USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 1 > Part 16
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Four miles south there is one which has the same descent.
Rather over one mile below, there is another of the like de- scent.
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'Three miles south of the last, there are three locks, each of which falls ten feet-the last of the foregoing is about a mile - and a-quarter north of the village of Waterford, in the county of Saratoga. From the foot of the latter lock, to the union of' the Champlain canal with the Erie, is about three miles. At Waterford there is a branch which descends into the Hudson by three locks of ten feet fall each. The Champlain canal crosses the Mohawk a little north of the Grand Junction. The dam is five hundred and fifty yards in length, and seven feet in height-it is built of wood, and stands on the shistic rock which forms the floor of the river.
Connected with this canal are several dams-the first is the great dam above Fort Edward, which is nine hundred feet long, and twenty-seven high-it now supplies the summit level with water. The second is at Fort Miller, the third at Sarato- ga, and the fourth at Troy. The latter is eleven hundred feet Jong and nine feet high-it spreads the water above Waterford. Sloops ascend and descend through a lock on the east side of the river. This lock has an extent within the gates of one hun- dred and fourteen feet, with a breadth of thirty-the lift is nine feet.
The feeder, taken out of the Hudson two miles above Glen's Falls, is seven miles in length. Just below where the water issues out of the river, a dam has been erected which is twelve feet perpendicular elevation, and seven hundred and seventy feet in length. This feeder enters the summit level about a mile and a-half northeast of Fort Edward.
It is navigable for boats up to the village of Glen's Falls. Its course lies through an elevated plain whose surface declines towards the summit level, Hudson's river, and Half-way brook, the main branch of Wood creek.
The Champlain canal is sixty-four miles in length-in its ori- ginal state forty-six miles and one.half were artificial, and seven- teen and one-half natural. Wood creek is used six miles and a- half, and the Hudson eleven.
It was commenced in June 1818, and finished in September 1823. The expense was $875,000. In beauty and utility it
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falls below the Erie. The acting commissioner or engineer, or both, from some unaccountable caprice, have made the locks one foot narrower than those of the Erie canal. The boats of the latter therefore cannot navigate it.
The Eric and Champlain canals are splendid monuments of the enterprise and skill of the citizens of this State. They will elicit the applause of future ages, and perpetuate the names of the promoters.
The period of navigation, at present, upon the Erie canal, is about two hundred and ten days in the year. As the continental forests are cut down, and the lands cultivated, the number of days will be augmented. The western and middle sections, comprising the space between Lake Erie and Utica, open about ten or twelve days earlier in the spring, and remain unclosed nearly as many days later in autumn, than the eastern. The climate west of Utica, apart from the natural situation of the country, is milder than it is east.' Between Germanflats, in the county of Herkimer, and the Little Nose, in the county of Montgomery, the climate is severer than on any other part of the whole line. . The extremes of Fall Hill and the Big Nose may be considered the demarcations. , West and east of these the climate mitigates ; the canal shuts first and opens last at these places. The snows are deeper and lie longer between these lines. These remarks are applied to the canal line, and are made from personal observations. The difference in the opening and shutting would be less were the canal on the north side of the valley, because there would be a southern aspect.
The greatest amount of descending transportation, provided the locks were all double, and provided one boat of forty tons descended every eight minutes, during the two hundred and ten days, would be 1,512,000 tons. The ascending tonnage, at present, is estimated at about one-eighth of the descending.
From the preceding it will be seen that the descending trans- portation cannot exceed a certain amount. The ascending transportation, it is nowise probable will ever equal the descend- ing ; but should it, it cannot exceed it. Both cannot exceed 3,024,000 tons-this is the maximum. The above computation
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supposes the descent of one hundred and eighty boats, and the ascent of the same number, in twenty-four hours. It also sup- poses a very great increase of water : an increase which cannot be had on many parts of the line, without the construction of . ponds and lakes for the retention of water in freshets-the com- putation, after all, is perhaps too high. It may be doubted whether, upon an average, all the locks can be passed in eight minutes. At Lock Port, in the county of Niagara, at Little Falls, in the county of Herkimer, at the nine locks, in the coun- ty of Albany, and at some other places the locks are so near one another, and the basins so short as to require more time. The want of room and the meeting of the horses prevent it. Again, two boats cannot pass by each other on any of the aque- ducts. Several of these occasion interruptions of from five to ten minutes, as those over the Mohawk.
