Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-06-01
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 1926.
CANAL TO BOSTON.

Among the many plans for internal water
communication, now on foot, is one, which
we believe was first bFoached by writer in
the Boston Patriot, who proposes the construc-
tion of Canal from Boston harbour to Long
Pond, between this town and Shrewsbury.
The Importance which seems 10 have been
attached TO this plan requires that some
misconceptions relative to it should be cor
rected.
The route of the Canal, as proposed in the
Patriot, Through Westboro' and Southboro'
TO Sudbury river in birmingham, and thence
across across what-the highlands to Ma
tick, where it would meet Charles river'' and
thence TO Boston, is represented as being
easy and practicable, and the achole distance
5ut about 43 miles on twelve miles of which
viz. miles from Watertown to Boston, and 6
miles more upon Long Pond, it is said the
Canal is already constructed by nature, leav-
ing the distance of o .ly 81 or 80 miles of ar
tifc,al Canal 10 be made. 1t is further stated
in the Patriot that the control of the waters
of Long Pond has recently been purchased
by company in Boston, and we perceive
that the Euening Gasetie, in treating en- the
| subject, speaks of the Pond as being owned
in that city.
We do not pretend to judge with any de-
gree of accuracy Of the distance which the
Canal would extend, on the proposed route,
but il is evidently much moderated. The
Blackstone Canal route, which is remarkably
direct for a Canal, exceeds the road 10 Provi-
dence, which is rather circuitous, more than
six miles, and the difference between the pro-
posed route and the road TO Boston must be
much greater.
The six miles on Long Pond, where it is
said Canal is already made by nature, il it
should not prove the most expensive part Of
the route. would at least equal the average
expense, il the route is not unusually costly.
The shores of the Pond are very irregular, be-
ing fall of indentations, many of them deep,
with frequently steep and precipitous banks.
1t would be necessary to construct tow path
the whole distance, and, the pond, being used
as a reservoir, will ne sarily vary several
feet in its height, and consequently make the
expense of tow path, which would accom-
modate it at its different heights, very great.
More than two years since, the charter of
the Blackstone Canal Company vested in that
Corporation the right of using Long Pond as
reservoir, for the purpose of supplying the Ca
nal, and for replacing in the river, for the use
| Of mills, the water which might be diverted
from it elsewhere to feed the Canal and the
Commissioners have recently taken possession
of the outlet for that purpose. Therefore,
whatever right may have been recently OBJ
tanned by purchase to this water, If can only
be applied TO the use of mills, and cannot be
diverted, under that claim, to supply any 9TH
er canal.
But, allowing the facilities for the proposed
Canal to be as great as they are represented,
its construction could answer no good purpose,
because it does not lead to any place of bust
ness, or where there are facilities for making
one. The proposed landing, two miles from
this town, is where the hills descena. as they
do in most other places, directly to the shores
OF the Pond, and leave no suitable sites for
building. But, were it not for this disadvan-
tage, it cannot be supposed that, with di-
rect water communication from this town,
where there is great capital, and all the ne
cessary means for doing business to the best
advantage, that our merchants should be at
the trouble and expense of trucking their
goods two or three miles, or that people will
be induced to pass this town, and 60 a great
er distance to sell their produce and buy their
goods, where it can be done with less adyan-
tage. The attempt TO build up new places OF
business, in the vicinity Of old establishe 4
ones, have so often and SO uniformly failed.
that we have not the least fear from another
attempt of the kind.