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. IX > Part 53
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The information obtained from the boatmen was re- duced to writing at the times when communicated, and appears in the appendix to this report.
This investigation, having removed all doubts in their minds upon the subjects embraced in the Resolutions of the 2d of December last, to which their attention has been „particularly directed-the undersigned, in obe- dience to your excellency's commands, do respectfully report :- That in the course of the last summer and fall, a wing-dam has been erected in Wells's Falls, in the river Delaware, on the Pennsylvania side thereof, nearly op- posite the Union Mills, below and near the town of New Hope, by the supervisor, under the direction of the principal Assistant Engineer of the lower part of the Delaware division of the Pennsylvania canal, by authority, and in pursuance of a resolution of the board of Canal Commissioners of the Commonwealth of Penn- sylvania, of the 6th of May last, for the purpose of creating a water power to propel a wheel, with such other fixtures as may be necessary to supply the canal with water from the combined locks near New Hope to Bristol. And, (they regret to be under the necessity of adding, ) that at certain seasons of the year, and cer- tain heights of water in said river, it does now and from its location and dimensions, will probably hereafter, ma- terially interfere with and obstruct the free navigation of said river. All which is respectfully submitted,
Signed, J. KINNEY, Jr. NATHANIEL SAXTON.
Belvidere, January 10th, 1832.
MR. WOELPPER, Victualler, in the market, between Sixth and Seventh streets, brought to his stall lately, the snet of a well fed steer, which attracted some atten- ion. The right kidney of the animal, and its suet, weigh- ed between 15 and 20 pounds, we believe about the cus- tomary weight-but the left kidney and its suet of the same animal, weighed one hundred and fifty five pounds! which we believe is unprecedented in our markets.
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189
RFPORT OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS.
1832.]
REPORT OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS. | between Blairsville and Pittsburg; they therefore direct-
Report of the Canal Commissioners relative to amount paid far repairs upon the Pennsylvania canal and rail- road. Read in the House of Representatives, March 6, 1832.
JOHN LAPORTE, EsQ.
Speaker af the House of Representatives:
Sın :- In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 13th February last, instruct- ing the board of canal commissioners "to report to the House with as little delay as may be, a statement of the amount of money expended in repairs on the different lines of the state canal and rail-road since the com- mencement of the present system of internal improve- ment, setting forth distinctly the sums thus expended on each division, the nature of the repairs, the number of times that repairs have been made on the same works, if more than once, the years in which the repairs were made, the sums, if any, yet due for repairs already made or begun, together with any other information that in their opinion may throw light on this subject; also, an estimate as near as can he made of the sum that will be necessary for repairs during the coming year," the fol- lowing report is respectfully submitted:
It exhibits the actual payments made upon the seve- ral divisions of the canal and rail-road for repairs. And it may be proper to state that in the annual report of the board of the 15th December last, the statement of the sums expended for repairs during the year includes the amount of repairs made and consequently in some in- stances exceeds the amount paid.
The amount now due for repairs made is $58,391 45. This sum, together with the sums necessary to repair the injuries which have been and may be sustained du- ring the season by freshets, and to make the ordinary re- pairs during the coming year, require in the opinion of the board, that the appropriation to this object should not be limited to less than $400,000. If this sum should exceed the necessary expenditures no more will be borrowed than may be required. The board will however here repeat a remark made in their annual re- port, that " while they are not disposed to doubt the wisdom of making specific appropriations for the con- struction of the several lines of canal and rail-road, yet they would respectfully suggest the propriety of mak- ing a general provision for repairs that may become ne- cessary. A limited appropriation may often not be adequate to meet extraordinary exigencies, and for want of power in the fiscal officers of the government to grant relief, may be attended with disastrous conse- quences."
Prior to the appointment of supervisors, under the act of 6th April, 1830, the repairs made were paid by the acting commissioners and superintendants upon the several lines and the items were settled with the ac- countant department in the accounts for construction. The amount thus paid was annually reported to the board and the legislature, but the nature of the repairs made was not stated.
The supervisors are appointed by the board, but they settle their accounts with the Auditor General, under the provisions of the act authorizing their appointment. The mode of keeping their accounts is directed by that officer, and their accounts in detail are filed in his office.
