No. 200.j 
361 
The vegetable soil of these swamps will eventually become peat, in- 
deed its composition is now the same, but it is not yet sufficiently de- 
composed to allow the particles to cohere. The swamps south of the 
ridge road can readily be drained, and will become fertile meadows. 
The south part of Niagara county is not thickly inhabited: the ground 
is low and marshy; the growth tamarack, elm, ash, &c. The land only 
requires draining to become as good, or better, than any in the county. 
The junction of the limestone and gypseous rocks is near the southern 
line of the county, and at this junction we always find some of the Lest 
land. The dam across the Tonnewanda, near its mouth, is a serious 
impediment to draining this region. This stream was originally slug- 
gish, and is made more so by this dam. Unless the streams flowing in- 
to the Tonnewanda are cleared from obstructions, and the accumulated 
water carried off, the south part of this county and the north of Erie 
must long remain uninhabited. 
In following the lake ridge from the east to Eighteen-mile creek, it 
suddenly disappears, and is again seen four miles farther w^est. When 
the lake was at this elevation, probably a broad bay at the outlet of 
this creek, prevented the continuation of the ridge. About seven miles 
west of Eighteen-mile creek, the ridge divides, and a portion, precisely 
similar to the continuous ridge, after extending two miles in a north- 
west direction, suddenly terminates. This fork was evidently a bar 
projecting into the ancient lake. 
LaTie Shore. 
The lake shore, forming the northern boundary of this county, rises 
abruply to the height of from ten to thirty feet. The bank is generally 
composed of gravel, sand, and clay, with a beach of pebbles at its base. 
The lake at its present elevation washes the foot of the bank, and in 
many places is undermining and wearing it away rapidly. On some 
farms ten feet in width have been worn away in the course of a year, 
though the average loss of land may be not more than four or five feet 
annually. Being upon the lake shore in this county during a violent 
storm of two days, (25th and 26th of Oct. 1837,) I found that, during 
that time, the soil to the width of three or four feet had been worn 
away. This effect was not confined to a single spot, but extended for 
miles. The waves, during storms, are dashed against the shore with 
such force, that they are thrown entirely over the bank. It has thus 
become a matter of much importance to the farmer, to protect his land 
against the ravages of the lake. 
[Assem. No. 200.] 42 
