Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-05-22

! icO Dy -, gives INC wear, llASf6st,
&c. for i've days, viz. 2O77
Entire expenses ofwagons per day $3.50 II
-
| Same expenses for same time, of
| the boat. &c il Si2 so
as dollars and rs cents divided by
| 73. is ca
Entire expenses ofboat, &C.. per day 81Sl4
| - 1888
The sums total ofthe expense Of each mode,
divided by each other, viz: $500 " by
| dol l2 IA, shews that the expenses OF land car
| rage may be stated, in round numbers, at twen-
| ty,imes the cost of transportation by water
| besides changing the employments of the super
numerary carriers in extensive districts OF coun-
| try from the unprojuctive to the productive
classes of citizens.
ENGINEERS REPORT AND ESTIMATES.
To the Commissioners appointed by the states
ofNirginia and Maryland to investigate the at.
| fairs Of The Potomac Company, and to suggest
such, measures as may produce the
benefits which would result from practical i'm
provements OF the navigation Of Potomac river'
Isaac Briggs, in pursuance of authority conferr-
ed oil him. by the Board Of Public Works OF VIZ
ginia, and of the appreciation of the SAID CON-
missioners. as successor to the late Engineer,
respectfully offers ,he following Report:
GENTLEMEN: From the notes OF Thomas
Moore, the late Engineer. Quotes which ne lett
in pensil writing, have carefully, and IN detail
calculated and arranged all the estimates OF
expense necessary for constructing, along the
valley of Potomac river, an independent canal,
in Which the water is intended to be 80 feet
wide on the surface, 90 feet wide at the bottom,
and three feet deep. The notes OF the late En-
gneer commenced at Cumberland, L extended
to few perches more than 70 miles below
Harper's Ferry, $50 miles. In order to arrive
at the greatest possible accuracy in making
the estimates of cost, the line has been taken
in minute portions, and each calculated sepa-
rately, as the site has varied, according to the
difficulty or facility and, ct course, the greater
OF less expense necessary for constructing
good canal. For the various kinds CT works,
prices heve been assumed, which have well sus-
tanned, the test,of experience, extensively The
state ofN York, and in some measure, IN the
state of Virginia. /, therefore, confidently be-
lieve, that, If the execution OF the work be
faithfully and prudently managed, its cost will
| not exceed the estimate 1t has been deemed
expedient to divide into sections the proposed
canal for the purpose of facilitating execution.
| The first section extends, from us commence
ment at Cumberland, in Maryland, to the mouth
| of Capon, in Virginia, 541 miles the second
| section. from the mouth of Capon to the mouth
of Great Conocheague, or Wi,liamsport, IN Ma
ryland, 334 miles; the third section, Whoiy on
| the MARYLAND side of the river, from the mou'p
of Great Conococheague to Harper's Ferry, OPP,
pcste to the mouth Of Shenandoah river, 3Sf
| miles the fourth section, still on the Maryland
| side, trom Harper's Ferry to the head OF inc
Great Fslls, Ash miles and the nitn secnoh'
| still on the MARYLAND side, from the head OF the
| Great Falls to tide water, in the District OF 20
| miles of canal navigation from Cumberland TO
tide water. RECAPIrULATIoS.
| The first section commences at Cumberland
| in MARYLAND, and, crossing the river three elmes,
terminates at the mouth Of Capon, on It's western
| bank.
The first, crossing to the Virginia shore, just
| above Cressap's landing, 10 miles from Ouhlper-
| land, is by dam of suitable elevation ,neh'
descending by locks into the still water above
the dam, we pass through guard lock 'h'o
! canal on the opposite shore.
The second, crossing to the Maryland shore'
| is also. by means of a dam placed Just below
the mouth of South Branch, 10 miles from Cum'
bertrand, to raise the water in the Potomac eight
feet, In every case where dam IS the ihesiis
of crossing river, guard-lock is indisPensa-
BILE at the entrance of the canal orthe opposite
hore. Aqueducts, however, as the mode OF eros,
sing rivers, with canal, are, on account OF
the superior saletv snu Coi' =,
they afford to navigation, decideoy pre-
ferable to dams, although more expensive
in construction vet, where We cannot avail
| ourselves of sufficient feeders from SIDE
streams to keep always a full and certain
/ supply of water IN our upper Levels, cams are
adopted. because by them we obtain from the
river an abundant supply. This is precisely the
case in the first crossing and, IN the second
there is not sufficient elevation TOT ah aque'
| duct. co
The third. crossing to the Virginia shore, "
miles from Cumberland, is by an aqueduct
which. by maintaining level sufficiently high
to be safe from freshets in the river, Will aug
ment the expense of piece of wslnng Just
about D3, 1900. ~
Summary Of the estimates Of expense.
For excavating, walling, aqueducts,
ua,ad by the engineer DESC ,656
toned n1 above 5000
at Ds56 per foot $4,000
10 the first item,S at D2OO each $500
mr. 30 farm bridges, at D300 each, 5000
For road bridges, at D5o0 each = 1000
D5S2 o56
superntendence, &c. 10 per cent. 3s,2O6
Amount of the estimates for the up
per section, from Cumberland TO
the mouth of Capon. 545 miles,
(D7.7lI per mile,) watch, in the
same proportion, for canal of the