Cumscribed. He achieved great things with small means, and by his persevering patience and indefatigable zeal, he was able to conquer powerful obstacles. His connexion with the ever varying parties at the British court, and the ruling principles of the English government gave him as much trouble as the factions which disturbed his province from the beginning. His peace and happiness were also greatly involved in the fate of his religious sect in England. We must not, therefore, form our judg. ment of him from the exaggerated and sometimes groundless clamors of assemblies, too often governed by faction and party spirit. His absence from Pennsylvania, the difficulty of finding lieutenants who knew how to conciliate his interest with that of the province, and perhaps his too great confidence in Logan, who was too exclusively devoted to his person; these were the principal causes of the discontents which unfortunately prevailed against him. But his colony made him no return for his labour, anxiety, and sacrifices; his descendants were the first who gathered the rich fruits of the seeds that he had sown. When Montesquieu, Raynal, and other eminent writers, praise William Penn so highly as a legislator, it must not be supposed that the different constitutions which he gave to his province, are to be considered as models of legislation. It is the principles of virtue and morality on which they were founded, which raise him so far above the age in which he lived. He had not experience sufficient to discern the best form which could be given to a free government; this will only be fully known after numerous experiments in a series of ages, and then it will be found that the same form is not suited to every country. Those who have severely judged this noble, and in many respects, this great man (and, alas! Franklin himself is to be numbered among those severe judges) have said that "he united the subtlety of the serpent with the innocence of the dove;" (1) but the situation in which he left his estate, shows that selfishness, at least, was not the source of that left handed wisdom which they thus attributed to him. His province remained under a mortgage, and he had other debts besides; and yet the annual income of his English and Irish estates amounted to £1500 sterling (2) 1n his last will, which he made in the life time of Queen Anne, he devised to the earl of Oxford and two other noblemen, his right to the government of Pennsylvania and the lower counties, in trust to convey them to the queen or some other purchaser, and appointed other trustees in England and America; (among whom were Hill and Logan) for the purpose of paying his debts out of the proceeds of his lands in America, and distributing the surplus among his children. (3.) To his widow he left an annuity of £300 (4) out of his Pennsylvania quit rents, and expressed a wish in that instrument that his children should settle in Pennsylvania, where he left them so fair an inheritance. (5) 1 Franklin's Review, p. 14. [Am. ed. p. 7.] 2 $ [6660.] 3 To each of the three children of his eldest son by the first marriage, he devised 10,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania, and as much to his daughter Lætitia. The remainder of the estate was left to his three sons by the second marriage, John, Thomas, and Richard. 4 It does not appear by the codicil which contains this legacy, whether it was to be in Pennsylvania currency or sterling money. He left also all his personal estate in Europe and America, and his arrears of quit rents in Pennsylvania, for the joint benefit of Hannah Penn and her children. 2 Proud 116-117. 5 The life of William Penn (by Besse) is to be found in the edition of his works, London, 1726, 2 vol. fol. and 5 vol. 80.-Wood's Athene Oxonienses, vol. 2. p. 1050.-Chanfepie's Diction, vol. 3 p. 99-105-Biogr. Britannica.-Marsillac, vie de Guillaume Penn, 1792, 2. vol. 80.-Caspipina's letters (by the Rev. Jacob Duche) vol. 2. p. 11-236. Fr. Belknap's American Bio A dispute soon arose about the cession of the right of government. It has been already mentioned that William Penn had actually sold it to the queen. In September 1712, one twelfth part of the purchase money had been paid to him in advance. But his eldest son William Penn laid claim to this right. It was, however, doubtful, whether, under the existing circumstances, that right was to be considered as a real or personal property, and this question derived its importance from William Penn having bequeathed his personal estate to his widow, who was also made his sole executrix. The trustees, therefore, refused to execute their trust other wise than under an order of the court of chancery, and the Lords of the Treasury declared that such an order was necessary before they could pay the remaining eleven thousand pounds. But while the cause between the heirs and the executrix was pending in that court, it was agreed between the parties that they should, in the mean time administer the government jointly. The court of chancery at last decided, that the government of the province should go to the widow and her children as personal estate, (in which the eldest son by the first marriage, who died at Liege a