With this favorable view of railways in Massachusetts, is it possible that we shall longer attempt to tax private enterprise in this State, with canal tolls on the merchandise transported on our railways parallel to the Erie Canal, during the winter, and forbid them entirely carrying freight during the summer months, even with the burthen of canal tolls, to help enlarge it? The transportation of a barrel of flour from Buffalo to New York is 75 to 87 cents, and up merchandise $1 25 per hundred. Are our forwarders afraid Tabular Statement Of the cost, receipts, income and dividends on the railways in use in Massachusetts in 1840,-compiled by Jos. E. Bloomfield, from the annual reports to the Legislature, January, 1841, made by the several corporations under oath. Also, a comparative view of the Boston and Lowell-also the Providence and the Worcester Railways for the years 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840: The Boston Transcript of the 18th of November, says: 'There was a most brilliant display of the Aurora Borealis last night, (the 17th) The whole heavens seemed to be illuminated. Between 11 and 12 o'clock, rays of light were constantly shooting up from every point of the compass, converging till they met at a focus in the zenith. It was the most splendid show of the kind we ever saw." The Albany Evening Journal, also gives a glowing description of its brilliancy. And a letter from Bennington, (Vermont) says, Review of the Weather, etc., for November, 1841. There was all kinds of weather during the month just closed, from summer's heat to winter's cold. On the morning of the 1st, the fog was so dense, that an object was scarcely perceptible at a distance of twenty feet. About 10 o'clock, the sun began to penetrate through it, and to compel this unpleasant visiter to flee before its scorching rays, when the mercury run up to summer heat. On the morning of the 2d, some rain fell, and it rained again on the 4th, 8th," it far exceeded in splendor and magnificence, anything 10th, 12th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 22d, 25th and 26th. For the first time this season, in this city, a few flakes of snow descended on the morning of the 16th, to admonish us that winter was approaching. But on the morning of the 19th, about one inch fell, which was immediately followed by a violent N. E. rain storm. During the evening of the 28th, and succeeding morning, from eight to ten inches of snow fell. This was a real old fashioned snow storm, which produced excellent sleighing, with mercury down to 20, on the morning of the 30th. The quantity of rain which fell during the month, was 4 inches. That which fell during the corresponding month of last year, was 24 inches. The medium, or average state of the atmosphere during the whole month, was 42, viz: at sunrise, the average was 38; at 2 o'clock, 46; and at 10 P. M. 41. That of the corresponding month of last year, was 43. The 23d and 24th, were two as splendid days as any month of November ever produced, but they were followed on the 25th by a cold easterly rain storm. Early snow in the West.-A newspaper printed at Laporte (Indiana) says, "that snow fell there to the depth of several inches, on the 27th of October; and that sixteen miles from there, it fell to the depth of two feet; and in Michigan, over three feet." In our Review of the month of October, we recorded snow as having fallen in Brunswick, (N. J.) and in different places in the States of New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as early as the 3d of October; and again in the interior of New York and Pennsylvania, on the 8th of October. On the 4th of November, snow fell at Utica, and several other places in New York State, to the depth of six inches. On the 7th and 8th of November, it snowed, hailed, and rained in various parts of New Eng land. A Rochester, (N. Y.) paper, of November 15th, says, "that sleet and snow throughout last night and this morning have given a dreary aspect to everything around us.Should this weather continue our canals will soon be closed. The steamboat McDonough, which plies on Lake Champlain, was wrecked on the 15th of November, in a violent storm. A canal boat which she had in tow, sunk, and all her freight of merchandise was lost. The country north of Whitehall is almost impassable on account of the quantity of snow. And so tempestuous was the weather on the 13th, on Lake Erie, that all the steamboats and vessels which left Buffalo for the West, had to put back." By recent arrivals from Europe, accounts were received of the failure of the crop of potatoes in Ireland, in consequence of which the greatest suffering and distress prevailed. A late English paper, says, " that an unprecedented amount of distress exists at the present time among the working classes in various parts of the kingdom, particularly in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and many other large towns, the amount of suffering and distress is appalling." letters and newspapers say that very considerable foreign supplies of flour, wheat, &c. will be required before another harvest. Both