aontth, oommencing at Catskill, m the Hudson, and terminating at
Portland harbor on Lake £vie» is thirteen hundred feet, present*
log no height less than nim hundred and eighty-five feet, and the
gteatest twentyrone hundred and forty-four feet. With these and
othei sur^eyflii it has been ascertained, that a water oommuniea-
tion Qould not be madc^ across the country south of the state of
Mew York.''
Further south the elevation is no where less than iwenly-four
hjondred and seventy-height feet above the ocean. The Round Top
tt Catskill mountains, is thirty-eight hundred and four feet, and the
High Peak, thivtyrseven hundr^ and eighteen feet above tide
"water. The weatern part of the slate borderii»sr on Lake Erie*
asnhsacing Chautauc^ue aad Cattaraugus countiesf Warren and
ItfcKeen counties ot Peaosylvania, and the country southward,
are occupied by a mounfeinous ridge 2 <' Cbautauque lake, the
lai^^est sheet of water on this tabfe, is twelve hundred and ninety<r
eae feet above the fevei of the ocean, and seven hundred and
tweoty-ihree feet above Lake Erie, though only nine mUes dis-
taal : ita discharged waters descend to the ocean, along the woa^
tern decHvity of the Appulachian range^ through the CMuo and
Mississippi liver^ The lowest pass to the east over a sweli of
Isnd near Cassadaga outlet, in Cbautauque county, is seventeen
hundred and twenty feet high, and another pass on the same
s«eU» nineteen hundred and seventy-two feet The lowest nid)e
m the- height of land, between Elm and Little Valley creeks, in
Catoraugua county, is seventeen hundred and twenty-five feet,
and between Little Valley and Big Valley, the lowest pass is
Iweaty-one hundred and e^hty feet above the level of the pcean.
Fnuiklinville has. ao elevation of fifteen hundred and eighty feet,
and Angelica fourteen hundred and twenty-eight feet, although
both ste situated in valleys^ This height of land extends close
to the shorea of Lake Erie^ as it may (^ seen that the Allegany,
« tributary to the^ Ohio, risea wittun four or five miie& ^ the
hke.'^
'Sq. the north Ibis ridge gradually deeliaes^ until near the
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4M HOUSE DOCUMENTS.
gouthern thore of Lake Ontario. Seven miles north of the eata*
ract of the Niagarat it takes its last step to the margin of the lake.
The ridge of rocks which forms this step continues eastward, and
passes round the border of the lake, being of a uniform elevation
of three hnndred and nineteen feet ; causing not only t\\e cota-
ract of Niagara, hut also those of Genesee, Oswego, and the
Black rivers. It thence unites with the more elevated spurs of
Chateaugay, south of Montreal, formii^ the eastern boundary of
the great basins of Lake Erie and Ontario, and giving the direc*
tion to the course of the St Lawrence river through its whole
length.
From the foregoinc; remarks, it is observable that the great ba-
sins or depressions of these lakes, are the abrupt terminations of
the mountain range, and that we fall immediately into an exten-
sive district, diflerent in its topographical features, the peculiari-
ties of which belong only to the r^'on of the great lakes which
bound the principal part of the northern frontier of the Union.
Leaving Chautauque county and passing around the south shore
of Lake Erie, this rid£;e falls off to the southwest, curving towards
Iroquois a»unty, in Illinois. It gives rise to the Muskingum, Sci-
ota, and Miami rivers, in Ohio» and to the Wabash, in IiKliana, od
its southern declivity, and to Maumee, emptying into Lake Erie on
its northern declivity, while a small swell approaches the sooth
bend of Lake Michigan, giving rise to the Illinois and its tributa*
ries. The height of this ridge at the Portage summit, in Akron,
thirty-eight miles south of Cleveland, on the fine of the Ohio canal,
is three hundred and ninety-live feet above Lake Erie, and oiam
hundred and sixty -three abr>vc tide water, ana the deep cut twen*
ty-eight miles east of Columbus, is but seventy-two feet less ; at
Portsnwulh on the Ohio river, where the canal terminates, the
elevation is four hundred and seventy-four feet above tide water,
and ninety-four feet below Lake Erie. At the summit of the
Maumee canals at Fort Defiance, it is ninety-eight feet above the
lake. It then falls to seventeen feet west of (>hicago on the line of
the ship canal, thence it puisues an uninterrupted course norths-
ward to the Portage at Fort Winnebago, between the Wisconsin
and Fox rivers, an elevation of one hundred and twenty-one feet
above Green Bay, and one hundred and thirty-four above Lake
Erie.