few years after his father, appears to have acquiesced,) and that as well the property of the soil of Pennsylvania and the lower counties as the right of government over both these colonies should go to Penn's sons by the second marriage. William Penn, at his death, left Pennsylvania in a most flourishing condition. Its agriculture, population and commerce had advanced beyond his expectation; he enjoyed the comfort of having lived to see all this, and the most flattering prospects for the future. It is true that from the beginning of this century, when the spirit of toleration began to prevail in England, there did not come in so many Quakers seeking an asylum from persecution; a few only came chiefly from Ireland, Wales, and the West Indies, with a view to bettering their fortunes. But on the other hand, there arrived a great many emigrants from Germany, and their numbers were so considerable, that governor Keith in 1717, became fearful of consequences, if those foreigners should settle together too thickly in one place, or disperse themselves among the Indians. He, therefore proposed a law, that no foreigner should be permitted to come into the province, without the king's license or that of the local government. But a measure so contrary to the interest of the colony was not adopted. (1) The cultivation of the land was rapidly increasing, and plantations extending westward towards the mountains. Penn, by his treaties with the Indians, had taken the best measures to afford security to the settlers. This was particularly the case in that which his commissioners made with the Delawares in 1718, by which they obtained the cession of all the lands as far as the Lehigh and Oley hills. (2) Grazing of cattle, raising corn, and felling wood, were the principal means of support of the farmers; in the beginning they applied themselves actively to the culture of tobacco, so that, during Blackwell's administration, they exported in one year fourteen cargoes of that article. (3) But Maryland and Virginia graphy, vol. 2. p. 381-450-Columbian Magazine, April 1789.-European Magazine, vol. 17, p. 241, and in se veral other periodical works, published in America and in Europe. 1 [The assembly in answer to the governor's message upon the subject, expressed their readiness to join in measures to prevent the inconveniences that might arise from too great an influence of foreigners; but in his reply, he told them that he had laid the matter before the secretary of state, and he thought it best to wait for his decision. 2 Votes, 217-220-221. Nothing further appears to have been said or done on the subject.] 2 An inquiry into the causes of the alienation of the Delaware, &c. Indians, [by Charles Thomson.] London, 1759. pp. 35, 40, 67, 120. 3 Oldmixon, were considered too powerful rivals in this branch of agriculture, and it was abandoned. The exportation of provisions to the West Indies was one of the principal sources from which the colonists derived the means of paying the merchants of Great Britain for importations of goods to an amount four times equal to all the produce that they could raise. Com merce had not yet made any great progress; since the exportations to Great Britain, including those of the lower counties, never exceeded £8000, (1) nor the importations £27,000 sterling, (2) and these until the year 1716, hardly exceeded one ship's cargo. (3) Philadelphia, where all the commerce of the colony centered, rose thereby considerably, and was already equal in size and population to the much older cities of Boston and New York, (4) yet the city as well as the province were involved in debt, which, however, arose more from the restrictions on the governments and the long fruitless sittings of the legislatures, than from any obstacles to the increase and prosperity of the country. In this respect Pennsylvania proved beyond any other colony, that proprietary government, whatever might be its defects, was not hostile to the rise and improvement of new settlements. 1 [$21,334,334 2 [$119,880.] 3 Whitworth's State of trade of Great Britain, Lond. 1776. p. 67.-Ebeling's Geogr. of Pennsylvania, 515, 646.-How great the consumption of spirituous liquors was even at that time, appears from a custom house document, from which it results, that in the first ten months of the year 1711, upwards of 68,000 gallons of wine (59,000 gallons thereof directly from the wine countries) and 383,000 gallons of rum were imported into Philadelphia. This last article shows the great intercourse that there was with the West Indies, and the contraband trade which Pennsylvania carried on with her Indian neighbours. 2 Proud, 59. 4 Ackenwall, Anmerkungen, &c. Observations on North America, from verbal information received from Dr. Franklin. Frankfort 1769. 8vo. p. 66., CANALS, RAIL ROADS, &c. We presume no apology is necessary for devoting so much of our present number to the interesting communication which follows: Philadelphia, July 1, 1828. 