USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. III pt 2 > Part 39
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THE portage at the Little Falls will be a heavy part of the work,-the plan herewith delivered marked A, will exhibit the tract of a Canal,-that marked B,' a section thereof ; the height to be surmounted is thirty-nine feet two inches, and will require first a strong work at the point B, to prevent the Canal and Locks from being overflowed, and damaged in high freshes; at 1 These plans do not accompany the pamphlet.
1094
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
this point two guard gates at the distance of seventy feet from each other must be placed; the surface of the ground here is eight feet eight inches above the level of the water in the river , above the falls, and, as three feet ought to be given for the depth of the water in the .Canal, the depth to be dug at this point will be nearly twelve feet; if to the several heights marked on the plan at the other points C, D, and E, three feet be added we shall have the depth to be dug at these points; at F we gain the level and thence from F to G only three feet is to be dug. Many large stones and rocks, and probably much solid rock will be found in all the distance from A to G which is 1666 feet ; the quantity of earth, stone, and rock to be removed in this space, if the Canal has ten feet base, will be about 242,200 cubic feet ; From G to HI which is 422 feet the Canal must be confined by a double dyke, or embankment, about four feet high: From HI to I which is 123 feet. the whole depth to be dug is about 1; feet, and contains 5085 cubic feet: From I, at various places to the water at the bottom of the falls about 100,000 cubic feet of earth must be removed, and about 1,200 feet of a dyke to be made. An estimate of the expence of this work with five Locks, is annexed, and amounts to £10.500.
FROM the falls to Fort Schuyler, the only impediments of any amount are occasioned by the two rapids called Orendorff's, and Wolf's rapids, these are sharp and extended, and the river here forms a circuit, which lengthens its course beyond a straight line, from the foot of the former to the head of the latter about 1 1-2 miles. It is believed that merely a cut through the chord of this circuit of about half a mile, in easy digging and of little depth, would effectually surmount these obstacles. The other rapids which are neither long, sharp, nor many, descend from deep water immediately above them, and may, therefore be permanently deepened at a moderate expence. The residne of the impediments in all this part of the river are occasiond by trees fallen into the river either accidentally, or cut down by the inhabitants. The whole expence of improving the river from the falls to Fort Schuyler will probably not exceed £3,000.
Across the portage at Fort Schuyler a Canal must be cut ; the length of it will be 5352 feet : This Canal will run in the direc-
1095
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
tion ABC, see the plan C. The water in the Mohawk at the point A is one foot four inches and four tenths of an inch higher than at the point C. Obstructions by heaps of fallen trees, pre- vented us taking a section of the Canal in the direction which it would run, but apparently the mean depth of the earth to be removed for forming the Canal would be about twelve feet at the greatest depth, hence about 642,240 cubic feet of earth must be removed : The ground though soft is so much interwoven with the roots of trees and the work will also be so much retarded by the influx of water into the Canal whilst digging, that it is supposed that one man could not remove above fifty cubic feet per day, hence 12,815 days for one man would be required ; which at 4s. per day amounts to £2,569. In very dry times, such as the present, the water in the Mohawk is so little that none can be spared to increase the quantity in Wood Creek. A bulkhead must therefore be placed at the point C precisely of the height with the level of the water in the Mohawk, a boat then in this low state of the river coming up Wood Creek to the point C must unlade, and be drawn across the bulk head into the Canal ; there reloaded and proceed through the Canal into the Mohawk River ; but when the Mohawk River rises so much as that a quantity of water equal to carry an empty boat is added to the water in the river, the water on the bulk head will rise to nearly that height, and the empty boat will pass. If the rise be equal to the water drawn by a loaded boat, the boat and its cargo will pass the bulk head into the Canal .. It is evident by this arrangement the navigation of Wood Creek will be much mended whenever the water in the Mohawk is higher than at present. The whole expence at this place will probably not exceed £3,000.
ARRIVED at this point, it will be cptional with the company to extend their improvements to Ontario; and the Seneca Lakes ; or not, but as in the present state of Wood Creek, the produce of the country beyond cannot be brought into the Mohawk, and consequently the company deprived of the advantage of the toll thereon ; It therefore appears to your committee indispensible that the Wood Creek, in all its extent, should be improved, by
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INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
removing the timber which obstructs its navigation; probably the expence will not exceed £1,000.
