Great Meeting in the Interest of Inland Waterways Held at Harrisburg, October 20, 1789

During the latter part of the year 1789, the President and members of the Supreme Executive Council appointed a commission to view the Delaware, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Rivers, in pursuance of an act of Assembly passed September 28, 1789, with the object of ascertaining data whether or not these waters could be rendered navigable.

This commission, composed of Timothy Matlack, Reading Howell, William Dean, John Adlum and Benjamin Rittenhouse, attended to the important duty assigned them and in their report strongly recommended that a commission of experienced surveyors be named for “the purpose of ascertaining the most convenient and practicable place for connecting the waters of the three rivers, with those of the Allegheny, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. And in cases where portage by land will be necessary, to examine the face of the country and report the most suitable places for landings and roads.”

A great meeting was held at Paxtang, October 20, 1789, which was attended by citizens of eight counties, when an organization was affected with James Ewing, of York County, as chairman. Committees were named for each county to solicit subscriptions for the furtherance of these surveys, and a commission was appointed, consisting of Frederic Antes, of Northumberland County; John Brattan, of Huntingdon; Andrew Galbraith, of Cumberland, and SebastianSebastian Graff and John Haldeman, of Lancaster, to superintend the work of removing obstructions in the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers.

A resolution was adopted which authorized the appointment of three surveyors, to begin at the mouth of the Juniata and proceed up the Susquehanna to Sunbury, thence up the West Branch to Sinnemahoning Creek, thence to Canoe Place, or such place “as will connect most easily with any practicable branch of the Allegheny, the Consua, 732Toby’s Creek, or any other which may discharge itself into the Allegheny nearest to the mouth of French Creek, and thence examine French Creek up to Le Boeuf and the portage to Presqu’ Isle.”

Timothy Matlack, John Adlum, Samuel Maclay, Reading Howell, Frederick Antes, and William Dean were appointed April 6, and commissioned and qualified April 9, 1790.

The three first mentioned set out on the work along the Susquehanna and the others took up the work on the lower Susquehanna and Schuylkill.

Samuel Maclay kept an interesting journal of the experiences of the commission, from which the following is taken.

Messrs. Matlack and Adlum set out from Philadelphia May 6, and met Maclay at Lebanon. They remained there nearly a week, and began their work when they set out from the Swatara, having taken James McLaughlin, Edward Sweeney, and Matthew Gray into the pay of the State.

The party reached Herold’s, below Selinsgrove, by May 17, then proceeded to Northumberland. Here Maclay went to visit his family at now Lewisburg. John Adlum visited with his friend Colonel Frederic Antes, and Timothy Matlack was the guest of Colonel William Wilson, of Northumberland.

The party was organized during this stay at Northumberland and proceeded up the West Branch to the mouth of the Loyalsock. They next encamped on the Great Island, then reached the Sinnemahoning, where they built several canoes.

The actual survey began at Canoe Place, where Adlum ran a line to the Allegheny. He writes in his journal of catching beaver, and of the large numbers of “wolves which frequently crossed their track, in a very indifferent manner.”

June 14, they surveyed the West Branch of the Sinnemahoning as far as Boyd’s quarry, the following day reached Bennett’s.

On July 2, the party reached the Ohio River, and went down it, being guided by an Indian, named Doctor Thomas.

When the western boundary of the State was reached, Conne Shangom, the chief, had gone to Venango, but another chief, Captain John, made the commissioners a speech of welcome. At this place they came across a Dutchman, who had been taken prisoner by the Indians in the last war, but who chose to continue to live with them.

On July 7, the commissioners had an interesting interview with the celebrated Indian Chieftain, Cornplanter, at Jenoshawdego.

Maclay records that the Indians were very jealous of them until they were made to fully understand their mission. Cornplanter then welcomed them with a speech. Maclay says, “we were addressed by an orator, on behalf of the women.” This speech of Cornplanter’s was responded to by Colonel Matlack.

733The Commissioners then went to Cornplanter’s town and “had the honor of his company for supper.”

July 14, they struck the old French road to Erie. Maclay records that “the cart ruts are quite plain yet.” He further records, “Lake Erie is a fresh water sea. You can see the horizon and water meet.”

The party was here caught in a terrible storm and thoroughly drenched.

The party pushed down the Allegheny a distance of eighty miles, and Sunday morning, July 18, they met Mr. Adlum and his party. Adlum finished a survey the next day, and the entire party was again united at Buckaloon, or Brokenstraw, about five miles from the present town of Warren.

On the 20th the party arrived at Fort Franklin, where the commanding officer, Lieutenant Jeffries, was very polite to them.

Two days later Maclay records, “we paired off and discharged an old Indian chief and a white savage.” The commissioners left Fort Franklin this day, and reached David Meads, at present Meadville. They then went to Le Boeuf, and from there back to Fort Franklin, where they arrived August 1.

Maclay writes about using some oil, collected from a small oil spring along French Creek, on his lame back. The effect was beneficial.

The survey of the Allegheny River began at this point, and they also explored the tributary streams all the way down that river to the Conemaugh, then to Frankstown, on the Juniata River, where they arrived September 8.

The commissioners proceeded down the Juniata to the Susquehanna. Samuel Maclay notes that he arrived at his home Friday, September 17, and found his family all well and at dinner.

The report was made as three different surveys, and the cost £561, 27s.