In consequence of the wet season in England, there was very little clover seed saved; therefore there will be a great demand for this article from abroad, says an English paper. A Stockholm, (Sweden) paper of October 19, says, “His Majesty has learned with great regret, that the harvest of wheat and rye has almost entirely failed, therefore he is resolved to reduce the import duty, &c." On the night of the 5th of October, an earthquake occurred at Constantinople, by which a great number of persons were buried beneath, the falling buildings. ever seen there. The Green Mountains being covered with snow, and the night clear and cold, heightened the effect beyond description." Generally, our last movement before retiring, is to raise one of our northern windows, and make our last meteorological observation for the day, which we dil on that evening, about 11 o'clock, but we discovered no uncommon brilliancy smiling from the heavens upon our city of brotherly love. Perhaps the brilliant favors of that evening did not extend so far west. that a splendid meteoric ball was seen in that city, about 8 A Splendid Meteor -The New Haven Palladium says, o'clock on Wednesday evening. It was superior in brilliancy to the planet Venus, and as it sailed across the sky, resembled a glowing mass of burning metal. During its whole track, it threw out brilliant scintillations, of a beautiful blue color, slightly tinged with red. A friend of ours, who had for a long time doubted the correctness of the theory, that a clearing up of the weather in the night, would be soon followed by falling weather again, kept a regular account for one year, in order to ascertain the fact, viz: from October 11, 1840, to October 11, 1841, and found his observations to support the direct theory. The result of the first six months was, clearing in the day, averaged 2 days and 14-22. Ditto in the night, 3 days and 7-18, averaging about fifty per cent. in favor of clearing in the night. The result of the next six months was not quite so favorable; but for the whole year, the average in the day was 2 to 3 in favor of clearing up in the night. tive fact, that when the weather clears, (whether by night or From our own observations, we have found it to be a posi day) if the wind backs in, there will be falling weather again, within three days, and frequently much sooner; but when the wind goes round to the west with the sun, it continues fair for a much longer time. Philadelphia, Dec. 1, 1841. C. P. [U. S. Gazette. Statement exhibiting the number of American and foreign vessels, with their tonnage and crews, which cleared from each district of the United States, during the year ending September 30, 1840. Total.. 285 11 11,156 552 7,583 1,647,009 75,445 3,003 4,583 706,486 40,886 412 12,166 2,353,495 116,331 3,415 44 3,265 151 1,115 350,371 14,230 11,688 550 .... .... 119 6,370 317 187 Statement exhibiting the number of American and foreign vessels, with their tonnage and crews, which entered into each district of the United States, during the year ending on the 30th of September, 1840. Total...... 7,211 1.576,946 70,011 2,993 4,571 712,363 40,980 746 11,782 2,289,309 110,991 3,739 TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Register's Office, May 29, 1841. T. L. SMITH, Register. Settlement on the Aroostook. In 1831 the Aroostook road was surveyed through an unbroken wilderness, and the first settlement was made upon it in 1834. No part of the road was turnpiked until 1836, and it is now completed for the distance of sixty-four miles from the military road to the Aroostook, and nearly every lot upon it taken up by settlers; lateral roads are made in many places, and not less than fifteen hundred inhabitants settled upon the road. On one half township purchased by Bishop Fenwick are many settlers, most of them from Boston, and all of whom are getting a very comfortable living in their new home, nearly every family having a surplus of productions to dispose of, for which they find a good market at their own doors. Upon this half township is erected a large two story wooden college, with one wing completed and the other in progress. There is also a Catholic chapel erected and partly finished. The settlers on this half township have nearly all paid for their lots, and are all industri-, ous and thriving. The whole population is about 250, and we learn that it is the intention of their principal men to purchase still more land for future settlements. The town of Patten upon the road was first settled in 1834, when the first tree was felled within its limits. It now has three stores, a saw and grist mill, and tannery, potash and other machinery, with mechanics' shops, two taverns, and six barns that cost one thousand dollars each, besides other barns and the buildings of the inhabitants. The settlers in this town have a surplus of hay and grain the present year to the amount of from seven to eight thousand dollars, for all which they will find a ready market. One man in Patten raised the present season two thousand bushels of grain, and even more than that was raised by another