405 question, and in some cases to deny to the legislature, July 1st, 1828. NOTES ON THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT In some parts of the union a very erroneous opinion prevails, that the United states are indebted entirely to the example of New York for the active and beneficial spirit of internal improvement which at present pervades the whole confederacy. The splendid results which followed the execution of that stupendous work; the grand canal of New York, most powerfully attracted the attention and stimulated the exertions of other states; many works, which had been commenced long prior to the date of that canal, ceased to languish, and acquired new life and vigour from the success of that splendid example. But the spirit of the age, the spirit of internal improvement, was already abroad: the attention of the people in many of the states, was directed to the improvement of the channels by which commercial intercourse was maintained. The difficulty and enormous expense of transportation on the roads of the country, had induced some of our statesmen, even before the revolution, to turn their attention to canals as economical substitutes for land conveyance. The increasing commerce of the United States after the revolution, soon demanded and obtained the commencement of these works in Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. The events of the war of 1812-14, confirmed the statements of the advocates for canals. On examination of the period immediately succeeding the treaty of peace, we discover that many canals, &c. were commenced before the great work of New York. It would lead us far beyond the prescribed limits if we should adduce facts in support of our statement from any other commonwealth than Pennsylvania: but within these limits we shall obtain abundant evidence. The splendour of one great enterprize in New York, appears to have almost eclipsed the brilliancy of the numerous atchievements of the other states. Their magnitude and importance, although far greater in the ag MR. HAZARD,-In compliance with your request, I transmit to you a brief abstract of some documents containing a sketch of the history of the internal improve-gregate, fail to make an equal impression on the imagiments of our state. In consequence of the very limited time which has been assigned to me for the purpose of preparing this paper, it has been impossible to give an accurate account of all the works in the commonwealth. Few however have been omitted, and the details are generally taken from official documents, or from other correct sources of information. Although some mistakes have doubtless been committed, I believe them to be few in number, and trifling in amount, and by no means calculated to affect the general result. nation. Hence, although Pennsylvania has expended than any state in the union, and we believe more than any several millions of dollars more on internal improvement two states collectively, and although the spirit of internal wealth, (as we shall presently prove beyond all doubt,) improvement first sprung into existence in that commonnevertheless, New York is erroneously supposed by many to be her birth place; the theatre of her earliest, porters of a great statesman, whose decease we have reas well as most vigorous exertions. The political supcently had occasion to regret, not content with attributThe difficulty, if not the absolute impossibility, of ob- ing to him the praise which he deserved, as the late, but taining minute and accurate information, respecting our most efficient, advocate for the introduction of canalsnumerous roads, bridges and canals, is inconceivable by have vainly endeavoured to wrest from other and earlier those who have never essayed the inquiry. An exami- labourers in the cause, the merit of originating, not only nation by a committee of the legislature, which I have the great canal of New York, but of the system of interlong desired to have instituted, can alone procure anal improvement, a system which had been advocated,. knowledge of the transactions of some companies which adopted, and actually commenced, long before the po have hitherto been studiously hidden by the veil of mys-litical birth of De Witt Clinton. When, at a subsequent tery which a regard for their supposed interests induces them to assume. The abuses in the management of the concerns of some of these companies, have already induced them to period, the tide of public opinion was changing in favour of canals he continued to oppose them, until his political sagacity foresaw that the current, now feebly flowing, would soon necessarily become an irresistible tor rent, which if opposed might overwhelm him; but by yielding to its force and assisting its progress, would bear him on its bosom to the haven which he had so frequently endeavoured to reach. In Pennsylvania party spirit has not been connected with internal improvements, hence her march, although rapid and constant, has been silent and unostentatious. If we except three of the almost uninhabited counties which are in the North Western part of this state, fivesixths of every part of the commonwealth will be intersected by canals and rail ways, leaving no point at a greater distance from the highways than 23 miles, when the works now in progress shall be finished. We shall prove chiefly from official documents that from the year 1791, to July 1, 1828, the enormous sum of $22,010,554 