USA > Ohio > A history of the state of Ohio, natural and civil > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
Our domestic policy thus established, has never varied since
263
ORIGIN OF OUR CANALS.
that time, and this new state has as fixed a policy as any oth- er state in the Union.
PREPARATORY MEASURES LEADING TO THE OHIO CANALS, BE- GUN JULY 4 TH, 1825. COMMENCEMENT OF THE CANALS, AND GOVERNOR CLINTON'S VISIT TO OHIO.
But we are anticipating a great era in our civil history. As we have stated already, great efforts had been made by our writers to produce a total change in our civil policy. Not less than seventy writers for our newspapers, had urged the necessity on the people, of having a good system of education introduced into our common schools; of changing the mode of taxation, into an equitable, honest and just one; of opening and rendering permanent a navigable water communication between lake Erie and the Ohio river. There was a perfect coincidence of views between the friends of these three great measures. The tide of public opinion began to move in the direction favorable to all these improvements.
There had been an act of the general assembly already passed some two years or more, before this time, relating to the subject of a canal. Private individuals had endeavored to get a charter for a company to make such a canal, but all had failed. In October, 1821, MICAJAH T. WILLIAMS of Cin- cinnati, had been re-elected by the people of the county of Hamilton, to a seat in the house of representatives. Imine- diately at the commencement of the session of the legislature in December, Mr. Williams, began to sound the minds of mem- bers on the subject of a canal. At an early day, December 6th 1821, he laid a resolution on the clerk's table for appoint- ing a committee of five members to take into consideration so much of the governor's message as related to the subject of canals. The resolution passed, and Messrs. Williams, Howe, Thomas Worthington, W. H. Moore and John Shelby, were appointed on the committee.
Within fifteen minutes after the passage of this resolution,
264
HISTORY OF OHIO.
Mr. Atwater, a member from Pickaway county, laid on the ta- ble a resolution for appointing a committee of five members on schools and school lands, which resolution also passed, and a committee was appointed accordingly. This fact is brought forward here, to show the entire harmony between those who were endeavoring to bring about the great revolution in our civil policy, which has succeeded the wretched state of things before the canal, school and equitable mode of taxation, sys- tems, were introduced among us.
Mr. Williams and his committee, of whom he was the soul, attended strictly to their duty. They had considerable diffi- culty from various sources to contend with, but by address, care, prudence and discretion, he and his committee overcame all opposition. On the third day of January, 1822, he presen- ted to the house an able and elaborate report recommending the passage of a law, authorizing an examination into the prac- ticability of connecting lake Erie with the Ohio river, by a canal. He introduced a bill immediately after his report was read, which embraced the views which his report recommended.
To this bill, in all its stages on its passage through the house, there was a steady hostility kept up by about thirteen mem- bers, whose names will forever stand on the journal of that house, in large capitals. We name them not. On Monday January 21st 1822, Mr. Williams's bill passed the house on its third reading. And it became a law, on its engrossment and third reading in the senate on the 31st of January 1822. On the same day, and hour, the joint resolution for appointing seven commissioners of schools and school lands passed the senate. The same messenger from the senate to the house announced the final passage of both in the senate, in the same message.
-
Thus it appears that both these measures originated in the house of representatives on the 6th day of December, and that both became laws on the 31st of January thereafter; they originated within fifteen minutes of cach other, and they pass- ed into laws simultaneously.
By the passage of the act, for that purpose, a certain num-
265
ORIGIN OF OUR CANALS.
ber of commissioners were appointed, whose duty it was to em- ploy an engineer to examine the country and report on the practicability of making a canal from lake Erie to the Ohio river. Those commissioners employed the Honorable James Geddes of Onondaga county, New York, as an engineer, who arrived at Columbus, the seat of government, in the month of June 1822. He had already entered on his arduous labors.
On his way he had examined the Cuyahoga summit. In the spring, summer and autumn of 1822, Mr. Geddes exam- ined the country for a canal a distance in length amounting to nine hundred miles. Our engineers, Samuel Forrer and oth- ers, leveled eight hundred miles with one instrument. All this was done in less than eight months.
