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. XII, Part 110

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 438

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. XII > Part 110

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Those portions of the canal which have been declar- ed navigable are all at present in excellent condition, and commerce upon them is brisk. The public is be- during the past year, ending on the thirty-first October, ginning to experience the benefits of the improvement, 1833, amounted to one hundred and fifty-one thousand | and duly to appreciate its advantages.

four hundred and nineteen dollars and sixty-nine cents.

In addition to the number of miles of canal and rail- way which was reported last year as finished, there has been added, within the present year, a second track on the twenty-two miles at the eastern end of the Columbia rail-way; and a single track on the remaining sixty miles of that road will be ready for use by the first day of January, 1834.

On the Portage railway, a single track along the whole road, thirty-six and three-fourths miles, and a double track on the inclined planes, will be ready for use in all this month.

l and a half miles of the feeder at the town of Conemaugh, on the Western division.

Four years experience has convinced the board, that with an adequate supply of funds for the purpose of making necessary repairs during the winter, the canals of Pennsylvania, in ordinary seasons, can be opened for navigation by the tenth of March; and the present con- dition of the improvements warrants them in assuring the public, that the following lines will be ready for use at the opening of the navigation next spring.

A railway from Philadelphia to Colum- bia, twenty-two miles, with double tracks, and sixty miles with a single track, making A canal from Columbia to Hollidays- burg

82 miles 1712

Portage railway over the Allegheny mountain, between Hollidaysburgh and Conemaugh, from basin to basin

A canal from Conemaugh to Pittsburg

36 1044

Distance from Philadelphia to Pittsburg 394 miles A canal from the junction on Duncan s Island, near the mouth of the Juniata, up the Susquehanna and North Branch to the mouth of ,Solomon's creek, in Luzerne county, (two hundred and twenty-three miles distant from Philadelphia, ) 96%

A canal from the junction at Northum- berland, up the West Branch to the head of the pool of the Muncy dam, in Lycom- ing county, (one hundred and ninety and half miles from Philadelphia, )

A canal from Bristol to Easton, on the Delaware, (eighty miles from Philadel- phia,)

59%

24₴

A canal from the Allegheny river at the town of Franklin, up French creek to near the feeder aqueduct, in Crawford county

22ł

Number of miles of canal and railway ready for use 632

Old Lines of Canal.

In the year 1831 and 1832, the Western division of the canal, and the dams on the Susquehanna, were much damaged by floods; the extensive and disastrous injuries done to these works, (defective in many instan- ces in their original construction, ) by frequent and high freshets, were repaid as speedily as the limited funds approriated for such purposes would permit. The new banks, and mechanical structures then made, have. since proved their solidity, by resisting uninjured both frosts and freshets.

Expenses to a large amount were incurred, in re- constructing and strengthening many important works, on all the lines. In many places particularly on the composed of sand, which was frequently washed away,

It is also expected that, before the setting in of winter, water will be introduced into twenty-four and three- |Delaware division of the canal, banks were originally fourths miles of the Beaver division, twenty-two and one-fourth miles of the French creek division, and one ; and had to be replaced by gravel and other substan tial

26₺

A canal from the Ohio river, twenty- eight miles below Pittsburg, up the Big Beaver creek to New Castle, in Mercer county,

1833.]

CANAL COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

387

materials. In some instances, the distance between where the materials were got, and where they were used, added considerably to the expenses of current re- pairs.

In making repairs, the supervisors have been instruct- ed to have them done in the most substantial manner, and the beneficial effects of an adherence to those in- structions, have been visible in all the lines during the last year. Most of the weak points in the canal banks and mechanical structures, have been thoroughly re- paired; and the board have every reason to believe, that with proper attention on the part of the supervisors, and other agents entrusted with the immediate care of our public works, disasters of a serious character can sel- dom occur hereafter.

Main Line.

The navigation of the canal between Portsmouth and Pittsburg, has been but little interrupted for the last year, except by ice, which closed it on the east side of the mountain on the twentieth of December, and on the west side on the tenth of January; and it opened on both sides of the mountain from the tenth to the six- teenth of last March, At two of the western collectors' offices, Blairsville and Leechburg, toll was taken in every month of the year.

