tawer or leather dresser, and the glover, calculate upon the advantages of establishing these trades where the skins of deer are procured at from three quarters of a dollar to a dollar each, and where, at present, sheep skins are thrown away. Let every mechanic, and especially those who manufacture the lighter articles to be sold at wholesale, calculate for himself the cheapness at which they can be made here, and the trifling expense of carriage, if even they are to be sent to the cities, and he will see the advantages of the establishment which we contemplate.

The intention of the society is to lay off a sufficiency of ground, on one of the turnpikes, for a handsome village, and to give, free of all expense, a half acre lot, cleared, to each of the first fifty mechanics who shall build a house thereon, and commence their trade. And, in order to ensure a sale for all articles manufactured, they will establish a factor in Philadelphia, and another in New-York, to receive and sell on the most advantageous terms, all articles sent to them. For this purpose, regular wagons will be employed to ply between those cities and the society's establishment. In addition to the half acre lot, given to the mechanics and others, lots of from five to ten acres, already cleared, sufficient to keep some cows and a horse if needed; and also wood lots for firewood, will be laid out, and sold at very low rates. And the general arrangement of the village, and the erection of

schools and other public buildings, will be placed under the care of the inhabitants of the village, to be managed in such manner as they shall deem best; the object of the society being merely to make arrangements for the general good, in the commencement of the establishment.

LETTER X.

Roads, &c.

THERE are several important turnpike roads in the county of Susquehanna, of which one is finished, and the others have a fair prospect of being so, the next season. The one finished is from Newburgh on the Hudson river, to the Susquehanna. On this road the stage passes daily. From the city of NewYork to Newburgh, the communication is by a steam boat. In forty eight hours by this route, a passenger arrives in Susquehanna from the city of NewYork. Another road, called the Milford and Owego turnpike, passes diagonally through the county. At Milford, on the Delaware river, it unites with three turnpikes, all leading to the city of New-York, by different routes. On the west it is connected at Owego, with a turnpike which leads to the great lakes. The greater part of this road is finished, and when completed, it will form the most

extensive and important connexion of turnpike roads in the United States; opening the way for the trade and travel of rich and populous districts, with the city of New-York. Another turnpike which will be connected with roads leading to Sacket's harbour, on lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence river, is laid out, and partly made, from the 28th mile stone, on the state line, to Wilkesbarre ; from which place, there is one finished to Easton, on the way to Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia and New-York turnpikes intersect each other at Montrose. The state of Pennsylvania has been very liberal in its grants of money to the making of roads. There are two other turnpikes laid out, but on which the company have not yet commenced their work. The one is from the Newburgh turnpike to Wilkesbarre; the other a short one to connect the Newburgh and Owego turnpikes. Besides these, the state has opened a road which commences in Susquehanna, and extends through all the counties on its northern line. From this statement, you will see how rapidly improvements are made in this place; and as the public attention appears to be much given to these objects of national importance, the connexion by roads and canals, of the different parts of the republic with each other, will be persevered in, till the national enterprise, ingenuity and perseverance, shall have made it but as a step to pass from one extremity of this widely extended empire to the

other. It is readily perceived, that this facility of communication adds greatly to the strength of the nation; and this government is too wise not to take advantage of the means which nature has placed in its hands, to render the country powerful at home, as well as respected abroad.

The common or private roads, made by the settlers, are in general very bad. They are made by cutting down the trees close to the ground, leaving the roots in, which makes them very unpleasant for a horse or wagon; in addition to which, the depth of the soil renders them very dirty on being much used. But when the roots have remained long enough to be in some measure decayed, it is found to be easy to make good roads, by ploughing a furrow, or ditch on the outsides and throwing the earth out of it into the middle of the roads. The labour necessary for this, would, however be thought too great by Americans, on their first settlement, whose object it is to cut down the trees in order to get scope enough to raise grain for their families, and who are contented with any road that will enable them to get about, until they find the means of support springing from their industry. It is not till the settler begins to feel his abundance, that he cares for the improvement of his roads. The turnpikes which I have mentioned, will open good roads to the cities of Philadelphia and New-York; from the former of which place to Montrose, the capital of this county, it is one hundred and seventy miles; and from New

York, one hundred and thirty miles. The Susquehanna river, which nearly surrounds this county, offers a conveyance by water to Baltimore; which is one of the best markets in the United States, for the produce of the dairy. Between the Society's settlement and Baltimore all the land carriage is from ten to twenty miles.

It will be useful here to mention the roads by which settlers had better come to this county from Philadelphia or New-York, which are the usual landing places for emigrants, one of which you will endeavour to arrive at. From Philadelphia the road is by Bethlehem and Wilkesbarre, unless you take the stage, in which case you go by Easton. From New-York, the best way is to go by steamboat or other vessel, to Newburg, from thence by å turnpike which is finished, you come to within ten miles of Montrose.

In the winter, if the steam boats are prevented from passing by the ice, the best way is to come from New-York by Easton, and Wilkesbarre, to Montrose. The stages now come to within ten miles on the north, and twenty miles on the south, and I expect by next season, they will pass by Montrose in all directions.

The Society have desired me to answer all letters that shall be written to me on the subject of the settlement, which I will do very cheerfully, as well as give every aid in my power to all our deserving countrymen, who wish to join us. Letters should