may not be entirely accurate in our details. The public would be much indebted to Major Bache or Captain Boyce if they would publish the results of their survey of our river and bay...from Trenton to the Capes. If we are correct in the distance stated to Cape May by water, viz: 95 miles, (and we are certain that it is under 100 miles,) the performance of the steam boat Ohio would not exceed a speed of 15 miles to the hour ---a passage by no means extraordinary in the high pressure march of this stirring age. SENEX. rise in the Allegheny river and its tributary streams at this time. The loss to individuals, owing to overflowing of low lands, destruction of crops and grass, will be very considerable."...Harrisburg Chron. VALUABLE IMPROVEMENT IN COAL GENTES-We have lately examined a new patent grate invented by Mr. Joseph Snyder of this city. The great object which he proposed was, to prevent the enormous waste of heat in the common grates, by the back being set in the chimney and the flame passing immeda ely off. This we think he has fully accomplished. The surface heated by this grate, and from which the eat as '11. n into the room, is from 20 to 30 squan, tant reckon ing the front which is open rike othe bines all the advantages of grate, and is of course much prefable in point of it will come into almost unive as soon as its adeconomy and agreeableness, s zitten We doubt ot vantages shall be known. It can be made as ornamen.. tal as the most elegant parlours may require.-Com. Herald. It comand a common From the Pittsburgh Gazette. EULOGIUM ON CHILF JOSE MARSHALL. A. W. FOSTER. COAL.-We have been shown a specimen of the very best quality of bituminous coal, found near the bank of the lake, a short distance above this town, We understand the indications are strong of the existence of large bodies of it in the neighborhood. Should such prove the fact, it will be an important acquisition to the wealth of Erie county. We want the encouragement which the state has the power and is in duty bound to extend to us, for opening the bowels of the earth, when we have no doubt, minerals of immense value will be discovered in our immediate vicinity. The indications of iron are numerous.-Erie Observer. than by Your obedient servants, July 10th, 1835. comicating ng ourvitation thus d and merithave led ་་་ *tor, cherish ely, W. M. MERDITA, Fresident S. C. HIN ROTH, President C. C. (For Resolutions see page 30.) MR. BINNEY'S REPLY. Philadelphia, July 13, 1835. Gentlemen-My return to the city this morning has put me in possession of your note of the 10th instant, communicating a joint resolution by the Councils on the previous day. While I have no expectation whatever, of adequately pourtraying and commemorating the actions, character and services, of the illustrious citizen to whom the resolution refers, I accept the appointment which the Councils have conferred upon me, under the united influence of deference to their wishes, and of unsurpassed veneration for the man whose memory they have deemed it their public duty to honor. I beg leave at the same time to express my sense of the value which you have added to the distinction, by the obliging terms of your note. I remain, gentlemen, very respectfully and truly, your obedient servant, HOR. BINNEY. NEW APPLICATION OF INDIA RUBBER.-Mr. Vanhorn, Stock and Suspender Manufacturer, of this city, (No. 6 south Fourth street, near Market,) has lately applied India Rubber webbing to saddles in the place of the linen web formerly used, and thereby he has To W. M. MEREDITH, Esq. given a new and easy spring to the saddle. We have examined and used one of the saddles thus made, and can assure our readers that it is the pleasantest we have ever used. This new saddle spring, we have no doubt will supercede all others now in use.-Com. Her. FLOOD IN THE ALLEGHENY.-A letter dated Franklin, Venango Co. July 16, says." We have an unusual •See page 55. President Select Council. President Common Council. Printed every Saturday morning by WILLIAM F. GEDDES, No. 9 Library street. The publication office of the Register has been removed from Franklin Place, to No. 61, in the Arcade, West Avenue, up stairs. HAZARD'S REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA. DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE. EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD. VOL. XVI.--NO. 5. PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST 1, 1835. No. 395. From the Philadelphia Gazette. ORIGINAL LETTERS OF DR. FRANKLIN. We have been favoured by a valued friend, with the loan of fifteen original letters, written by Dr. Frank-in the House to prevent, as they do for Scotland, any lin to his friend Dr. Cadwallader Evans, and dated at London, between the years 1766 and 1773. They are private letters of friendship, containing an occasional glance at politics, but the most of the later ones, enter very extensively into the merits of a question, which at that period occupied a large share of the attention of the Colonists, namely, the cultivation of silk. It will be seen from these letters that Dr. Franklin took a very active part in the dissemination of knowledge on this subject, and that he was entirely satisfied of the prac ticability