BATH
Steuben County
New
York
1796 RESIDENT LETTER
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BATH |
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1796 RESIDENT LETTER | ||
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December 12. I remember, how much you were pleased and surprised, at our progress, when you visited us; now you would be quite astonished - Great and leading roads through the country finished, then only in contemplation, and cross roads in every direction going forward, with spirit and celerity; chiefly under the care, and at the charge of capt. Williamson, roads having always been a primary object of his attention. Saw and grist mills appear in every part of the country, those of captain Williamson's inferior to a few in your state - Towns rising where ever local circumstances have pointed out the proper situation - Bath, Hopeton, Geneva, Lyons, Sodus and Williamsburg, you remember the sites of all these places, and that they are the property of capt. Williamson: he has also this summer, founded two new towns, on his lands west of the Genesee river. Bath, which in your time, was a mere wilderness, some few scattering log huts, is now a county town of about 80 houses, mostly frame, large, spacious, and in a good style. The court house and other public buildings, will be erected next spring on the south side of the Main square, and will form a fine termination to the street leading from the Crooked Lake. These works are all under the direction of captain Williamson; you will judge from this, of the manner in which they will be executed - His own house is nearly finished, it is on that charming spot, which we used to say, nature had determined for a superb and beautiful residence; it presents two fronts to the main road, and to the Conhocton; the length, including wings about 180 feet, and in all respects, will be a noble and commodious mansion. Our friend doctor Young has also begun to build at Tunbridge, so he calls his place near Bath: You remember the spot, and the magnificent spring, where we amused ourselves in measuring the quantity of water discharged, calculating it equal to the supply of Philadelphia, with double the number of its present inhabitants; and how much wine it could be converted into, had we the power of commanding it to flow from the summit of Bath Hill. I dont know, if in it the doctor has discovered any medicinal quality, but it, certainly possesses the very valuable property of being abundantly stocked, with the finest trout imaginable. The doctor finds he can command the water of this spring to the very spot, where he intends to build, serving many useful and ornamental purposes, particularly the irrigation of a large piece of meadow. The situation of his house is happily chosen; he will command a full view of his fine bottom lands, 400 acres in extent, and the Conhocton for a considerable distance meandering through its beautiful valley. From the Doctor's good taste and fancy, we shall soon see this a delightful place: We cannot get materials fast enough to answer the demand for buildings; I cannot give you a better idea, how we are getting on than assuring you as an undoubted fact, that although there are 6 saw mills in our neighborhood, they have been unequal to the supply; and one of these mills (capt. Williamson's) amongst the most powerful in America, with a single saw cutting upwards of 5,000 feet of boards in 24 hours. The saw mill was building when you was here, and a grist mill adjoining, now rents for L. 900 per annum; there is a good road to the mills, across the Conhocton, by a substantial bridge of a single arch geometrically constructed. The races this year, both at Bath and Williamsburg, have been crowded and brilliant. At Metcalf's, upwards of one hundred of us sat down every day to a plentiful dinner, and excellent wine (Nic Low's); these were chiefly composed of gentlemen visiting the country; the other taverns were equally crowded. Metcalf during the race week took in upwards of 3000 dollars cash, and Cruger as much. There were eleven race horses on the ground, some of them of the best blood in America - and we reckoned upwards of 400 horsemen well, and some of them gallantly mounted; this was an interesting spectacle, when one reflects, that three years ago, at this place, not a tree was cut down. You are not ignorant, of what has been said by the grave and fervre of capt. Williamson, as thus early introducing a spirit of gambling in his country. Those who know capt. Williamson, know also, that he is incapable of countenancing any kind of profligacy, for less encouraging it - to defend a practice countenanced on general principles in all countries, as having a direct tendency to improve the breed of this noble animal, would be an idle waste of time; in him it is strictly commendable, in as much, as the raising horses, will one day form a valuable article of the productions of his country, and it was of importance to him, that a good breed should be taken up from the beginning. But the cause which first originated the Genesee races, is unknown to you I believe, and perhaps to most people, and is of one of those traits by which men of mind, and resource are distinguished. Capt. Williamson explored his country, and knew it only wanted to be seen, to be fought after: He proclaimed an annual fair, horse races, &c. to be held at Bath; his chief place of residence, thinking this project, was as likely as any, to draw thither, a number of idle people, from the adjacent settlements. He well knew, that many of these, were not the kind of settlers he wanted, but he also knew, that all these on their return home, would report what they had seen of his country; the event justified his sag city, he soon had many applications for lands, from the different quarters, into which these hunters after horse racing had returned. He has established a printing press at Bath - This is no doubt an institution of the most useful nature and beneficial tendency. Yet like horse racing, too it may sometimes be abused, and perverted from its destined purpose, if we may judge from some of the late Philadelphia publications. But seriously, you may expect soon to see the Bath Gazette and Western Intelligence. It is