. In the month of May last, one of the highest floods known for many years, took place in the Susquehanna. The canal, in many places on the Eastern division, was entirely covered with water; but after the flood had sub- sided, it was found that very little injury had been done, owing, in a great measure, to the solidity the canal banks had acquired since their construction; and it is gratifying to state, that the navigation was not at that time interrupted for more than forty-eight hours. The damages done by the flood, as well as the few breaches that occurred during the season, were prompt- ly repaired. The commerce upon this division was slightly impeded for a short time, in the month of Sep- tember, when so much water escaped through the dam at Clark's Ferry, at a very low stage of water in the riv- er, that the canal could not be sufficiently filled; hence gravelling the dam had to be commenced, which at its original construction was not considered necessary. At the same time the water was taken from the Columbia line, to make some necessary repairs, preparatory to the opening of the Columbia railway. A feeder for this line, to be taken either frum the Swatara, or the river at Conewago falls, is believed to be indispensable for an active trade.

Neither the Juniata nor western division has been in- jured by floods during the past season. Upon the Ju- niata, several breaches have occurred. The only inju- ry of any magnitude sustained by the Frankstown or "new line," above Huntingdon, (which passes through difficult mountain defiles, ) since the introduction of the water in November, 1832, was onespan of an aqueduct that gave way, and required re-building; and at the same time a very heavy bank breach took place, both of which were completely repaired, and the navigation restored in the short period of only six days.

Guard gates have been erected and the canal banks raised in the Long Narrows. A range of crib work has been constructed below the dam near the same place, and a new trunk has been put into the large aqueduct at Duncan's Island. Two spans of the aqueduct at Shaver's ford have failed and must be renewed; and another pair of gates must be built in the long Narrows, so as to form, with those already erected, a guard lock.

No breaches worth noticing have occurred upon the Western division during the past year. The commerce on the canal between Blairsville and Pittsburg has been but little delayed throughout the season, except for two or three weeks in the latter end of August and begin - ning of September, when the Conemaugh and Kiski- minetas rivers became so low that a full supply of wa- ter, (as the dams are not perfectly tight, ) could not be maintained in the canal. Still, however, although at

that time boats fully loaded could not run, yet by the aid of scows there was no time when the forwarding merchants had to detain their goods at Blairsville for twenty-four hours for the want of water.

The Board would here solicit the especial attention of the Legislature and of the public, to this important fact: That the navigation of the main line of the Penn- sylvania cnnal, was maintained throughout the season with but slight delnys. Notwithstanding which, men interested in depreciating our public works, or govern- ed by mistaken policy, were but too successful, by ex- aggerated statements of breaches and failures, in deter- ring western merchants and others from using the ca- nal as a medium of transportation. The effect of these misrepresentations has been a serious injury to the trade of Philadelphia and Pittsburg, and to the revenue of the Commonwealth.

During the period when little business was doing upon the canal above Blairsville, it was thought advisa- ble to draw off the water from the Ligonier line, for the purpose of making repairs at several points. This was deemed important, as the opening of the Portage railway will bring that line of canal into active use. The most urgent of those repairs have been made, and the residue can be done during the ensuing winter.

A fecder of one mile and one hundred and seventy. three perches, has been constructed at Conemaugh town, with a dam in Stoney creek three hundred and fifty-eight feet long and seven feet high-a guard lock, two square culverts, and six bridges. The feeder is eighteen feet wide at bottom, thirty feet wide at top water, and four feet deep.

To guard against the effects of a very dry season, when there is an active trade upon the canal, it will be necessary to construct one or more reservoirs on Sto- ney creek, or the little Conemaugh.

Three heavy and expensive outside protection walls had to be built upon the Western division, within the last year, to defend exposed points of the canal banks against the floods of the river. New trunks and inner arches were also required in the two large aqueducts over the Allegheny river; the timber for them has been procured, and it is chiefly all prepared for putting up, which will be done the ensuing winter, when the water is out of the canal. Ice breakers have been built to protect several piers of the aqueducts which were ex- posed to injury.

A strong crib work has been built below the Leech- hurg dam, in the Kiskiminetas river, to secure the dam from undermining, by the reaction of the water falling over it. This crib work is five hundred and fifty feet long, across the stream, thirty feet wide at the base, and twenty-four feet wide at the top, measured with the thread of the stream. It is sunk in water averag - ing twenty-six feet deep, and contains sixty-three thou- sand feet of timber, twenty thousand pounds of iron, and eleven thousand one hundred and seventy-six cubic yards of stone filling.

