Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-08
WHAT A BIG CHANGE
From the Map Making of Pioneer
Pennsylvania to the Present.
QUAKERS 1,OOO-ACRE TOWN LOTS
And Allusion to the Afluence of Phila-
delphians in Carriages.
NO DISTORTIONS As IN MODERN DAYS

Few people now living are aware of the
Importance attached to the province of
Pennsylvania by its British owners 1S1
years ago. 1t had historian as far back
as 17O8, j. Oldmixon, who says he was
honored with the friendship of William
Penn, from whom he obtained much Of his
information. Mr.. Oldmixon says: "This
is not the least considerable of our Amer
lean colonies, and for the few years that the
tract OF land which goes by this name has
been inhabited, we believe none has thrived
more, nor is more rich and populous.
Pennsylvania consists of all that tract of
land in America, with all islands thereunto
belonging, that Is to say, from the begin
ming OF the fortieth degree of north latitude
unto the forty-third degree of north latitude,
whose eastern boundary from Il English
miles above Newcastle (alias Delaware
town. runs all along upon the side of Della
ware river. So that tits bounded on the east
by the river and bay of Delaware and the
Eastern sea; on the north by West New
Jersey, or rather New York, for it goes a
great way above the Jerseys; on the west by
the Indian nations about the heads of Sus-
quahanaugh and Delaware rivers, and on
the south by Maryland; and reaches from
Pensberry, near the falls of Delaware river,
to Cape Hinlope; at the mouth of Delaware
bay, near 15O miles-but it runs along like
stripof land, being very much crowded in
breadth by Maryland"
OLD QUAKER AFFLUENCE.
Philadelphia, Mr.. Oldmixon says, had at
at that date 200 houses, and was so -four
ishing that many merchants kept coaches.
The town lots were large, and owners of
], ,0O0-acre lots and upward had their houses
on two fronts, facing the two rivers. Every
owner of 5,00O-acre lot had an acre in
front, and each small lotholder had half an
acre on the back streets, by which arrange
ment the poorest had room for house, gar
den and small orchard. The historian goes
into raptures over the plentitude of game of
all kinds, and says: "There is the land
turtle of 40 or 80 pound weight" Mr.. Old |
miXon's account of the Indians is humorous, |
though not so intended. He says Penn be- |
lieved them to be of the Hebrew race.
In ITO, about the time Great Britain was
girding up her loins to make desperate
effort for the commercial supremacy of the
world, her surveyors were hard at work |
locating the province of Pennsylvania by
metes and bounds and it is matter of as
tonishment to Messrs. Mckee and Mercer
and to most people who have examined the
result of these old timers work that they
succeeded so well in making fairly good
map of these almost trackless wilds, one that
in many respects will compare favorably
with those of the present day, notwithstand-
ing the makers were in hourly danger Of
losing their scalps while running the lines.
The map hangs in the County Commits
'ioners' Office and pleasant half day might
be spent in poring over 1t. 1t was presented
oy William King. 1t is labeled:
A map of Pennsylvania exhibiting not onlv
he improved parts of the province, but also its
extensive frontiers, laid down from actual sur
7eys and chiefly from the late map of W. Scull,
published in ITO and humbly inscribed to the
Hon. Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esqs.,
rue and absolute proprietaries and Governors
If the province Of Pennsylvania and the terri
ories thereunto belonging.
Bennett, map and printsellers, No. So, in Fleet
treet. Published as the act directs. 10 June,
775
LONGITUDINAL MOUNTAINS.
The only material fault yet found with it
s that its mountains run too directly north
md south, not having quite the proper
northeast and southwest trend.
There were then but eight counties in the
State, or rather Philadelphia,
Bucks, Chester, York, Berks, Lancaster,
northumberland and Cumberland. ''They
we're English, you know" their names
Fould indicate that if nothing else. As to
ize, all the restwere insignificant compared
With Northampton and Cumberland. The
rst lost itself in the northeast among the
Endless Mountains" In it, according to
he map, there was swamp about 30 BY 80
niles in extent. Cumberland county
egan down we'll toward the south
asst part of the province and
pread itself considerably, extending
orthwest up to the territory of the six
ations and westward it didn't appear to
ave any boundary, except what was subse-
uently known as the Northwest territory.
his county forms a small patch in the origi-
al county. A big swamp is marked on
he map southeast of Fort Venango, which I
-as in what is now Venango county, at the /
louth of French creek. ,,
Commencing at the Chestnut Ridge and !
Ding east the mountains are labeled Laurel !
.idge, Allegheny Ridge, Wills, Great
Warrior, Alleguippy and Ragged noun {
lins, Rays Hill Ridge, South and Trent j
fountains. North and northeast the ex- [
,nsions were named River Hill, Shade, !
anther Hill, Nittany's, Bald Eagle, Tus- 5
,y's, Jacks Black Log, Connecochiague,
tiffany, or Blue, Petus, Tuscarora, Cushi-
I'm and so on to the Endless Mountains,
hich were thrown in as Z
A SORT OF ULTIMA THULE.
One thing that strikes the observer is the
-eat number of meeting houses and a
lurches dotted over the map. The sur t
,yors were either attached to the Established t
hurch or else they regarded steeple as q
Efficient to distinguish it from dissenters' n
buses of worship. Here you find picture y
square, unpretending house marked
Presbyterian Meeting House." there one q
arked Quaker Meeting House." Then n
~ come to picture of building with a "
wer, or steeple, on one end, and it is in
lriably labeled Church" 1t is possible
at dissenters objected to having their
,uses of worship styled churches They
ay have objected to figures of speech. e.
r 60 or 70 miles, bore the name of Cohon- r,
ronto, where it became the Potowmack. 81
ne is impressed with the fact in looking b
'er the map that our ancestors had the o.
od sense to do measure of scant Justice .
the aborigines by adopting so many of
cir lofty names. While a noble lord
ight impress his name on county or city,
e Indian names of mountains and rivers II
IRE generally retained. ol
That portion of the map most interesting to
this section is that of Cumberland county. W
le trail from Ft. Cumberland to Ft. Pitt al
marked. The first place noted is Great
ossing, six or eight miles south of Three