Under these circumstances, the canal commissioners are not enabled to make a detailed statement of the na- ture of the repairs, they will however proceed, so far as it is in their power, to furnish the information requir- ed by the resolution.
The sums expended upon the Western division prior to the year 1830, to wit: in 1828, the sum of $5667 59, and in 1829, the sum of $32,179 692 appear to have been applied to the repair of sections, aque- ducts and dams. On the 21st of July, 1830, the board, after having viewed the division, were convinced that immediate and extensive repairs were necessary
ed the supervisors to draw the water from the canal on the 16th of August, and take immediate measures to make such repairs of the canal, locks, culverts, aque- ducts, &c. as should be designated by the engineer, and deemed by him necessary to the security and complete navigation of the line. The principal part of the sum expended during the year was applied to the repairs thus ordered to be made, and amounted to $51, 836 793.
The sum expended during the last year and up to the 9th February of this year, amounted to $90,105 42, and was principally appropriated to repairing the inju- ries occasioned by the great flood of July last, to wit: the building of the Leechburg dam and guard lock, the repair of the Tub Mill aqueduct, the rebuilding the Sto- ny run aqueduct, and the repairing and rebuilding of towing path bridges, walls and embankment.
The residue was applied to the ordinary repairs of the division. The whole amount paid for repairs upon this division, is $179,789 50, and the amount due for repairs made, is $19,472 98} by the supervisors now in office. But a late supervisor having resigned about the time of completing the Leechburg dam, and after the funds for repairs were exhausted, his accounts have not therefore, been settled, the advances he may have made (and which will be a charge on the commonwealth) are not included in the above sum.
The expenditures of 1829, upon the Juniata division, for repairs, amounted to $8, 126 51, and was applied to the ordinary repairs of new work upon the Lewistown linc.
In 1830 it became necessary to repair the dam at North's island; a counter dam was constructed below the western wing, and an apron added to the castern wing. The river lock at the dam proved defective, and a new one was constructed. The abutments of the dam at the head of the long narrows, had given way and the river lock at the dam was materially injured, and the pier head and embankment between the lock and the dam were wholly destroyed by the ice freshet; all these were repaired, as also a number of breaches in the ca- nal, defective culverts, aqueducts, and other incidental work. The amount expended for repairs upon this di- vision in the year 1830 amounted to $76,502 31}.
During the last year the water was admitted into the lluntingdon line, which being new, required the expen- diture of a considerable sum to put it in navigable or- der.
The expenditures upon the division in addition, con- sisted of the repairing of a large culvert near Waynes- burg, which had failed. The work necessary to the protection of one of the abutments of the dam in the long narrows; the repairing and raising the embank- ment of the canal in the long narrows, the construction of waste wiers around the locks, and for the safety of the levels, the raising the castern wing of the dam at North's island, which had sunk, being undermined by the oferfall of water; constructing a pier at the pool of this dam for the support of the rope used for passing boats across the river, and generally of repairing breach- es and stopping leaks in the canal. The amount paid for repairs upon this division in the last year and up to the 9th of February, 1832, is $63,347 95, and the amount due for repairs made, is $6,061 61.
The whole amount paid for repairs upon this division is $147,976 774.
The expenditures upon the Eastern division in 1829, amounted to $15,810 933 and consisted of repairs of aqueducts and culverts and gravelling the bottom of the canals along the Red Hill, and the Kittekinney moun- tain, and repairing the dam at Duncan's island which at that time was entirely composed of stone promiscuous- ly thrown together, and which had been lowered by the operation of the water and ice.
In 1830, the expenditures amounted to $39,904 43. In this year a new crib dam, abutments and guard wall were constructed across the river Susquehanna, at Dun-
190
REPORT OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS.
[MARCH ,
can's island, in the room of the stone dam above alluded to. In the month of June of this year, the duties of the supervisor upon this division wasextended to Mont- gomery's lock, upon the Susquehanna division; conse- quently the expenses of the supervisor embrace the re- pairs from Middletown to that point, a distance of about 33 miles. On the Susquehanna part of this supervisor- ship, there were several failures of culverts, some of which were occasioned by the water in the canal, and others by the floods in the mountain streams.