The dam has now a base of one hundred and twenty- eight feet, and its average height, from the bed of the river to the comb, is thirty-four feet, or twenty-three feet above low water. It contains three hundred and seven thousand feet of timber, one hundred and twenty- six thousand pounds of iron and forty-eight thousand three hundred and twelve cubic yards of stone filling.

Dam No. 2, on the Kiskiminetas, also requires a crib work below it, the timber of which is provided, and will be put in this season. The out-let lock in Allegheny- town, owing to a defect in the foundation, had to be taken down, and it is exceedingly difficult to re-build it in the gravel bed of the river. An outlet lock in the Kiskiminetas has also failed, and must be taken down and re-built this winter. The Monongahela branch of the canal in Pittsburg, has been rendered useless, being filled with mud, which is carried down from the neigh- boring heights by heavy rains. By the estimate of the engineer, it will require nine thousand nine hundred

388

CANAL. COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.

[DECEMBER

and fifty-eight dollars, to construct sewers for avoiding the mischief. A number of water ways around locks, and other necessary works, had to be suspended for want of funds.

Susquehanna Lines.

The navigation on the North Branch division closed about the eighth or tenth of December; and on the West Branch and Susquehanna divisions, on the twentieth of December, 1832. The Susquehanna di- vision opened last spring, on the twentieth of March, but owing to damage done by a flood on the North Branch, and by watermen on the West Branch canals, little business was done until about the twelfth of April On the fourteenth of May, the navigation was suspend- ed by the great flood, and was not again resumed throughout the lines until the twenty-fifth of July. Since then, but few interruptions have taken place.

On the twenty-fifth of March last, the watermen en- gaged in running arks and raftsdown the West Branch of the Susquehanna, made a breach in the canal a short distance below the Muncy dam, through which they passed with their craft, and which cost to repair it nineteen hundred and seventy-six dollars and sixty-six cents. About the middle of May, both branches of the Susquehanna rose to an unusual height. On the West Branch Division, an extensive breach was made through the protection wall, near the pier head at the entrance of the canal into the Muncy dam; and the wa- ter from the river broke into the canal below the guard lock, and passed out again about five miles further down, making a large breach at each place, destroy- ing several bridges, and doing much damage to the banks. The repairing of these disasters, cost six- teen thousand and thirty dollars and ninety-seven cents. The damages thus sustained, were so far repaired as to admit the water again into the canal on the fifth of June. Since then there has been but little interrup- tion to the navigation.

The North Branch division rose twenty-eight feet ahove low water mark, and covered the canal for nine miles down from Nanticoke dam. The lock-house at the guard lock was carried away; the abutment of the dam, and a quantity of protection wall were thrown down, and the canal was partially filled with sand for a long distance. Serious and extensive injury was done at many places to the canal banks by breaches, and washing away the lining. Those injuries were repair- ed, and the canal again opened for navigation on the nineteenth day of June.

On the Susquehanna division, several bridges were destroyed; the water also broke around the stone'abut- ment attached to the short feeder dam which connects with the wall of the chute at the Shamokin dam, and washed away so much of the bank as to endanger the safety of the canal But the most formidable breach, and the one which required the most time to remedy, was at Penn's creek, where the mound which carries tlie canal across one of the branches or outlets of that stream, was entirely carried away. When the work upon this breach was nearly completed, it was a second time'swept off, by a sudden rise in the creek. These breaches have been substantially repaired; the stone alone, used for that purpose, cost fifteen thousand and ninety-four dollars and thirty-five cents. To the above causes is to be attributed the delay in opening the navi- gation upon those lines, in the spring, and the length of time during which it was suspended. It is believed that, by the erection of a few safety gates, which are now in progress, and the strength of the repairs which have been made at weak and exposed points, but little danger may hereafter be apprehended from floods in the river.

The chutes of the Nanticoke and Shamokin dams, have given but little interruption to the river trade dur- ing the past season; the one at Muncy dam was for a

while unsafe, but it has been repaired, and they are all at this time in good condition.

In 1832, a portion of the Nanticoke dam on the North Branch, was carried away by a freshet in the river, and has since been replaced by a new dam built on a better plan. In last month, one hundred and thirty feet of the old part of this dam were also carried off; prepara- tions are now making to rebuild it.