also in contemplation, to reprint Colden's history of the Six Nations, a valuable though now become a scarce book. I shall put your name down as a subscriber, and you must allow, our printing operations begin with peculiar felicity in the choice of a book, that may justly be called, the History of our Predecessors. You will recollect, what an inconsiderable place Geneva was in your time - it is increasing in size rapidly, and will soon be a flourishing place - in point of beauty the situation is perhaps unequaled: the main street, a mile in length; running along the bank, parallel with the Seneca Lake, and elevated above the water 150 feet perpendicular, is terminated at Milepoint, by a noble house of captain Williamson. In the plan no houses are to be erected on the East, or Lake side, of this street the slope down to the water is reserved to form falling gardens in front of the houses, on the west side of the street, for which purpose it is finely adapted, and will have a charming effect. At the opposite end of this street, and as you ascend from the lower town, captain Williamson has built a hotel, which in size, style of architecture, finishing, with attached and detached conveniences, is not equaled by any thing of the kind, I have ever seen in America; the assembly room is 50 feet long; from the windows, there is a view of this charming lake, for upwards of 20 miles, indented by the projection of a variety of beautiful head lands - across the lake, which is here 3 miles wide, the eye takes in the level of the country, extending to the Cayuga Lake, and the distant hills, which rise on its southern extremity. Captain Williamson built here a fine sloop of 40 tons, called the Seneca - She was launched the beginning of last month. On an occasion so royal, in this part of the world, all the settlers, men, women and children, for some miles round, were assembled; I am confident, there could not be fewer than 6 or 700, the best dressed, and most healthy looking country folks, I have any where seen. We had a ball in the evening, at the new assembly room - 30 couples stood up, in the country dances; I assure you some of the ladies would have done credit to their dancing master at any of the Philadelphia assemblies; they were fashionably dressed: In all, there appeared the blythe countenance which denotes the cheerful and happy heart. To you and I, who have been accustomed to see launches on a great scale, this could present nothing new or singular: it was, however, a novelty to nine-tenths of the people present. But when I contemplated this, as first beginning of a navigation, which at no remote period of time will be considerable, in this point of view, it became to me peculiarly interesting. - You know this lake is near 40 miles long, through one of the richest countries imaginable; the produce of its extensive banks must centre at Geneva, as the commencing point of the river and canal navigation to New York. It being found expensive, to reach water, by digging wells in the upper town, on ground so elevated, a noble spring, capable of supplying any number of inhabitants, is now conducting by an aqueduct of two miles, and will be finished early in the year. It will terminate in the centre of the upper town, and from the height of the source, will present a Jet D'Eau of sixty feet. Think on this, ye citizens of Philadelphia and New York, who still continue to drink impure water. From these specimens of the spirit of these Genevians, may we not exclaim, in the language of a modern letter writer, 'What will the age of this country be, which in its earliest infancy, discovers such signs of vigorous strength and enterprise.' Lyons will also become a flourishing town, from its situation on navigable water to New York, and the fertility of the adjacent country; here at Hopeton, captain Williamson is building fine sets of mills. The situation of Sodus on Lake Ontario, cannot fail to raise it into consequence, from its noble bay and fine harbor. For although there are many small harbors on the south side of this lake, to facilitate the trade of the country; yet, Sodus is the only one, into which a great draught of water can be carried. The captain's house at Williamsburg, is nearly finished; it stands on that commanding ground, you will remember, behind the farm. The trees being now cut down, opens to the view the most unbounded prospect. To the right hand and left, extends the vast Genesee valley; beneath, you see the river winding, through those flats, so fully celebrated for their richness of soil; across you catch a distant peep of the Indian villages at Squako Hill and Mount Morris, beyond which the eye is lost in tracing the undulating line of hills in the Indian country. No description, however animated, can convey but a faint idea of this rich and beautiful landscape; it wants nothing, but that variety (which time will give) of interspersed houses, villages, and cultivated fields, to make it equal to any thing of the kind in the universe. I have rode a great deal thro' the country this summer, in every direction, and am fully confirmed in the remark we made together, that this country is calculated to maintain, as great a number of inhabitants as an spot of the same extent, we had seen in America. The general fertility of the soil is unquestionable, and it possesses local advantages, unrivalled by any of what are called back countries. The produce of the northern part will go to New York by the Mohawk navigation, the southern, to Philadelphia or Baltimore by the Susquehanna, which penetrates into the heart of the country, by two very navigable streams, the Canisteo and Cohocton. It may be demonstrated, that a barrel of flour will go from Bath to Havre de Grace, for a a less sum than it now costs from Lancaster to Philadelphia, by land carriage. The value of an inland country, may be fairly estimated, in the ratio of facility and experience, which attends the carrying its produce to the best market; there is not a farm in this whole country eight miles removed from one or other of the above mentioned navigation, which lead to the three greatest cities in America. It is a singular circumstance of this country, speaking of it in its extent, that it is penetrated by the