of rendering silk a staple production of most of the Colonies, and we learn from a relation of the late Dr. Evans, to whom these letters were addressed, that Italian mulberry trees the growth of the seed sent to him by Dr. Franklin, are still standing in Montgomery county. From another gentleman we learn, that in the vicinity of our city, there are many of the same species of tree, the offspring of Dr. Franklin's enterprize, and we can even name a Lady who has in her possession half a pound of silk, raised in this State before the Revolution, under the influence of the spirit which at that period prevailed. In the Gazette of to-day will be found the first of these letters. In pursuing it, the reader will be struck with the fact, that at a period, ten years anterior to our declaration of Independence, and when the idea of a separation of the Colonies from the mother country was not extensively entertained, Dr. Franklin had conceived in his mind, the plan of a Federal Government, although he considered it too late for adoption, by the various dominions of the British Empire. The other letters will appear in succession, and will no doubt be read with much interest, by a large portion of the American People. "The particular affair" alluded to at the close of the letter, may possibly be arrived at from a knowledge of the following fact. In the year 1764 Dr. Franklin was sent to England by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of obtaining a Regal government for the Colony instead of the existing Proprietary government, as well as of remonstrating against the taxing of the Colonies, then first projected. ORIGINAL LETTERS, LONDON, May 9, 1766. Dear Sir:-I received your kind letter of March 3, and thank you for the Intelligence and Hints it contained. I wonder at the Complaint you mentioned. I always considered writing to the Speaker as writing to the Committee. But if it is more to their Satisfaction that I should write to them jointly, it shall be done for the future. My private Opinion concerning a union in Parlia VOL. XVI. 9 ment between the two Countries, is, that it would be best for the Whole. But I think it will never be done. For tho' I believe that if we had no more Representatives than Scotland has, we should be sufficiently strong thing ever passing to our disadvantage; yet we are not able at present to furnish and maintain such a Number, and when we are more able we shall be less willing than we are now. The Parliament here do at present think too highly of themselves to admit Representa tives from us if we should ask it; and when they will be desirous of granting it, we shall think too highly of ourselves to accept of it. It would certainly contribute to the strength of the whole, if Ireland and all the Dominions were united and consolidated under one Common Council for general Purposes, each retaining its partic ular Council or Parliament for its domestic Concerns. But this should have been more early provided for.In the Infancy of our foreign Establishments, it was neglected, or was not thought of. And now, the Affair is nearly in the Situation of Friar Bacon's Project of making a brazen Wall round England for its eternal Security. His Servant Friar Bungey slept while the brazen Head, which was to dictate how it might be done, said Time is, and Time was. He only wak'd to. hear it say, Time is past. An explosion followed that tumbled their House about the Conjuror's Ears. ture has been of some Service to the Colonies. I am I hope with you, that my being here at this Junesure I have spared no Pains. And as to our particular Affair, I am not in the least doubtful of obtaining what late confus'd State of Affairs on both sides the Water, we so justly desire if we continue to desire it: tho' the have delay'd our Proceeding. With great esteem, I am, Dear Doctor Dear Friend, Yours affectionately, LETTER II. B. FRANKLIN. LONDON, May 5, 1767. I received your obliging favour of May 16. I am always glad to hear from you when you have Leisure to write, and I expect no Apologies for your not Writing. I wish all correspondence was on the Foot of Writing and answering when one can, or when one is dispos'd to it, without the compulsions of Ceremony. I am pleased with your Scheme of a medical Library, at the Hospital; and I fancy I can procure you some Donations among my medical Friends here, if you will send me a Catalogue of what Books you already have. Inclos'd I send you the only Book of the kind in my Possession here, having just receiv'd it as a Present from the Author. It is not yet published to be sold, and will not be for some time, till the second Part is ready to accompany it. I thank you for your Remarks on the Gout. They may be useful to me who have already had some Touches of that Distemper. As to Lord Chatham, it The Doctor was born on 6th January, 1706, and was at this date upwards of 61 years of age.--Editors. is said that his Constitution is totally destroy'd and gone, partly thro' the violence of the Disease, and partly by his own continual Quacking with it. There is at present no Access to him; he is said to be not capable of receiving any more than of giving advice.