USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 1 > Part 15
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There are embankments at Limestone, Beaverdam, Chittin- ingo, Canasaraga, Canestota, Oneida, Brandy, Brown and Sauquait creeks, and Nail brook. These streams are east of Cadwell's Swamp, and west of Utica-we shall only notice two of these.
The first is stretched across the delightsome valley of the. Sauquait, at the village of Whitesborough, Oneida county-it is eight hundred and eighty yards long, and is divided by the aqueduct over the creek-it is from eight to twelve feet high.
The second is at Nail brook, about midway between the vil- lages of Whitesborough and Utica. Its length is one hundred aud seventy-six yards; and its perpendicular height about eigh- teen feet.
Immediately east of Utica there is an embankment fifty yards ong, and eighteen or twenty feet high.
At Clark's creek, one mile east of Utica, there is an embank- ment one hundred yards in length, and of the elevation of thirteen feet.
In the town of Frankfort, in the county of Herkimer, about nine miles east of Utica, there is an embankment five hundred yards in extent, separated by the wooden aqueduct over the stream.
At the Dugway, in the town of Germanflats, nearly a mile above the confluence of West Canada creek, there is an em- bankment five hundred and fifty yards in length, and fifteen feet perpendicular elevation. It is wholly in the river, and embra- ces part of the bed. 'The canal is in part natural, and in part artificial-the outer side of the embankment is detended against the stream by a reclining wall made of stone.
This noble work was made, and we believe projected by the late Mr. James A. Sherwood, one of the canal contractors .-
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This gentleman, whose name merits a place with those of the promoters of canals, constructed about twelve miles of the Erie canal.
The principal dams are over Tonnawanta, Canasaraga, No- wadaga, Osquake, Canajoharie, and Schoharie creeks-the dam over Tonnawanta is five feet high, and near the mouth of the stream-it elevates the waters and occasions them to be slack for eleven miles upwardly. The waters of this dam are on a level with those in the harbour of Black Rock. Were the dam raised three feet higher the waters of Tonnawanta would ' flow into that harbour. The canal enters by a guard lock, just above the dam. Tonnawanta is used as part of the canal for · ten miles-its width is about forty yards.
The towing path is on the margin of the stream-the country on all sides is remarkably flat.
The dam over Schoharie creek, in the county of Montgom- ery, measures six hundred and fifty feet in length, and consists of wood-its height is eight feet.
The dams on the streams falling into the Mohawk, are often obstructed with muddy deposites which occasion consider- able delays, at particular times. The depositions are mostly during freshets-there is no preventing them. Several of these streams might have been passed on aqueducts, had certain levels and locks been differently located-the error is now remediless. Again, when the streams are very high, the gates of the guard locks cannot be opened at all. Hence, detentions injurious to the carriers of produce.
There are several lateral and branch canals connected with the Erie-most of these are used as feeders.
The first that we shall notice is the Buffalo branch-it is about a mile and a-half in length, and extends from Buffalo creek to the upper part of the harbour of Black Rock. Its entrance into this harbour, is a-quarter of a mile below Bird Island. This canal connects the village of Buffalo, in its com- mercial relations, with the Erie canal.
The second is Oak Orchard creek. This is taken in about twenty miles east northeast of the village of Lock Port. Its
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length is about twenty miles-it is in part artificial, and in part ,natural. The waters of Tonnawanta creek, about twenty-five miles from its mouth, have been diverted, in part, by a canal four or five mile in length, and are discharged into Oak Orchard. , This constitutes a part of the feeder. The canal is towards the west part of Tonnawanta swamp.
The third is the feeder at Rochester. It commences on the east side of Genesee river, about two miles south of the canal, and enters through a spacious basin, situated a little to the southeast of the aqueduct. Its breadth is twenty-six feet, and depth three feet. A portion of the water of the river is turned into it by a dam thrown across the stream. The dam is two hundred yards in length, and eighteen inches in height. It stands on a rock, at the head of a gentle rapid. There is a guard lock near the head of the feeder. Boats pass to and from Genesee river. 1 1
The fourth is at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and is about two miles in length. It is a branch canal, and serves to connect Onondaga lake with the Erie canal. It passes through the village of Selina, situated at the head of the lake. The celebrated Saline Springs are at this place in a marsh. There are five locks on this canal, having in the aggregate thirty- eight feet descent. The Oswego canal, now constructing, is to be joined to this. It will then be called the Oswego canal. It is now almost finished.