At this point the Wisconsin river, after flowinfir one hundred
and seventy miles from its source in the north, suddenly turns to
the west, and falls into the Mississippi near Prairie Du'Chien, one
hundred and sixty miles ; the Fox river, rising to the east, runs
westwardly, approaching it within eighty-two hundred feet, and
turning, takes its course again eastwardly, and falls into Green
bay. The surface of the water in the Fox is usually three feet
lower than that in the Wisconsin, but in time of floods, passages
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447
wrt mtde finom one to the other in boats. The foibtring table
wiB show the elevation of this summit above Liake Michigwi and
CireeD bay, the distance by the military road being one huodred
and twenty-four miles.
Feet.
Descent.'
From Portage to Lake Winnebago,
3^
Winnebago Rapids,*
10.5
40.5
From Winnebago Rapids to Grand Chute,
3
43
Rapids Grand Chute *
25
68
From Grand Chute to Little Chute,
6
74
Rapids at Little Chute *
L5
75.6
From Little Chute to Grand (/acalin.
5
80
Rapids at Grand Cacalin,*
1 31
111
From Grand Cacalin to De Perre,
3
114
at De Pcrre dam and level Ghreen Bay,*
6
120
121 ft.
The same swell continues to rise with about the same uniform
degree of elevation, approaching the northern peninsula of Michi*
gan, until it can be seen from Lake Superior, bounding the south-
ern horizon. It divides the waters that run north into that lake,
and those of the south into the Mississippi, Green bay and Lake
Michigan, one ul the most elevated ridges receiving the appella-
tion qf Porcupine Hills. Swells branching oflT to i\\e eastward,
and having their bases washed by the waters of the lake, present
mural precipices, and assume different names. Those of ihe Pic-
tured Rocks are said to be the most imposing. Some of these
cUffii are three and four hundred feet high. From the Porcupine
Hills, the country slopes eastward to the Sault de Ste. Marie, the
outlet of Lake Superior ; this river is obstructed by a rapid 4,500
feet loi^, vnth a descent of eighteen feet.
TaUe of the height of Lake Superior^ with the iniermediate kAei
€tbcve, and their distances from tide loater.
Bom*.
Wim.
fMt.
I^t Lawrence river up to tide water,
450
Level Lake Ontario,
200
650
232
Level Lake Erie,
175
825
."m
565
Level Lake Huron,
340
1165
13
578
Level Lake Michigan,
Level Lake Superior,
578
240
1405
18
596
West end Lake Superior,
400
180
.._
* Aieertained by ini6raiiieDtal rarvey.
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From that sibove data we infer Am feltowing ouiioii^ fsol x tfni
if a bftrrier efigbteeti feet high enwted tlcrosB tnvfeot of Lake Ho-
ron» near Foirt Oratiot, Lakes Harodaod Michigan ifK>uid rise to k
level with Lnke Superior ; or if a similar barrier was placed «f
thirty-one feet, across the foot of Lake Brie, at Buffiilo, the singii-
lar result wo old follow that four of the great lakes would beccme
one uniform level and merged in one immense inland sea.