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Those boats navigating the canal, which move at the rate of two miles, or two and a-half an hour, do very little damage to the banks and bottom ; while those which move at the rate of four miles, occasion great deterioration. The velocity of the packet boats is about four miles an hour, and of others from two to three. A boat impelled four miles an hour' agitates the wa- ter, and causes strong currents and considerable swells-these wash away the banks. This has been exemplified in a striking manner. In light soils, the banks soon after the introduction of these boats, became defaced, and such were the inroads in many places, that when two horses met they could scarcely pass. Facing the banks with stone will in a measure obviate the evil. This is already in part effected.
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The greatest press of business on the Erie canal is in spring and fall. On the eastern section the press, on particular occa- sions is so great, that the boats cannot be passed so fast as they come. Hence there are delays, and the owners of boats are put to extra expenses. Doubling the locks might obviate this for a few years, but it would only be a partial remedy. The western country is populating rapidly. The Ohio canal is making, other canals will be made, these will occasion an increase of business on the Erie. A parallel canal, from the east end of the Long
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level, carried down on the north side of the Mohawk, to Alex- ander's bridge, in the county of Schenectady, and an enlarge- ment of the residue eastwardly, would remedy the whole evil.
The toll, or imposts, on the Erie and Champlain canals, in 1926, was seven hundred and sixty-two thousand, and three dol- lars, and sixty cents ; and in 1827, eight hundred and fifty-nine thousand, and fifty eight dollars, and forty-eight cents. The reader will hold in rememberance that the Erie canal was finish- cd about the middle of October 1825. The amount in 1828 is not inserted as the author could not procure it in time.
We shall close by giving an outline of the powers and duties of the commissioners, and by making some remarks.
The commissioners have power to determine upon all im- provements, and all changes in the routs of the canals ; to ap- point resident engineers, superintendents, and weighers ; and to dispose of the surplus waters, under certain restrictions. They have the entire control and management of the canals, with ample authority, and means of doing whatever may be necessary to keep them in a condition to be used, and which the public good may require. In them is vested the power of making such rules, regulations, and by-laws as may be necessary to pre- serve them and protect the public in the use of them, subject, ne- vertheless, to modifications and repeals by the legislature. All their proceedings are to be recorded in books, and to be acces- sible to inspection.
The commissioners, when not acting as a board, have the same extensive powers. These powers, however, are only exer- cised by such as have portions of the canals assigned to them. Every commssioner, to whom a portion is assigned, has the entire superintendance, and is responsible for keeping it in good condition, and for enforcing the rules and laws. Engineers, intendants, lock-tenders, weighers, and all other persons em- ployed, are subject to his authority, and are required to yield implicit obedience to his mandates. He appoints lock-tenders, fixes their compensation, and removes them at pleasure. He may discharge engineers, intendants and weighers, for neglect of
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duty, or improper behaviour, and appoint others till the next meeting of the board.
The citizens of this State owe a debt of gratitude to the pro- moters of the Erie canal. It is not our intention to speak in particular concerning them, lest it might seem invidious to some ; but we cannot refrain from barely mentioning the names of two individuals, who appear to have been almost entirely forgotten : We allude to the Hon. Joshua Foreman, and the Hon. Jonas Platt. These gentlemen first brought the subject of the Erie canal before the legislature of this State; and procured the enactment of laws for examinations, surveys, drawings and re- ports. Judge Foreman brought the subject up on the eighth of February 1808, and obtained the passage of an act which led to an examination and report .- On the thirteenth day of March 1510, Judge Platt brought the subject up again, after it had lain dormant for some time, and had a law passed for further exami- nations, which resulted in the making of the canal. The same Jaw provided a board of commissioners-a board that has given weight and consideration to all subsequent proceedings which have been had in relation to the Erie and other canals.
That party spirit which removed the late Gov. Clinton, one "of the principal promoters of the Erie and Champlain canals, from the board, thereby rendering evil for good, did not think it expedient to abolish the board, however ungratefully it might deal with one of the benefactors of mankind.
OSWEGO CANAL.