— But still there is such a Deference paid to him that much. business is delay'd on his account, that so when entered on it may have the Strength of his Concurrence, or not be liable to his Reprehension if he should recover his Ability and Activity. The ministry we at present have, has not been looked upon, either by itself or others, as settled, which is another Cause of postponing every thing not immediately necessary to be considered. New Men, and perhaps new Measures are often expected and apprehended, whence arise continual Cabals, Factions and Intrigues among the Outs and Ins, that keep every thing in Confusion. And when Affairs will mend, is very uncertain. I wrote you a few Lines per Capt. Falconer, and sent you Dr. Watson's new Piece, of Experiments on Inoculation, which I hope will be agreeable to you. Sale. In Families also where the children and Servants With many Thanks for your good Wishes, I am, Dear Doctor: I am LETTER IV. B. FRANKLIN. LONDON, Sep. 8, 1769. I am writing to you and all my Friends by the Packet that sails to-morrow. This is only to cover the French work on Silk Worms, said to be the best extant; which In yours of Nov. 20, you mention the Lead on the being too bulky to go per packet I send you by this Stills or worms of Stills as a probable cause of the Dry-Ship. Some extracts may be made from it, & publishbellyach among Punch Drinkers in our West India Is-ed of the most useful Directions, for it is like other lands. I had before acquainted Dr. Baker with a Fact French Writings rather too wordy, &c. I have receiof that kind, the general mischief done by the use of ved yours per Packet & via Liverpool, with the obserLeaden Worms, when Rum Distilling was first praticed vations of the Transit, of which more in my next. in New England, which occasioned a severe Law there against them; and he has mentioned it in the second Yours affectionately, Part of his piece not yet published. I have long been of Opinion, that that Distemper proceeds always from a metallic Cause only, observing that it affects among Tradesmen those that use Lead, however different their Trades, as Glazers, Type-Founders, Plumbers, Potters, White Lead-makers and Painters; from the latter, it has been conjectur'd it took its Name Colica Pictonum by the Mistake of a Letter and not from its being the Disease of Poictou; and altho' the Worms of Stills, ought to be of pure Tin, they are often made of Pewter, which has a great Mixture in it of Lead. The Boston People pretending to interfere with the Manufactures of this Country, makes a great clamour here against America in general. I have endeavoured therefore to palliate matters a little in several public Papers. It would, as you justly observe, give less umbrage if we meddled only with such manufactures as England does not attend to. That of Linnen might be carried on more or less in every Family (perhaps it can only do in a Family way) and silk I think in most of the colonies. But there are many Manufactures that we cannot carry on to Advantage tho' we were at entire Liberty. And after all, this Country is fond of Manufactures beyond their real value; for the true Source of Riches is Husbandry. Agriculture is truly productive of new wealth; Manufactures only change Forms; and whatever value they give to the Material they work upon, they in the mean time consume an equal value in Provisions, &c. So that Riches are not increased by Manufacturing; the only advantage is, that Provisions in the Shape of Manufactures are more easily carried for Sale toj Foreign Markets. And where the Provisions cannot be easily carried to Market, 'tis well so to transform them for our own Use as well as foreign *In the original the letter is placed above the n, to mark the slight change, that would convert "Pictonum" into Pictorum" The disease referred to, is well known this day, as belonging to painters.-Edi tors. B. FRANKLIN. Please to let Mrs. Franklin know I am well. Dear Sir: LETTER. V. LONDON, Sept. 7, 1769. I have now before me your Favours of June 11, and July 15, Ithank you for communicating to me the Observations of the Transit made by Messrs. Biddle & Bay. ley. I gave them Immediately to Mr. Maskelyn, the Astronomer Royal, who will compare and digest the whole received from different Parts of the world, and report thereon to the Royal Society. They are the only ones I have received from our Society; those made by the others were sent to Mr. Penn. Being last week with Mr. Maskelyn at Flamstead House, I found he had got them. I shall send him to-day the correct account which I have since received from you via. Liverpool. I should be very sorry that any thing of Party remained in the American Philosophical Society after the Union. Here the Royal Society is of all Parties, but Party is entirely out of the Question in all our Proceedings. It grieves me to hear that our Friend Galloway is in so bad a State of Health. He should make a long Journey, or take a Sea voyage. I wish he would come to London for the Winter. Mr. Henry's Register, which you communicated to me last Year, is thought a very ingenious one, and will be published here tho' it has been long delay'd. I have not seen Mrs. Dowell. I suppose she is not yet come to Town. At least I have not heard of her being here, tho' possibly