By an examination of the foregbing teffole> vi^ see ft strfkioy pd-
culiarity of tWs legion of" broad rivers aiid rti-eamrf'— W^ vast ex-
tent-^-cdmmcyncidg at the gulf of St. Lawrertto and extflMdiog th
a southwest direction up that river; thence intottle btsiilof Lake
Ontario,- at mi elevation of 232^ feel above the ocean ; tbeii66
again ri$ing;loy the Niagara river itod o^tardiot, 388 feiet* t6 the le*
vel of Lake Erie ; (the first in the central sabdivisioil^ inehicKng
Lakes Huron and Michigan, of the gredt baeiR^) forming thu ande
at the western end of that lake in ti^ estuary at the month of m
Maumee river, it thence rons nearly north throng the straits of
DetrDit; the take and river St. Clair, into Lake Huron* rising 18
ieet.;. tbeace^ by a northwesterly course, tbrougb the straits of the
Sault de StecMarie^ rising )8 feet, fcrike Irest e«tf of Luke Sdpe-
rior, a distat^iee of Ifi^ milesv The wholtf defyresiiori cMtfHMft
an area of 460.M0 square miteiy Ik^OOO of which is oiedufried'by
water; still' leattog an exteM sufficiem to sustsrid a pefpelatiM m
more than seventy mHlions of inhabitants.
The folio'wing will show, in a oondehsed* fof'mi estimates of tlUb
mean length, brelidth, dst|Mh, dYea^ and elevatiob df tbeser^itf o6l^
hKUions of virater s
•
Mean
Mean
Bmdib/
Mitati
Mean
Djpth.
. ..
BIfvMiM
Feet.
1 iMM-
•qiMra Hte.
Lake ^iperiof,
400
80
900
596
32,000
Green Bay,
100
20
500
578
2,000
Labe Michigan,
820
to
mo
• Sis-
92,400^
Lake Huron,
240
80
m^
6i9
20,400
Lake St. Clair,
20
18
id
5W
SBff
Labe Erie,!
240
40
8^
665
9.600
Lake Ontatio,
180
35
600
38»
6>800
River St LaWrebce,
to
94t)
...94,m
Michigan (xscopies a central position, between the extremep,
and uniting with the upper division of the St. Lawrence basin,
having an area of forty-three thousand five hundred square i "
on the lower* or pexunsula proper,, and- tw is nty -se v eg-c'
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HOI78K DOOUMBRTS. 4M
tqoare milet oa the upper penitisida ; making an aggregate of ae-
reoty thouaaqd fi^ htindred square miles.
The Lakes and Lake CoaH.
These constitute a prominent feature, and must be of great and
increasing interest^ connecting the agricultural with the commer-
cial enterprize of Michigan. As no state with a location sp dis-
tant from the seaports, has done more in the same short period to
develope the advantages to be derived from its internal resources,
none can be in a situation better to reap the advantages arising
from an extended inland coast.
If the distance by meanders of the shore of the lakes, and in-
dentations of the bays, were to be made the standard for the
length of the coast, it would amount to more than twice that of
another, run without regard to the sinuosities of the shore.
The exact distance from the foot of Lake Huron, (near Fort
Gratiot,) at a point where the north line of township number six
north, and range number 17 west, intersects the water, to Middle
Island, by meanders, is 345 miles, including Saginaw bay. The
same distance on a direct line is only 143 miles. Thence to
Mackinaw, 97 nniles ; but by meanders, including the False and
True Presque Isles,^be distance would be increased to 150 miles;
making a total by meanders of 495 miles ; and by a direct line,
240 miles.
If ttie eastern shore of the peninsula appears so irregular and
deeply indented with bays and harbors, the western is not less so,
particularly in the northern part. The difference will be propor-
tionally greater, as the Little and Grand Traverse bays are lar-
ger, excepting Saeinaw bay, than the largest bays on the eastern
side ; but as a small part only of the western shore has been sur-
veyed, the subject will not admit of a more extended notice at
this time.