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The fifth is the feeder at Orville, in the town of Manlius, in the county of Onondaga. It is two miles in length, and con- ducts the waters of Butternut creek, a fine stream, into the canal. Boats ascend as far as the north Seneca turnpike.
The sixth is the Chittiningo, in the town of Sullivan, in the county of Madison. This is a branch canal. It has four locks with descents .of six feet each. Its length is nearly two miles. The waters of the Chittiningo creek are introduced by it. 1
The seventh is the feeder, taken out of the Mohawk, in the vicinity of the village of Rome, in the county of Oneida. It is two miles long, and draws all the waters from the river in
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drouths. Most of this was made in 1S01 or 1802, under the superintendence of Gen. Schuyler, and was intended to supply the old canal leading from the Mohawk across the summit level to Wood creek. It is navigated by boats up to Rome, distant a-quarter of a mile from the Erie canal.
The eighth feeder is at the Little Falls, in the county of Herkimer. It is about half a mile in length. The water is carried over the river in a superb aqueduct. There is a spa- cious basin at the village of Little Falls appended to it. Boats come to and go from the basin.
The ninth feeder is taken out of the Mohawk river, at Min- den, in the county of Montgomery. A dam eleven feet in height was constructed across the river, in order to elevate and divert a portion of the water. This feeder is about a mile and a-half in extent.
The other feeders are short and of less moment, and are not navigable. An insertion is not deemed necessary.
Connected with the canal are Hydrostatic locks. These are . for weighing loaded boats. They are located at Troy, Utica, Syracuse, and we believe one or two other places.
. Opposite to Troy there is a large basin communicating on the one side with the canal, and on the other with the Hudson, by two locks of eleven feet descent each. Boats pass through the basin into the Hudson, and vice versa. By this means the ris- ing city of Troy participates in the benefits diffused by the Erie canal.
The harbour of Black Rock. This harbour is partly in Lake Erie, and partly in the Niagara river. It is four thousand five hundred and sixty-five yards in length from south to north, and from eighty-eight to two hundred and twenty yards in breadth. Its superfices is estimated at one hundred and thirty- six acres. Two islands and a mole separate it from the Jake and river, except at the upper end, where it is open. The first island is called Bird Island. It is in the lake, at the head of the harbour, and is bare except when the lake is high. Its length is two hundred and twenty yards. It constitutes so much of one side of the harbour. The second is called Squaw Is- VOL. I. 21
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land. It is at the lower end of the harbour in the river, and i. about seventeen hundred and sixty yards in length. It is low, flat and marshy, and is covered with grass. A mole two thous- 4 and nine hundred and fifteen yards in length, connects these islands. Towards the lower end of Squaw Island, a mole or , dam, one hundred and sixty-five yards in length, has been made which connects the latter island to the main. The mole extending from Bird to Squaw Islands, is composed of two series of wooden cribs, placed in contact, and filled with stones. From the bottom to the top of the mole is sixteen feet. The outer side of the mole is from one to four feet above the water in the lake and river. The lowest part is at Bird Island, and the highest at Squaw Island, the pier rising all the way gradually from the former to the latter island. The width of the mole is eighteen feet. At the lower end of the mole an embankment has been made on Squaw Island, which extends downwardly fourteen hundred and thirty yards, to the mole or dam which joins the latter to the main. Its height is eight feet, Its breadth, at its base, is thirty feet, and at its apex six.
The mole or dam from Squaw Island to the main, is raised sufficiently above the water to create a head of about four feet, which is on a level with the surface of the lake. On this mole there is a lock, with a lift of about four feet, for the passage of lake vessels or boats in and out of Niagara river. The Erie canal commences a little above the mole.
The average depth of water in the harbour, is about fifteen feet.
The medial distance from the shore to Squaw Island is forty rods, and to the pier or mole uniting Bird and Squaw Islands, sixteen.
The shores and bottom of the river are limestone.