man in the same town last year. We had sent us, a few days since, an enormous blood beet raised in Patten, by Mr. Taylor, which weighed 12 pounds, showing that the soil there is good for root crops as well as grain, for which the whole Aroostook country is famous. The whole amount of surplus productions which the settlers upon the Aroostook road have for sale the present season will not fall short of $15,000. From two to three hundred settlers, many of them industrious smart young men, from the good farming county of Kennebec, have purchased lands, and commenced operations the present year. The State offers liberal encouragement to settlers by the low price of land, and an opportunity to improve the roads by the payment of a portion of the amount upon them in labor, The military stations at Fort Fairfield and Fish River, with the travel which they cause upon the road; the lumbering business-the facilities for purchasing land cheap, and paying mostly in labor, with the superior quality of the soil, all combined, make the Aroostook country one of the most desirable places for settlement, for the young men of New England to commence life, or those more advanced to mend broken fortunes, and provide support for a family, that can probably be found, taken health and all things into the account, in the world.-Bangor Whig. Another Revolutionary Hero Gone. The Geneva (N. Y.) Courier, announces the death of Josiah Strong, a soldier of the revolution, who died at Geneva on the 14th ultimo, at the age of 83 years. He took part in the invasion of Canada, in 1776, was one of the army which crossed the Delaware with Washington, was at the celebrated battle near Princeton when Washington took 300 prisoners, and was at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He was frequently wounded, and at the contest of Germantown lay upon the battle ground for twenty-four hours, until by Washington's orders, when found to be alive, he was removed to the head quarters of his general. The Gloucester, (Mass.) Telegraph says:-"We learn by a letter received in town last evening that his Excellency Thomas Buchanan, Governor of Liberia, died at Bassa, September 3d, very much lamented. A Lake Town. The Milwaukie Journal contains the following outline of the present prosperous condition of the town of Milwaukie: Wilwaukie is now advancing with steady and great strides towards her proud destiny. Wealth, business, capital-the capital of labor, industry, and enterprise-and all of the materials of prosperity are flowing in upon her from a thousand sources. She is able to render a good account of herself for the last year. During that time, her growth has been greater than during the whole of the five former years. She now numbers probably about 2,000 inhabitants, being an increase of 800 since the census of 1840. Of this population, about 150 are Irish, 250 Prussians and Germans and of neighboring nations, and 1,800 Yankees. We can count now, within the limits of our town, more than 400 buildings, about 30 of which are large warehouses or storehouses; 19 large and commodious wharves; a large number of mechanic shops, and one steam furnace; three churches and a court-house; four large hotels; three newspapers; one land office, selling 10,000 acres of land per month for actual settlement; five schooners and sloops, employed chiefly in carrying lumber; one harbor steamboat, not to mention the noble steamer Milwaukie, at the mouth of our river, of which we have the nine-tenths in the lawthe possession; one bridge, which cost $4,000; two ferries, at each of which a thousand people sometimes pass and repass in a day; nineteen lawyers; six doctors, and about thirty merchants, most of whom advertise in the papers, and by that means do a good business. It is an infallible sign of the healthy condition of the town that the lawyers and doctors, with the loafers or drones, are about all who have to look on and grumble. In the year past, one hundred buildings have been commenced, most of which are completed. Among them we have been pleased to observe one large brick dwelling house, and two elegant blocks of brick stores. Preparations are being made to erect two other blocks of brick buildings early in the spring. By next June or July, there will be ready for use on the bank of the river in the village, a water-power sufficient to grind all the wheat raised within a hundred miles of Lake Michigan, and to do all the manufacturing business of the same Territory. Arrangements are made to have a noble flouring mill, with six run of stones, erected the ensuing season and put in operation. Our business street presents a scene of animated bustle and industry, being alive with men, teams, drays, loaded wagons. Our stores are well filled with new supplies of goods, in extent and variety far greater Our merchants are unusually than in any former season. prosperous, and maintain a credit at the East. We may add that we learn of many men of capital moving hither to take up their abode with us. Give to Milwaukie a harbor, and her various means of business and trade would be double in one season. |