In 1831, the expenditures amounted to $11,709 493. The repairs were ordinary, consisting of locks and cul- verts, and repairing two breaches in the canal, also dis- posing of sand which from the floods of the river, accumulated in the basin constructed to facilitate the entrance of boats, from the river into the canal at Dun- can's island, and generally in strengthening and im- proving the condition of the canal.
There is nothing due for repairs made upon this divi- sion.
The whole amount paid is $67,424 86.
The amount paid for repairs upon the Delaware divi- sion prior to 1831, is $25,297 88, and include the addition of four feet in height to upwards of a mile of the towing path bank below Wells's falls, to secure the canal against high water in the river; conducting War- ner's mill race under the canal; in excavating sundry places left for passages; giving additional securities to culverts, repairing banks, digging drains, ditches, slui- ces, &c.
In 1831, the amount paid for repairs is $85,890 28. The principal part of this sum, was expended above New Hope, and was applied to the repairing of exten- sive breaches, which occurred upon attempting to intro- duce the water to the construction of feeders and a dam across Tohickon creek, and at Wells's falls, to the ex- pense of changing the materials of which the embank- ment was composed along the wall sections, and gene- rally to making the thorough and extensive repairs, wbich the defects in the original construction of this part of the division rendered necessary.
The amount due upon this division is $16,046 122. The whole amount paid, is $111,188 16.
The sum expended for repairs upon the Susquehanna division, prior to 1830, appears to be $320 77, and was applied to ordinary repairs. There was also paid for rebuilding the Shamokin dam, and repairing the schute $31,345 73.
The repairs of 1830, amounted to $6,379 13 and consisted principally of work at the Shamokin dam and schute, the latter was changed to a sluice, and the for- mer was strengthened by increasing the backing.
In 1831, there was paid for repairs, the sum of $16,322 16. The principal part of which was applied to rebuilding 220 feet of the Shamokin dam, which had been carried away by the flood to the extention of the crib walls of the sluice, to repairing the eastern abut- ment, to increasing the backing of the dam, and to the construction of an apron.
The amount due upon this division, is $11,000.
The whole amount paid, exclusive of the amount paid for repairs by the supervisor upon the Eastern di- vision, is $54,367 79.
There was paid for repairs upon the North Branch division in 1830, the sum of $6,330 183, and was ap- plied to the ordinary repairs of new work.
The amount paid for repairs upon this division in 1831, and up to the 9th of February, 1832, is $60,344 38. The principal part of this sum was expended in reme- dying the defects in the original construction of the canal, particularly the wall sections near Berwick and Catawissa. Upon introducing the water these defects were discovered, and throughout the whole line, many and effectual repairs were made. In many sections composed of coarse gravel, the water escaped without producing breaches in the canal; these also required ex- tensive repairs. The schute of the Nanticoke dam has
been changed to a sluice, and extended upwards of 300 feet, and the western abutment, which had failed, has been repaired. A number of the locks and embank- ments at aqueducts have also been repaired.
The amount due for repairs is $ 1,447 11
The whole amount paid is 66,674 56}
The amount paid for repairs upon the West Branch division in 1830. was $1,436 653, and was applied to the removal of slips of the embankment above Milton, and to the repairing of two culverts, and ordinary re- pairs.
The amount paid for repairs in 1831, and up to the 9th of February, 1832, is $27,429 92. This sum was applied, exclusive of the ordinary repairs, to the re- pairs of the Muncy dam, which were extensive, owing to a breach and to the sinking of the dam, the founda- tion being excavated by the overfall of water, to remov- ing a gravel bar from below the schute of the dam, to repairing culverts, wall, locks, aqueducts and waste wiers, and to constructing waste wiers round locks, and for the safety of levels.
The amount due for repairs made is $ 4,303 62 The whole amount paid is 28,866 57}
There was paid in 1830, for repairs upon the French creek feeder, the sum of $15,802 70. This sum was applied to repairing breaches on the east side of French creek, and an extensive breach on the west side in the embankment near Watson's run aqueduct, to puddling culverts, removing deposites in the canal, occasioned by washes from the upper banks, and to repairs generally upon the whole line.
