion, as there are some ardent
advocates of this innovation in the
polity of the Church.
But the "tug of war" will no doubt
come when the Committee on Secret
Societies submit their report. There
is little prospect of harmony on this
question. There are ultraists on
both sides. Some favor retaining
the present rule; others want no
rule; others still want a modified
and moderate rule. The probabili-
tiles now are that majority of del
egates would vote for change Of
rule that would forbid continued
membership in secret society, but
would give time, perhaps three or
six months, for the offender to sever
his connection. But there are some
of the delegates that have become SO
hostile to secrecy, that they cannot
be expected 10 acquiese in any bu,
the most stringent measures. / do
not anticipate rupture in the Church.
bnt if the advocates of modification
we're as jealous as the sticklers, II
would be inevitable.
Services were held in the new
Church yesterday, and $500 wer'
secured by donations and subscrip
tions, to liqIdate q debt. Th'
building is q splendid structure
costing perhaps $4,000 when com
pleted. 1t is to be dedicated mex
Sabbath.
Since my former letter, l hav
looked about little, and will give
few items of interest, perhaps, t.
lyour readers in regard to Lebanon
D and the valley in which it is situated
D Lebanon is the county seat of Lei
I, anon county. 1t was laid out as
town in 1850, by George Steitz, an,
was first called Steitztown.
1t is the consolidation of two Dor
oughs-North and South Lebanon
lying on the Philadelphia Is Readin,
r. R. 1t is in the midst of one o
: the most fertile and improved val
S leys of Pennsylvania. With it
5000 inhabitants, it has for its pub
llc buildings, the Courthouse, Jail
Beneficial Hall, United Hall ant
Post-office. There are two Fire IAN,
one Hook and Ladder company
three Banks, several School Build
q ings, twelve Churches and five News
t papers-two English and three Ger
: man.
u There are several iron furnaces i
Z and near the town. The gres
q amount of iron and coal found i
n the mountains, renders the iron bu!
e Iineas the leading manufacturin
. interest. The fertility Of the sol
however, and the fact that the cour
J, ty is divided into small, we'll cult
waited farms, also renders agricultur
: an important department of indus
try.
The county of Lebanon lies b.
Q tween the Kittatinny, or Blue MouI
tains, on the north, and the Sout
# Mountains, or Conewago Hills, o
the south. There are several stream
J. lof some size, coursing through tn
q !county. The two Swataras, the Tu
n tpehocken and Quittapahilla, are thei
names.
Some five miles south of Leblanc
8 are the Cornwall iron mines. Thes
e are found in three hills of solid iro
|, lore, ranging from 130 to over 80
e feet in height. 1t is supposed tha
there are at least thirty millions {
tons of ore above the water level
: while it extends to unknown depth
n below.
These hills are said to rival eve
the famous Missouri Iron Mountain
There is curious work of art, at th
lie iron hills, called the spiral railway
X which / cannot describe, but wi
n just say that it winds around the hi
D. hill like a corkscrew and an engin
. . draws up and down, and distribute
: cars in singular manner.
There are some objects of antio
i. uity in and near Lebanon. Sever.
fe houses have been built 100 years.
=. A stone church, built by the Nor,
t, yians in 1850, stands one mile eas
of town.
sr One other object of interest
re here. The Union Canal, that col
IS meets the Schuylkill and Susquehal
I'd ma rivers, passes through Lebanon
re- re- The summit is right at this town, an
he is 1913 feet above the Susquehannl
~ and over 800 above the Schuylkil
ly West of Lebsnanon is q Canal Tul
- nel more than 700 feet long, throug
the solid rock. This is the oldes