68 cts. has been expended by the State and by Corporations; on canals, rivers, turnpikeroads, rail ways and bridges; exclusive of the sums expended by the counties on roads, bridges, &c. and exclusive of the sums expended by the state prior to 1791. within a few years; but as no certain time has been appointed for this purpose; as some of the projected works may be abandoned; or other modes, or routes, be adopted; we do not deem it expedient to describe them at present. Several of the companies above mentioned, were authorised by the legislature to construct works of greater extent than we have indicated; but as no serious intention of availing themselves of the privilege ever was entertained, we have omitted the surplus. The amount of lockage on the works completed and in progress, 4618 feet; exclusive of the lockage on the Lackawaxen canal (part of the Hudson and Delaware canal company's works) and exclusive of the lockage on the works authorized; but either not commenced, or if commenced, the period of their completion hereaf ter, unknown. Ascent and descent overcome by railways, 4637 feet and upwards; (the exact amount of which is unknown) to this must be added the ascent and descent on the railway of the canal company just mentioned; and of a few minor rail roads leading to iron works, &c. It is to be regretted that more uniformity, or at least correspondence, or proportion, in the size of the locks on the various canals has not been required by law. We shall also show that additional works are in actual and rapid progress; that they will be finished in three years from the present, at an additional expense, estimated at $12,450,000, (exclusive of works authorized, and, for constructing which, companies have been form-charters to make improvements by canals or slack water ed, but have not determined the period when their works shall be completed,) making a grand total of 34,460,554 dollars and sixty-eight cents, expended in Pennsylvania in forty years, from 1791 to 1831 for internal improvements. It may reasonably be concluded that, within the three years which we have mentioned, many other works will be projected, commenced, and partially or completely executed. 1st. Rail From the year 1791 to 1828, 265 companies have been incorporated by the legislature for the purpose of effecting various internal improvements. road, canal and navigation companies, 36: of which 14 have commenced operations; of the 22 remaining it is probable that 8 or 9 will commence their works. To this list may be added the canals and rail ways now being executed by the state. Several companies, which were authorised by their navigations, by Acts passed two or three years since, have recently obtained permission, by supplementary acts, to make railways in lieu thereof, in consequence of the change which has taken place in the public opinion in favor of rail roads. The commonwealth has abandoned the project of piercing the Allegheny mountains by the tunnel of four miles in length which was at one time, seriously contemplated. This mountain will now be scaled by a railway, a far more eligible plan. Firmly convinced of the superiority of railways in regard to the economy, convenience, and practicability of their structure, as well as the economy, safety, speed and certainty with which goods can be conveyed on them throughout the whole year; we rejoice that this change in sentiment has taken place, and will continue to take place, until the time, which is not far distant, when canals will be confined to the very few situations where local circumstances may give them the superiority. However much the friends of railways may regret the injudimuch gratification from the present partial adoption by cious expenture of capital on canals, they may derive the state and by numerous companies, of the railway system: a system which several states in the union, and several European governments have also adopted, in 1233 miles authorized. preference to canals. 2203 567 5-12 Total extent of rail ways, canals and slack water navigation authorised by law, 2,021 2-3ds miles, exclusive of works abandoned. Some of the companies are authorized to make either part or the whole of the works in the form of canals, rail ways, or slack water navigation, as they may deem most expedient. In the following list we mention the mode adopted, or intended to be adopted by them. Rail ways Of the above 2021 2-3 miles, 436 miles have been completed, or will be completed in the course of next month, at an expense of $11,019.495 18 cts. Canals Rail ways 3014 miles completed. The first railways constructed in Pennsylvania about ten or twelve years since, were of a very limited extent, leading from mines, quarries, &c. to the places of consumption; we believe that these works were for many years, the only railways in the union. The first Act passed in America authorizing a company to construct a railway for the general purposes of commerce, was an Act granting permission to Mr. Stevens and others to make a railway from Columbia, on the Susquehanna, to Philadelphia, a distance of 843 miles. As the parties did not execute their plan, the state has commenced the In progress, and to be finished in three