USA > Pennsylvania > The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 50
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DOLLS. CTS.
Lands and land office fees
No. 1. 95,609 44
'Auction commissions
2. 18,050 00
Auction duties
3. 144,839 59
Dividends on bank stock
4. 118,672 50
Dividends on bridge & turnpike stock 5.
17,965 00
Tax on bank dividends
6.
29,649 51
'Tax on offices
7.
8,541 35
Fees, secretary of state's office
8.
1,400 54
Tavern licences
9.
46,311 854
Duties on dealers in foreign mdse.
10.
52,108 03
State maps
11.
2,597 86
Collateral inheritances
12.
5,993 41
Pamphlet laws
13.
100 683
Militia and exempt fines
14.
890 70
Tin Pedlars' licences
15.
450 00
Escheats
16.
208 88
Commissioners of internal improve- ment fund
-17.
150,000 00
Loans and premiums on loans
18. 2,432,100 00
Old debts and miscellaneous
19. - 3,980 75
3,129,470 092
Balance in treasury 1st December, 1827
167,897 873
$3,297,367 973
No. I. LANDS, FEES ON LANDS, viz.
No. V. DIVIDENDS ON BRIDGE AND TURNPIKE STOCK.
Harrisburg bridge
$5,400 00
Columbia bridge 4,500 00
Allegheny bridge
2,400 00
Monongahela bridge
2 000 00
Northumberland bridge
1,000 00
Lewisburgh bridge
600 00
Conemaugh bridge
450 00
Nescopeck bridge 240 00
16,590 00
Samuel C. Ford
$2,000 00
Joshua Lippencott
2,000 00
John Jennings
2,000 00
George W. Kichards
2,000 00
Richard F. Allen
2,000 00
Peter Graham
2,000 00
Mahlon Gillingham
2,000 00
T. B. Freeman
1,150 00
Moses Thomas
1,000 00
John B. Grant
1,000 00
John D. Goodwin
200 00
Isaac Billings
200 00
George P. Bonnin
200 00
Charles J. Wolbert
200 00
George Riter
100 00
18,050 00
No. III.
AUCTION DUTIES.
Richard F. Allen
$31,901 79
Mahlon Gillingham
20,941 07
John Jennings
17,583 04
Samuel C. Ford
15,456 10
Joshua Lippencott
12,514 66
Peter Graham
12,046 44
Michael Nisbet
11,962 50
John F. Lewis
8,767 44
Moses Thomas
4,071 96
George W. Richards
3,445 61
Samuel Wagner
2,702 19
T. B. Freeman
1,290 13
Jacob Hanson
758 57
Jolın B. Grant
485 56
George Riter
305 29
Isaac Billings
272 71
Charles J. Wolbert
108 87
John D. Goodwin-
80 02
Patrick M'Kenna
77 66
William Anderson
38 84
George P. Bonnin
29 14
144,839 59
No. IV.
DIVIDENDS ON BANK STOCK.
Bank of Pennsylvania
$90,000 00
Philadelphia bank 23,548 50
Farmers' and Mechanics' bank 5,124 00
- 118,672 50
Amount of purchase money, with interest thereon
$85,113 83
Fees on warrants and patents
9.200 20
OFFICE FEES.
Surveyor gereral's office
892 87
Secretary of the land office
402 54
95,609 44
No. II. AUCTION COMMISSIONS.
Lancaster, Elizabethtown and Middletown turnpike road company
500 00
Bellefonte and Phillipsburg turn- pike read company
400 00
Erie and Waterford turnpike road company 350 00
Susquehanna and York borough turnpike road company
125 00
1,375 00
17,965 00
No. VI. TAX ON BANK DIVIDENDS.
Commercial bank of Pennsylvania $3,200 00
Mechanics' bank of Philadelphia 2,862 68
VOL. III.
23
178
AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT-REVENUE.
[MARCH
Schuylkill bank Bank of North America
2,400 00
James Alexander, former
Beaver
28 65
2,257 80
Joseph Hemphill, late
do.
196 00
1,700 00
Thomas Henry
do.
100 00
1,657 53
Henry Williams
Bedford
683 55.