she might while I was in France. Our friend W who is always complaining of a constant Fever, looks nevertheless fresh & jolly and does not fall away in the least. He was saying the other day at Richmond (where we were together dining with Govern'r Pownall) that he had been pestered with a Fever almost continually for these three years past 1835.] EXCURSION ON THE DANVILLE AND POTTSVILLE RAIL ROAD. and that it gave away to no medicines, all he had taken advis'd by different Physicians having never any Effect towards removing it. On which I ask'd him, if it was not now time to enquire whether he had really any Fever at all? He is indeed the only instance I ever knew of a Man's growing fat upon a Fever. But I see no Occasion for reading him the Lecture he desired, for he appears to be extreamly temperate in his Eating & Drinking. His affairs here are I think in a good Train, but every thing to be transacted in our great Offices, requires time I suppose he will be hardly able to return before the Spring. breaks. may have 67 When once you can raise plenty of Silk, you I am, my dear Friend, B. FRANKLIN. (To be continued) EXCURSION ON THE DANVILLE AND POTTS VILLE RAIL ROAD. This rail road affords an opportunity for a ride of the most agreeable kind, particularly on a fine day with a refreshing breeze, its course passing through valley and over mountain, clothed with the livery of summer, crossing over rivulets and streams sparkling and poeti cal-and frequently presenting views of highly picturesque and magnificent scenery. On Tuesday week last, in company with about a dozen gentlemen, we started in the very handsome and comfortable Mount Carbon omnibus, on a visit to Girardville. The morning was delightful. The ardour of the sun's rays was tempered by a gentle current of air, which increased with our elevation. We soon reached the first inclined plane, at Wadesville, which is 667 feet in length and 105 in heighth, in ascending which we occupied the short space of one minute. Here we passed through the celebrated Tunnel, of striking beauty of workmanship, which is 800 feet in length and of ample height. The second plane, which is 807 feet in length and 202 in height, we ascended in the space of two minutesthe third, which is 550 feet in length and 159 in height, in 1 minute and 15 seconds-and the fourth, which is 861 feet in length and 147 in height, in two minutes. These are all self-acting planes, with chains to which the ascending and descending cars are on their respective sides attached, the weight or gravity of the one set drawing up the other. The contrivance is simple and the operation beautiful. To the majority of our company the whole scene presented a novel aspect-they had never before traversed the planes-and to some, in the first instance, the experiment seemed fraught with danger. But every feeling of timidity or distrust vanished by the time we had passed the second plane, not one of the company offering to walk up, which by the way is no lazy task-"hic labor hoc opus est," but every man looking on the ceremony with perfect coolness and content, thinking of any thing but danger. The truth is, the planes are perfectly safe if the proper preparations are made and fastenings well attended to, the chains being of ample size, the strength of which having been tested by experiment and found equal to a much greater weight than that of as many passenger cars as could be attached to them. The cars are likewise under the control of the Brakes, and may be stopped in their career, as was exemplified by experiment on one of the planes during our passage. The wind brakes, as they are called, are an important improvement, which tend to diminish the velocity of the cars, being arms attached to an upright shaft, connected with the endless chains. The delay is likewise inconsiderable, and we have no doubt that time and experience will render the transit of these planes as pleasant in reality as this is now formidable in imagination, and in a By a ship just sailed from hence, the Captain, a Stranger whose name I have forgotten, I send you a late French Treatise on the management of Silk-worms. It is said to be the best hitherto published, being writ. ten in the Silk country by a Gentlemen well acquainted with the whole affair. It seems to me to be (like many other French Writings) rather too much drawn out in Words; but some Extracts from it, of the principal Directions, might be of Use, i fyou would translate and publish them. I think the Bounty is offer'd for Silk from all the Colonies in general. I will send you the Act. But I believe it must be wound from the Cocoons, and sent over in Skeins, The Cocoons would Spoil on the Passage, by the dead Worm corrupting and staining the Silk. A Public Filature should be set up, for winding them there: Or every Family should learn to wind their own. In Italy they are all brought to Market, from the neighboring Country, and bought up by those that keep the Filatures. In Sicily each Family winds its own Silk, for the sake of having the Remains to card and spin for Family use. If some Provision were made by the Assembly for promoting the growth of Mulberry Trees in all Parts of the Province,the Culture of Silk might