From the preceding description, it will be seen that the har- bour of Black Rock has the main on the east, a mole on the north, and two islands and a mole on the west. The whole is natural except the moles and embankment on Squaw Island. The embankment is on the east side of the island, and stretches from the upper to the lower mole. The two moles, and the
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embankment between them, are in the aggregate four thousand five hundred and ten yards in length. The moles are simply cribs or boxes, constructed of wood, and filled with loose stones, and sunk to the bottom of the lake and river. The harbour is tivo miles and an half and thirty rods in length, and from sixteen to forty rods in breadth.
The entrance on the side of Lake Erie is narrow. No ves- sel can come in from the lake in a storm, unless by accident. Vessels must either make the Buffalo harbour, which is not very good, or descend the Niagara river, by running down near the Canada side. We shall not take upon ourselves to decide whether the location of a harbour at this place has been the result of cool and sober deliberation or not. Those in favour, as well as those against the location, have not in the abund- ance of their zeal, thrown as much light on the subject as we could have desired, but it is sufficient for our purpose.
The Albany basin, at the termination of the Erie and Cham- plain canals, is four thousand four hundred feet in length, and from two to three hundred feet in breadth. It has an average depth, in ordinary times, of ten feet of water, and contains about thirty-two acres. Two moles separate it from the river. That on the cast is four thousand four hundred feet long from north to south, and eighty feet broad. That on the south is three hundred feet long from east to west, and of the same breadth. The moles are united, and rise twenty feet above low water mark. Both are joined to the river bank. The south- ern mole has a lock for the ingress and egress of boats, sloops, &c.
The basin, except the moles, is natural, and will admit nearly one thousand canal boats, and thirty sloops. The canal enters at the head of the basin through a lock, having a descent of eleven feet.
Recapitulation. The Erie canal is three hundred and sixty- three miles in length, forty feet in breadth, and four feet in depth. It is divided into eighty-two basins, which are separat- ed by eighty-three locks, exclusive of the Black Rock harbour and Albany basin. All the locks aside from those at the village
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of Lock Port, are single." The lockage, in the aggregate, amounts to six hundred and seventy-eight feet ten inches. The two locks opposite to the city of Troy, whose lockage is twenty- two feet, are not included, nor are the five ascending locks at Lock Port, whose lockage is fifty-eight feet nine inches. The locks consist of five series ; three are descending, and two as- cending. 'The descending series have six hundred and sixteen · feet and ten inches of lockage, and the ascending sixty-two.
There are five locks on the branch canal at Selina, whose lockage is thirty-eight feet, and four on the Chittiningo, whose loekage is twenty-four feet. All the locks, including the as- cending at Lock Port, and those on the branches opposite to Troy, amount to ninety-nine, and the lockage to eight hundred and thirty-one feet eight inches.
The Erie canal is artificial, except about ten miles, where Tonnawanta creek is substituted. The basins, at its extremities, aside of the moles, are natural. These dip into Lake Erie and the Hudson, and may be denominated links, because they join those waters to an immense chain of canal.
Observations on the country along the line of Erie canal.
The country from Black Rock to Lock Port, although an · elevated plain, is in general wet.
Much of the line between Tonnawanta creek and Lock Port is swampy, and so much so, that in constructing the canal, the operations had to be commenced at the extremities, in order to drain off the waters before the middle could be begun. The distance is six miles. About one mile was opened firstly at each end. In 1821, when operations were began hereabouts, almost the whole line from Tonnawanta to Oak Orchard creek, was an unsettled wilderness, and very heavily timbered, and much of it under water. Roads had to be opened before the line could be approached in many places. -
. Some of the locks on the eastern section, have been doubled since the con- struction of the canal, which would increase the number some ; but we cannot say with certainty, how many have been made. Our chapter on canals was wrote more than two years ago, and before the additional locks were constructed.
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Between Oak Orchard creek and Pittsford, on the east side of Genesee river, the country is equally flat, but not so wet and swampy.
Between the Irondequot embankment and the village of Pal- myra, seven miles of the canal pass through a deep swamp, whose stagnant waters take different directions, some flowing into Irondequot creek, and others into Mud creek.