1,600 00
David Bright
Berks
2,026 03
James P. Bull
Bradford
103 22
Samuel McNair, late
Bucks
895 76
1,556 92
Isaiah Niblock, late
Butler
8 36
Easton bank
1,449 12
Stewart Steele, late
Cambria
140 80
Bank of Chester county Ditto
720 00
John D. Petrikin, late
Centre
400 00
James Davis, former
Chester
26 14
Farmers' bank of Lancaster.
1,438 40
Abisha Clark, late
do.
1,232 973
Bank of Chambersburg
1,184 381
Ezra Cope
do.
800 00
Columbia bridge company
1,047 13
Alexander Irvin
Clearfield®
150 48
Harrisburg bank
1,014 56
Carlisle bank
922 17
Thomas Atkinson, former
Crawford
130 00
Bank of Montgomery county
586 30
John P. Davis, late
do.
83 26
Westmoreland bank of Pennsylvania
539 91
Joseph Douglass
do:
216 00
Alexander Nesbitt
Cumberland
814 34
Monongahela bank of Brownsville
490 19
Kensington bank
487 06
Homer Eachus
Delaware
384 85
Northampton bank
450 15
Thomas Laird f
Frie
471 00多
Lancaster bank
401 36.
Joshua Hart, late
Fayette
105 00
Gettysburg bank
205 12
James Boyle .
do.
556 20
Daniel Spangler
Franklin
856 03
John Inghram
Greene
200 64
Walter Clarke
Huntingdon
522 53
William Lucas
Indiana
125 00
Christopher Barr
Jefferson
50 16
John Reynolds
Lancaster
2,993 064
Jacob Goodhart
Lebanon
623 18
Charles Seager
Lehigh
674 92
John Myers, late
Luzerne
459 80
William Harris, Jr.
Lycoming
468 16
Aaron Hackney, late
"Mercer
158 51
Jonathan Smith
do.
13 17
John King
M'Kean
16 72
Joseph B. Ard
Mifflin
118 00
Henry Daub
Montgomery
1,104 80
gomery county
310 65
Do. Do.
250 99
Matthew Randall, prothonotary Philadelphia county
439 82
William Moulder
do:
11,653 -88
Jacob Hornbeck, late
Pike
392 92
John Schall, late
Schuylkill
580 06
Joseph Hammer
do.
350 00
John Patton, late
Somerset
443 00
Jacob Neff
do.
459 80
235 50
Justin Clark, former
Susquehanna
97 46
Hiram Finch
do.
225 72
Levi Vail, late
Tioga :
125 40
Samuel Wilson
Union -
443 08
Hugh M'Clelland
Venango
45 85
Johnson Wilson, late
Warren
3 25
John King
do.
91 96
Isaac Leet
Washington 1567 67
Robert Beardslee, former Wayne
34 08
Joseph Miller, late
do.
7 12
Rufus Grenell
do.+-
491 68
Alexander Johnston
Westmoreland
726 67
Peter Ahl
York
1564 30
$46,311 851
No. X. DUTIES ON DEALERS IN FOREIGN MER- CHANDISE.
Jolır. B. M'Pherson, late
treasurer of
Adams county 693 12
James Young
Allegheny 417 32
Joseph Hemphill, late
Beaver 222 06
Thomas Henry
do.
79 60
Henry Williams
Bedford
361 58
David Bright
Berks
1475 20
Allegheny
3,921 40
James P. Bull
Bradford
115 51
.
8,541 35
No. VIII.
FEES SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE. Amount of fees received and accounted for by Calvin Blythe, secretary of the commonwealth
1,400 54
No. IX. TAVERN LICENCES.
John B. McPherson late treasurer of Adams county James Young®
1,898 29
John Geyer, register Philadelphia county
1,328 48
Joseph Pearce, late register, &c. Chester county
588 70
Michael Opp, late
Northampton
1106 12
Frederick Haas, late
Northumberland 468 16
George Stroop
Perry
401 28
James S. Huber, late
Philadelphia
505 30
William M'Candless, prothonotary Alleghe- ny county
F. A. Muhlenburg, register Lancaster county
240 60
N. W . Sample, Jr. prothonotary Lancaster county
Thomas Lowry, prothonotary, &c. Mont- gomery county
200 00
Daniel Rhoads, register Berks county
174 47
William Williamson, late prothonotary Ches- ter county
115 75
George M. Dallas, deputy attorney general Philadelphia county
70 .00
John Conrad, clerk of the sessions Philadel- phia county
69 67
Samuel A. Smith, register and recorder ·Bucks county
68 92
William Powell, late prothonotary Montgom- ery county
20 00
Bank of Penn township
159 85
Farmers' bank of Bucks county
102 82
29,649 51
No. VII. TAX ON OFFICES.