The commissioners themselves assisted in the examination, and devoted nearly all their time to this service. These commissioners continued the examination of the different ca- nal routes during the whole season, for such works, in the years 1823-4, and finally, early in the year 1825, determin- ed, on the route commencing at Cleveland and ending at Portsmouth on the Ohio river. They also determined on mak- ing a canal from Cincinnati to Dayton, on the Great Miami river. In the mean time a board of canal fund commissioners had been created by law, and a stock had been created, and these fund commissioners had borrowed money in New York city sufficient to begin the excavation of the canals, and carry on the work the first year. All this being done, and having also appointed David S. Bates Esquire, of Rochester New York, chief engineer, and as many assistants as necessa- ry; in fine, every other preparation being made, the canal commissioners, and all our constituted authorities-our whole people indeed, invited DEWITT CLINTON, governor of New York to be present at the commencement of making our canals.
34 W
266
HISTORY OF OHIO.
DEWITT CLINTON'S VISIT TO OHIO.
Governor Clinton, attended by his aids, colonel Jones and colonel Reed, colonel Solomon Van Renselaer of Albany, who had traversed the state when a wilderness, as an officer un- der general Wayne; Messrs. Rathbone and Lord, who had loaned us the money with which to commence the canal, and judge Conkling, United States district judge, of the state of New York, started from Albany, New York, and landed at Cleveland Ohio, in June 1825. They arrived at Newark near the Licking summit, on the third day of July on a beau- tiful afternoon. Here were assembled to meet, welcome and receive these distinguished friends of Ohio, the governor of Ohio, JEREMIAH MORROW, the good, able and patriotic chief magistrate of a state which he had long faithfully served in many high trusts; our secretary of state; the state auditor; the treasurer; all our members of congress; nearly all our members of the legislature; the military to a great number of all arms, dressed in their best attire, with all their arms. And there were present also nearly all those who had so long and so faithfully written, printed and published so much on the subject of a canal. The whole number amounted to ma- ny thousands.
As soon as governor Clinton's carriage appeared on the public square, all these thousands rent the air with their loud huzzas of welcome, to DEWITT CLINTON, " the father of in- ternal improvements." Four companies of artillery fired one hundred guns, in honor of the state's guest. Of this great as- semblage, many of them were personally known to governor Clinton, and all of them were his personal friends, with many of whom he had all along corresponded on the subject which had brought them together. The meeting of so many old friends on an occasion so dear to all their hearts, was deep- ly affecting to all present.
On the 4th day of July 1825, forty-nine years after the dec- laration of independence, this great work of connecting lake Erie with the Ohio river, by a navigable canal, was commen-
267
GOVERNOR CLINTON'S VISIT.
ced, by the sons of those who achieved the independence of their country. With the citizens of Ohio, this day will be forever held doubly sacred.
The day was as fair as heart could desire, and the summit where the first shovel full of earth was to be excavated, was three miles or more westwardly of Newark. The underbrush was cleared off from an acre or more in the woods, near the summit, where under many wide spreading beech trees, tables and seats were placed for the assemblage to dine. Gor- LEIB STEINMAN of Lancaster, made these preparations and furnished a dinner for all this large company.
At an early hour in the morning of the 4th, the whole as- semblage moved from Newark, on to the ground which had been prepared for them. Governor Clinton, governor Morrow, and the state officers went to the ground on the summit, and ex- cavated each a few shovel fulls of earth. After this ceremony was performed, these officers retired to a rude platform, un. der a shade, where, being seated, Thomas Ewing Esquire, our late United States senator, delivered an address on the occa- sion, to the people and to governor Clinton. This address was replied to by governor Clinton, who was repeatedly interrup- ted by the loud huzzas of the thousands there assembled. As soon as his address was finished, one burst of universal ap- plause from all present, followed it. One hundred guns told the world that the canal was begun. At these demonstra- tions of respect and gratitude, spontaneously given, governor Clinton wept. Surrounded as he always had been, by the poli- ticians of his own state, such tokens had never before been tendered him. They overcame his feelings for a moment, and he shed tears. This was a foretaste of the applause which posterity will certainly forever bestow on his gigantic labors for their benefit. So long as the Hudson, Erie and Ohio are connected by canals, so long will his memory be blessed.