Many doubts have heretofore existed in relation to the number
and convenience of harbors. A minute examination of the shores,
has, however, removed much of the prejudices against the naviga-
tion of the lakes, and there is probably no line of coast of equal
extent, (beihff 700 miles,) that will, with inconsiderable improve-
meots, furnish a greater number of good harbors. Much of the
apprehended danger has arisen, therefore, from ignorance of these
facts, and the localities of the numerous sheltered bays which
would afford protection at all seasons ; and as but few if any at-
tempts have been made by actual navigators to explore for tl^ni*
selves, and being without charts, it is no wonder that representa-
tions of danger should have obtained, and the dread of shipwreck
on an apparently desolate coast, magnify in a great degree, the
fears attendant on crossing these inland seas. . ,
56
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4M BOUSE fiOCUMBENB.
The depth of the lakes has been a su^ect of speculation, from
the earliest period of tfadr discoTery by Europeans. Tables have
been constructed, and the areas and contents of each, endeavored
to be ascertained. Errors have been made in these as well as is
their elevation above the ocean ; in the latter case, however, lit-
tle is left to conjecture.
Lake St, Clair, an expansion of the straits between Lakes Hu-
ron and Erie, 18 by 20 miles, is much the shallowest, the average
depth being only 20 feet. Lake Erie does not exceed 84 feet.
An ordinary storm disturbs its bottom, and its waters appear tur-
bid. These lakes may be considered as receiving the detritus
brought down by the rivers flowiiig into them, and deposited
there. This in particular is apparent, around the head of Lake
St. Clair, where alluvion islands are constantly forming, and in
spring choke up the numerous channels at the mouth of the St
Clair river, extending in the form of a delta far into the lake.
The same remark may be made in respect to the west end of
tiake Brie, where detritus extends some miles from the mouth of
Maqmee river ; the channel is often devious, and a prevailing
westerly wind reduces the lake to less than one fathom.
L^kes Michigan and Huron ha^'e undoubtedly the deepest
chasms. Receding from the shore, their waters deepen uni-
formly, and there exist no central shoals or islands, showing in
any manner a broken or alpine formation at their bottoms. It is
only in the straits of Mackinaw, and above and around the Geor-
gian or Manitou bay of Lake Huron, that islands and shoals
make their appearance. The channels among these islands, how-
ever, are only chasms through rocks, caused by abrasion frona
the waters pf the lakes. Soundings have been made to the h-
credible depth of eighteen hundred feet, without reaching the bot-
tom, and the most experienced ship master^s do not hesitate to as-
sert the average depth to be more than one thousand feet. Lake
Superior, though larger, canqot be considered deeper than the
others^ for reasons already assigned. It abounds with islands,
many of which are large ; Isle Royal is one hundred miles long.
Primitive masses of roqk lie disrupted above and below its sur-
face, in every direction, and a permanent impression is left that
a chasm, shapeless in its exterior, as well as its interior dimen-
sions, fed by springs and tributary rivers, are the great features
of this lake, at a depth of nine hundred feet
Mountain districts, as has been heretofore observed, may be
cut through by rivers^ causing deep vallies and depressions, but
no where on the continental surface of the globe can be found so
deep chasms as the basms of these lakes. Though elevated 596
feet above, their bottoms are more th^n 400 feet below the le*^'
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
HonsB oeeuM Birre. «i
qf ii^ ooeao. Tbeif sttperfieial ares m 94,000 square milefl^ and
ttet contain 11,800 cubic miles of water; a quaolitgi anore than
inilf ci ail the fresh Water o& the earth.
Interior Feninstda Lakes.
Ifekher is the subject of the lesser bterior lakes on die ptnin*
sola, so ikr as their number and maffoitude are ascertained, to he
overtooked, farming as they do by meir frequency a great coo-
trasl in the topography of this, to that of the other stMes.