By the report of the superintendent upon the French creek feeder, made to the board in November last, it appeared that there had been paid in 1831, for repairs of the French creek feeder the sum of $4,399 85. By a subsequent report of the superintendent it appears that $4,324 94 of that sum had been paid for finishing the French creek aqueduct. Leaving the sum of $74 91 paid for repairing the feeder in 1831.
There is nothing due for repairs made upon the feed- er.
The whole amount paid is $15,877 61
There was paid for repairs upon the Colum- bia and Philadelphia rail-road in the year
1830, the sum of do. do. 1831, do. 3,685 41
$2,204 64
Whole amount paid, $5,890 05
This sum was applied to repairing embankments on finished contracts, which were washed by heavy falls of rain, and to repairing drains constructed for the passage of small streams under the road, &c.
There are but few cases within the knowledge of the board, where the same works have been repaired more than once, and these are principally confined to dams, aqueducts, locks and culverts. The frequent failure of culverts was in part caused by a mistaken notion of en- gineers in preferring clay to gravel for puddling. This error has been corrected, and the repairs of culverts are now permanent: Annual repairs of dams upon large streams, of aqueducts and fixtures to locks will general- ly be required to a greater or less degree.
The board in conclusion will state, that a large pro. portion of the sums expended being for necessary new work, ought more properly to have been placed to the cost of construction, but having been disbursed by the supervisors, the accounting officers charged them to account of repairs.
It is proper to add that this report has been unavoida- bly delayed by the necessary absence of the canal com- missioners from the seat of government. All which is respectfully submitted, by order of the board.
JAMES CLARKE, President.
March 5th, 1832.
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191
CONSTITUENTS OF PRIMARY ROCKS.
1832.]
The following article is extracted from the January number of the " Monthly American Journal of Geology and Natural Science;" conducted in this city, " by G. W. FEATHERSTONHAUGU, Esq."
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE CONSTITU- ENTS OF PRIMARY ROCKS.
We have on this continent a very extensive geolo- gical limit, constituted of primary rocks and their sub- ordinates. It constitutes an inflected line, commenc- ing in the north, and passing southwardly from the in- dented shores of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachu- setts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, to the city of New York, of which it forms the base. Thus far, this limit is bounded by the ocean, and has for its general mineralo- gical character, the rocks commonly called granite and gneiss. There are many varieties of these two rocks, occasioned by the varying proportions in which their respective constituents are found together. Granite has for its constituents; felspar, quartz, and mica, and in general, granites are distinguished by having a much greater proportion of felspar, than of either of the other two minerals. Sometimes the felspar is formed into well defined crystals, either white or red, it is then call- ed a porphyritic granite. The quartz of such rocks is usually of a glassy lustre, and in very irregular shaped grains. The mica is disseminated in it, in small black- ish or silvery scales. Granite rocks of this character, although they pass gradually into gneiss, differ remark- ably from it in one particular, all granite being massive.
When the predominating mineral of the granite, fels- par, decreases very much, and the mica greatly increa- ses, and its innumerable plates become formed into well defined parallel layers, then granite losing its mas- sive structure, splits in the direction of the mica,- and becomes a true gneiss, recognizable by the eye, by the parallel lines it externally bears. Students in gcology will also observe, that the granite we have been describ- ing, is always found subjacent to the gneiss, and indeed, from no other rock being found inferior to it, granite is considered as the basis of all the primary rocks; and gneiss, from the constancy with which it is found repos- ing upon the granite, is considered the next in order of succession. When the principal constituent parts of gneiss, quartz and mica, are finely combined together, and have a yellowish or greenish lustre, then they form a rock which splits into tables easily, and is called mica slate. Sometimes the plates of mica in this rock are larger, and then they form a mica slate of a coarser character. Mica slate is the third rock in the order of succession. There are other rocks in this marine part of the geo- logical limit, occasionally found subordinate to the three members of the primary rocks we have enumerated; these are principally the hornblende, serpentinc, and that calcareous formation usually called primitive mar- ble. As the gneiss, which is the base of the city of New York, re-appears across the Sound on Long Island, so the serpentine, which is found massive at Hoboken, on the Jersey shore, re-appears on the east side of the river not far from the city of New York.