navigable waters of the Gulph of Mexico and of St. Lawrence, the bay of Chesapeake and of New York. An inspection of Adlum's map of Pennsylvania - De Wit's of New York, and Porter's of this particular district, will show you. Much has been said of the unhealthiness of the country. I believe the first settlers in all new countries, have been unhealthy, from causes peculiar to all of them, by no means particular to this. Fatigue in traveling, at first illy accommodated with lodgings; sometimes a want of good provisions, impure air, arising from the stateliness of the timber in a fertile country, impeding its free circulation - These causes now removed, the effect has ceased, and I will venture to assert, that in no part of America, has there been enjoyed a greater share of good health, than by the inhabitants of the Genesee, this summer. Let any man of mind unprejudiced, and eye informed, travel through the country, and pronounce judgment in this respect. He will find Ontario county a plain, but by no means a flat, or swampy country, beautifully waving through its whole extent, with the happiest allotment imaginable of up and meadow land. Steuben country is moutaineous, but these mountains every where assume the mildest characters, the slope fertile, and may be cultivated to the summits; wherever you ride, you will think yourself on a plain till undeceived by a casual peep of the most lovely valleys. He will find all the rivers, all the inlets and outlets of the several lakes, running with a clear and rapid stream, over beds of limestone and slate, affording every where numberless mill seats, and those beautiful lakes, immense bodies of the purest water, can never insalubriate the air, while they add greatly to the convenience and ornament of the country. As to climate, our summer is more temperate, and our winter milder than with you in Pennsylvania. The high elevation of the country temperates the heat. The prevailing winter wind of America N. W. comes to us ameliorated by its passage over lake Ontario that never freezes, whilst to you it goes intensely cold, from its passing over great tracts of high intervening mountains, covered with snow. Nature has indeed done much for this country, but very probably it would still have been as nature left it, furnishing only a field for compting house speculation, had not captain Williamson engaged in it. It is to his wife plans and active spirits of persevering enterprise, that we are indebted for the rapid progress in buildings, improvements and cultivation. If we may be permitted to judge of the future from the past, and prolong in our minds the line of event to its possible termination, we shall see in the cafe of this country, the most complete instance of successful enterprise of the kind, that ever was presented in America, or perhaps in the world; of a large district of country, raised in the shortest period of time, from a state of savagism, to the utmost height of population, and of cultivation. There are ten times the number of inhabitants than when you were here; it is as it was then, difficult to express, the love and respect towards captain Williamson. They consider him the father, as well as the founder of the country - they are satisfied he now means to fix his permanent residence with them. Every thing he suggests is seconded with cheerfulness and alacrity, because they see in all his actions the purest attention to the general good, as well as his own individual interest. I should not be far wrong in saying he possesses the greatest and most independent fortune in America, and there is no setting a limit to his extent, from the price to which land will arrive as population increases. He has met with an able conjutor, a Mr. Thomas Morris, whose hospitality at Canandaigua pleased you so much. He, you know, came into the country some time previous to captain Williamson, at a period, when it might indeed be stiled nothing but a vast wilderness. He early foresaw the future consequence of the country, and steadily persevering, under all the inconveniences and hardships of a first settler, has acquired a fine fortune, and very well deserves it. It seldom happens, that two such men as Williamson and Morris meet together in the same pursuit, so well adapted for colonizing, and although few men better understand or see their own interest more clearly, yet they pursue it, with minds so little pecuniarised, as to have gained the utmost respect and esteem. To the observing mind, and scientific knowledge of several of our visitors this summer, we are indebted for some useful discoveries. Bog and mountain ore, an article of the first consequence, and hitherto a supposed desideratum of the country, that the east bank of the Genesee river abounds with coal, and that our sulphur spring is able to supply all America with an article useful in medicine, and so necessary in the arts. As this country becomes better known, and more fully explored, it will I am persuaded furnish ample matter for the Botanist, the Naturalist and the Chemist. To the farmer that country cannot but be interesting, which gives to him 30 bushels wheat of 62 lb. per acre, from the simple operation of harrowing in the feed, amongst girdled trees the fist year, for which he at present finds and will for some time, a ready sale and good price, to supply the numerous emigrants in the country. Labor too of every kind, mechanical as well as agricultural, is even higher here than with you., the quantity procurable, being by no means commensurate with the demand. I have written you a long letter, altho' it touches only and slightly upon the most prominent features of our doings, I shall continue to write you as leisure and opportunity offers, and though I should be minute in my details, I am persuaded I cannot tire one, who has ever expressed the warmest wishes for our prosperity. Being now furnished with a Barometer and Thermometer, I shall be able to give you a meteorological history of our climate. We talk of founding a library, and establishing a society for promoting agriculture and useful discoveries, and you may one day perhaps see the annals of our Bath society on the same shelf, with its British namesake. Federal Gazette (Baltimore, MD) December 15, 1796. |