George W. Riter, recorder Philadelphia county
$2,177 77
Randall Hutchinson, prothonotary district court Philadelphia county
Andrew McReynolds
Columbia
698 00
Bank of Delaware county
496 06
Frederick Heisely
Dauphin
1,128 27
720 00
Cornelius Mc Donald
do.
167 20
1,440 00
Farmers' bank of Reading Ditto
778 46 778 46
Southwark bank Bank of Pittsburg Bank of the Northern Liberties
$674 92
John Markley, register and recorder Mont-
561 64
351 74
1829.]
AUDITOR GENERAL.'S REPORT -REVENUE.
179
Aaron La Rue, former
Bucks
6 50
Daniel Spangler
Franklin
128 25
Samuel M'Nair, late .
do.
1234.55
Walter Clarke
Huntingdon
50 25
Isaiah Niblock, late
Butler
24 11
Christopher Barr
Jefferson
13 00
Stewart Steele, late
Cambria
122 25
John Reynolds
Lancaster
116 04
Cornelius M'Donald do.
122 70
Charles Seager
Lehigh
59 75
James M. Petrikin, former Centre
100 00
John Meyers, late
Luzerne
103 50
James Davis, former
Chester
293 04
William Harris, Jr.
Abisha Clark, late
do.
1946 01
John King
M'Kean
14 25
Ezra Cope
do'.
533 56
Joseph B. Ard
Mifflin
23 75
Alexander Irvin
Clearfield .
33 25
William M'Glathery, late Montgomery
Andrew M'Reynolds
Columbia
324 23
Michael Opp, late
Northampton
117 75
John P. Davis, late
Crawford
203 30
Frederick Haas, late
Northumberland
41 75
Joseph Douglass
do.
275 25
William Moulder
Philadelphia
460 75
Alexander Nesbitt
Cumberland
915 76
John Schall, late
Schuylkill
33 25
Frederick Heisely
Dauphin
806 5.2
John Patton, late
Somerset
29 00
Homer Eachus
Delaware
627 64
Samuel Wilson
Union
52 25
Thomas Laird
Erie
636 33
Joshua Hart, late
Fayette
20 00
Isaac Leet
Washington
193 75
James Boyle
do.
703 87
David Spanger
Franklin
835 76
John Inghram
Greene
242 16
Walter Clarke
Huntingdon
420 324
William Lucas
Indiana
531 88
Christopher Barr
Jefferson
9 50
Emanuel Reigart, Jate
Lancaster
563 49
John Reynolds
do.
1756 56
Jacob Goodhart
Lebanon
498. 61₺
Charles Seager
Lehigh
779 593 -
John Myers, late
Luzerne
435 33
William Harris, Jr.
Lycoming
261 49
Robert Stewart, former
Mercer
11 21
Samuel M'Nair, late
Bucks
30 61
Abisha Clark, late
Chester
596 28
Joseph B. Ard
Mifflin
243 12
Ezra Cope
Do.
206 60
Henry Daub
Mon gomery
1560 87
Michael Opp, late
Northampton
1346.45
Homer Eachus
Delaware
894 19
Frederick Haas, late
Northumberland
499 50
Walter Clarke
Huntingdon
19 50
George Stroop
Perry
419 50
John Reynolds
Lancaster
4 96
James S. Huber, late
Philadelphia do.
4549 06
Aaron Hackney, late
Mercer
15 80
Jacob Hornbeck, late
Pike
220 88
Frederick Haas, late
Northumberland
10 00
John Schall, late
Schulkill
358 71
John Patton, late
Somerset
233 00
Jacob Neff
do.