THE aggregate of the estimates to complete the navigation from Schenectady to Wood Creek is £39,500.
THE committee conceive it necessary before they proceed to state to the board what works, in the opinion of the committee, ought to claim the first attention of the company, to make some remarks which they believe not irrelative to the subject .- An opinion is entertained by some, that since the company is per- mitted by the act of incorporation, to divide a clear 15 per cent. on all their expenditures, the higher the expence, the greater will be the profit to the stock-holders ; and that, therefore, the improvements should be made in the completest manner, that is, on the most expensive scale :-- This appears plausible in theory, but may and will probably be found fallacious on actual experi- ment, and injurious to the interest and reputation of the company- Injurious to its interests, if the tolls, after deducting the current expences, should not amount to such an interest, as money can from time to time be improved at, and as the legal interest only of the sum above stated, which supposes a complete improvement in all its parts (without estimating the expence of clearing Wood Creek) amounts annually to £2765. It will easily be discovered, from computation founded on probable data, that the tolls on all the Produce, if the toll and freight was equal to the expence of carriage by land, would not in the present state of the country produce such an annual revenue ; but the tolls and freight ought to be less, and after some years, considerably less than the expence of land transportation, for if not, the improvement of the navigation would have no beneficial object to the community. The time will doubtless arrive, and the country is rapidly pro- gressing to the point when the quantum of produce shall be so extensive, as to support the expence of the most complete improvement of the entire internal navigation in all its parts, as contemplated by the act of incorporation, when this happens it will decidedly be the interest of the company, and equally that of the community ; also, to prosecute the works in the most complete manner, for under such circumstances the greatest per centage, on the aggregate expenditure, permitted by the act may
1097
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
be taken, without an increase of toll on the seperate articles :-- Nay, probably with a progressive diminution of the aggregate of freight and toll on cach article, until it becomes stationary at its lowest possible point. But at present, to complete the navigation, on a scale more extensive than what is indispensibly necessary, would be injurious to the reputation of the company, as it would tend to burthen the produce of the country with an extent of toll and freight little short of the present expence of land, or even water, transportation in its present state : whereas it ought to be the invariable pursuit of the company so to conduct its operations as that its interests and those of the community may go hand in hand.
Ir these observations are founded as the committee conceivo they are, then it will follow that the exertions of the company ought to be directed in the first instance to those parts of the navigation only, in which the most immediate obstacles are interposed, and which promise the best revenue at the smallest expenditure, that is with the least possible burthen on the produce of the country. Effectually to do this, legislative inter- position ought to be solicited. The canal and locks by the act are to be 20 feet wide, this stipulation was inserted in the law, under an idea that large rafts of timber would descend the improved navigation. But your committee have critically examined into this, and find that very little, if any, will be con- veyed-that if any dees, the expence of narrower rafts, will not be so injurious to the community, as that increase of toll, which must necessarily be incurred from the expence of such wide canals and locks, because the quantum of lumber will at any rate be little, compared with that of other produce.
THE improvement of the navigation of Wood Creek has been stated as indispensable .- But should the company find them- selves incapable of extending the navigation to Ontario and the Sencca lakes, no toll could be taken for the improvements which may be made in Woodl Creek,-the legislature should, therefore. be intreated to leave it optional in the company, to carry their improvements to any point beyond Fort New-Port, which they please ; and their charter to extend to the point at which their improvements may be arrested, although they should not be
1098
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
carried to the Ontario and Seneca Lakes, as was originally con- templated ; and to intreat the liberty of using the waters of their canals, for any hydraulic works, which they may erect, without carrying the profits into account as any part of the per centage which they are permitted to take.
THAT if in the greater part of the navigable season, the naviga- tion shall be so improved, as that two feet of water can be carried in the shallowest of the river, the charter should not be forfeited, if in the other parts of the season two feet of water could not be carried in every part- Because as the population of the country progresses, and a consequent increase of the transportation of its produce, the strong motive of self-interest, without any other inducement, will impel the company to every extent of improve- ment which the transportation of the produce of the country shall indicate.as necessary.