years from the present: 905 miles; including the state rail ways and canals, although parts of these works are not yet actual-work; it will be finished in the course of next year: the ly commenced. first work of the kind attempted by a government on this side of the Atlantic: the precursor, we believe, of many others, and probably the first link of the great chain which will finally unite the lakes, the Ohio and the Delaware, by a continuous rail road. The legisla ture has already ordered the railway last mentioned to be continued to York, and has ordered surveys for its further continuance to the west. A survey has also been ordered for a railway from Harrisburg to Chambersburg, which road will probably be united with the Baltimore and Ohio railway. Additional statements respecting the works of the State and of the incorporated Companies, will be given inthe detailed accounts of these improvements, which we have previously referred to. TURNPIKĖ ROADS. Since the year 1792, 168 companies have been incorporated for the purpose of making about 3110 miles of turnpike roads; 102 have gone into operation, and have constructed nearly 2380 miles of roads passable at all seasons, at an expense of $8,431,059,50 cts. nuity, boldness and perseverance displayed in surmounting them, but merely make the above statement in rela tion to the comparative expenditure on them. The whole surface of the state is traversed, with the numerous turnpikes which extend their branches to the remotest districts. None of them have yielded diviThe turnpike from Lancaster to Philadelphia extends dends sufficient to remunerate their proprietors: most 62 miles, was commenced in the year 1792, finished 1794; of them have yielded little more than has been expendat an expense of $465,000. This is supposed to be the ed in their repairs; and some have yielded tolls not suffirst turnpike commenced in the union-other turnpike ficient even for this purpose, and consequently, in some roads have since been connected with it, extending from cases have been abandoned by their proprietors. But Trenton on the Delaware to Steubenville on the Ohio; they must not, therefore, be regarded as having occaa continuous line of 343 miles; the cost of which, in- sioned an unprofitable expenditure of capital. The cluding the bridges, has exceeded the sums expended on stockholders in general were the proprietors of the land the celebrated road of Napoleon over the Simplon. traversed, and consequently benefitted by these roads; We do not intend for a moment to contrast these roads, or they were merchants interested in reducing the exon account of the difficulties encountered, or the inge-pense and obtaining a certainty of transportation; which objects were effected by these roads. Before their construction, regularity of transportation was impossible. During the rainy season, or on the breaking up of the frost, wagons were frequently detained on the road; sometimes for weeks. The merchandize conveyed in them was subject to injury from the roughness, and dangerous condition of these highways. The reduction in the expense of transportation, added to the increased value of the lands adjacent to the three great turnpikes, leading from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, Frie and Tioga, have amounted to a sum, which, at the lowest estimate, exceeds the cost of constructing, not only these roads, but of all the turnpikes in the state collectively. It cannot however, be denied, that some of these roads have been constructed in situations, where the commerce of the country did not justify their commencement; the number is, however, comparatively small. title of the "State of Bridges." It is impossible to procure a list of their number, In that portion of the State which is east of the Allegheny mountains, these structures are usually composed of stone; with few exceptions they rarely exhibit any pretensions to architectural beauty. Hydraulic lime has not been employed in them for a cement, except in a very few instances: hence, they are exposed to injuries which render frequent repairs necessary. Some of the county bridges have been constructed at an expense of 30, 40, and even 60,000 dollars. It is not, however, a part of our design to describe, the works of internal improvement which have been effected by the counties. Our limits will permit us to make only a few remarks on the bridges erected by corporations. Sixty-one companies have been incorporated for this purpose, and 49 bridges have been constructed by those which have gone into operation at an expense of about $2,560,000. The Schuylkill permanent bridge, as it is commonly called, was the first great structure of the kind attempted in America. It was erected by a company incorporated in the year 1798. The foundation of the western pier is upwards of 40 feet below the level of the surface of the river; no bridge in modern times presents a similar instance; the difficulties were finally subdued; and the structure, with its appendages, completed at an ex The system of road making is, in Pennsylvania, as in other parts of the Union, in its infancy. Mc'Adams' plan, as it is erroneously called, has been practised only in two or