232 40
Hiram Finch
Susquehanna
343 15
Levi Vail, late
Tioga
149 63
Samuel Wilson
Union
412 89
Hugh M'Clelland
Venango
77 10
John King
Warren
108 54
Isaac Leet
Washington
964 173
Robert Beardslee, late
Wayne
70 92
Rufus Grenell
do.
628 90
Alexander Johnson
Westmoreland
390 79
John B. M'Pherson, Jate
treasurer of
Adams county 0 95
James Young
Allegheny 3 75
Henry Williams
Bedford
0 95
David Bright
Berks
9 03
James P. Bull
Bradford
2 83
Abisha Clark, late
Chester
7 12%
Alexander Nesbitt
Cumberland
3 80
Frederick Heisely
Dauphin
2 85
Thomas Laird
Frie
0 473
David Spangler
Franklin 4 28
Walter Clarke
Huntingdon
2 37}
William Lucas
Indiana
0 45
John Reynolds
Lancaster
13 25
James Young
Allegheny
23 75
Henry Williams
Bedford
19 00
David Bright
Berks
114 00
Samuel M'Nair, late
Bucks
164 25
Frederick Haas, late
Northumberland
0 95
James Davis, former
Chester
188 00
George Stroop
Perry
4 28
Abisha Clark, late
do.
59.50
William Moulder
Philadelphia
25 85
Andrew M'Reynolds
Columbia
66 50
John P. Davis, late
Crawford
4 75
Alexander Nesbitt
Cumberland
33 25
Frederick Heisely
Dauphin
19 00
Thomas Laird
Erie
79 82
James Boyle
Fayette
70 25
No. XII.
COLLATERAL INHERITANCES.
David Bright, treasurer of Berks county
76 75
Aaron Hackney, late
do.
102 77
1584 56
Henry Daab
Montgomery
19 30
Michael Opp, late
Northampton
91 52
William Moulder
Philadelphia
3775 15
Isaac Leet
Washington
10 36
Peter Ahl
York
154 89
5,993 41
George Weitzel
City of Lancaster 539 57
William Graham, Jr.
City of Pittsburg 1985 31
52,108 03
No. XI. STATE MAPS.
John B. M'Pherson, late
treasurer of
Adams county
14 25
Charles Seager,
Lehigh
7 13
Henry Daub
Montgomery
1 90
Michael Opp, late
Northampton
1 90
John Schall, late
Schuylkill
1 43
Samuel Wilson
Union
2 33
Isaac Leet
Washington
2 80
Johr. Voglesong, late
York
118 16
Peter Ahl
do. 767 59
John Bacon
City of Philada. 15,561 31
Warren
28 50
Rufus Grenell
Wayne
28 50
A. Mahon, state treasurer,
for maps taken by mem- bers of the Legislature,
25 00
2,597 86
Frederick Heisely
Dauphin
87 50
William Moulder
No. XIII.
PAMPHLET LAWS.
$100 683
John King
Lycoming
94. 00
128 25
180
ATTACK ON RED BANK.
[MARCH
No. XIV.
MILITIA AND EXEMPT FINES. Matthias Gress, former brigade inspector, first brigade, seventh division,
$30 00
Nathaniel W. Sample, jr. brigade inspector, second brigade, fourth division,
600 00
Jeremiah Shappell, brigade inspector, second brigade, sixth division,
99 20
Samuel M'Nair, treasurer of Bucks county, 3 80
Abisha Clark,
Chester,
9 50
Frederick Heisely,
Dauphin,
5 70
Homer Eachus,
Delaware,
9 50
John Inglıram,
Greene,
3 80
Joseph B. Ard,
Mifflin, 13 30
William Moulder, Philadelphia,
114 00
Jacob Hornbeck, Pike,
1 90
890 70
No. XV. TIN-PEDLARS' LICENSES. Edward J. Kelso, prothonotary of Erie county, $30 00 Matthew Randall, prothonotary of Philadelphia county,
420 00
450 00
No. XVI. . ESCHEATS.
James Ross' estate Allegheny county,
208 88
No. XVII. COMMISSIONERS OF THE INTERNAL IM- PROVEMENT FUND.
