Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-04-06

from them what water they may want in a
dry time this will be Idle, for the moment
you strike the Nashua, which has water to
spare, and is more elevated, their water can
be supplied them in return more abundantly
than 1t lad been taken from them.
III an attempt is made to go direct to Lam
caster, Bolton hill intervenes in a manner,
should think, not to be cut through, and all
the South looks forbidding. To the north,
you will be more on the air line of your canal.
1t may be found best, to lay an aqueduct
bridge over Concord river, which must be I'M
questionably lower than the Nashua river,
but should rather regret it, as both the Con-
cerd branches may, at some not far distant
period, become important feeders TO the canal,
IT would be an obstruction, to mount by one
or two locks in the caral.-The same obser-
walton will hold good, as to the Nashua river.
When once arrived at Nashua river, with
one, two, three or more locks, besides your
discharging locks at Boston, you will have to
construct at or near Fitchburg q number of
conjoined locks, to ascend TO your summit lev
ell. And here let me press upon you, the i'm
qortance OF having your locks as much in con-
junction as possible, to avoid waste of water,
waste of time to your travcl, and cheap
er attendance on your locks. With these
views, have seen at Mr.. Crawshaw's canal,
descending from the summit Of South Wales,
fifteen locks coujoined of ten feet each, and
nave stoodin the vale below admiring the
boats with one mast, to the amount Of twenty
thirty, descending from the mountain TO my
location, one hundred and fifty feet below
them. The same plan was observed in Swe-
den, of condensng their locks from lake We
ner, but think they were deeper, and be-
leve from fifteen to twenty feet drop, cut in
The, solid rock.
Here it would be we'll to take a variety of
surveys Of the summit level, through the towns
of Gardner, Templeton S. Gerry to Atho. If
upon an accurate survey, it should be found that
you can obtain level on this summit of sew
eral miles through this moist mountain land,
you need not fear lacking water without re-
curence TO the Nashua, as it comes out of
Ashburnham pond. At any rate, this resource
can be held in reserve for your summit level,
TO be restored to the mills at FTtchburg after
using it :; and the town of Gardner is mention
cd in Morse's Gazetteer, as being remark ably
supplied with water, and as discharging part
towards Massachusetts, and part to Connect
cat.
Ny object ii passing to the south of the
ponds in Ashburnham believing that the sur
Vey Of General Knox went through both OF
them) is to preserve straighter line to the
canal, several locks ofascent to the pond, and
that an equal number of desceu; on the other
side of the height Of land will be economised
also 10 preserve much longer line of summit
level, through moist spongy land, that will in
all probability furnish sufficiency of water il
dug tolerably deep, without recurrence to
either of the outlets of the ponds; yet these
can be drawn upon if needed. Mr.. Crawshaw
and the Duke OF Bedford were both obliged to
dig for their water; the first excavated al
immense cistern, from which the water was
raised by a steam engine, TO start his boat:
from the summit level; and the Duke com
Inenced his upon dry parched plain, yield
ing no water he entered at the base of {
much more elevated plain, previously ascer
tanned to be bedded with vast seams of coal
and sufiicienCy OF water. For some time
the coal was brought out by horses; at length
water was found in abundance to furnish hi
aaal ri0g D9sY i mIS asiianer, your cher allcul
ty appears to be overcome, for here, you mee
ii small arm of Nliller's river, which will prob
ably be found useful, and from this, you vii
have the benefit Of this river, until its junction
with the Connecticut, Part of Mller's rive
may prove a canal ready made at your com
mand, but much consideration should be ex
ercised, whether TO use it in this way on &C
count Of the freshets.
observed almost all the canals seen b,
ne in England, that happen to 2Aow The
course of rivers, assume frequently the side
Of the ravine formed by the river, occasional
~ crossing the same TO obtain better leve
or easier digging, and at times ascending The
high banks, but rarely occupying the river it
self.
The waters of Miller's river are under you
control, to be drawn out where you most neee
them; a short cut will however probably be
made near the mouth of this river through
Montague, TO straighten your canal, and save
distance to Deerfeld. Or perhaps, it will be
best to continue out TO the mouth of Miller'
river, into the Connecticut. Then look UP
the Dcerfe.d river to Shelburne, near where
it joins North river, and see if canal cannot
with more advantage be brought down tc
Greenfield across Green river this would
give straighter line and be the saving o.
probably one or two locks. From this tc
Charemont, there appears plenty Of water
but from thence, am unacquainted with the
ground for the upper level, but imagine that,
like all our high plains in New England, il
most probably is highly saturated with water,
particularly, ifin the vicinity of high noun
tains, as this is. Yet, if it cannot be found in
sufficient quantity, recourse must be had to
your nearest sources, and ] perceive, that in
Ilawley and Windsor there are ponds, that
probably may be diverted to your assist.
ance.
On your arrival at the town of Adams
(where are large marble quarries) | should
consider all your difficulty as surmounted, for
from that position you have such command
of water, as will enable you to select the most
advantageous descent to your promised haven
Of unbounded resources.
But is there not much within your native
State to encourage you, besides what must be
visible to every one from connection with
Connecticut river? Let it be recollected,
that geology teaches us, that all the seconda-
sy and alluvial underground formations lay
regularly in their beds, stretching from the N.
N. East to S. S. West. Now your canal must