THIS canal, when completed, will be about thirty-eight miles . in length, including the branch at Salina. It may be said to commence at Syracuse, in the town of Salina, in the county of Onondaga, and to end at the mouth of Oswego river, on Lake Ontario. The branch which we have noticed under the head of the Erie canal, is two miles long, and unites the waters of the latter with those of Onondaga lake. The lake and its drain are embraced in the line. After reaching Seneca river
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by the drain, it runs down that river, and Oswego, to its exit. The descent on the Salina branch, is thirty-eight feet, and from thence to Lake Ontario, one hundred and twenty-four, making in all one hundred and sixty-two feet.
The Oswego canal is in great forwardness, and will be finish- ed in the course of the ensuing year ( i. e. ) 1829. The village of Oswego has been greatly enlarged since the commencement of this canal, and promises to be one of the largest in the ' western country.'
SENECA CANAL.
'THIS canal, which is nearly finished, begins at the foot of the declivity, on which the village of Geneva, in the county of Ontario, is built, and runs eastwardly along the north end of Seneca Lake, to the outlet, rather over two miles. From thence it continues down the outlet to the Montezuma marshes, about thirteen miles-here it turns and proceeds along the western margin of those marshes to the Erie canal, distant about five miles. The lockage is very nearly sixty feet. This canal, in- cluding Seneca Lake, will open a navigation of about fifty-two miles. The lands along its line, and around the lake, rank among the best in the State.
For further information in relation to our canals, we refer the reader to a work published by the State, in two volumes, com- prising about 1,100 octavo pages, under the title of "Canals of New- York." To this work we are indebted for many of the foregoing facts, such as resolutions, acts, contracts, &c. The " Canals of New-York" are documents published at full length. But as they are not condensed, methodised, and arranged in a systematic manner, few persons would take much interest in read- ing them in their present condition. Also, to Canals published by the Hon. Cadwallader D. Colden, of New-York.
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HUDSON AND DELAWARE CANAL.
This canal begins at Eddy's landing, in the county of Ulster, 'on the Rundout river, and runs southwesterly up that stream, to the town of Wawarsing, where it quits it and follows one + of its branches to the summit level, in the town of Mamakating, in the southeastern part of the county of Sullivan, still hold- ing the same course. Here, after having traversed the summit, it descends to the Delaware, keeping along Basler's-kill and Neversink river. Thus far its direction is about southwest, its line being in two vallies. At the Delaware it changes its di- rection, and runs up that river about twenty miles, where it crosses over that stream into Pennsylvania, and keeps along the Lackawaxen, up to Honesdale, in Wayne county, at the recep- tion of the Diberry, where it ends. Here it is superseded by a rail road, fifteen miles in length, which terminates at the coal mines. In this State its rout is through the counties of Ulster, Sullivan and Orange, and along the side of Sullivan. Its length is about one hundred and twenty-one miles, of which eighty-four are in this State. One hundred and six miles con- sist of canal, and fifteen of rail road. There are sixty stone locks between Eddy's landing and the Delaware river.
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The summit level is five hundred and forty feet above the tide waters of the Hudson, and eighty above the low water mark of Delaware river, at the mouth of Neversink. The bed of the Delaware therefore, is four hundred and sixty feet higher than the surface of Hudson's river.
'The total amount of rise and fall on the canal and rail-way, is said to be fourteen hundred and thirty-one feet. The width is twenty feet at the bottom, and thirty-two at the sur- face. The tow path is eight feet broad. It is navigated by boats carrying twenty-five tons.
This canal has been made by a company, at an expense of upwards of two millions of dollars. The main object which they have in view, is to supply the City of New-York,
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and the towns along the tide waters of the Hudson with coal. The mines are said to be inexhaustable, and the coal of a superior quality.
'This canal will open a new avenue for the inhabitants of Dela- 1 ware and Sullivan, and those of the adjacent counties of Pennsyl- vania, to the New-York market. The rout is preferable to that down the Delaware to Philadelphia. The navigation of this river, unless in floods and freshets, is difficult. Even then the. ascending is attended with great labour and expense. The in- habitants will give the preference to the former. Interest, ease and convenience will dictate this course.
In relation to the Hudson and Delaware canal I am under `obligations to John Sudan, Esq. of Kingston, Ulster county, for some facts.
MORRIS CANAL.