Repaid state treasurer, the amount advanced by him to the commissioners of the inter- nal improvement fund, per fourteenth sec- tion, act twenty-fourth March, 1828, 150,000 00
No. XVIII.
LOANS AND PREMIUMS ON LOANS, Bank of Pennsylvania, stock loan pertaining" to the Pennsylvania canal, per act of 9th April, 1827, $200,000 00
Premium on do. 9,500 00
209,500 00
Bank of Pennsylvania, stock loan pertaining to the Pennsylvania canal, per act of 24th March, 1828, . Bank of Pennsylvania, tem- porary loan, per act of 4th April, 1828,
1,732,600 00
$150,000 00
Harrisburg bank, do.
100,000 00
Carlisle bank, do.
50,000 00
Farmers bank of Lanc'r. do. 50,000 00
Commercial b'k of Penn. do. 30,000 00
Bank of Pittsburg, do.
30,000 00
Bank of Chester county, do. 25,000 00
Farmers' b'k of Reading, do. 25,000 00
Westmorel'd b'k of Pa. do .- 20,000 00
Schuylkill bank, do. 10,000 00
*490,000 00
2,432,100 00
No. XIX.
OLD DEBTS AND MISCELLANEOUS.
Thomas Laird, commissioner of Erie county, on account of Erie town lots, $31 00
Interest on $415, notes of the Union bank of Pennsylvania, 212 69
James Entriken and Frederick Shoup, on ac- count of the Susquehanna Lottery, 200 00
*This sum has been repaid to the several banks, by the commissioners of the Internal Improvement Fund, put of the stock loan of 1828.
Interest on 420 dollars, notes of the Union bank of Pennsylvania, 218 72
John Steele's administrators, on account of Susquehanna Lottery, 100 39
Canal Commissioners, unexpended balance of the sum appropriated to explore canal routes, 35 96
Interest on 300 dollars, notes of the Centre bank of Pennsylvania, 150 00
Charles Mowry,acting canal commissioner, sale of property belonging to the commonwealth, 35 89 Gabriel Hiester, former prothonotary of Berks county, on account of office fees, 1,007 00
Robert Brown, per Daniel Stannard, attorney for the commonwealth, {150 00
Jesse Beeson, deceased, per Thomas Irwin, at- torney for the commonwealth, 453 87 Jacob S. Davis, per Amzi Fuller, attorney for the commonwealth, 300 00 Luther Stark, per Amzi Fuller, attorney for the commonwealth, 80 00
William Gibson, per W. W. Fetterman, attor- ney for the commonwealth, 100 00
Sureties of Samuel Bryan, late register of Phil- adelphia county, per George. M. Dallas, at- torney for the commonwealth, 505 28
James M. Porter, late deputy marshal, on ac- count of militia fines, - 400 00
3,980 75
Of the preceding Revenue the following sums have been derived from the CITY & COUNTY of PHILA- DELPHIA.
Auction Commissions. .$18,050 00
Duties ... . 143,964 52
Dividends on Bank Stock 118,672 50
Tax on Bank Dividends. . .14,667 39
Offices. .5,984 03
Tavern Licenses. 12,159 18 Duties on dealers in Foreign Merchandize .. .21,694 93
State Maps. 460 75
Collateral Inheritances .3,775 15
Pamphlet Laws .. .25 85
Militia and Exempt fines! 114 00
Tin-pedlar's Licenses ... .420 00
Loans and premiums on Loans .2,132,100 00
Old debts, &c,. .905 28
From City and County,
.$2,472,993 58
From the rest of the State & other sources, 656,476 51
Total Revenue
$3,129,470 09
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE AT- TACK ON RED BANK.
RED BANK, October 23d, 1777. May it please your Excellency,
This will acquaint your Excellency, that early this morning, we carried all our gallies to action, and after a long and heavy firing we drove the enemy's ships down the river, except a 64 gun ship, and a. small frigate, which we obliged them to quit, as they got on shore, and by accident the 64 gun ship blew up, and the fri- gate they set on fire themselves, took the people all out and quitted them. Our action lasted till twelve o'clock, and our flect has received but very little damage. You will be informed of the glorious event of last night by Col. Green. We in our gallies were of great use in flanking round the fort. As I am very much fatigued, I hope your Excellency will be satisfied with this short account of our affairs of the river and fleet.