HAVING premised thus much your Committee beg leave to observe, That since (except in such an extraordinary dry sea- son as the present) the river from Schenectady to Scohara Creek is capable of considerable navigation-is still better from thence to the Falls, and will be good to Fort Schuyler, especially if the trees and timber are removed, That therefore, except the removal of the trees and timber West of, and blowing a few rocks on, some of the rapids, East of the Falls, nothing further should be speedily attempted in the parts mentioned ; but that the primary exertions should be directed to the Canal and Locks at the Falls; that when this is completed, the water in the river above, will probably be sufficiently low to clear away the timber which incommodes it, and to do the like by Wood-Creek down to the Oneida Lake, and to remove the most dangerous rocks below the Falls: This accomplished, the next in degree of eligibility, appears to your Committee, to extend the naviga- tion from Schenectady to the navigable waters of the Hudson- Because when with the improvements above suggested, the river shall be rendered navigable in the greater part of its extent from Fort Schuyler to Schenectady, in all seasons not so dry as the present, for boats of considerable burthen; yet the portage from Schenectady to Albany, is not only a very heavy charge on the produce of the upper country, but attended with serious incon-
1099
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
veniences to those who enter largely into the interior commerce. To prepare for the accomplishment of this apparently very necessary part of the navigation, your committee recommend, That accurate surveys should be made, as early in the ensning spring as circumstances will permit, to enable the board to determine the direction in which Canals are to run, to take the necessary preliminary measures for providing the materials ; that, if the works at the Falls, &c., should be completed before the whole of the next operating season is expired, the residne may be appropriated to this important part of the navigation, and completed in the succeeding year ;- Soon after this shall be accomplished, the company will be enabled to judge with pre- cision, what farther is in their power, and if what they have done, should prove beneficial to the community at large, and the resources of the company be then found not competent to such a perfect completion of the whole internal navigation, as is con- templated by the act of incorporation, there can be little doubt but that an enlightened Legislature will extend its aid, to objects promising such extensive benefits to every class of citizens.
IT now remains for your Committee to venture an opinion on the mode of conducting the contemplated improvements. The observations already made will evince the necessity of strict economy in every operation. It will certainly occur to the Directors, that in a work so extensive, as that committed to them, much unnecessary expence, and much waste of time must be incurred, unless the executive part of the business be properly conferred ; and your committee, to avoid this evil as much as possible, recommend that the executive of the business should be committed to a single directing head, to a man of known and acknowledged abilities, of a mind so comprehensive, as to com- bine and form all the arrangements, with a minute detail of each part ; capable of foreseeing what will be wanting in future, that the supplies may be prepared, without incurring that extra expence which ever attends collections made on the spur of the occasion ; In short, a man, who if he has not had practical experience, has activity, ingenuity and judgment sufficient to compensate in a degree for that defect-so capable of profiting by experiment, that the artists, whom he superintends, may not
1
1100
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
injuriously impose on the company. To engage such a person, your Committee conceive would be true economy ; to find such a character is certainly not very easy ; but it well merits the attention of the board to find one thus qualified ; the eyes and the hopes of the stock-holders, and those of the community, will naturally be turned to the directors ; It is therefore, incumbent on them to begin well, to proceed with vigour ; but with that degree of circumspection, which is the result of mature delibera- tion. Well digested arrangements, steadily and unremittedly persevered in, are capable of, and certainly will surmount, all but perfect impossibilities.
A PERSON who has had practical experience in making canals and locks, would be a desirable and valuable acquisition, but such person may not be attainable in this country ; if so, it has occurred to your committee, that probably the defect might be supplied, if the person to whom the general direction shall be committed was to select two or three of our most ingenious and best informed carpenters, and repair with them to view the works in Pennsylvania and Virginia, with a critical and close attention. Canals and locks are already formed there, and little doubt can be entertained but that every information which gentlemen are capable of communicating will be afforded with alacrity ; and your committee have too good an opinion of their countrymen to apprehend, that if your superintendant is a man of genius, and the mechanics who accompany him men of approved reputation in their professions, they would not after such an inspection be able to fulfil the wishes of their employers with satisfaction and credit to both.
