Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-10-09

they could reSch buffaioc, the ter-ni-
nation of tire New York canal. This,
added 10 loo u.ile., the advantage which
C.eaveisnd has even BuAaloe, as before
MENTIONED, gives difference in favor
og Washington and Baltimore over New
York, for tie three Northwestern lakes
of three hundred miles. This difference
in dist.nce would be sufficient to coun.
'erbalshce any additional labor or ex-
pense ntei might be incurred in making
and navigating the canal across the
mountains Add to this the fact, that the
Chesapeake canal would be open for
navigation earlier in the spring, and la
ter IA the fa'i, in consequence Of us mere
1 southern latitsde- | thiuk it would
not be unreasonable to conclude, that
Mr. Briggs was mistaken, when he said
! that nature had given 10 New York, be-
gond con,peiIfiosa, the trade OF those lakes,
Z and Of the northern parts 81 the states OF
z Ohio, Indiana, aud Illinois. bly, opinion
/ is, that Nature has offered 20 the inhabi-
tanls ofthe Chesapeake an equal, ifnot
an advantageous, participation IA That
trade. t Is
ltmiett now be prudent and reasona-
BILE 20 inquire, whether the project Of
making this canal from the Chesapeake
10 the Ohio river, and from thence to
the lakes, is fanciful or visionary, or
whether there is not sufficient evidence
Ia favor OF IFS practicabiliiy to satisfy all
rational doubts upon the subject This
point being established, lam inclined 10
believe that there will be but few, who
will be so scep.ical as q want faith I,
its expediency. What Is The information
that has already been obtained in relation
to III The Joint commissioners of Nir-
ginis and Maryland, who were appoints
cd by the respective legislatures OF those
states, to make an exaoiination Of the
state Of the navigation Of the Potomac,
end ascertain its susceptibility Of inn
proyement, have, after very laborious
and faithful discharge Of their duty, re-
ported that any improvement OF the
channel Of the Potomac would be mex
pedieut, but that a canal can be made
along the valley of that stream, from
Washington TO Cumberland, for the sum
of one million and half of dollars
This is something more than one hall OF
the distance from Washington to the
Ohio river. The commissioners at the
same time examined the situation OF the
mountains which divide the eastern from
the western waters, with the view OF as
certaining the practicability Of extend
ing the canal across them 10 The ONO.
From this examination they found, that,
by cutting tunnel two miles in Length
through the dividing ridge, between Sa-
wage Creek, a branch of the Potomac,
and Deep Greek, stream falling into
I the waters oil. the Ohio, this object might
/ be elected, and at an expense much less
than what ian inexperienced public have
heretofore irnaginedn Although this
evidence would have been sufficient TO
satisfy ny mind OF the prcpriety OF Gem
mencing this work al once, yet, happily
fortbe prosperity Of the country, and Tor
| the satisfaction of those who still doubt
ed, grea alter and broader light has been
recently shed. upon tbs subject.
The following extracts from the report
Of committee made TO large and high
ly respectable meeting Of citizens Cd
Frederick county, Maryland, and dele
/ gates from the neigbbofing towns and
cities, afordthe most gratihing lntelii-
gence on this point "The committee
have also infinite qualification in being
enabled to say, from Q source q inior-
nation not TO be questioned, that eifa-
culties in the communication between
the Ohio and Potomac, have, By an &C
tual survey, made within two wasks past
been found to dwindle into obsalute IN
! significance. That, instead of a tunnel
two miles in length, aid two handred
feet 10 depth, to connect the waters OF
Deep Greek, abranch Of the foughi-
ogany, or the west side Of the mountain
with those Of Crab-Tree Run, branch
of Savage River, on the east side, which
empties into the Potomac, no tunnel "a
all is necessary. II is but an act OF jas
tice to state, that this. highly important
discovery has been made within the last
thirty days, by our enterprising and me-
ritorious fellow-citizep, james ShrVer,
Esq. agentleman of well known export
ence and neutrality-suspicious. Ae-
cording to this truly interesting dlscose-
ry il now appears thata dam across Deep
Creek, at Hoop pole narrows, can De
constructed at very uncomfortable ex-
pense, so as, by raising the water about
80 feet. to reduce the cutting IN the
lowest gap, to 10 or at most to 80 ieet
ard this being only at the summit, The