The addresses having been delivered, the company sat down to dine in the shade of wide spreading beeches. The Gov- ernors of Ohio and New York occupied the highest places at the table, and the state officers of both states sat next to them.
268
HISTORY OF OHIO.
Toasts were drank, in honor of the day, and of the particular occasion, which had called this vast assemblage, together, but when governor Clinton's health was drank, all the guns were fired, and the small arms also. In addition to the hundred guns from the cannon, and all the small arms, the air was rent, by thousands of voices, huzzaing for the state's guest.
On the 5th of July, Governor Clinton was escorted to Lan- caster, where he tarried over night. On the next day, he and a great concourse who followed and accompanied him, went to Columbus, the seat of the state government. Here, on the next day, in the capitol, in the presence of all the state officers and of a large assemblage of both sexes, governor Morrow delivered an address to governor Clinton, which the latter an- swered in an appropriate and eloquent manner. A public dinner ended the proceedings of the day. Escorted from Columbus, to Springfield, by a large number of gentlemen, either in carriages or on horse back, governor Clinton was received by the peo- ple of the town last named as he had been, by those of Colum- bus. The Governor of New York was addressd by CHARLES ANTHONY Esquire, in behalf of the citizens of Springfield. On the next day after partaking of a public dinner, the two Gov- ernors and their escort, moved forward twenty-five miles to Dayton. Here on the next day, surrounded by a vast crowd of citizens, governor Clinton was addressed in behalf of the citi- zens assembled, by the Honorable JOSEPH H. CRANE, a member of congress. There was a public dinner here, after the address and its answer. On the next day, the two Governors went to Hamilton. Here were an address by the people's member of congress JOHN WOOD Esquire, and a public dinner, given by the citizens. From Hamilton, the cavalcade moved forward to the city of Cincinnati. Here a dinner had been gotten up for HENRY CLAY of Kentucky. This the governors of Ohio and New York attended as invited guests.
At the period of which we are speaking, there was no canal around the falls of the Ohio, and there were two parties, near those rapids, or one party on each side of the river, in favor of their own side of the Ohio, for a canal along it, to overcome
269
GOVERNOR CLINTON'S VISIT.
the rapids, called the " Falls." We have said there were par- ties, and we might have added two chartered companies, one by Kentucky and the other by Indiana, were disputing about which side of the river, was best adapted to a canal. These companies, deputed agents, who strongly insisted on governor Clinton's visiting the Falls and settling the dispute about the best location for this canal. To this invitation, Clinton yielded and assented to visit Louisville, by water, in company with gov- ernor Morrow. The latter appointing general Schenk, Joseph S. Benham Esquire and Robert T. Lytle Esquire his aids de camp, he accompanied governor Clinton to the Falls. Here after a patient and careful examination of the ground on both sides of the river, Clinton gave his decided preference to the Louisville side of the Ohio. To this decision all parties in the end assent- ed, and on that side, since then, a canal has been made.
From Lousiville, the Governors ascended the Ohio river to Cincinnati where, by the appointment of that city, in the first Presbyterian church, Joseph S. Benham Esquire, in a house overflowing with citizens, delivered an address to governor Clin- ton. This address and its answer by Clinton were admired for their classical eloquence, pure patriotism, and their heart stirring effect, on all who heard them. A most splendid pub- lic dinner, was next offered by the city and partaken of, by the state's guest.
From this city the governors went to Middletown, on the Great Miami, where amidst a vast concourse of people, the Miami canal was commenced by the Governors. An address to governor Clinton and to the citizens was delivered by JOSEPH H. CRANE Esquire. And there was a public dinner, at Mid- dletown.
Governor Clinton was escorted from the Miami country to the Scioto river, at Chillicothe, thence passing through Cir- cleville, Lancaster, Somerset, Zanesville, Cambridge and other towns eastwardly; he visited Pittsburgh, where he was received in Pennsylvania, with distinguished attention. In addi- tion to all other tokens of respect, which that city tendered to him, a large and beautiful steamer was launched in his presence, w*
270
HISTORY OF OHIO.
named DEWITT CLINTON; adorned with his bust, a most per- fect likeness of the Governor of New York. He then passed rapidly across Pennsylvania and New Jersey to New York city.