afterwards follow easily. For the great Discouragement to breeding Worms at first, is, the Difficulty of getting Leaves, and the being obliged to go far for them. There is no doubt with me but that it might succeed in our Country. It is the hap. piest of all Inventions for Cloathing. Wooll uses a good deal of Land to produce it, which, if employed in raising Corn wouid afford much more Subsistance for Man, than the Mutton amounts to. Flax and Hemp require Land, impoverish it, and at the same time permit it to produce no Food at all But Mulberry Trees may be planted in H—† Rows, or Walks or Avenues, or for Shade, near a House, where nothing else is want. ed to grow. The Food for the Worms which produce the Silk is in the Air, and the Ground under the Trees may still produce Grass, or some other Vegetable good for Man or Beast. Then the Wear of Silken Garments continues so much longer, from the Strength of the Materials, as to give it greatly the Preference. Hence it is that the most populous of all Countries, China, clothes its Inhabitants with Silk, while it feeds them plentifully and has besides a vast Quantity both of raw and manufactured to spare for Exportation. Raw Silk here, in Skeins well wound, sells from 20 to 25s pr. lb. But if badly wonnd is not worth 5s. Well wound is where the Threads are made to cross each other every way in the Skein, and only touch where they cross.Badly wound is where they are laid parallel to each other;-for so they are glu'd together, break in un-commercial point of view they will be found of no sewinding them, and take a vast deal of time more than the other, by losing the End every time the Thread *This word is so spelt in the original, perhaps from the Doctor's thinking of a stream of water in connection with temperance.-ED. rious inconvenience or detriment in the business of transportation. The next plane we passed over is the Mahanoy plane, which we descended, the length being 1625 feet, and height 345, this being the longest and highest of all the planes. At this plane a stationary engine is erected. Near the foot of this plane stands the village of Montgomery, the point at which the collieries of the company are established, the houses being chiefly the residences of miners. Here preparations were made for a plentiful collation, by our obliging host, Mr. Sharp, the superintendant, who had accomThe rest of this word is illegible. It was probably panied us all along, and to whose polite attentions we 'Hedges." Cotton was not known at that period as an American production, or, if it was, it had not become an object of general attention.-EDITORS. were mainly indebted for the lively gratification we ex perienced during the trip. We sat down to an excellent and sumptuous repast of cold meats and pastry. After dinner we were invited to ascend the mountain(having previously visited the tunnel, which is as yet unfinished, having been driven about 90 yards only-space of twelve miles only in the middle section ungraand when carried through the mountain, will render accessible the rich and extensive coal veins of the Locust Mountain,) and take a view of the collieries of the company. In consequence of the tunnel not being completed, the works are now carried on from the sum mit and the north side of the mountain, from which the coal is passed down by schutes, and thence to the rail road, where an extensive row of large and substantial schutes are erected for its reception. From Montgomery we proceeded on to Girardville, about 13 miles distant frem Pottsville, leaving our omnibus at the head of the sixth plane, and descending the same on foot. This plane is 884 feet in length and 166 in height. We were hospitably received by Mr. William Boyd, at his residence, a large and handsome building, pleasantly situated in this place. This village is of course yet in its infancy, and cannot be expected to improve much until the completion of the rail road, an event which we trust is not distant. But a comparatively small portion of the road remains to be made, the eastern division being finished and the western graded, and the short ded. That any delay should take place in the entire completion of the work, is greatly to be regretted, particularly when the vast benefits which will doubtless be realized from it, are considered. Presenting itself as the shortest and most favorable channel to market, for the immense trade of both branches of the Susquehanna, being the connecting link in an uninterrupted line of rail road to Philadelphia, passing through a rich and inexhaustible mineral region, and a country covered with valuable timber, we cannot entertain a doubt but that the most sanguine anticipations of its friends will be realized. From this place we set out on our return, again passing over all the planes without the slightest difficulty and with perfect safety. We reached our borough a little before sunset, all highly gratified with the excursion, and bearing away as we separated the recollections of an agreeably spent day. Miners' Jour. METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. Extract from the Meteorological Register, taken at the State Capital-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. APRIL, 1835. |