Year: 1862

From the time Of the first settlement
of our State by the European races its
population has exhibited an unusual de-
velopment of physical vigor and energy.
The Swedes, who first began the work OF
colonization, were a hardy and robust
people; next came the English Quakers
whose leading characteristics were indus
try, rigid morality and a love OF useful
labor; and soon after followed the Ger.
mans, an honest, persevering and athletic
race, who for a long period had almost
exclusive possession of larger portions OF
our commonwealth.


We have always been regarded as q
solid, substantial people; and the phys


ical character of the State has proved te
be in remarkable unison with the nature
of those who have chosen it for their
dwelling place.


It's leading attraction at first was the
rich soil which so bountifully remunerat,
ed the husbandman for his toll but at a
more recent period it mas been discovered
that untold riches lie buried in the bowels
of the earth, and almost every year is
bringing to light new sources of wealth,
not dreamed of by our early ancestors
Coal and iron in inexhaustible quantities
reward the industry of those who engage
in those departments of labor in which
these articles are mainly used. The an
thracite of eastern Pennsylvania is pecu
liar to the region in which it is found,
and the bituminous coal of the western
part of the State is unsurpassed by tie
carbonacous product of any part of the
world. Iron-ore and limestone pervade
vast portions of the surface of the State
and three such products as iron, eeal, and
lime, would of themselves be sufficient,
under favorable circumstances, to afford
employment, wealth and prosperity to a
east population of industrious people
but within a few years it has been found
that in certain localities the earth con-
tains immense quantities of oil, which is
furnished so cheaply that it has come into
extensive use in our own country, and is
already an important article of commerce.
In addition to all this, we find, by re-
cent announcement, that, in boring for
oil, it has been discovered that sub.erra-
mean streams of water exist, SO strongly
impregnated with salt as to crystalize up
on reaching the air, and that the salt is
of superior quality. What more may be
produced hereafter it is not easy to tell !;
but if there should be no mere of the
great substantials which constitute the
material elements upon which the CON-
fort and happiness of a civilized people
are based, we have great reason to rejoice
and be thankful for the blessings which
bountlful Providence has bestowed upon
US.


There is probably no part of the earth's
surface, of equal extent, within which
people may live with so little to depend
upon from other countries. What other
nation possesses at once an agricul-
tural soil of unsurpassed richness and
variety, climate the most agreeable and
and which produces the most
desirable articles Of food, and materials
for clothing, shelter, &c, and inexhausi-
bic quantities of coal, iron, lime, oil and
salt? Surely, if any State in this Union
might presume to call itself an empire, it
is our substantial old Keystone. 1t is
probable that we may never find mines of
gold, silver or diamonds in Pennsylvania,
but we have minerals of far moro real
worth, and as yet our ground has been but
slightly explored In addition to the ar
ticles which we have spoken, we know
that there exists, to some extent, lead,
.inc and nickel, and future explorations
nay develop many thing of which we lit
lie dream of at this time. |