Though Bedford county contains no mighty rivers, yet it is well watered. Every valley has its stream, fed by mountain springs, and these uniting, furnish abundance of water power for all milling and manufacturing purposes. The following are the streams of any note. THE JUNIATA RIVER, one of the main tributaries of the Susquehanna rises by two principal branches, Raystown and Frankstown branches, in this county. The Raystown Branch rises on the east side of the Allegheny mountain, and its course through this county receives, Dunnings creek, Buffalo creek, Shovers creek, Cove creek, Tussey's run, Clear creek, Shavers and Brush creek, Tub Mill run, Harbour run, Yellow creek, Six Mile creek and some smaller streams with their several tributaries, among which are, Bobs creek, Alum creek, Adams creek, Grass Lick run, Beaver Dam Branch, Middle Branch, Meadow Branch, Three Spring Branch, and numerous other rivulets. The Frankstown Branch rises near the south east corner of Greenfield township, and flows along the west side of Dunnings mountain north about twelve miles, to the Frankstown gap, through which it passes to Huntingdon county; in its course through this county it receives the Three Springs, and several other tributaries.

Besides the Juniata branches several other streams rise in this county; Aughwick creek which rises in Hopewell and Dublin townships, receiving several tributaries in its course through this part of the county; and flows onward through Huntingdon county.

In the southern part of the county, are a number of streams, tributaries of the Potomac-beginning at the Franklin county line, and passing along the Maryland line, we meet with Licking, North Branch, Conallaway, Buck, Sideling Hill, Fifteen Mile, Town, Hinlston, Evets and Wills creeks, with their numerous small tributaries, such as Little creek, Pattersons run, Burns run, Barrets run, Five Lick run, Little Conallaway, Lybersgore run, Hughs Camp run, and others of less importance. These several streams though not large, many of which are mere mountain streams, afford many excellent mill seats, and many are employed as such. Bedford springs will be noticed in the sequel.

This county has no canals, nor rail roads. The turnpike road from Philadelphia passes through it from east to west, entering the county between Loudon and McConnelstown. Near McConnelstown another turnpike road by way of Mercersburg from Waynesburg, connects with the Philadelphia pike; and a little beyond Bedford the turnpike to Somerset, branches from it.

The common roads are generally good, except in the mountainous regions, where they are usually very rough, and little attention is paid to them, by way of repairing them.-In many places the travelling in wheel carriages is exceedingly difficult, and very unpleasant. In some instances the danger of upsetting a vehicle is great, along the acclivity of mountains. Lately, however, considerable attention has been paid to improve them so as to avoid accidents from upsetting, owing to the narrowness as well as the roughness of the roads.

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CHAPTER XXXVI.

BEDFORD BOROUGH.

The locality of Bedford-Synopsis of the census of 1840-Fort erected here proving a link in chain of forts &c-Garret Pendegrass receives a grant of lands-Armies here several times during the French war -Joseph Shippen's letter to Richard Peters-Captain Ourry stationed here Refugees resort hither for protection against the enemyNumerous interesting incidents noticed-Whiskey insurrection &c -Armies here in 1794-President Washington and other distinguished men here-Extracts from sundry letters &c-Bedford medicinal springs, briefly noticed.

BEDFORD is a flourishing borough, situated near the head of the Raystown Branch of the Juniata river, on the main turnpike road from Philadelphia to Pittsburg.

The town was laid out by order of the proprietor, in 1766. The order was given to the Surveyor general, John Lukens, who himself saw the order executed. The plan of the town is that generally adopted by the Penns; straight streets and a large square in the centre. It is 95 miles east of Pittsburg; 54 west of Chambersburg; 31 south of Hollidaysburg, and 30 north of Cumberland. The country around it that is not mountainous, is rich limestone land.

Bedford can vie with any interior town, in Pennsylvania, for its beautiful site, and the unsurpassed salubrity of its atmosphere. It is nearly surrounded by mountains, pouring their limpid streams into the valley, shaded by forests, which, in the summer afford refreshing breezes and "lustrated air," so desirable in the hot season of the year. The site of Bedford, says the Revd. R. Weiser, in a communication to the compiler, is in the estimation of all who love the sublime and romantic one of the most beautiful and picturesque in the state. It is almost entirely surrounded by the sides or sloping ends of high mountains.

The most beautiful view is from the elevation on the turnpike, as the traveller rises up from the Great George through which the Juniata, and the turnpike pass.

As you approach the summit of the hill, Bedford bursts into view, with its spires, and brick walls, an astonishing contrast with the rugged scenery through which you have passed for near 50 miles. The spot on which it stands, seems to have been scooped out of the mountains by the hands of God.

We might adopt the language of Moore in relation to its physicial character

"The bright eyes of angels only
Can look upon us, and behold
A paradise so pure and lonely.”

Here in this lovely spot, watered by the clear waters of the Juniata, and fanned by the salubrious breezes of the Allegheny, Ray seems to have pitched his tent. Who this Ray was, or where he hailed from, or what became of him, no one knows. The probability is that amid those scenes of carnage and blood, he and his family were massacred -and none was left to tell the sorrowful tale of his fate. No monument was ever erected to tell the passer by where rest the remains of the first settlers of Bedford.

There is no person living who knows any thing about Raystown. The oldest person, born in Bedford, now living is Mrs. Ernst, now 85 years old; and, she says, that when she was a little girl, the Fort of Bedford was full of soldiers, and the houses outside of the Fort were called Raystown. In 1771, the old regular fort was in a state of dilapitation, according to the united testimony of a number of our oldest citizens. But still we are told after 1771, even up to 1782, the whites were in the habit of running to the fort when alarmed by the Indians. If the fort was in a state of ruin, how could it protect the whites? We have a solution of this apparent contradiction, in the well authenticated fact that, George Woods, the great grandfather of E. S. Anderson, Esq. had a fort made around his own house-a picket fort, and this was called Fort Bedford, and it was into this fort the alarmed whites generally ran after 1771.

The Borough contained in 1830 a population of 879, of whom 417 were white males, 405 white females; 27 black males, and 30 black females-and by the census of 1840, it contained 1,036, of whom were 498 males; 471 females; 29 black males, and 26 black females. Of this population 7 were engaged in agriculture, 85 in manufactures and trades; 20 in the learned professions, and the others variously employed.

At present (1845) according to an account furnished by the Revd. Weiser, there are in Bedford 225 buildings used as public and private houses. The public buildings are, the Court house, the jail, several churches, viz: Presbyterian, Lutheran & German Reformed, Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, African meeting house, two for primary schools. The professional men are, 7 Clergymen; the Revds. Thos. Heyden, Catholic; Jacob Riegler, German Reformed; Reuben Weiser, Lutheran; J. M. H. Hall, Presbyterian; W. Bergstresser, Episcopal Methodist; 2 Physicians; Drs. J. H. Hofius, B. F. Barclay; W. H. Watson,

The town of Bedford has extended beyond the limits of its corpora tion, and hence the population acording to the census of 1840 seems very small, i. e. 1,036. Bedford like most country towns has its suburbs. On the west we have Boydstown, with a population of 50; on the east, we have a foundry and the poorhouse, and a number of other houses, with a population of nearly 100; then on the south west, we have Grand Hill with a population of 40 or 50, making upwards of 200, who are not counted in the population of Bedford, and yet they are a part and parcel of our population.-R. W、