During all the time, while Mr. Clinton was in this state, from the first moment he touched our soil, at Cleveland, until he left the state, neither he nor his aids, ever paid a single cent, for whatever they needed. They were every where treated as Ohio's invited guests. From one shire town to ano- ther, Clinton was attended by all its county officers, and the most distinguished citizens of each county, to its line; where the governor was received by a similar escort, from the ad- joining county, and, by them conducted to the next city or town. In this manner, he passed across the state. As soon as he appeared in sight of any town, the bells of all its churches and public buildings rang their merriest peals; the cannon roared its hundred guns, and a vast crowd of citizens huzzaed, " Welcome, welcome to the Father of Internal Im- provements!"
The grave and the gay, the man of grey hairs and the ruddy-faced youth; matrons and maidens, and even lisping infants, joined to tell his worth, and on his virtues dwell; to hail his approach and welcome his arrival: Every street, where he passed, was thronged with multitudes, and the windows were filled with the beautiful ladies of Ohio waving their snowy white handkerchiefs, and casting flowers on the pavement where he was to pass on it. Every town where he went, gave him a public dinner.
He, on his part, visited all the public institutions, wherever he went. He visited also every family with which he was personally acquainted, and these were many. To all who ap- proached him, he was kind and conciliating. Even the children went, in crowds to see him, with whom he shook hands, and not unfrequently addressed them. They all knew his history; that he had always been Ohio's friend, and had now come on a visit to see us and our country, from motives of kindness towards us.
The moral effect, of this visit, on the citizens of this state, was great, and that effect and its consequences, on the pros-
271
GOVERNOR CLINTON'S VISIT.
perity of our people, have induced us to detail circumstances, otherwise not worthy of a place in our work. Our citizens were apprehensive, that is many of them, that the state was not able to make our canals, without involving us in a debt, which would forever oppress us. To all such persons, Mr. Clinton, stated, that the money could be borrowed for six per cent inter- est, or even less, on a credit, until the canals would pay for themselves.
He farther stated it as his opinion, "that when our canals were made, even if they had cost five millions of dollars, they would be worth three times that sum; that the increased price of our productions, in twenty years would be worth five millions of dollars; that the money saved on the transportation of goods, to our people, during the same period, would be five millions of dollars, and that the canals would finally by their tolls, re- fund their entire cost, principal and interest." These state- ments, coming from such a source, satisfied the minds of thous- ands, who were doubtless opposed originally, to our canals. And there were many who lived quite distant from the canal routes, and felt fearful, that they would be called on to pay heavy taxes for what would never benefit themselves. To such he said, "that the general prosperity would reach them, and that the contemplated canals would make others, in almost endless progression. That our canals would be bonds of union, bind- ing the states together." And he called on all our people, "to elevate their views, to that period, when Ohio, from her very position, in the nation; from her soil, more fertile than any other; from her mild and genial climate; and finally, from our very constitution, which forever excludes slavery, and the enter- prise and energy of our people, such as no other people ever possessed ;" from these considerations he argued and convinced, our whole people, that our canals should then be prosecuted to completion.
DEWITT CLINTON, in his person, was large and robust, and, take him all in all, was the best looking man, that this nation ever produced. For our people to behold such a man, standing before them; a man, who in despite of a constant opposition to
272
HISTORY OF OHIO.
him, from men, however contemptible in themselves, yet men who carried along with them the rabble of New York, under the name of republicanism; to see such a man standing among us, after he had triumphed over all opposition, at home, and had come here, to see the commencement of our canals, and to encourage our people in their undertaking, was exhilirating to the minds of our citizens. Its moral effect was greater, and possibly of more importance than is now generally supposed.
Had the Governor lived, until our Ohio and Erie canal had been finished, arrangements would have been made, to an- nounce the completion in the city of New York, as soon as sound could carry the news there, from Portsmouth, on the Ohio river. This was to have been done by placing cannon so near each other, all they way from place to place that the sound of each gun, would be heard by those who were stationed at the next gun. Governor Clinton's death frustrated the design, inasmuch as the state of New York, then fell under the dominion of her own, and our worst political enemies.