Along Mud creek and the swale, through which the canal runs, before it re-enters the valley of that stream, above Lyons, there are considerable strips and lines of wet and swampy lands. From this point to the Montezuma marshes, it is mostly humid, or swamp land. The course of the canal along and across these marshes, is eleven miles. The surface is wet, spongy and miry. These marshes are annually inundated.
From Montezuma, to Oriskinny creek, in the county of Oneida, a distance of eighty-seven miles, at least three-fourths may be pronounced wet and swampy land. The swamps are often long, deep and boggy. The most considerable swamps, for extent, are covered with cedar trees, that stand so close as almost to inhibit the rays of the sun from the earth. These swamps are usually sub-merged, or partly so, all' the year, and in their natural state, are nearly impassable. In some instances it became necessary to commence the canal at the sides or ends of these swamps, and work towards the middle. This occasion- ed slow drainings of the standing waters-there is one of these swamps in Camillus, upwards of three miles in length, and the course of the canal is directly through it-the waters passed from it at its ends, in different courses. Nothing could be done before drains were formed, and these were nearly commen- surate with making the canal. The' surface consisted of black vegetable earth, having but little or no cohesion. Below this is marl, which does not allow water to pass through it. The for- mer upon the draining of the waters settled and shrunk. The same description will apply with some modifications, to the other cedar swamps-the alder and black ash swamps were nearly as wet and spongy. We have mentioned these facts, that pos- terity may have some ideas of the obstacles which, a country
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mostly covered with wood, and intersected by swamps, opposed to the making of the canal, for these swamps will disappear upon cutting down the trees, making drains, and introducing cultivation.
The country, eastwardly of Oriskinny, was mostly cleared and cultivated, and therefore presented but few of the asperities above enumerated.
The operations, on the Montezuma marshes, were slow in consequence of inundations and sickness. The labours could not be commenced before the latter part of May, at which period the waters usually abate. The sickness, such as fevers, agues, &c. came on about the first of August, and raged till the first of October. Most of the men became diseased, and the labours had in a measure to be suspended-numbers died. The men employed usually were from two to seven hundred- two years were spent in making the canal across these marshes.
For twenty-four miles the canal runs at no great distance from Seneca river, a very sluggish stream. In spring and fall the waters overspread large tracts of land. The streams from the hills south of the canal extend the inundations. Excessive and long continued heat generates a deadly miasma which con- taminates the atmosphere. In 1819, between the middle of July and the first October, one thousand of the men employed be- tween the Montezuma marshes and Salina, at the head of Onon- daga Lake, were attacked with agues, bilious and typhus fevers, and other diseases, which raged with violence, and swept off considerable numbers. Most of the lands, along Seneca river, are still covered with woods. The inhabitants, residing in the vicinity of the stream, are annually visited by fevers, which often prove fatal.
These were not the ouly tracts on the line of the canal where the workmen were afflicted with fevers, but as the others were limited, we shall pass over them.
Between Tonnawanta creek and Lock Port there was much deep excavation, and mostly through rocks. On leaving the creek the excavation was twelve feet. In proceeding towards the latter place, for four miles and a-half, it increased to thirty-
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one feet. From thence to the first lock, one mile and a-half, it decreased to thirteen. Midway between the creek and first lock, the rock excavation commenced. For two miles of this . distance the rock rises to within from two to six feet of the surface. The rock is limestone, and in horizontal layers. Up- wards of four years were consumed in the operations at this place. The rock being compact could not be removed without blasting. Where excavation depends on drilling and blasting, the work progresses very slowly.
The locks at Lock Port are on the declivity of a steep which overlooks a capacious basin formed by nature, with banks on each side, of an altitude of more than one hundred feet. The basins, between the locks, are short. The village is on the heights.
The whole line of the canal, between Lock Port and Genesee river, is underlaid with rocks, lying but very little beneath the surface. In several places they emerge in bare masses.
There was no rock excavation of consequence between Gene- see river and the lower end of Germanflats, above the Little Falls on the Mohawk. The limestone, gypsum and water lime- stone found were small cropings out, and opposed but small im- pediments. The beds of shale, indurated clay, marl, and hard pan, presented very formidable obstructions. These, however, were surmounted by the perseverance of the contractors.
