Invitation to Meeting

Charles George at the low point of Penna.

Third Quarter 2001 Meeting -- Lair No. 1

On September 8, 2001, Lair No. 1 of the RR&R met at Max's Allegheny Tavern. Charles George told of his efforts to find the interesting thing at the low point of Pennsylvania.

In a rough and ready fashion, his presentation meandered along the following outline:

I. PA Low point disclamers:

A. The lowest POINT (c/o PA Geological Survey, Pittsburgh)

1. Svet's well in Somerset county.

2. 21,400 feet deep, it opens at ~2,000 feet.

3. This puts it at 3.5 miles below sea level.

4. To get there, I would have to remove the pump.

5. How to get the flag down 4 mile 5" bore hole?

6. How to unfurl it?

B. The lowest point tread by humans (c/o PA Geological Survey, Harrisburg):

1. Grace Mine in Berks county.

2. Owned by Bethlehem Mine Company.

3. The shaft is 2,600 feet deep opening at 600 ft elevation.

4. This puts it at about 2,000 feet below sea level.

5. It was open from 1948-1978 for iron ore (magnetite).

6. Since then it has been sealed due to economics.

C. The lowest "point" accessible today:

1. The southern part of the Delaware river.

2. Being a tidal river: it's always at sea level.

3. This is not a point, strictly speaking.

4. One possibility: tour the river

a. Lair 1 had a boat (and captain Vic) at the right time.

b. It was at the wrong place.

5. Let's settle on the lowest shoreline feature furthest down river.

II. Marcus Hook, PA A. Its name

1. Maarte Chief of the Okehoing tribe. a. Lene Lenapi indians b. a.k.a Deleware, but that was a dutch name.

2. Dutch explorers named it Maratties Hoek.

3. Swedes (at least Queen Christina) called it Marcus Hook.

a. She tried to rename it Finland.

b. A year later she abdicated to become Catholic.

4. English tried to rename it Chichester.

5. The traditional name stuck.

B. Historical low-points

1. Dutch colonization (from Lene Lenapi perspective).

a. They massacred the first Dutch settlers in 1630

b. Future settlement were launched from Tinicum Island.

2. Swede colonization (from the Dutch perspective)

a. This wasn't quite as violent, but Governor complained

b. "I haven't seen a more stupid people".

3. English colonization (from the Swedish perspective)

a. At this point the Dutch were too cynical to care.

b. The Swede's evidently were too stupid to care.

c. Song "The Grand Old Duke of York" with motions.

4. William Penn grants a Fair and Weekly Market to Marcus Hook

a. From the Quakers' point of view, this is a low point. i. Market song: "Ach, Ya!"

b. The grant demonstrates Penn's tolerance.

c. Penn then returns to England to defend against claims i. of Lord Baltimore ii. and Mary Ford (wife of Penn's deceased accountant)

5. Blackbeard takes up residence at Marcus Hook C. 20th Century Marcus Hook (Video Over Dinner)

1. Joseph Pew saw:

a. Large tracts of land for an Oil refinery

b. A few yacht-builders that could use some business

c. Access to secure shipping lanes

2. Descent into the Abyss

a. Dennis Looney reads from Dante's Inferno 16th Canto

b. Sunoco refinery

c. Historic marker/ Donated by Sunoco

3. A moment of artistic appreciation.

4. Where Maarte once Roamed.

a. Shoreline footage.

b. The cemetery at St. Martins Episcopal. (At this point one rascal -- who incinerates his hair and nail clippings lest they be used for some evil purpose -- voiced some apprehension over Dan's obsession with relics. I assured him that Dan's motives were pure, and I conveyed my doubts that his body parts could serve a purpose more evil than they are already doing in their current configuration.)

5. Around the Town

a. Steel Yurts

b. Studios

c. Potential Club Houses

d. The neighborhood

e. Dahntown

f. The climb out

g. Sunoco station: prices prove that cobblers children don't wear shoes.

III. The interesting thing? A mystery!

1. Supposed "Gas Storage" Caverns beneath Marcus Hook

a. PA Geological Survey says nonsense!

b. Gas is not stored in caverns.