, THIS canal is one hundred miles and sixty-four chains in length, thirty-two feet in breadth at the top, and twenty at the bottom, and is to have a depth of four feet of water. It begins on the Delaware river, opposite to the village of Easton, in the State of Pennsylvania, and extends to Jersey city, on the Hudson, over against the city of New-York. It is entirely in the State of New-Jersey, and runs through the counties of Warren, Morris, Essex and Bergen. Its general courses are northeast- erly to Andover, inclining some to the east, easterly to Paterson, southerly to Newark, and easterly, inclining some to the south- cast, to Jersey city. From Hackensack river to Jersey city, or Powles Hook, its course through the Newark marshes, is very winding. This canal is divided into eastern and western great divisions. The former begins at Jersey city, and ends at the summit level, where the feeder from Hopatcong is introduced. · The latter extends from the reception of the aforesaid feeder to the river Delaware. The feeder is three-quarters of a mile long, . and Lake Hopatcong nines miles. Both are navigable. There are on the eastern division twelve inclined planes, surmounting a rise and fall of seven hundred and forty-three feet ; and seven- VOL. F. 23
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teen locks, surmounting one hundred and fifty-six feet, making in all eight hundred and ninety-nine feet. On the western division there are eleven inclined planes, surmounting six hun- dred and ninety-four feet, and six locks surmounting sixty feet, making seven hundred and fifty-four feet. The whole rise and fall, on the two divisions, amount to one thousand six hun- dred and fifty-three feet.
The Morris canal is owned by a company. It was commenc- ed about the middle of July 1825, and will be finished in the course of this year (1829.) Its cost is estimated at about one mitlion of dollars.
The Lehigh canal, which ends at Easton, on the west side of the Delaware, runs up the river Lehigh to the coal mines. A canal of only twelve miles from the Lehigh to the Susquehan- . nah, for which a charter has been granted, will connect the Mor- ris canal with the Susquehannah river. The Morris and Lehigh canals are joined by the Delaware river. The Morris canal is designed for boats carrying twenty-five tons. The structure of this canal will have a tendency of lowering the price of fuel at the city of New-York. It is calculated that the Lehigh coal can be afforded for five dollars a ton, which is about one half of what that article has usually sold for in this city. The boats that take coal from the Lehigh Mines, will deliver it at the doors of the consumers in the city of New-York. The Morris canal, in addition to opening a direct avenue to the coal mines, will open one to the numerous iron works and manufactories in the inte- rior of New-Jersey. Much produce it is calculated will be brought on it to the New-York market.
For the information in relation to the Morris canal, I am in- debted to the Hon. Cadwallader D. Colden, president of the Company, who furnished me with a map, report, and a written statement.
The navigation of the Hudson, canals, streams, and lakes nou connected with it, &c.
This river is navigable for sloops, schooners, and other craft, carrying from ninety to one hundred and fifty tons, to the city of Troy, one hundred and fifty-one miles, and by means of the
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dam and lock, at this place, to the village of Waterford, in the county of Saratoga, four miles higher, making in all one hundred and fifty-five miles. The tide flows to the dam. Its navigation may be set down as follows :- 1. Ships of the largest dimensions ascend to Newburg, sixty miles .- 2. Ships of five or six hundred tonse ascend to the city of Hudson, and even five miles higher, one hundred and twenty miles.
3. Sloops ascend to Troy. Above the ship navigation the water shoals-bars also stretch across the stream. The principal bars are Winne's and the Overslaugh. The former is eight miles below the city of Albany, and the latter three.
These bars are annually enlarged by alluvions brought down by the stream, and threaten to destroy the navigation. Were a canal of ten miles extent, commencing at Albany, and extending down the valley, constructed with a depth of fourteen feet, ves- sels of two or three hundred tons might come up to Albany. The Hudson is remarkably straight. No river in the world, of equal length, presents greater facilities for commercial pur- poses.
The Champlain and Erie canals, which are joined to this noble river, at and near the head of its sloop navigation, unite it with Lake Champlain on the north, and Lake Erie, and the - other great lakes, on the west.
