The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-05-24

nearing, tnat We had such pieces and thus
our fort II that name may be given 10 ~
I miserable a st0chadej was finished in a week
though Il rsined 50 hard every other day,
that the men could not work. This
gave me occasion 70 observe, that, when men
are employed, they are best contenied for
on the days they worked they were good
nstured and cheerful, and, with the con-
sciousness Of having done good days work I,
they spent the evening jollily; but on our
I idle days they were mutinOus aud quarrel
some, finding fault with the pork, tho
/ bread, &c, and were continually in bad hui
/ NOR which put me in mind Of a sea cap
tain, whose rule il was 70 keep his men con.
stantly at work and, when his mate once
| told him that they had done everything, and
there was nothing further 10 employ them
/ about: "N," said he, "make them scour the
/ anchor" This kind Of fort however con-
\ temptibls, Is a sufficient defense against In
dians, who have no cannon. Finding our.
selves now posted securely, and having a
I place TO retreat b on occasion, we ventured
out in parties 10 sc0ur the adjacent country.
| We met with no Indians but we found the
places on the neighboring hills, where they
| had lain 20 watch our proceedings
had hardly finished this business, and got
=iy fort well stored with provisions, when 1
received letter from the governor, ac-
quainting me, that be had called the As
sembly, and wished my attendance there, IL
the posture of affairs on the frontiers was
such that my remaining there was no long.
er necessary. My friends, too, Of the As
sembly, pressing me by their letters 10 be, IL
possible, at the meeting and, my three in-
tended forts being now completed, and the
inhabitants contented 10 remain on their
farms, under that protection, resolved 70
return the more willingly, as New Eng
land officer, Colonel Clspham, experienced
IN Indian war being on visit to our estab-
lishment, consented To accept the command.
gave him commission, and, parading
the garrison, had it read before them aud
introduced hiin TO them as an officer, who
from his skill in military affairs. was much
more tit to command them than myself
and, giving them little exhortation took
my leave. | was escorted as far as Beth
lehem, where | rested few days to recover
from the fatigue | had undergone. The
first night, lyingin good bed, ! could hard
ly sleep, it was so different from my hard
lodging on the floor Of hut at Gnaden-
Huetten, with only blanket or two"
Fort Allen was 50 named by Franklin in
honor Of his old friend, Chief-Justice VIM.
Allen whose son at later date laid out the
city Of Allentown. Immediately on his re-
turn to Philadelphia, Franghn caused an
additional cannon to be added 10 the arina-
ment Of Fort Allen. The fort was q quad
range; the two walls running north and
south were 100 feet those east and west
100 feet. At the northeast aud southwest
corners were added two angles with loop
hole so constructed as TO enable the garrison,
in case Of attack, to enflade the four sides Of
the stockade with the two cannon. Inside
the fort were suitable barracks and an ex.
cellent well to supply the garrison and
others seeking refuge there with shelter and
water.
This fort was one Of line Of frontier de-
fenses extending from the susquehanna,
near Lancaster, To the Delaware Water Gap.
The wisdom of franklin in locating Fort
Allen is characteristic Of the man. 1t ef-
cctually barricaded the Indian trails up
and down the Lehigh; and in the after
years of Indian atrocities and troubles along
the borders, it is voucher Of the dread they
bad of it that they never attacked Fort
Allen, but always gave it wide berth.
Up to the building Of Fort Allen, efforts
TO colonze that portion Of Northampton
county now included within the limits Of
Carbon, had been confined TO the Moravian
brethren at Bethlehem, except, perhaps,
few emgrants from New York who had
taken up farms in the valley of Poho POGO
creek. But the massacre at Gnaden- II uetten
and the continued war-like attitude Of the
Indians very much discouraged the colonists
here, whose houses had been destroyed and
their stock stolen and carried away aud
serious check was this put upon emigration
hither
In the meantime Tadeuskund continued
his misuamed peace policy with the whites
and his ceaseless intrigues to retrieve for the
Deawares the position in the Six Nations
which the lruquois had despoied them Of
under Tattemi. His policy, far from bring
ing peace, folnented continual trouble and
bloodshed along the frontier, while his in
trigues caused his sincerity to be distrusicd
by the whites and TO be watched by his
own people and enyied by neigboring tribes.
lie never tired of "kiudlng the council
fires" with the whites at Eastoni was vain
Of his title Of "King Of the Delawaresi" de-
lighted 10 be called the "War Trumpet"
when passing TO and fro among his people,
and breasted the storm Of opposition IN him
selfby his intrepid manhood, inmate cunning,
enthusiasm and eloquence. HID he been
less fond Of the fatal "fre water" which fin
ally brought him to an untimely end at his
home in Wyoming, he might have consum-
mated the central ambition Of his life in be-
ing dubbed King Of the Six Nations, and
a valuable ally TO the Pennsylvania colony.
But surrounded as he. was, with enemies,
Tadeuskund could not escape the fate that
had long been intended for him. In tho
spring of 1903, when the European nations
had made peace but the Indians were still
at war, he was burnt up, together with his
house. as he was lying in his bed asleep. A
number Of Indians were witnesses 10 the
fact that the house was set on fire from the
outside. Suspicion fell principally upon the
AlllEhest WIN Ntlt AlNh II ~ hN INtAtNAa "
him, aud fearful Of his resentment, II he
should succeed in insihuating himself into
the favor Of the English, and making good
terms with them for his nation. His great
est weakness was a fonduess for strong
drinks, the temptation Of which he could
not easily resist, and would sometimes drink
to excess. This unfortunate propensity is
supposed 10 have been the cause Of his cruel
and untimely death.
OF the old fort at Weissport there remains
at this date no landmark except the old
we'll. This, though unused for a number
Of years, is still in perfect state Of preser-
walton, contains Ave or six feet Of ehrystsl
water; and the circular stone curbing is as
compact now as the day it was put there
under the supervision Of its philosophie ar
ehitect. The question Of fitting up this old
we'll as place Of popular resort, on account
Of its historic associations, is now being ag-