For completing the works at the Falls, for removing the obstructions by rocks, &c. between Schohara Creek and the Falls, for clearing the river from the Falls to Fort Schuyler, and removing the timber out of Wood Creek, to the Oneida Lake, and for accomplishing all this in the next season, your committee are of opinion that at least,
10 Carpenters should be engaged in four companies.
10 Masons in one company.
5 Miners.
: Black-Smith.
1101
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
2 Lime-Burners.
200 Able-bodied laborers, to be engaged for the whole season,- that is, from the month of May to October, both inclusive : That the 200 labourers should be divided into eight companies, with an overseer to each ; That the wages of each should be stipulated; that they should furnish themselves with provisions and liquor, to avoid those bickerings which constantly result from complaints of bad provisions, &c-That each company of carpenters, and miners, masons and blacksmiths, and each company of labourers should be allowed a person to cook their victuals-that each individual find his own bedding .- That as the carpenters, &c. may not be able to purchase provisions in the country, a stock of provisions and liquors should be laid in, and sold them at prime cost, with the charges of transportation added : That the working hours should be stipulated to prevent controversy.
THE expence of those workmen, &c. may be,-
40 Carpenters for 160 days at 9s. per day £2880
10 Masons do do 9s. - 720
5 Miners do do 9s. - 360
1 Blacksmith do do 9s.
72
2 Lime Burners do do 9s.
144
200 Labourers do do 4s. 6400
8 Overseers do do
9s. - 576
Additional pay to 4 Master Carpenters and a Master Mason 160 days at Is. 160
Clerk of the Checque for 160 days (who is also to deliver the provisions and tools, and keep all the accounts) at 10s.
80
11 Cooks for 160 days at 1s 352
1 Surveyor with four Assistants (to be employed when requisite) at 40s. per day, estimated at 170
A person to attend at the Falls during the winter to receive the timber, &c. and to be kept as an assistant during the next season, per annum. .. 150
£12,064
ESTIMATE of the expence of the canal and locks at the Falls, from the data given in the preceding report and annexed map ;
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INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
the quantity of earth, stone, and rock which it will be necessary to remove to form the canal and locks, supposing the base of the canal to be 10 feet, will be in round numbers about 350,000 cubic feet. If one half is either solid, or such other rock as will require to be bored and blown, that half will be 175,000 cubic feet ; if then one miner can blow one cubic yard per day, it will require 6500 days for one man to complete the whole. blowing, his wages at four shillings per day, amounts to. £1300
Removing the blown stone and earth ont of the canal 350,000 cubic feet, supposing 100 cubic feet removed by one man in one day, it will require 3500 days work to do the whole, at 4s. per day is.
700
Gunpowder, brimstone, match paper, brickdust, and borers, scrapers and primers, estimated at.
500
The whole of the dyking to be made by two parallel walls of four feet thick, cach at the distance of seven feet, from the inside of one to the inside of the other : The solid contents of the masonry is computed at 150,000 cubic feet : A mason will lay of such work 60 cubic feet per day .
One man to attend the mason 2500 days at 4s.
Carting the stones, at 1s for every 20 cubic feet, for 150,000 cubic feet.
The spaces between the walls of the dykes to be filled with earth or stone ; the latter preferable, when cement- ed with quick lime : The solid contents to be filled about 80,000 cubic feet at 1s. for carting the stone is. .
5000 Bushels of lime at 1s.
Five locks besides the guard lock will be required : If these extend each 70 feet, and the projections beyond each 50 feet more the whole extent will be 720 feet But as all the work must be double on each side, the whole length will be 2880 feet : If the timber be 12 inches squares, and the sides 10 feet high, it will require 28,800 cubic feet. For bottom sills, one to every 3 feet, is 180 of 30 feet long, equal to 5100 cubic feet .- 360 posts, 10 feet long, is 3600 cubic feet. Braces to cross from the interior to the exterior side-one for
1125 500 375
200 250
1103
INLAND LOCK-NAVIGATION.
every four feet is 180 for a side, or 300 for both sides, multiplied by 10 in height, is 3600, and by 10 in length is 36000 ; but as these require to be only 5 by 7 inches, the cubic feet will be about 9000 .- For gates about 3000 cubic feet, is in all 46200 cubic feet, at 30s. per hundred is.
