There are forty-eight banks in the state, fifty-nine insurance companies, and five lombard companies. Of the bank stock, the state owns shares to the amount of 406,740 dollars. March.-Jasper Ward, a member of the senate of the state, was obliged to resign his seat, to prevent expulsion, on account of having been concerned in the improper passage of some laws for the incorporation of new companies. COMMON SCHOOLS.-The annual report on the common school fund, gave the following results for the past year :-7773 school districts, being an increase of 131 districts since the last report. (vide page 327.) $182,790 paid to the several school districts. Number of children educated in the common schools, making returns 425,530. From 656 schools, there were no returns. Capital of the general school fund $1,319,886. Revenue received from this fund in 1825, 81,815. The lands appropriated to the same purpose, are computed at 858,090 acres, and valued at $406,418. May.--About 100 feet of the dam, or pier, comprising Black 25,040,350 18,972,619 26,350,000 16,033,731 1,100,000 1,100,000 52,490,350 36,106,351 Rock harbor, gave way on the 27th of this month, and the head water of the harbor fell immediately twenty-two inches. A great fire occurred in New York city. It originated in what were termed the Exchange buildings, and in a few hours the whole structure was in ruins. The loss sustained, was estimated at $200,000. 1825.] NEW JERSEY. November.-Isaac H. Williamson was re-elected governor. The Morris and Delaware canals were in active operation. At Paterson, in this state, there are twelve cotton mills in operation, and three undergoing repairs; whole number of spindles in them, 21,992; annual consumption of cotton, 1,480,000lbs. There are in the factories, 249 power looms, and seventy-nine hand looms; and 380 hand looms in the town, exclusive of those in the factories. Total amount of cotton cloth manufactured weekly, 58,981 yards. There are two factories employed in making linen duck, having 1,524 spindles, which will consume yearly 406,000lbs. of flax, and manufacture 406,560 yards duck. Seven-eights of the flax spun in these mills is imported! There is also, a rolling mill and nail factory, making 364 tons annually. The weekly wages paid to the different work people, amount to $4,650, or 241,800 per annum Paterson has six places for public worship, ten schools with 413 scholars, two banks, and 584 dwelling houses. The school fund of the state is $200,000; chiefly produced by bank bonuses. December.-There were fifty-six convicts in the state prison-thirtysix whites and twenty blacks; forty-nine of whom are Americans, five Irishmen, one Englishman, and one Dutchman; "nineteen under twenty-five years of age; thirteen in solitary confinement. Actual loss on the institution, after paying all expenses, for the year ending October last, $2,590 90. BANKS.-The amount of the stock of the several banking, insurance, and canalling companies, of the state, is $8,875,000; of which, there has been actually paid in, 3,175,666; the annual tax received thereon by the state, is 31,877 62; the whole amount of premiums on charters, or bonuses, authorized to be paid, is 235,233 50; and the amount actually paid to the state treasury, 91,033 50. 1826.]-January.-A silver mine was discovered in Sussex county. MANUFACTORIES.- -In Jersey city, opposite New York, a com- June. An extensive fire took place in the woods; covering in extent more than 45,000 acres. 1825.] PENNSYLVANIA. In this state, a board has been lately created for promoting internal improvement; of which, John Sergeant, Esq. of Philadelphia, was appointed president. A spirit of enterprise and improvement began to develope itself; and various undertakings were commenced for the purpose of facilitating the transportation of produce to market. Among them were the Schuylkill canal works, for the purpose of improving the navigation of that river; the Union canal to open a communication between the Delaware and the Schuylkill, and from the latter river to the Susquehannah; the Lackawaxen canal in continuation of the Delaware and Hudson canal; the Lehigh canal for the purpose of improving the navigation of that stream. The Delaware was also to be united to the Susquehannah and the Ohio, by what was denominated the Pennsylvania canal, extending from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. The commissioners reported two routes to be practicable; one called the Juniata route, and one more northern. As there was not a sufficient quantity of water to be relied on, for the pass across the mountain on the first route, a rail road was recommended. The estimates for the canal and road from the Susquehannah to Pittsburg, amounted to $3,045,900. Two sections of this canal were authorised; being together about fifty-five miles in length, and appropriations made for the same. Various rail roads were also proposed, and every effort was made by Pennsylvania, to overtake her sister state New York, in the great work of internal improve ment. The details will be found hereafter. April.