Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-11-24

mate. nearly five millions Of dollars. X was cell
known a, the commencement. that the deep cut
would be very difficult and expensive work,
and very liberal estimate was therefore made.
speak of the estimates OF the examining engineers,
who finally passed upon the work. Have any
serious difficulties occurred which, were not lore
seen, Assur eddy not. And every one must allow,
that the work has progressed with more rapidhy
than was anticipated even 10y the most sanguine
Is not the bridge at the summit most capital
one? And has it failed or is 1t likely TO iai In
any respect. II is undoubtedly true, that at the
marshes more money has been expended than was
at first anticipated; but the sum is not great, and
the impor,ant difficulties arS.now believed to be
surmounted.
Perhaps il is improper for one situated as am,
to say any thing upon the subject. So much has
been said, however, By persons opposed TO this
canal, which has had an indirect tendency TO do me
injury, by lettering labourers from coming here, q
in arious other WAYS that do feel myself called
upon to set the public right, far relates to the
work mmedat ely under my direction, which COM
prises nearly one half of what is commonly called
the deep cut, and all the excavation and embank-
ment westerly therefrom to the locks, on the wa
tiers of the Chesapeake, and including also those
two sloop locks with all the excavations, emcanK-
ments, Golfer dams, SIC. apperlainins fhere'" =
The whole of my excavation Amounted 10 about
one million four hundred thousand cubic yards, and
thousand yards. OF the excavation one million,
one hundred Thousand done, and OF the en-
bankment one hundred thousand yards are COM
pleted With respect TO the two locks, they are
both nearly finished and are both at this time re-
ceiving the copeng, and have been pronounced
by competent judges equal to any work oil The Kind
either in Europe or America; and TAR from there
being any truth in the report that new difficulties
are occurring and tina, the work is now progress
ing slowly, the fact is the reverse; tor have
excavated more cubic yards and have made more
cubic yards of embankment during the last tour
monts than during any four proceeding months;
and this applies to each Of the four months, when
compared with any one preceding month"; anu
am now doing as much work every day on the
canal a. l have ever been doing heretofore. -
There have been excavated from the deep cut,
from ar average depth of % feet, about two hum
drcd thousand cubic yards, and there have oeen
made about seventy thousand cubic yards OF en-
bankment during the same periods the last tour
months.
IL is now upwards Of nine years since COM
menced as canal contractor upon the Erie Canal,
since which time have been constantly engaged
in the construction of canals, and am free to de-
clare my belief founded upon what little experience
may have gained during that Period, that there
are no difficulties upon this canal but what might
have betn reasonably expected and none but what
may be easily surmounted. My contract, which
embraces all the hard excava on the whoie line,
would have proved exceedingly profitable one
had the prices of grain and iabour continu-
ed as they were when the contract was made
The stale story, Of the impracticability oil ever
making canal this route, is still going the rounds.
These people of little faith remind me OF small
anecdote which ! will relate. When commence
ed operations, about years since, upon my last
contract, on the Erie Canal, the Eastern section
near the margin OF the Mohaw k river, lecollect
very well that an old Dutchman, through whose
farm the canal passed, asked me with very incre-
tulous countenance, if believed the canal would
ever be done. " Certainly" replied. "Well,'
said Wemple, =" IN ask to 1--we no longer than
till see boat sailing through this cornfleld
The Canal was finished through his cornfeld in
six months and my old friend, Ephram Wem-
pie, now keeps a snug little tavern by the side oil
the canal, where he smokes his pipe and laughs al
all doubling Dutchmen.
Should any persons be DESTROYS o! viewing this
canal, and thereby testing the ruth OF these state
men,s, they will find me a, or near the Canal Line,
where shall be exceedingly happy 10 furnish them
with any information in my power.
S. NEWTON DEXTER,
Contractor for the Western Section
OF the Chesapeake aud Delaware Canal.
Back Greek, .Noo. 10, 1925.