three cases, but to a very limited extent, and even for this partial introduction of it we are indebted more to circumstances than to design. The centre part of our roads is covered with stone broken to the size of two, three, and even three and a half inches in diameter-sometimes mixed with stones of a much larger size. The foundation of the road is composed of frag-pense of 300,000 dollars. ments of a larger size, weighing frequently 30 to 50 pounds; these in due season enjoy a rotation in office, and work their passage to the surface, to the no small annoyance of the traveller. The depth of road metal varies from ten to twenty inches, and on a few roads it is two feet in some places; an expenditure of materials much greater than is requisite. As materials thus arranged will not bind, earth, or gravel, is mixed with them to assist in forming a temporary smooth surface. In due season, the roads are covered with mud, and in dry weather with dust, which nuisances are generally permitted to accumulate until removed by the agency of the wind and rain. The convexity of the surface is much greater than would be necessary to carry off the water, if properly prepared materials were used. The present plan but partially effects this object-carriages generally travel in the centre of the road, in order to preserve a horizontal position: hence, ruts are formed of a depth sufficient to appal the most enterprising traveller. These ruts of course form receptacles for water; hence, the convexity of the turnpike produces the very defect which it was intended to prevent. Ditches, without which roads cannot be preserved, are in many cases unprovided; or if made, they are frequently neglected, and of course soon become useless. The summer roads, as they are usually called, are parallel to the prepared roads, and are placed on each side of them. They are composed of the natural soil without any admixture of others, and they are preferred in good weather, to the rough surface of the stoned roads. As the turnpikes are elevated above the summer roads, sometimes one or two feet, the transition from one to the other is abrupt and frequently dangerous. These faults which we have described are common to the turnpikes of the Union generally; we may remark that the roads of Pennsylvania are constructed with a greater regard to solidity and duration than those in the other states. No angle on them exceeding five degrees is permitted by law, and few roads have steeper ascents than 34°. The expenses bestowed on the county roads and bridges have been very great, but from the loss of many county documents, &c. and the confusion in the accounts, it is impossible to form an estimate of their amount. BRIDGES. The numerous bridges which have been erected over almost every stream in Pennsylvania, have given it the The Lancaster, or upper ferry bridge, which is situated in the vicinity of that which we have just mentioned, is composed of one arch; the cord of which is 348 ft. 6 inches! a span exceeding that of any bridge of ancient or modern times. (The bridge of Schaffhausen, respecting which there has been so much dispute, we believe, was supported by the pier in the centre of the Rhine. It is however, no longer in existence.) In 1816-17, a bridge suspended from iron wires, forming a catenary curve, was built over the falls of Schuyl kill,* near Philadelphia. The success of this novel enterprise led, at a very recent period, to the introduction of bridges constructed in a similar manner into Europe, where the experience of their economy has occasioned their multiplication. Chain bridges which have since been constructed so frequently, were introduced at the same place; several years prior to the commencement of these structures in any part of Europe. The wooden bridges of Pennsylvania are unrivalled in number, in magnitude, and in scientific boldness of design. They have been adopted as models for similar structures in several parts of Europe where timber bridges are required. Having now presented a preliminary and general view of our internal improvements; we will furnish a few details respecting our railways and works of inland navigation. Some interesting letters of William Penn, Logan and other early statesmer. of Pennsylvania, are extant, which contain much interesting information relating to the improvement of the roads, the structure of bridges, and the clearing of river channels in the province. The clear views, and above all, the peculiar foresight displayed in this correspondence, would amply repay the trouble of a perusal at the present day. Wm. Penn, in his 'proposals for a second settlement in the province of Pennsylvania,' published in the year 1690,† alludes to the practicability of effecting a 'communication' by water,' between the Susquehanna and a branch of the river Schuylkill. The extreme brevity of this paper, will not authorise us to draw any satisfactory conclusion respecting the mode by which this communication was intended to be effected; but the tenor of his language, the infancy of his colony, the modes of commercial intercourse prevalent at that early period, will not allow By White and Hazard. † Published in the last number of this Register. |