A New Guide for Emigrants to the West

by John Mason Peck

The portion of Pennsylvania lying west of the Alleghany ridge, contains the counties of Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Alleghany, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Mercer, Venango, Crawford, Erie, Warren, McKean, Jefferson, Indiana, Somerset, and a part of Cambria.

Face of the Country.—Somerset, and parts of Fayette, Westmoreland, Cambria, Indiana, Jefferson, and McKean are mountainous, with intervening vallies of rich, arable land. The hilly portions of Washington, and portions of Fayette, Westmoreland, and Alleghany counties are fertile, with narrow vales of rich land intervening. The hills are of various shapes and heights, and the ridges are not uniform, but pursue various and different directions. North of Pittsburg, the country is hilly and broken, but not mountainous, and the bottom lands on the water courses are wider and more fertile. On French creek, and other branches of the Alleghany river there are extensive tracts of rich bottom, or intervale lands, covered with beech, birch, sugar maple, pine, hemlock, and other trees common to that portion of the United States. The pine forests in Pennsylvania and New York, about the heads of the Alleghany river, produce vast quantities of lumber, which are sent annually to all the towns along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. It is computed that not less than thirty million feet of lumber are annually sent down the Ohio from this source.

Soil, Agriculture, &c.—Portions of the country are excellent for farming. The glade lands, as they are called, in Greene and other counties, produce oats, grass, &c., but are not so good for wheat and corn. Those counties which lie towards lake Erie are better adapted to grazing. Great numbers of cattle are raised here. Washington and other counties south of Pittsburg produce great quantities of wool. The Monongahela has been famous for its whiskey, but it is gratifying to learn that it is greatly on the decline, and that its manufacture begins to be regarded as it should be,—ruinous to society. A large proportion of the distilleries are reported to have been abandoned. Bituminous coal abounds in all the hills around Pittsburg, and over most parts of Western Pennsylvania. Iron ore is found abundantly in the counties along the Alleghany, and many furnaces and forges are employed in its manufactory. Salt springs abound on the Alleghany, and especially on the Conemaugh and Kiskiminitas, where salt, in large quantities, is manufactured.

The natural advantages of Western Pennsylvania are great. Almost every knoll, hill and mountain can be turned to some good account, and its rivers, canals, rail and turnpike roads afford facilities for intercommunication, and for transportation of the productions to a foreign market. The advantages of this region for trade, agriculture, raising stock, and manufacturing, are great. The streams furnish abundant mill-seats, the air is salubrious, and the morals of the community good. Till recently, Pennsylvania has been neglectful to provide for common schools. A school system is now in successful operation, and has a strong hold on the confidence and affections of the people in this part of the State.

Internal Improvements.—Pennsylvania has undertaken an immense system of internal improvements, throughout the State. The Alleghany portage rail-road commences at Hollidaysburgh, on the Juniata river, at the termination of the eastern division of the great Pennsylvania canal, and crosses the Alleghany ridge at Blair's Gap, summit 37 miles, to Johnstown on the Conemaugh. Here it connects with the western division of the same canal. It ascends and descends the mountain by five inclined planes on each side, overcoming in ascent and descent 2570 feet, 1398 of which are on the eastern, and 1172 on the western side of the mountain. 563 feet are overcome by grading, and 2007 feet by the planes. On this line, also, are four extensive viaducts, and a tunnel 870 feet long, and 20 feet wide, through the staple bend of the Conemaugh river. The western division of the Pennsylvania canal commences at Johnstown, on the Conemaugh, pursues the course of that stream, and also that of the Kiskiminitas and Alleghany rivers, and finally terminates at Pittsburg. In its course from Johnstown it passes through the towns of Fairfield, Lockport, Blairsville, Saltzburg, Warren, Leechburg, and Freeport, most of which are small villages, but increasing in size and business. "The canal is 104 miles in length: lockage 471 feet, 64 locks, (exclusive of four on a branch canal to the Alleghany,) 10 dams, 1 tunnel, 16 aqueducts, 64 culverts, 39 waste-wiers, and 152 bridges.

"The canal commissioners, in their reports to the legislature, strongly recommend the extension of this division to the town of Beaver, so as to unite with the Beaver division. By a recent survey, the distance was ascertained to be 25.065 miles, and the estimated cost of construction, $263,821. This, with a proposed canal from Newcastle to Akron, on the Ohio and Erie canal, will form a continuous inland communication between Philadelphia and New Orleans, of 2435 miles, with the exception of the passage over the Alleghany portage rail-road, of 36.69 miles in length.[8] It is 395 miles from Philadelphia to Pittsburg by this canal.

The Beaver division of the Pennsylvania canal commences at the town of Beaver, on the Ohio river, at the junction of the Big Beaver river, 25½ miles below Pittsburg, ascends the valley of that river, thence up the Chenango creek to its termination in Mercer county, a distance of 42.68 miles. This work, together with a feeder on French creek, and other works now in progress, are parts of a canal intended eventually to connect the Ohio river with lake Erie, at the town of Erie; which, when finished, will probably be about 130 miles in length. It is also proposed to construct a canal from Newcastle, on the Beaver division, 24.75 miles above the town of Beaver, along the valley of the Mahoning river, to Akron, near the portage summit of the Ohio and Erie canal, 85 miles in length, 8 miles of which are in Pennsylvania, and the residue in Ohio. Estimated cost, $764,372.

The Cumberland, or National road, crosses the south-western part of Pennsylvania. It passes through Brownsville where it crosses the Monongahela river, and Washington, into a corner of Virginia to Wheeling, where it crosses the Ohio river, and from thence through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois to the Mississippi river, or perhaps to the western boundary of Missouri.

Chief Towns.—Brownsville, situated on the east side of the Monongahela river, is in a romantic country, surrounded with rich farms and fine orchards, and contains about 1200 inhabitants. It is at the head of steamboat navigation. Washington is the county seat of Washington county, surrounded with a fertile but hilly country, contains about 2000 inhabitants, and has a respectable college. Cannonsburgh is situated on the west side of Chartier's creek, 8 miles north of Washington. It also has a flourishing college, with buildings in an elevated and pleasant situation. Uniontown is the county seat of Fayette, on the National road, and contains about 1500 inhabitants. Greensburg is the seat of justice for Westmoreland county, on the great turnpike road from Philadelphia by Harrisburg to Pittsburg, and has about 850 inhabitants. Beaver is situated at the mouth of Big Beaver, on the Ohio, with a population of 1000 or 1200, and is a place of considerable business. Meadville is the seat of justice for Crawford county, situated near French creek, and has about 1200 inhabitants. Here is a college established by the Rev. Mr. Alden, some years since, to which the late Dr. Bentley of Salem, Mass., bequeathed a valuable library. It is now under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Erie is a thriving town, situated on the south side of lake Erie, one hundred and twenty miles north of Pittsburg. Steamboats that pass up the lake from Buffalo, usually stop here, from whence stage routes communicate with Pittsburg, and many other towns in the interior. The portage from this place to the navigable waters of the Alleghany river is fifteen miles over a turnpike road. The population of Erie is from 1500 to 2000, and increasing.