693
Filling in with earth, raming the same, about 72000 feet at 100 feet per day for one man at 4s. is.
144 100
500 Plank of 3 inches thick, for the bottom, at 4s. is
250 Plank of 3 inches thick, for the gates, at 4 shillings is
50
Spikes, iron work, &c.
200
Framing, 30 carpenters, 100 days at 9s 1350
House for the officer to attend the locks and receive the toll 150
Spades, shovels and other implements, nails, crow bars, &c. &c. estimated at 100
Superintendant, overseers and other contingences, .. 2500
Total £10,53"
A previous provision of materials, implements, and store: being indispensable to prosecute the works with economy and dispatch, in the ensuing spring, your Committee will close this report, with a list of such articles, as they deem requisite to be collected at the Falls during the winter, and of such as should be prepared here, to be sent thither as soon as the navigation of the Mohawk opens in the ensuing year.
All which is submitted,
PHILIP SCHUYLER,
GOLDSBROW BANYAR, S Committee ELKANANI WATSON, )
Albany, September, 1792.
1
XX.
JOURNAL OF
REV. JOHN TAYLOR'S MISSIONARY TOUR
THROUGH THE
Mlohawk & Black River Countries
IN
1802.
VOL. III.
70
The Rev. JOHN TAYLOR, the author of the following journal, was a native of Westfield, Mass. He graduated at Yale College in 1784, and soon after, having engaged in the Ministerial profession, settled in Deerfield. By desire of the Missionary Soc. of Hampshire Co. he made the following Journal in 1802. Ilis health failing him, in 1806, he took a dismission and engaged in agricultural pursuits at Enfield, Conn. He was for several years a member of the legislature of that state, and repeatedly elected speaker of the popular branch. In 1817, he emigrated to Mendon, Monroe Co., N. Y., where he continued to reside until 1832, when he removed to Michigan. . During his residence in Western New- York and in Michigan, up tothe time of his death, he labored unceasingly as a Minister, and such was his devotion to the interests of the church of which he was a member, his general intelligence and the urbanity of his manners, that he rarely failed to attach firmly to himself as friends those with whom he was brought in contact. He died in Bruce, Macomb Co, Mich., in 1840, aged 78. We are indebted to the politeness of Hon. II. W. TAYLOR, Judge of the Court of Appeals, for his father's MS., which is now given to the public for the first time.
JOURNAL
OF THE REV. JOHN TAYLOR, ON A MISSION THROUGHI TIIE MOHAWK AND BLACK RIVER COUNTRY, IN THE YEAR 1802.
WILLIAMSTOWN, July 20th, 1802 .- I this morning commenced my journey to the northern counties in the state of New-York, as a missionary, in compliance with the desire of the Missionary Society in the county of Hampshire. Rode from Deerfield to this town 40 miles. Weather, extremely uncomfortable from heat. Am not, however, greatly fatigued.
ALBANY, 21st .- Travelled this day about 10 miles. Found a letter at the Revd Elipht Nott's, directed to me, from the Revd Joseph Lyman, Hatfield. Mr Nott being on a journey to Balls- ton Spring, the boxes of books which I expected to find with him were still in the possession of the proprietors of the stage. Was charged for the transportation of the books at the rate of a passenger, which was $2.37. Paid, also, 2s. Penny Post, for letters sent by the Post Master to M' Nott's. The boxes appear to be sound, having sustained no damage.
July 23d .- Tripe's (alias Tribe's) Hill, in the town of Amster- dam, county of Montgomery. After arranging the necessary business respecting the transportation of the boxes of books from Albany to Utica, and having agreed with the stage owners to see them safely delivered at Utica for $1, I left the city at 11 o'clock-travelled in the course of the day 37, and now find myself on Missionary Ground. Being considerably fatigued with my journey, and finding myself in a situation in which it may. be proper to spend the Sabbath, I have concluded to tarry until Monday.
24th .- Conversed with a number of intelligent people, and obtained the following information. The extent of this town- Amsterdam-is 11 by 8 miles. It contains one Presbyterian Chh,-vacant. The Revd Mr Teneyck sometimes officiates in
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