At Philadelphia, we find this line of primary rocks in- flecting inwards from the coast. Near the Public Wa- ter-works, a well defined gneiss-not different from that at the city of New York-is quarried extensively for foundations of houses. Associated with this, is the Hornblende, which appears close to the Water-works, and stretching to the south and west, fronts the Dela- ware river, as far as Wilmington, in the state of Dela- ware; whence it can be traced inland, in the neighbour- hood of Baltimore, and much farther into the southern states. The varieties of these hornblende rocks are very great; and as it is of these the Delaware Brcakwa- ter is now constructing, we have thought it due to the communication which Major Bender has favoured us with, to accompany his table of specific gravities, with some remarks on the mineral nature of these rocks.
Ilaving personally visited most of the localities mention- ed in this table, we have had occasion to observe how generally the erroneous designation of trap, is given to some of the varieties of hornblende rocks, and as some of our correspondents have also requested information from us on this subject, we have thought to render a service to our readers by entering into such details of the primary rocks, as may enable them to judge with success for themselves, of the proper names to give those varieties which fall under their observation. We have spoken of felspar as forming the principal mineral in granite, with quartz and mica; when it' is compound- ed with the mineral called hornblende, it constitutes that class of rocks of which we have spoken as cxtend- ing from Philadelphia to Wilmington. Ilornblende, called by the French, amphibole, is heavier than quartz or felspar, and when scratched, gives a light green streak. It contains a great proportion of magnesia, which felspar has not; and when the quantity of magne- sia is increased, it passes into serpentine. The Germans call these combinations of felspar and hornblende, grunstein, or greenstone, especially when they have a granitic structure. When hornblende forms the prin- cipal part of such rocks, they take a greenish black co- lour. When it is combined in lamellar grains with fels- par, it is called sienite. In some instances, as at Quarry- ville, on the Delaware, near Wilmington, the felspar is in beautiful resplendent lamellar crystals, of an oval form, and of a lightish red colour. This in the common language of mineralogy may be called a porphyrytic greenstone,
We have remarked, that the erroneous designation of trap, has been given to these hornblende rocks; and this no doubt, has grown out of there being an intimate combination, in some instances, of hornblende and fel- spar. This is also the case with the rocks which have received the generic name of trap, from their dividing into prismatic forms, and forming steps or stairs. (Trap- pa, in the Swedish tongue, means a stair. ) Cabinet spe- cimens of these respective rocks, sometimes resemble each other so closely, that they would puzzle a good practical geologist to decide whether they did not be- Jong to the same class of rocks. There is also another mineral, augite, which combines with felspar in the same manner that hornblende does, and which is difficult to distinguish from it. The dark black basalts, which geologists are now agreed, have the same origin as the true trap, are composed of felspar and augite, finely combined, with sometimes grains of the mineral called olivine, and black oxide of iron. However these green- stones may resemble in their constituent particles, the traps-now universally admitted to have had an origin of the same nature with lava, of modern times-an ex- perienced geologist can at once decide when he ob- serves them aperto campo. Nothing can be more dis- similar with the massive hornblende rocks, fronting the Delaware river,-and undoubtedly associated with the primary rocks,-than the true trap on the Iludson ri- ver, at the Palisades, that at Hartford and New Haven, in Connecticut, and that at the Passaic falls, New Jer- sey, all of which overlie secondary rocks. To call the hornblende rocks then, of which we have been speaking, trap, is to confound very important geological distinc- tions. The various combinations of felspar and horn- blende, and felspar and augite, have produced the rocks called greenstone, sienite, trap, and basalt; together with all the varieties which a change in the proportion of constituents occasions, such as are clinkstone, pitch- stone, amygdaloid, and other porphyries.
To these rocks formed of hornblende and felspar, the French have given the name of diabase; and to those basaltic compounds, into which augite enters, they have given the name of dolerile. We know of no name more appropriate to the rocks we have been con- sidering than hornblende rocks, because hornblende is chiefly found combined with felspar, when associated with the primary rocks; whilst augite is more peculiar to
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