The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-09-02

& face land what onco seemed barren, sterile
and useless, has become the most valuable
ground upon the continent. Perhaps this very
condition Of surface has conspired vastly to
the stability Of the growth Of this Metropo-
lis. Had it been smooth and Inviting, no.
doubt it would have been built over much
more rapidly and the edifces erected there
on, would have been less substantial, aud less
useful. Or in other words, it would have been
occupied as sites for dwellings, and not left
for the firm basis of some huge mercantile
establishment. A popularity Of this city is
the houses are founded upon rock and l
might add, that the streets of all the upper
part are, too. / have heard 1t said by such as
suppose had an opportunity to know, that N.
y, or part of it would sometime slide off in
to the bay but such a notion will not be en-
tertained by those who examine its ground
work. Some of the docks may not be we'll
built--as regards this l know not but the
body of this city, has as good foundation as
could be picked for it on this continent
Indeed whoever examines n. Y, Bay, and its
appendages, -Manhattan Island, and the sur
rounding country, can hardly fail to see that
this spot has been fashioned by the Almighty
Architect for the metropolis of the country.
cannot pass over this subject without
making few remarks, in a general way, in
regard to the mechanism of the Hudson
River. In this stream the tide has an influence
for about 100 miles. Its channel is very deep
and its edges precipitous Indeed these quail
tiles gives to this river its peculiar advantages
for navigation. Almost anywhere, ship or
boat of heavy burden, may be drawn SO
near to the shore, as to be unloaded without
much scaffolding. This say is the peculiar
| ity of this river and upon what does it de-
pend? How came it so?
Well, the appearances are, that the whole
district of country which the Hudson drains,
in earlier times, gcclogiCally speaking, was
very much above It's present level. That is,
the crest of the mountains and the area of
the plains, were much higher above the level
of the sea than they now are Furthermore
the Adirondaos, and the plain upon which
they stand, were more elevated, as regards
the surrounding country, than they are at the
present day. So the river formerly had more
fall than it has to-day At this early time, the
whole continent, as it then existed, was much
more elevated than it now is and the coast
line extended some 60, 10, and in some places
so miles further into the sea,--so that per-
haps, where now the vessels pass, and the
ocean is considered good sailing ground, then
existed immense hats--perhaps forests and
the like. Where N. Y. BAY is, at that time
was the site at which the Connecticut, j)ined
by the Thames. the blackstone, and tho small
rivers South West Of the axis of Cape Cod,
flowipgs along through a deep valley where
now Is that shallow arm Of the sea known as
Long Island Sound, poured its flood into the
Hudson ere it made its exit, over the now sub
merged plain, into the sea. The great eleva-
ton, here described, and the increased fall in
the current of the streams, depending upon
the greater proportional elevation of the re-
gion of the Adirondacs, gave the Hudson an
opportunity to wear deep channel into the
rocks which now constitute its banks. When,
in the course of time, the bed of the river had
been fashioned, very much Us we now see it,
and the space now occupied by the N. Y. Bay,
had been excavatcd by the turbulent move
ment of these conilucnt strcams,--so that
here was really a basin cut out Of the solid
rock,--so to speak, the whole continent, or
so much of it as has to do with this REGION
has subsidized to its present level
So the deep bed of the Hudson, although it
is now tidal arm of the sea, was worn out of
the solid rock, by the abradipg influence of a
vigorous flow of water and When fashion
ed to suit tile purposes of the Divine Archi-
tect, it was placed at that altitude that would
make 1t conspire to accomplish His ends. -
Thus we see the litnd of Deity has fashioned
this district--ages upon ages ago, for the grand
axis Of the continent. People cannot make
great sites for cities, nor rivers TO match them,
nor mountains to surround them. This is the
handiwork of Deity ;.-and even the tide OF
population is led to those sites where the Ar
chitect will have them. This idea perhaps
! may be got the better by examining some map
of the State of N. Y, and New England or
still better, by examining the Coast Survey of
this region.
Ringoes, N. j., Aug. 9Th 10 p. NJ.
, We have enjoyed pleasant ride through
, the valley Of the Raritan to-day. The rapid
increase in the population in the eastern part
OF our SldUe rs tSpccftn5 Uoi'J "a ''DeS'
| am afraid that the people there have tried,
over hard, to build cities before they are real
|Iy needed. As we passed along VIC were sur
prised at the great number OF placards having
upon them q To Let y or "For Sale we
saw several handsome buildings--some THINK
had never been occupied, with the grass
growing close up against the door-si'l. In
one place counted seven, all in one enclos-
ure. that were not occupied, and perhaps,
from appearance, bad not been in two or three
years. Here seemed to me to be mistake IN
the investment of capital These houses had
cost'from $1,000 to $1,000 apiece and per-
baps were built for SALE think four of them
had never been occupied, although they look
ed as if they had been built at least three
years.
More than half tie land lying between Jers
sey City and Bound Brook, is laid out IN
streets, graded, and set with fancy trees to
shade the hopedfor future sidewalks. But