Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-05-15

! Maryland side, and the Virginia banks shaw.
signs OF ore; below the furnace, Virginia s;da
I high, rocky shore; the river without obstacle,
| until you reach the head tf the canal. las II.
Called on the Mary land side. which we found
! closed by dam, two feet high, made to ena
bic the public works TO continue in operation
during the extreme lowness of the water at ,h;s
season To surmount this obstacle, by agree.
ment win the superintendent at Harper's Fer
y' lAr' stobbleheld) we passed over TO the
canal race OF the public works and had one
GOALS drawn out on a Garage into the river
near The terry, crossing Without any interrun.
hon OF our work. At the head of the long en-.
na', (so called,) rapid commences, and the
pea OF tne river IS uniformly covered with fixed
rock and huge stones, projecting 8 and Feee
above the present level OF the river. nsesen,;,c,
an aspect terrific to the beholder, and DANGER.
OTIS TO the navigator; this appearance and site
OF the RIVER continues 70 the ferry, distance
on the Maryland side, Of about miles. ,hs IN
IN that space, ascertained 10 be 81 Zee,
To improve the navigation through ib;s p,
p'd, the Potomac Company have cons,rur,ed
at great expense, partial channels on the MARY
land slde-three IN number; the first with ~,
cradle level bottom, clear course. Is or On Esne
wide; and the two others with very une,.as
bottoms, and irregular courses, sff3rdinr ar
imperfect and dangerous navigation IN high ,,,..
ter, but now two feet above the level nc ,ho
wa'er-aiohg the whole course Of these rouph
passage ways, broad wall, at the foot OF The
Rocky Mountain, which here binds the ,;,,.v -
used for tow path. along which boats ore -
ged up The boat stopped this night A. ,b..
head OF the long canal, and the next po,n;ns.
the boats were hauled over into the river
September 7th
Started from Harper's Ferry. and ran thra,.h
the spout, which is extremel, rapid and rorty.
for a distance of three hundred wards or ~
among dangerous rocks. making very cronLere
passage, and must be most hazardous nay;,ss
uoh AZ any uine' ana cannot be improved bus
at an expense which would make good indie.
pendent canal for the same DISTANCE u ." ~
last three miles, and apparently some mica a.
head, IT would astonish the beholi,r a, la,,
water, to be told that the river conld he ,a.;
ga.ed a, amy Time, SO numerous, so large ana
sopromlnent are the rocks COVERING ~, -.
bed OF the river, the imperfect chaonaI ca,,aa
canal, made BY the Potomac Comnanv -.
al ths tune entirely dry in the rum (this day
but especially through that part of the rive,
cmiea the spout, our boat struck very hard :.
gainst many OF the rocks and. had no, -.
boats been very light they must have ha onr
wrecked. The boats put IN opposite Mr. Va.
ver's meadow for the night.
Being Sunday, boats lay too tili sene,ah.'s a..
then moved, passed the month or pia.ass.
Valley at Viewers mill, on rough and shaas
water, amidst rocks from three 10 s,x Gee, IA.
from shore to shore, the passes between a.
rocks very narrow and irregular, MAKING i
necessary to traverse tie river from sdee ~
sac 70 gam the passes. This rugged bed in
the river continues above a mile. win cnos;J.
cradle tail, at different places, one called g.
Devils Elbow, at Pane's Fsls, Opposite p,na,s
Island, between which and the u9tyIand sb,.,.
Is wali work, made by the Potomac Comf,.nv.
as Channel for boats, but which channel -
dry. below tins, enter Dcver's mill darn. form.
ed OF brNsh and stone, obliqueiy IN the r;var
TO throw Se water to the flafyland shore
This dam IS much complained Of by boatmer
navigating the river, and was found 20 nre.
vent our poa's passing through the best cham
mel, anu .nrhea thcnl at right angle to the
middle OF the river--the boats rubbed f,eonapt-
ly on the narrow passes between the rooks.
which continued, with less fall in the river. 70
Philpots or Fane's ripple, a mile and 4 hale
Here we were clear OF the South Mountain.
rocky shore on Virginia side, from Hsrper,s
Ferry The water then variable interznersed
with rocks, and principally shosl to Berlin. and
mile below II, where the boats put in for the
night. '''~
TUESDAY, September 10Th.
Mr.. mayor, Jun employed 10 take mean.
Cumberland TO stake in Casper ". sveayer's
meadow, which lie reached on the evening Of
Saturday the 9Th inst. and declining, from 10.
disposition, TO progress any further with that
work, 1t became necessary TO employ another
surveyor in his place. Corbin West engaged
In mat service the morning. and the boats pro-
ceeded-oa water varying in depth, u.osiIv shosf
through scattered rocks, and over rinpies. OF.
ten rubbing, and with difficulty getting through,
the narrow passes, on lodges OF rocks. In fine.
It may be truly said, that, from the head ofthr
long canal, above Harpcr's Perry, TO sanderss
ripple, and Luekct's Ferry, above twelve miles.
no navigation is afforded for boats OF any bur.
ten, 10 low vater.-.nor can it be deemed
either good or safe, in the best state Of the
water, FROM the great number Of rocks which
crowd tue river great part of the way. and
are seen from three TO ten feet above The sur
face OF low water From Lncket's Ferry 20 the
head Of Hook's Pals, good water halga mile
then shoal and rocky--hrough these falls. where
the river passes the break in the Kentoctoa
Mountain, one and half mics, are more rocks
aud difficult navigation---then good w&ter, pas
sing jenkins Island TO fish dam. -then sl,oai
waser--.boats rub, and pass two other fish damg
| an very shoal water, to the Kanawa Spring. on
posite Kenp'9 Island, where the boats put to
for the night.
September 18th.
Renamed at kanawa Spring, opposite Kemp's
Island, until after dinner, waiting fer the en-.
glneer to come down with his work, Started
about two o'clock, and reached Noland's Fer.
~, distance of about three ard half miles.
where we moored for the night; the first two
and haii miles good water, from two to four
feet: the last mile shosly, the water ffom ten
70 sixteen lnehes' along which We we're enabled
IN kaH, r4f hras-