Abington, t-ship, Luzerne county, bounded N. by Nicholson, E. by Greenfield, S. by Providence, S.W. by Falls, and W. by Tunkhannock t-ships. Its timber is principally beech, sugar-maple, ash, red cherry, and hemlock. Tributaries of the Tunkhannock and Lackawannock creeks either head in, or flow through this township, affording many excellent mill sites; and springs of the purest water may be found on almost every hundred acres of land.
The soil is better adapted to grazing than to the growing of grains. When cleared, white clover springs up spontaneously, and grows luxuriantly. Timothy is the principal grass cut for fodder, of which, from one to two tons per acre are produced. A considerable portion of this township is settled, and some parts are well cultivated. Wild lands of a good quality are selling here, fro three to five dollars per acre. This township produces annually for market, considerable quantities of maple sugar, butter, cheese, (of a good quality, ) wool, domestic flannels, and linens, oats, horses, cattle and sheep.
The Philadelphia and Great Bend turnpike road passes nearly through its centre. An act has been passed to authorize the incorporation of a company for making a turnpike from this township, to Montrose; and township roads are opened in every direction. The settlers are principally from New England, and are a hardy, industrious, and thriving people. School houses are erected in every neighborhood, in which schools are kept during the greater part of the year.
Abington is situated about 25 miles N.E. from Wilkes-Barre, has three post-offices, and contains about 1200 inhabitants. Taxables in 1828, 239. Greatest length and breadth, 7 miles. The lower or southern part of the township is hilly, but the remainder, level and well adapted to agriculture. The soil is gravelly loam.
The township is drained by the tributaries to the South-eastern branch of the
Tunkhannock creek, which crosses it from East to West, in two places; and by
Legates creek, which flows Southerly into the Lackawannock. The Capons range of
mountains, and the Lackawannock mountain cover its Southern part.
Blakely Township
Blakely, t-ship Luzerne co bounded E. by the co of Wayne; S.E. by Covington, S.W. by Providence, and N.W. by Greenfield. This t-ship was called Blakely from respect to the memory of Capt. Johnston Blakely, who commanded the U.S. sloop of war Wasp, and signalized himself in an engagement with the British sloop Avon. The timber in the northern part is principally beech, maple, hemlock, ash. and cherry; in the southern, pine, oak, hickory, and chestnut. The Lackawannock enters N.E. angle and flows through a deep valley of fertile land, of 2nd quality, between the Moosic and Lackawaaannock mountains, S.W. until it intersects its S. western boundary, a distance of about 15 ms. dividing it into nearly two equal parts. The anthracite coal formation commences near the sources of the Lackawannock, not far from Belmont, and extends through the whole valley of the Lackawannock, cropping out upon the hills and mountains on each side. It is every where exposed in the bottom and banks of the river, and in all the little ravines formed by its tributaries. The coal mines of the Hudson and Delaware canal company were in this t-ship. But in 1830 the new t-ship of Carbondale was formed. The railroad from the basin at the western termination of the Lackawaxen canal terminates here; and Carbondale, a village containing several stores, mechanics shops, and 40 well built dwelling houses, and about 250 inhabitants, has grown up upon a spot where, four years since, but a single log cabin was to be found. The company have constructed an excellent artificial road from Carbondale to intersect the Milford and Owego turnpike upon the top of Moosic mountain, at Rix's Gap, a distance of about three miles; the Milford and Owego turnpike passes through the northern division of this t-ship; the Luzerne and Wayne co. turnpike passes through its eastern, and the Clifford and Wilkesbarre turnpike through its western division; and a company has been incorporated for making a turnpike road from Carbondale, along the Lackawannock river, to intersect the Clifford and Wilkesbarre turnpike, a distance of about ten miles, from whence there is an excellent road to Wilkesbarre. A considerable portion of this t-ship will admit of cultivation. Numerous mill sites are furnished by the Lackawannock and its tributaries. It is situated about 23 miles N.E. from Wilkesbarre, has two post offices, and contained a taxable pop. in 1828 of 98. But this number has been greatly increased by the peration of the Delaware and Hudson company, and upon the usual ratio of one taxable for five inhabitants, may be justly estimated at 200.
The surface of the country is variegated by mountain and valley. The soil is
alluvial, slate and gravel. The greatest length of the t-ship is 15 miles, and
the greatest width 7¾ miles.
Wilkesbarre Township
Wilkesbarre, t-ship, Luzerne co, is bounded N.E. by Pittston, E. by Covington, S.W. by Hanover, and N.W. by the Susquehannah r, which divides it from Plymouth and Kingston t-ships. It has its name from the borough, which is the chief town of the t-ship and the co. Its greatest length S.E. and N.W. is about 14 ms, and its greatest width 6 ms; area, 35, 200 acres. The Wyoming mtn crosses the t-ship centrally, in a N.E. direction, and the surface of the country between the river and the mtn is level, and the soil rich alluvion. S.E. of the mtn the country is hilly and comparitively sterile. This t-ship is in the midst of the anthracite formation, and contains an inexhaustible quantity of this mineral. No portion of the Wyoming valley affords greater facilities for the transportation of coal, or offers inducements to prosecute that trade. The coal field extends from the river to near the top of the mountain, a distance of about 2 ms. The strata are from 6 to 24 ft in thickness, and are every where exposed, where intersected by the streams and rivulets from the mtn. The coal has a brilliancy and richness rarely equalled, and no where surpassed. The Easton and Wilkesbarre t-pike is located longitudinally through the t-ship, and country roads radiate from the borough in various directions. Mill creek, Laurel run and Solomon's creek flow from the mountains into the river, and Bear cr and its tributaries carry the waters from the S.E. to the Lehigh. The pop of the t-ship was in 1830, 2233; taxables by the of 1828, 355.