F^-ocQ the Ohio ancf Indiana line on the sooth, op to rancor line
Bomber seven porth» indudiiq; alt south of the northern railvoad,
an extent of 0,668,320 square acres, there are 1,425 of th^
lakes, occupying areas of from one to thirty-five hundred sqpaM
acres each. ' Their waters are remarkably cool and transpafeoti
and give to the landscape a highly picturesque appearance. To
apply the principles of hydrography in ascertaining their aggr^
gate extent becomes the mare difficult, since, in addition to mek
preat number, no two are of the same dimensions. The follow-
ing, how:ever» will be found to approximate the truth : allowing
eAch lake m area of 160 rods square, we shall give to the whole
228,000 acres, an extent equal to nearly ten townships, and sam^
what larger than Lake St* Clair; and a proportion of about 006
acre ojf Water to eVety thirty-nhie of dry land.
All the rivers in ttss state have their sources in groups of t$ei6
lakes, and they are the fountains of the unremitting volumes that
flow through tlie thotwand channels of our streams. While \im
rivers of neighborhig states have measurably disappeared dittinp;
the drought of the last summer^ and cau$ed derangement in tim
commerqe, ours have sttfered comparatively little diminutioD*
Periodkal Rise and FaU of Water m the Lakes.
This interesting question has given rise to a variety of curtods
speculations. The inference drawn from the following data, ft ia
pvesumed, will not be altog^er inconclusive.
Caleufations may be made sufficiently accurate to detentin^
nearly the amount of surface drained, *" and if our climate showii
a successive series of cold and moist years, and a series of wfimi
of dry ooeSk mutually following each other,'' variations in the, vo^
lame of water, cannot but necessarily be great.
Taking into our account only the central and upper divisioik of
the St I^wrence valley, from Niagara, to the northwest aiglt
of Lake Superior, embracir^ all the country whose streams jare
tributary to the lakes, we have, by the following table of sectiOBS,
248,755 square miles of surface, besides that of the hikes.
i
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4«
HOUSE DOCUMENTS.
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CO©©© ©©o©
0*©Ct^ ©OCJ©
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Digitized by VjOOQ IC
HDOBB DOCUMENTS.
4W
r- TIm flood* in helkk Ontafioare jgeoendly the hlghttit bf about
*tin> ieel, and for the obvious reason, that it itceiites the^suoces-
sive accumulation of ail the other lakes, from the Niagara to the
head of the St. Louis river.
From the year 1814, we can speak with some decree of coo*
fideaoe of the rise and fell of these waters. During that year, the
upper lakes were full. This was the case in 1815, with the oeo*
tral and lower lakes. In 1810 and 1820, the water is said to
liave been at an unusually low ebb in the same lakes*
Jhe diference in the time of the appsiient rise between the
upper and lower divisioa may be accounted for on the principle
that the largest bodies x>f water are on the upper leveC and as
these are disoharged, the lower division would be oomparativiely
y^^ while the upper would be reduced to low water mark.
From 1820, the water again began to rise, and continued to
inorease, until 1828 ; since which time, A. £. Hathon, Esq., civil
engineer of Detroit, has given the subject particular attention.
His first observations were taken at the old hydraulic works, at
the time when the pipes were being laid for fumishiiM^ the city
with water from the' Detroit river; he has since traoslerred it to
the top of the water table of the tower, at the new hydraulic
works. The suriace of the river at the time of the transfer, Au-
gust 21, 1888, was 8.21 feet below that base : this will serve as
a reference for the future^
It appears trom his journal, that the water was low in the
•pring of 1880, having feHen about two feet since 1828. In June
following, it had agam risen two feet, or to the level of 1828,
Ftfom timt time* ita rise was gradual, until June, 1886, at which
time it was found to have attained the height of one foot and eight
inches. In June, 1837, it rose seven inches. In June, 1838, nine
inches, and on the 21 st August following, three inches; making
the rise 3 feet 3 inches since June, 1830, and 5 feet 3 inches
since Mamh in the same year.
TaUe showing the rise of water from March, 1830, to Aug* 1838.
Feet.
Inches Rite.
June, 1830,
June, 1836,
June, 1837,
June, 1838,
Aug. 21, 1838.
