Page:Report on the geology of the four counties, Union, Snyder, Mifflin and Juniata (IA reportongeologyo00dinv).pdf/19

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Letter of Transmittal.
F³. xv

worthy of record. I intend to embody the facts in a paper to be read before the American Philosophical Society, but my time is so occupied that I cannot do so at present, and, therefore, knowing that you appreciate early information on such subjects, I will state briefly—and perhaps rather dogmatically—what these discoveries are.

“1. An old and deeply-filled river valley exists between Elmira and Seneca lake. The Susquehanna of New York once swept around by Waverly to Elmira and thence passed northward through Seneca lake valley and on, probably through Sodus bay, into the Ontario basin.

“2. The Pine creek waters of Potter county flowed into Tioga river; thence to the Chemung at Corning; and thence through Big Flats valley to Horseheads, where they joined the pre-glacial Susquehanna.

“3. Between Corning and Elmira the Chemung river now flows in a new channel, and between it and the old channel (Big Flats) there is a triangular mountain of stratified rock, probably more than 300 feet high.

“4. That part of the Susquehanna between Waverly and Towanda was evidently opened during the Glacial period by the cutting down of two small streams which flowed in opposite directions, and headed on a low point in the pre-glacial divide; as also was that part of Pine creek between Ansonia and Lloyds in Tioga county.

“In Report I3 I said I suspected the Beaver and Mahoning once flowed into the Lake Erie basin through Grand river valley. Since its publication I have had opportunities of studying the subject further and now feel quite confident of the fact, and that the Allegheny and Monongahela waters went there also.

“I now trace the pre-glacial divide as roughly penciled on the accompanying railroad map, and I think I have sufficient data to warrant doing so.

“Through this divide, three streams—cut during the Glacial period—still continue to deliver southward, viz: Ohio, Pine creek and the Susquehanna.

“It is to be remarked that every glacial cut has its associated glacial fill; they go in pairs as seen below: