HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



59 



distinct strata upon each other. The depth of these de- 

 posits of drift varies from above forty feet to two feet. 

 Howard Flats present a depth of alluvial deposit singularly 

 deep as well as unique. Though slightly elevated above 

 the general surface, this section of the county presents a 

 high valley forming an extended swamp, and surrounded by 

 hills in which lies Loon Lake, out of which valley runs 

 Neil's Creek, along which the alluvium extends to a great 

 depth, and is devoid of gravel or other strata. The hill 

 deposits are not uniform ; some present their greatest slope 

 to the north and east, and their bluff end, or shoulder, to 

 the south and west. The eastern slope is more abrupt, in 

 many cases, than the western, the result of the action of 

 the waters in scooping out the valleys in their course towards 

 the ocean, or of the eddies and currents of the inland sea 

 anterior to the drainage from their surface. 



Of the action of these eddies and currents we find in- 

 stances in the eastern part of the county, through Wayne, 

 Bradford, and Bath. From Keuka Landing, on the eastern 

 shore of Lake Keuka, to the Wayne Hotel, and thence 

 southward, there is a definable valley, the result of these 

 agencies, and hills moulded thereby, and lakes excavated 

 the whole distance. 



Aside from Waneta and Mud Lakes, a succession of 

 lakes lie along the valley of Mud Creek, some of them of 

 great depth and surrounded by ridges and hills of every 

 conceivable shape. From the south head of Keuka Lake 

 to the valley of the Conhocton the same features are ex- 

 hibited, and marked evidences are presented of the action 

 of water throughout. Depressions and holes, as of former 

 water-courses, extend from Pleasant Valley to the small 

 lake eastward of the village of Bath. Sink-holes are seen 

 along the valley of Five-Mile Creek, far above its present 

 level, in the towns of Prattsburgh and W^heeler. 



In North Cohocton there are seen the same depressions, 

 abrupt and deep, and surrounded by hills of gravel, sand, 

 clay, and alluvium. The same appearances mark the envi- 

 rons of Purdy and Bennett's Creeks, the Tuscarora, in Jas- 

 per, Woodhull, and Addison, Mead's, in Campbell, and the 

 Cowanesque, in Lindley and Pennsylvania. 



In all the deep ravines and water-courses the rocks are 

 found outcropping and exposed to view. At Hammonds- 

 port, in a ravine above the stone mill, about three hundred 

 feet of rock is exposed, characterized hy forcoides gi-aphica. 

 It consists of shale and sandstone, of thin layers below and 

 thick layers above, the edges being more or less covered 

 with crystallized gypsum. 



Some of the shale near this place emitting the odor of 

 bitumen, and developing fragments of vegetables and iron 

 pyrites, induced a search for coal, without evidence of 

 success. 



In the town of Pulteney, at Harmonyville, near the lake 

 shore, similar features are developed, where digging for 

 coal resulted in like manner ; though argillo-calcareous rock 

 of sufficient thickness for building purposes is found north 

 of the village of Bath, and also between Howard and Hor- 

 nellsville, in the creek ravine. Sandstones of thickness 

 and density suitable for grindstones are found in the town 

 of Canisteo, on the lands of Mr. Carter, in Woodhull, on 

 the lands of Mr. Stroud, in Jasper, on the land of Mr. 



Towsley, and in Greenwood, near the residence of Mr. 

 John Davis. At this latter place the elevation is about 

 five hundred feet above the Canisteo and fifteen hundred 

 feet above tide-water, and the source of Bennett's Creek 

 is about three hundred feet higher. 



At La Grange a salt spring rises, from which salt has 

 been made by the inhabitants, and was previously made by 

 the Indians. A sulphur spring rises in Urban a, about two 

 miles southwest of Hammondsport, and also above the lake 

 shore north of that place. Marl and tufa are found near 

 Cold Springs, also near Ark port, in Troupsburgh, on the 

 Canaseraga, south of Dansville, on the summit between 

 this creek and the Canisteo, and along the Five-Mile Creek, 

 in the north of Prattsburgh. 



At Mitchellville, in what is termed the Gulf, — a high 

 valley between Bath and Wheeler, — is a bed of clay of 

 unusual depth and tenacity, in which was found the tooth 

 of a mastodon, about ten inches in length, also a large 

 bone, which was crumbled by the action of the air. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



STEUBEK COUNTY CIVIL LIST. 



Federal Government — State Government — County Government — Ju- 

 diciary. 



FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 

 REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS. 



Representatives in Congress hold office two years. 

 They must reside in the State they are chosen to represent ; 

 must have been seven years citizens of the United States, 

 and have attained the age of twenty -five years. Each new 

 Congress commences on the 4th day of March every odd 

 year. The elections are generally held during the even year 

 preceding, — in this State on the general election day. 



The constitution of the United States directs that a cen- 

 sus be taken every ten years, which has been fixed at those 

 ending with a cipher ; and after each enumeration Congress 

 apportions the representation among the States, and the 

 Legislature divides the State into Congressional districts. 



The first Congressional District, including Steuben 

 County, was formed by Act of March 23, 1797. It 

 was the Tenth District, and was composed of Cayuga, On- 

 ondaga, Ontario, Tioga, and Steuben Counties. The dis- 

 tricts including this county have been changed as follows : 



Act of March 30, 1802. — Cayuga, Genesee, Ontario, and Steuben, 

 Seventeenth District. 



Act of March 20, 1804. — Cayuga, Genesee, Ontario, Allegany, and 

 Steuben, Seventeenth District. 



Act of March 8, 1808. — Cayuga, Seneca, Tioga, and Steuben, Four- 

 teenth District. 



Act of Jane 10, 1812. — Cayuga, Seneca, Tompkins, Tioga, and 

 Steuben, Twentieth District. 



Act of April 17, 1822. — Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Steuben, 

 Twenty-eighth District. 



Act of Jane 29, 1832. — Yates and Steuben, Twenty-seventh Dis- 

 trict. 



Act of September 6, 1842. — Allegany and Steuben, Thirtieth Dis- 

 trict. 