Mr. Clinton's labors have been so beneficial to this state, that his history belongs to ours. No sooner was his death an- nounced in the capitol of New York, the legislature being then in session, than one of his worst enemies, then a member of assembly, from Albany, perhaps, seized that very moment, to introduce resolutions into the house, expressive of a sorrow for the event, which he certainly did not feel. He next intro- duced a bill for the relief of Mr. Clinton's family, granting, by the great and wealthy state of New York, the pitiful sum of ten thousand dollars! The bill passed into a law, the money was invested in the stock of insurance companies, in the city of New York. By the great fire in that city, the companies fail- ed, and the family were left without a dollar in the world.
When the news of Mr. Clinton's death reached Washington, congress was in session, and the members from New York, had a meeting on that occasion, at which general Stephen Van Renselaer presided. The principal speaker at that meet- ing, had a seat in the United States senate. Among other things brought forward by this speaker, for the purpose of de-
T
273
GOVERNOR CLINTON.
grading the GREAT MAN who was dead, was a remark, that the speaker "almost envied Mr. Clinton his grave!" Had any other person accused the speaker of being actuated by such malice, the accusation would not have been generally believed to be true. But what adds to the poignancy of our feelings, is the fact, that the body of Mr. Clinton lies uncovered in an old vault; his coffin is so decayed that it has fallen down, and has left the body uncovered and exposed to view ! so that the envy of the speaker, is now appeased or ought to be; his wish in that respect, having been gratified.
CIVIL HISTORY.
PERIOD SIXTH.
THIS PERIOD EXTENDS FROM JULY 4TH, 1825 UNTIL 1837.
THE original intention of the legislature which passed the act of February 4th 1825, was to make the Ohio and Erie ca- nal, extending from lake Erie to the Ohio river, and the south- ern end of Miami and Maumee canal, from Cincinnati to Day- ton. And provided congress made provisions for assisting us in continuing the last named canal to lake Erie, running al- most wholly through United States lands, our legislature in- tended in such case to complete that canal to lake Erie, as they now are doing.
The Ohio and Erie canal could scarcely be said to have been completed until 1831-2, nor the Miami and Maumee ca- nal from the Ohio river to Dayton until the locks at Cincinnati were finished in 1834.
The commissioners named in the act of January 31st 1822, were Benjamin Tappan, Alfred Kelley, Thomas Worthington, Ethan A. Brown, Jeremiah Morrow, Isaac Minor and Ebene- zer Buckingham junior. This board appointed the acting commissioners, engineers, &c. Jeremiah Morrow having been elected governor of the state, resigned his office of commis- sioner; and in February 1823, Micajah T. Williams was ap- pointed in his place. After the canals were fairly under way Messrs. Kelley and Williams were appointed acting commis- sioners, under whose superintendence these canals were con- structed.
275
CANALS.
CANALS.
The total disbursements on canals up to December 1st, 1832, amounted to five millions one hundred and sixty-three thousand seven hundred and twenty-five dollars and twenty-four cents. The aggregate length of navigable canals constructed and owned by the state at that time, amounted to four hundred miles, comprising one hundred and eighty-four lift locks over . coming a total amount of ascent and descent of one thousand five hundred and forty-seven feet; nine guard locks; twenty- two aqueducts; two hundred and fourteen culverts; one hun- dred and eighty-two of which are of stone masonry, sixty of wood; nine dams for crossing streams, and twelve feeder dams. The main trunks of the Ohio and Miami canals have each a minimum breadth of forty feet at the water line, and twenty-six feet at bottom with four feet depth of water. A large proportion of both, particularly of the Ohio canal, is of much larger dimensions, having a breadth at the water line varying from sixty to one hundred feet, and a depth of from five to twelve feet. In many places, it even exceeds, for considera- ble distances, these dimensions, both in breadth and depth. It has been a standing rule in the construction of the ca- nals, to increase their dimensions beyond the minimum, in all places where it could be done without materially enhancing the cost.
The walls of the locks are of solid stone masonry, resting on floors composed of timbers laid crosswise of the pit, cover- ed with planks three inches in thickness, both in the cham- bers and under the walls, and between the walls with an ad- ditional floor of two inch plank well joined, and secured with spikes to the timbers on which they rest.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.