A feeder from Fishing Creek should be introduced into the North Branch division, to obviate the present necessity of supplying the canal with water for fifty- four miles, from Nanticoke dam. This will be render- ed still more necessary, when the trade upon that divi- sion shall have increased, by the completion of the Wyoming line.

Delaware Division.

The Delaware division of the Pennsylvania canal, is destined to become one of the most profitable lines in the State, on account of the mineral coal that must pass through it to market. During the past season, this line has suffered severely from the effects of extra- ordinary floods in the Delaware river and some of its tributary streams, which cross the line of the canal.

In December, 1832, and in May, June and October, 1833, extensive hreaches occurred, which required large expenditures to repair: and in addition to the ef- fectual repairing of breaches, weak points in the banks have been strengthened-the dam in the Lehigh river at Easton, has had crib work sunk below it for its sup- port-a large water way has been constructed round the guard lock at that place-several other water ways and waste wiers have also been made-and a few safety gates erected; some more of which are yet required for the entire security of the canal. These new works have cost about fifteen thousand dollars.

Some difficulty still exists in filling the thirty-five miles of canal between Easton and New Hope with wa- ter, especially after the water has been withdrawn for the purpose of doing repairs. It has been suggested that a feeder from the Deleware river near Black's Ed- dy, would remedy the evil. The expense of such a fecder, is estimated at forty thousand dollars. The water works at New Hope have been completed, and are a valuable improvement.

French Creek Feeder.

This isolated piece of canal was put under contract in 1827 and 1828, and for several years past, has been reported among the finished lines, although, as it could not be filled with water, it was entirely useless. Since it was taken off the contractor's hands, it has been going to decay for want of repairs. A commencement was made, during the summer, to put it in repair, so as to be ready for the reception of water upon the completion of the new lines; but it proved an arduous as well as expensive undertaking, and had to be sus= pended for the want of funds.

A weigh lock at Alleghenytown, which was put under contract in 1832, has been finished, and its utility proved. Four other weigh locks have been put under contract. The one at Portsmouth and the one at Eas- ton are completed and in nse, and the one at Hollidays- burg will be finished this season. The one at Northum- berland had to be suspended for want of funds. The lock at Easton weighs one hundred tons, and the others eighty tons each. Those that have been finished are so accurate, that from twenty-five to fifty pounds will turn the beam. Weigh locks upon the canal are indis- pensible, for ascertaining the correct tonnage of boats and for preventing frauds upon the revenue, and also for protecting those engaged in the business of trans- portation from imposition. A few more are re- quired.

The following is a summary of the work upon which

1833]

CANAL COMMISSIONERS' REPORT.

389

the appropriation of the twenty-seventh March, 1833, for new work upon old lines, has been expended.

Weigh locks, scales, &c.

$19,826 08

Waste Wiers,

6,639 34

Fence,

5,201 77

Lock house, lots, &c.

3,578 22

Locks,

1,065 79

Aqueducts,

4,821 993

Feeders,

9,623 61

New Hope dam, &c.

10,008 09

Bridges,

3,067 30

Sections,

2,720 913

Completing first ten miles of the Columbia line, &c.

14,363 99

Protection wall,

893 50

Collector's office,

908 17

Safety gates,

3,457 53

Removing buildings,

126 25

Engineers,

644 00

Contingencies,

368 52

$87,315 06

The whole amount drawn by superinten - dents in 1833, out of the old work fund, is

$98,128 52

Amount expended as above stated, $87,315 06

Amount drawn by superinten-

dents out of former appro-

priations, for old work, and not included in the above expenditures of this year, 6,275 00

Amount unaccounted for in the hands of superinten- dents,

4,538 46

$98,128 52

There is due out of this fund, for work done on the Cone-

maugh feeder,

$11,572 25

Abstract of Expenditures for repairs in 1333.

For Dams,

$21,524 63

Locks,

3,374 65

Aqueducts,

18,188 04

Waste Wiers,

13,301 37

Culverts,

2,525 00

Bridges,

7,786 39

Protection Wall,

28,646 99

Gates,

1,093 08

Current Repairs,

179,013 37

$275,383 52

The current repairs upon the several divisions, which cost as above stated, the sum of one hundred and seventy nine thousand and thirteen dollars and thirty- seven cents, include the repairs of breaches, gravelling just mentioned, are always more costly to the common- dams, strengthening banks, slating towing-paths, &c. and are as follows:

Miles.