-A bill authorizing the people of the state, to vote for or against a convention to amend the constitution, was passed and became a law; and the votes of the electors were taken in September, when it appeared, that 44,488 were in favor of, and 59,892 against, holding such convention. May. The state of Pennsylvania owns $1,789,067 203 of turnpike stock; which, during the year 1824, yielded a revenue of eleven hundred and eighty-seven dollars fifty cents! The state also holds bridge stock to the amount of $554,750. This is a little more profitable. It last year yielded a revenue of ten thousand six hundred and forty dollars. The state has besides $30,000 in Union canal stock, and 50,000 in stock of the Schuylkill navigation company. At the expiration of fifteen years, $100,000 of Delaware and Chesapeake canal stock, is to be transferred to it by the Philadelphia bank. From this, it appears that the whole amount of capital stock, invested in public improvement, is $2,523,817 203, and that it last year yielded a revenue of 12,827 50. The following appropriations, remaining unpaid on the 1st of December, 1824, are not included in the foregoing estimate. For turnpikes $156,600 40; for canals 20,000; for the improvement of rivers and creeks 51,213 50; for bridges 28,750. July. The corner of the new hall of the Franklin institute, was laid at Philadelphia, in due form by the grand lodge of Pennsylvania. September.-Part of the tunnel of the Union canal caved in, and covered eight of the laborers; four of whom were killed. SALT WORKS. There are five wells in operation on the Conemaugh river; from the water of which, 120 bushels of salt are daily made, in sixteen pans. There are nineteen wells in operation on the Kiskiminetas river, with forty-nine pans, making 1,350 bushels of salt per day, and twenty-nine wells now sinking. One of the new wells is 700 feet deep, and yet yields no water. Several others are 300 feet, and "no water"-but, in two of them, water" has been found at 350 and 460 feet, respectively. The idea appears to be, that salt-water may be found in all the wells-but at uncertain depths. The establishments are in the neighborhood of each other. 66 The present daily product of the works, at both places, is 1,470 bushels of salt, which is sold on the spot for the reasonable price of thirty cents per bushel. The manufacture subsists between 12 and 1,500 persons, including the families of the workmen. The fuel used is stone coal, the stock of which is inexhaustible, and the supply convenient. The Kiskiminetas is navigable for keel-boats, eight or ten months in the year. There are a number of mills upon it, and a furnace is erecting. COAL.-The following is an estimate of the extent and quantity of the coal formation in Luzerne county. The length of Wyoming valley is eighteen miles-width of coal, on average, three and a half miles -which gives an area of sixtythree square miles of coal, or 195,148,800 square yards; each cubit yard in the strata, or mines, yields, exclusive of wastage, one ton. The above area, multiplied by fifteen yards, the thickness of several strata, gives 2,927,232,000 tons in the valley of Wyoming. The Lackawana section, joining the upper end of the valley, may be stated at twenty-six miles, averaging only one-third of a mile wide. The section below the valley is five miles long, by one mile wide. The coal formation of Luzerne, may then be divided into three sections, each containing as follows: The N. E. or that of the Lackawana valley, 906,048,000 tons; Middle, or that of the Wyoming valley, 2,927,232,000 tons; S. W. or lower section, 200,000,000 tons; amounting, in Luzerne, to 4,033,280,000 tons. In this estimate, great allowances have been made for pillars, &c. &c. The following is a statement of the actual length and level of the proposed canal, from Pittsburg to Harrisburg. 1. From the harbor on Ben's creek, the highest point of navigation on the Conemaugh river, to Pittsburg; distance 120 miles and 56 rods by actual measurement. 2. Total fall between these points, 1154 and seven-tenths feet of lockage, on the west side of the proposed canal. 3. Length of the portage between the first point, (the harbor on Ben's creek,) and the highest point of navigation on the Juniata eastward, nineteen and three quarter miles; over which a road may be cheaply made, graded at one degree above the horizon. 4. On the east side of the Allegheny mountain, down the Juniata to Harrisburg, the distance has been ascertained to be, within a fraction, 130 miles. 5. The total fall in this distance, is estimated 827 feet. The levels and surveys were made on the Juniata by the last year's commissioners. 6. Total distance of the line of the proposed canal, from Pitts burg to Harrisburg, (including the portage of nineteen and three quarter miles,) 269 miles, three quarters, and fifty-six rods. 7. Total lockage, from Harrisburg to Pittsburg, 1782 feet, and, allowing seven feet lift to each lock, requiring 220 locks. December. From a report by the president and managers of the Union canal, it appears, that the works of the company, already accomplished, have cost about $400,000, and the means applicable thereto, are estimated at 290,703 more. The whole line of the canal will be 74 miles, and unite the Susquehannah with the Schuylkill; and it is estimated that a navigation of 240 days in a year, with only five boats per day, laden with 100 tons, will give an annual product of 25,520-ten boats, and 200 tons 71,040, and so on-fifty boats, daily, 1,000 tons, equal to 355,200, for tolls. The entire canal, it is estimated, will be completed in 1827. The tolls on the Schuylkill canal, amount to, from $800 to 1,000 per week. The legislature met at Harrisburg, on the 5th of this month. Joseph Ritner was elected speaker of the house, on the second ballot, and Alexander Mahon was elected speaker of the senate, on the fourth ballot. |