The Champlain canal, which unites the navigable waters of the Hudson with those of Lake Champlain, is sixty-four miles long. Lake Champlain extends the navigation northerly one hundred and thirty miles, to St. Johns, on the river Sorel, in Lower Canada. Sloops and schooners, carrying from ninety to one hundred tons, are employed on it. The extent of navi- gation on this line then is three hundred and forty-five miles, and is made up as follows :-
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1. The Hudson up to Waterford 155 miles.
2. The Champlain canal 60 do.
3. Lake Champlain 110 do.
4. The Sorel 20 do.
Total, 345 miles.
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The whole line stretches very nearly from south to north, and is uncommonly direct.
The Erie canal, which unites the navigation of the Hudson with Lake Erie, is three hundred and sixty-three miles in length. The Oswego and Seneca canals, which are now constructing, and very nearly completed, are branches. The first opens a communication with Onondaga lake, Seneca river, Oneida river, Oneida lake, and Lake Ontario. Its length is about thirty- eight miles. The extent of navigation, afforded by Oneida river and lake, is also about thirty-eight miles. Boats may ascend Chitteningo, Oneida, Fish and Wood creeks, streams falling into Oneida lake some miles.
Seneca river is boatable up to its forks at Montezuma, and by one of these into Cayuga lake; but as the Erie canal stretches along the river and crosses its forks, it will not be used to any considerable extent.
The Oswego canal, taken in connection with Seneca and Oneida rivers and lake, affords nearly one hundred and twenty miles of boat navigation.
The Seneca canal, including Seneca lake, affords about fifty- two miles.
Cayuga lake is thirty-six miles long. Its outlet and inlet prolong its navigation seven miles, making forty-three miles in all.
. The navigation of Genesee river is joined to the Erie canal, by the Rochester feeder, which is two miles long. From the bead of the feeder, boats in low water, ascend and descend about seventy miles, and in high water, or with a swell, about ninety. The boat navigation ceases at the falls at Nunda. By land, the distance from the Erie canal, is but fifty miles. In this part of its course Genesee is very crooked. A canal might be made to the head of the vale, through which the river winds at a moderate expense.
It has been proposed to construct a canal from the Erie, at Rochester, in the county of Munroe, up the vale of Genesee river, and the valley of Black creek, to where the waters of the
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latter river, and those of Alleghany divide, and thence down Oil creek to Olean on the latter river. The extent is one hun- dred miles, and the estimated expence $875,000. The lockage is one thousand and fifty-nine feet.
It has been suggested by some that a canal might be made from the Eric up the vale and valley of Tonnawanta creek, to a summit between Cattaraugus lake and Lime lake, and thence through the vallies of Ichua and Olean creeks, to Olean Point, on the Alleghany. The distance is one hundred and two miles.
From Black Rock, where the Erie canal ends, Lake Erie affords an avenue for navigation of two hundred and seventy- five miles.
Detroi giver, which enters at the head of the lake, is twenty- eight miles long.
St. Clair's lake is eighteen miles broad. It receives the wa- ters of Lake Huron, and discharges them by Detroit river.
Huron river is twenty-six miles long. Detroit river, St. Clair lake, and Huron river are merely extensions of the same avenue. The same may be said of lakes Huron and Michi- gan.
From the entrance, into Lake Huron, to Point de Tour, at the inlet of Lake Superior is two hundred and fifty miles. The distance from the outlet of Lake Huron, to the mouth of Lake Michigan, is two hundred and sixty miles. From thence to the head of the lake, the estimated distance is two hundred and sixty more. The transit, from the head of this lake by the Chicka- go, into the Illinois and Mississippi, is easy : so it is from Green Bay by Fox and Quisconsin rivers, into the Mississippi, higher up. The navigation from Black Rock to Point de Tour, and the head of Lake Michigan, is uninterrupted.
Recapitulation of such as are within the State, or very nearly so.
1. The Hudson to Albany 145 miles.
2. The same to Troy
151 do.
3. Champlain Canal 64 do.
4. Lake Champlain. 110 do.
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5. The Sorel
20 miles.
6. Erie Canal 363 do.
7. Oswego Canal, Seneca and Oneida rivers 120. do.
8. Seneca Canal and Lake 52 do.
9. Cayuga Lake, inlet and outlet 43 do.
10. Rochester feeder and Genesee river 90 do. 11. Hudson and Delaware Canal 106
do.
The rail road connected with it is 15 miles long.
Recapitulation of the Great Chain, &c.
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