Excerpts from TRAVELS THROUGH THE WESTERN COUNTRY IN THE SUMMER OF 1816 by DAVID THOMAS (Facsimile of the 1819 Edition) Hafner Publishing Company, Inc. 260 Heights Road Darien, Conn. 06820 1970 THE journey, to which the following pages relate was undertaken with a view to explore the Wabash Lands in the New Purchase and performed in company with Jonathan Swan, Merchant, of Aurora, to whose observations I have often been indebted. I am also indebted to James Bennett of Junius, Seneca county, (N.Y.) and the progress of improvement will be brought down to the 2d mo. 1818. Page 3 - The village of Union Springs, six miles north of Aurora, derives its name from two fountains, fifty rods apart, with streams sufficient for mills. The lake road passes near them on the east, and forms the principal street. There are twenty dwelling houses three stores of merchandise, and a post office. It was first regularly laid out into lots in the year 1813. We were detained half an hour at this village, by a thunder shower from the south- west. I believe no instance of these storms from the north-west is known, except when the atmosphere has been previously loaded with vapour. The latter wind is destitute of sensible moisture. Frequently, however, it condenses the exhalations from our lakes, and of those which have been wafted hither from other points of the compass. Rains, from that quarter, result from such retrograde movements, and a clear sky generally attends the calm that succeeds. Salt and sulphur springs rise adjacent to this village, but none of these are deemed valuable for mineral properties, and would scarcely merit notice, except as characteristics of the Limestone Ledge. Plaster, of the cockscomb kind, though white or transparent, is found plentifully on the beach after high winds, it having been washed by the waves from the bank where it lay embedded and, by digging, it may be procured at a considerable distance from the shore. The rose colour of the French cockscombs is ascribed to iron. Notes to Page 3 - (on Page 243). The importance of these springs to the surrounding country will be appreciated by the following statement: On the smaller spring are erected a fulling mill, which in the present season of 1816-17, dressed 15,000 yards of cloth, - carding machines which wrought into rolls last summer, 18,000 pounds of wool, - and a saw-mill (assisted in its motion by a brook turned into the basin of the spring) which sawed 60,000 feet of boards and scantlings. On the larger spring is erected a grist-mill, thirty by forty-four feet, three and a half stories, with two run of stones, and the necessary apparatus. It is stated to be capable of grinding 200 bushels of grain per twenty-four hours and as this stream, with the other, suffers no material diminution in drowths, or increase in heavy rains, and no obstruction from ice in winter, it is the main-stay of the surrounding country in extraordinary seasons. In the present extreme severity of frost, grists from a distance of twenty-five miles in almost every direction. [2mo. 15, 1817.] Page 4. About one mile north of this spot, lies the first of the celebrated plaster quarries, from which the Susquehanna country has received such large supplies. This fossil, unlike that from France or Nova Scotia, is a dark grey, and when ground assumes a dull ash color. Some specimens contain chrystallized sulphur of a fine transparent yellow, and at Thompson's quarry, two miles north-north-east, the quantity of this mineral is so great as to trickle down, when fires are kindled near the plaster. The strata of these rocks are nearly horizontal. East Cayuga, six miles below Union Springs, has some good buildings, but Improvement has not advanced rapidly, although the Great Western Turnpike forms the principal street. This village is chiefly situate on the western slope of a ridge, from which considerable quantities of plaster have been taken. The rock, however, is very unequal in quality. In quarrying, the impure parts were not rejected with sufficient attention and though some of a good quality might be procured at this place, it is so sunk in reputation as to be no longer found in market. From Cayuga Bridge, which is three hundred and sixteen rods in length, we have a fine prospect of the lake. The irregularity's of its shores adds much to its beauty. From this spot it extends south-south-east about thirty-five miles, but the south half of that distance is hidden by hills. West Cayuga is embellished by the Toll-House, through which all who cross the bridge must necessarily pass. This village consists of fifteen or twenty houses, but improvements are nearly at a stand. We were pleased to observe, that the directors of the great western turnpike were repairing this road, by covering it with broken stone. * For fifteen years past, in rainy weather it has been literally a bed of mortar, and even now we mean to be sparing of our commendations. Considering the great number of light waggons that stop at their toll- gates, we think a covering of earth or gravel, might be afforded to reduce the incessant jolting. * This remark has now become stale, for these attempts have long since terminated. The teamster, who has worked his way through mud to the toll-gate which he finds closed against him, will make a sad response to this commendation and the drivers of light carriages have small cause to complain of rough pavements. The demand of the gate keeper is amply sufficient to prove this road under the care of an incorporated company. Page 7 - 5 Sandstone, and Blue Limestone,* both containing marine shells, appear above ground in Aurelius in regular quarries, and detached pieces, with the exact character of each, are abundantly scattered over our fields in Scipio. * These rocks are further characterized by containing nodules of flint. In the deep valley through which Salmon Creek flows at Ludlowville, we also find limestone with shells, but the quantity of either place, scarcely deserves this notice. Page 315 Commerce and Navigation of Cayuga Lake. The statement which follows was obligingly furnished by S. Williams, Merchant, of Union Springs. `"In the last six years there have been launched on Cayuga lake, seven schooners, carrying from fifty to eighty five tons. Five of the largest have descended Seneca river to lake Ontario. There are now on the lake about thirty vessels and boats, carrying from 18 to 50 tons. "Boats are generally employed in transporting Flour, Pork, Pot-ashes, &c. to Schenectady, and Oswego Falls. Their return loads are merchandize from Schenectady, or salt from Onondaga. "Schooners are employed in freighting Plaster from the quarries, to the head of the lake from whence they bring large quantities of pine lumber. In one season there has been received at Ithaca, and at Port L'Orient, at the head of the lake, 9000 tons of plaster, and 4500 barrels of salt the greater part of which was transported by land to Owego, and from thence in arks down the Susquehanna to Pennsylvania. "The extensive quarries of plaster along the shore of this lake in Aurelius, the salt springs along its outlet the forests of valuable pine about its inlets, the fertility of the soil in its vicinity, the salubrity of its situation, and above all, its proximity to the Susquehanna river, have already made its waters the medium of a profitable trade and the increased facility of communication with the North River, when the grand canal shall be completed, will undoubtedly make it a still more important link in the chain of trade between this state and Pennsylvania."