Eastern division,

$12,463 53

Juniata division and feeders,

132

15,748 33

Western division,

105

23,854 15

Susquehanna division,

20,579 56

West Branch division,

26}

20,956 27

North Branch division,

593

20,304 19

Delaware division,

591

59,408 33

French creek· feeder,

19}

5,699 01

$179,013 37

Statement of the fund for repairs.

Whole amount drawn by supervisors in 1833,

Balance in the hands of supervisors,

$302,081 84

vember 1, 1832, 4,172 21

$306,254 05

Amount paid for work done and materi- als previous to 1st November, 1832,

105,976 72

Amount of the appropriation of 1833 for repairs, drawn and applicable for the work of the year, $200,277 33

Whole amount of the cost of repairs made in 1833, $275,383 52

Deduct the available funds drawn, 200,277 33

Amount of debts due, $75,106 19

Balance of the fund in the Treasury, November 1, 1833, 10,807 61

Amount required, $64,298 58

Upon the settlement of the accounts of a former supervisor, whose debts for repairs made prior to the 1st November 1832, were not ascertained by the board at the date of their last report and upon a full settle- ment of the accounts for repairs made, and debts of that year paid, it appears that the actual sum due on the first November 1832, exceeded the estimate then made by the Canal Commissioners. These debts continue to accumulate throughout the winter, and owing to the late period of the session when the legislature have heretofore made appropriations, the spring is far ad- vanced before the supervisors can draw funds enough to pay their debts and proceed with their work; under such circumstances, it is impossible to have all the lines of canal well prepared for an early navigation in the spring.

Every effort has been made by the Board, consistent ly with the well being of the public works to husband the funds, but for three years past they and the super- visors have often been subjected to extreme embarrass- ments when the appropriation for repairs became ex- hausted. At such times, dams and other expensive im- provements in progress have frequently been in an un- finished state. To abandon them in such a condition, would be to give up the whole system of improvement to ruin. And as there has been no power lodged in any department of the government to grant relief, it has of- ten become necessary to appeal to the public spirit of the supervisors, to preserve the canals from destruction and the public from disappointment. It is but justice to those officers to state, that such appeals have seldom been made in vain. Many of them have with a laudable ambition, exerted themselves to the utmost, and ex- hausted their private credit, after their drafts ceased to be paid at the Treasury. But the evils are not confined to the agents of the state and the laborers who have to go without their wages; important works have to be { postponed, and repairs done under the circumstances wealth.

Tolls. The tolls paid into the Treasury in 1830 amounted to $27,012 90

In 1831, there was paid in 38,241 20

And during the year ending on the 31st October 1832, there was paid in 50,909 57

The tolls paid into the Treasury for the last year ending October 31, 1833, amount to 151,419 69

This sum of one hundred and fifty-one thousond four hundred and nineteen dollars and sixty-nine cents, which has been received by the Treasurer within the last fiscal year, will probably be increased during the navigable season, to near two hundred thousand dollars.

It will be gratifying to the citizens of the common- wealth, to observe, that the tolls received in 1833, have trebled the amount received in 1832, and that too un- der many discouraging circumstances. There has been

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390

MINERALOGY.

[DECEMBER

but a single line of boats regularly employed (one starting daily from each city) between Philadelphia and Pittsburg throughout the past season; and they only used one hundred and fifty-three miles of the Pennsyl- vania canal on the east side, and seventy-three miles on the west side of the mountain. The Susquehanna lines were not in full use until the twenty fifth of July, and the navigation of the Delaware division was much inter- rupted by breaches.

As one hundred and eighteen miles of rail-road will be provided with a single track of rails, which can be used, and which will connect the unconnected links, in the main line; as the old lines of canal are becoming more permanent and new lines will be added next spring. And as the slumbering spirit of the mercantile portion of the community is aroused to a proper apprehension of the importance of securing the immense trade of the " great west," the Canal Commissioners think they haz- ard but little in predicting that the amount of tolls which will be paid into the Treasury during the ensuing navi- gable season, will not be much, if any, short of half a million of dollars.

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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. XII, Part 110

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870 Publication date: 1828 Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ; Number of Pages: 438

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 438