Being in haste, I hope soon shall have it in my power to give you a better account of this action; besides the sixty-four and frigate being burnt, the Roebuck, who lay to cover them, we damaged much, and drove off,
1829.]
CANAL, DOCUMENTS.
181
and had she lain fast, we should have liad her in the same situation.
Am your Excellency's most obedient, and very humble servant,
JOHN HAZELWOOD.
His Excellency Gen. Washington.
RED BANK, 23d October, 1777.
SIR :- By the desire of Col. Green, I congratulate your Excellency, on the success of the troops under his command, yesterday. On the 21st instant, four battal- ions of Germans, amounting to 1200 men, commanded by the Baron Donop, Col. Commandant,. landed at Coo- per's ferry, and marched the same evening to Haddon- field. At. 3 o'clock yesterday morning, they marched for this place; when the guard at Timber-Creek Bridge were informed of their approach, they took up that bridge, and the enemy filed off to the left, and crossed at a bridge, four miles above. Their advanced parties were discovered within a quarter of a mile of the fort, at 12 o'clock; at half after four o'clock, P. M. they sent a flag to summon the fort, who was told, that it should never be surrendered. At three quarters after four they began a brisk cannonade, and soon after advanced in two columns, to the attack. They passed the abat- tis, gained the ditch, and some few got over the picquets, but the fire was so heavy that they were soon drove out again, with considerable loss, and retreated precipitate- dy, towards Haddonfield.
The enemy's loss amounts to 1 Lieutenant Colonel, 3 Captains, 4 Lieutenants, and near 70 killed, and the Baron Donop, his Brigade Major, a Captain, Lieutenant, and upwards of 70 non-commissioned officers and pri- vates, wounded and taken prisoners. We are also in- formed that several wagons are taken. He also enjoins me to tell your Excellency, that both officers and pri- vate men behaved with the greatest bravery. The ac- tion lasted 40 minutes, Col. Green's regiment has two serjeants, 1 fifer, and 4 pivates killed, 1 serjeant, and 3 privates wounded, and one Captain, (who was recon- noitering) taken prisoner. Col. Angel has one Cap- tain killed, 3 serjeants, 3 rank and file; and 1 ensign, 1 serjeant, and 15 rank and file wounded; 2 of Capt. Du- plessis company were slightly wounded; too many handsome things cannot be said of the Chevalier, who as well as his officers shewed a truly heroic bravery .-. 'There has been already brought into the fort near 300 muskets, a considerable number of swords, cartridge boxes, &c. There has been a smart firing between ours and the enemy's fleet this morning; several fire-ships have been sent down the river.
I am with the greatest respect, Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,
SAM. WARD.
His Excellency Gen. Washington.
RED BANK, 2 o'Clock, Oct. 23, 1777.
SIR-I am just arrived at this place, on command from Fort Mifflin, and finding that Col. Green, and the Commodore were sending by Express to your Excellen- cy, the glorious event of last evening, and this morn- ing, think proper to give you the particulars from our
garrison. This morning at half after six o'clock, the enemy, from Province Island, began a very heavy fire from their bomb-batteries, and in about half an hour af- ter was joined by their fleet, which kept up on us inces- santly, till after twelve o'clock. Our battery, in con- cert with the Commodore's fleet, playing on them the whole time; in short we ply'd them with 18 and 32 pound shot so closely, that they, I believe, began to give ground; however they ran a sixty-four gun ship and a twenty gun frigate a-groundl, and after fruitless at- tempts to get them off, they set fire to them both. We sustained no damage, except a Captain and a private slightly wounded. Our garrison shewed a firmness and resolution becoming brave men, and I don't doubt will
acquit themselves with honor. The fleet are making down fast, as low as Billingsport.
I have the honor to he, &c.
ROBERT BALLARD.
His Excellency Gen. Washington. Published by order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary. { Handbill printed at Lancaster.
CANAL DOCUMENTS. (Continued from p. 170)
REPORT ON THE MONONGAHELA. By EDW. F. GAY, Engineer.
The duty assigned me in relation to the Monongahela river will be seen by the following instructions ..