About one mile of rocky excavation occurred half a mile westwardly of the Little Falls. As the surface, however, was even, and the excavation superficial, it was easily overcome.
At Little Falls, on the Mohawk, there were about two miles of rock excavation. It was on or near the side of the stream. The rock is mostly gneiss, and displays itself usually in solid masses, which now and then rise in picturesque and romantic forms .. After Lock Port, Little Falls presented the greatest obstacles.
In Montgomery county, at Anthony's Nose, there was some rock excavation.
From this place to the Cohoos Falls, on the Mohawk, the rock excavation was very trifling. At the latter falls the canal,
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for a short way, is carried through a rocky stratum. Over a- gainst the cataract the bed is sunk twenty-eight feet. The rocky layers dip at an angle of about seventy degrees. The lean is to the northwest. The laminae exhibit curved lines, and are considerable contorted. Between the Grand Junc- tion and the Albany basin, the shistic rocks come very near the surface. Hence the excavation had to be in them. The lay- ers are waved and commonly perpendicular. The excavation, owing to their structure and fragile texture, was slow, laborious, difficult and expensive.
The shistic rocks are transition. The rocks at the Little Nose and the Little Falls, are primitive. Those at Lock Port, and eastwardly to near Rome, are secondary or alluvial. The latter are mostly between Syracuse and Oneida creek. Between Rome and the Hudson, they are nearly all, except those at the Little Falls and Little Nose, transition. Wake is the most , prevalent between the lower aqueduct over the Mohawk, and Rome. Calcarious sandstone and some limestone also occured. The boulders are excluded as very few of them were in situ.
The Dugway, opposite to Herkimer and the Slip Hills, in Min- den and Florida, are the principal hills on the line of the canal which are liable to avalanches. At these hills, in the spring, when the ground breaks up, and after heavy rains, large masses of earth, improperly denominated blue clay, become loosened and slide down into the canal. The numbers and magnitudes diminish as these hills acquire gradation of declivity. In half a century they will be of little or no moment. The greatest slips occurred upon cutting away the timber and removing portions of the hill sides.
The Champlain canal begins at White Hall, in the county of Washington, at the head of sloop navigation, on Lake Cham- plain, and extends south southwestwardly to the Hudson at the village of Fort Edward, two miles south ot Sandy Hill, where it takes a southerly course along the valley of the Hudson, to the Grand Junction, eight miles and a-half north of the city of Al- bany. Here it unites with the Erie canal. Its course, till it has reached the Hudson, is up the valley of Wood creek to Fort Anne, and thence over the table land to the former stream.
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There are six ascending and eleven descending locks.
The first group of ascending locks is at White Hall, where the canal begins. They amount to three, and have lifts which, in the aggregate, are ---- feet.
At the head of the last lock a level commences, which is eight miles and a half in length, and ends in a lock having a lift of only four feet.
The second level is three miles and an half in length-at its termination there are three locks, whose lifts united amount to - - fect. Thus far the canal runs in the narrow rocky valley of Wood creek ; here it enters upon the summit level between the latter stream and Hudson's river. The summit level is twelve miles long, and stops a little short of Fort Ed- ward-the last six miles are through swampy lands. The canal descends into the valley of the Hudson by three locks, located in the same vicinity. A feeder taken out of the Hudson, a little above Fort Edward, supplies the summit level with water. Each lock has a descent of ten feet-the feeder is half a-mile long, and draws water from the great dam.
The Hudson is then used to Fort Miller, a distance of about eight miles. Here the canal leaves the river for half a mile. It is on the cast side, and commences a little above a dam which has been thrown across the stream, and which sets the water back above Fort Edward. It has two locks where it re-en- ters the river with falls of ten feet each. The water is introduced from the dam through a guard lock-it then pursues the bed of the river about three miles, to the head of Saratoga Falls, where it crosses to the west side and leaves the river There is also a dam at this place-the water flows through a guard lock.
A little below Fort Miller bridge, a level begins of seventeen miles, it passes through Schuylerville, where the army of Bur- goyne capitulated in October 1777. At the end of this level there is a lock of ten feet descent.
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