2
3 8
4 3
5 00
5 5
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4M B0U8B DocuMserra.
Some aUowanoe oogfai tohemmdB^tkmMmiimtrimwt two
feet from Maicti to June^as from obtenrmtioo, it it belbred daft
winCerhas the eflect of prodaciag a partial deoreaaa.
On the 2ist November, 1838, the water had faflen 111^ iooii-
aa, and on tba 2nd February^ 1639, 8 feet d iachet^
Many condude^tliat the jpreaeot hljB^ flood is greater Iban haa
been known for at least a eentury, from the fact* that ordiarda
have been killed along tbe St Clair and Detroit rtrerB, in €o«o-
quence of the lands b^ing overflowed. In some iaslanees» farosl
trees have been destroyed by the overflawiog watef^ and luxxi
counting the cuneentric circles in sectR3i» obtotoed fnan mir
trunks, they were found to exceed a handred.
In order to estimate the enormtiua acoumolatioas of water dur-
ing the time of the highest flood, and which ia discharged throogk
the river, it wiH only be necessary to refer to the table where 5^
feet appears to be the maxioMiin of the rise. A traosvefse see-
tion of the river taken opposite Detroit, where it is contracted to
52.80 of a mile* of this depth contains 18/)18 cobic feet> and at>
lowir^ the oorrent a velocity of one mile an boo^^ which is known
to be less than its ordinary current, there wooJd be diaohargad
95,136,040 cubic feet per bour» or 1,585,558 cubic feet per rmth
<U6, an amount sufficient to soppiy fifty-eight canals of the dikneo*
sions of the Clinton and Kalan>azoo«* or thirty five of the grand
Erie canal, and more than sixteen tiroes the amount oontaified
in the Cedar river, and Sycamore creek, Ingham ootmty. Deer
creek and Grand rive^ Eaton county, Shiuwassee river, Liwiag^^
ton coimty, and Rabbit river, Allegan county.f
We are not prepared to say that there are sixteen times aa ma-
ny rivers, (as those above enumerated) at the north, which have
ebvnged their course, and discharge in directions contrary te their
foimer ones, thus filling the basin of Lake Superior* and rawsiag
the periodical rise of tbe lakes; nor ia it reasoaable t4^ sefip ea a
that rivers, discharging so great a quantity, can be found in that
region. We must, therefore, look for the cause to the quantity
ofrain which has fallen, and to the mehing of the snow, In springs
apon the Immense surface drained by these laftes.
Rivers,
Streams receiving the appellation of rivers in the state are nu«
merouSL This name, however, is applied to none unless of suffix
cient magnitude to be consideied worthy of meandering on both
sides ; accordingly, instructions to that eflect have been given by
the Surveyor General to hb deputies, in the prosecution m the go-
tTheM riTen diMbtrge in Uie aggr^s^to, S6,8iS cubic feet per â– unoic, M Um
dengoatad. J. Hiird*t report.
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HO0SB BOCUMBNTa «»
mrvofi. 9b» Gffad» IfndBcgo wxl i3t« Jowph, will
tear m compiriioii in Icogtk -with many of the westero, and no
fmal fHimborcf the eagten» rivers, of tjhe first and second class.
Their width and depth are not in proportion to their feogth, arts*
iag from ihe fact or their oniibrtn decent This characteristie
^1 apply to all the other streacns on the peninsula. They are
Qobroken by cataracts, and but little obstracted by rapids. The
MiBofaer in the «snreyed part^ and disdiaiqging into the lakes, is
tveaty ^^nof these the-Grand river is the largest
This Twermsm in HiUsdale aod the soitth pert of Jackson conn*
liea, in a eluslsr of mere tiian fifty lafbes, that mterloek with the
Kalamasoe and St Jesepb, each emptying into Lake Michigan
esi the vest, and with the Raisin, which etnpties into Lake EMe,
OD the east Tbeae^ with tbt» Little St Joseph, St Joseph of