That examinations, levels, and surveys be made along the valley of the Monongahela, from the Virginia state line to Pittsburg, with a view of determining the most eligible mode of effecting a communication either by canal or slackwater navigation. And that in contem- plation of a slackwater navigation to report in addition to other proper and necessary matters, precise accounts of the number of dams and locks necessary to be erect- ed, their respective dimensions and localities. The ma- terials of which they should be constructed, and the plan, manner, and estimated expense of the same sepa- lately .. And further, that the plan shall be so arranged, if practicable, as to preserve from injury the mill works and water power now in use on said river.
In compliance with the above instructions, my atten- tion was necessarily first directed towards ascertaining the practicability of either, or both the improvements implied by them. Accordingly I visited the river at several points to ascertain its general character, and from my own observations, together with the informa- tion derived from many gentlemen of respectability who resided along the river, I became satisfied, and during the examination confirmed in the opinion, that a canal cannot be made along this valley at a reasonable ex- pense, and therefore that it is unnecessary to make any examinations with reference to its particular cost. The reasons which induced this conclusion, will be seen as follows.
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The banks of this river are, for nearly the whole dis- tance examined, of a slippery nature. This character- istic is exhibited in the face of the hills to a dangerous extent. As these elevated bluffs are washed by the river about one-third of the distance, the flats or bottom lands which are often extensive, vary in height, from 20 to 50 feet above the river surface, their average may be placed at about 35 feet, and although apparently even in their general surface, yet our levels show that a ca- nal line entering upon them at an elevation of 30 feet above the river, would very often unavoidably-encoun- ter cutting twenty feet in depth before arriving at their termination. This together with the necessity of pass- ing the above mentioned treacherous bluffs on levels sufficiently elevated to place the canal on the flats, and the difficulty of introducing feeders into such elevated levels, would render the construction of a canal an item of serious expense. The construction of a towing-path along the river would also be attended with extraordi- nary expense; indeed so strong is the propensity of its banks to slip, for its whole extent, that the practicabili- ty of constructing a permanent towing path on either side, may be doubted. Having first satisfied myself with regard to the existence of these difficulties, I cominenced at the Virginia state line, and continued my examinations solely with a view to an improvement of the steamboat navigation, believing also that its improvement would better answer the object desired than a canal. It may- however here be well to institute a brief comparison between the advantages to be derived from a canal and those of a slack water navigation along this valley. An improvement here of any kind is intended to accommo- date the country thro' which it passes, it follows there-
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CANAL DOCUMENTS.
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fore that as a canal must necessarily be confined to one side of the river, its advantage must be in a measure limited. The inhabitants on the canal side of the river will enjoy facilities, which the difficulty of crossing and recrossing will prevent those on the opposite side from enjoying to an equal extent. . Villages will spring up and flourish on the canal side, while those on the opposite side must proportionab'y decay.
On the other hand by an improvement of the river, equal facilities will be enjoyed on either side. The water power created by the dams, will become an ob- ject of great and increased value in a country already rich in agriculture, but destitute of these privileges. And the numerous villages which line its banks, and are at present so far from exhibiting the enjoyment of commercial advantages will be restored to permanent prosperity.
Although I am far from believing that this species of improvement, will or rather can be adopted as a general system, yet that it may in many cases, and in this one in particular, be made at great saving of expense, and possess advantages superior to a canal, I have not the slightest doubt.
From the description which has been given of the character of this valley for a canal, it will readily be observed that the height of the banks are unusually fa- vourable for the elevation of water by dams. The bot- tom of the river is composed of coarse gravel, and in some instances a shallow deposit of sand covers the na- tural bed of gravel .. Good foundations have however been obtained for all the dams. One striking feature in the character of this river, and which constitutes an important reason in favour of its improvement, is its trifling fall in comparison with the distance; being from the Virginia line to Pittsburg as follows: Fall 75 feet, distance 89 miles. On this distance eight dams and ten locks will be required to make a complete steamboat navigation, with four feet depth of water. The only obstacles to be removed from the bed of the . river are a few of the artificial wing dams which have been constructed as an improvement of the ripples, and a few snags which have become fastened to the bed of the river. The removal of these, however, owing to the shoalness of the water, will be attended with very little difficulty.
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