Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-09-02

ana lhltIIdi )lOSeIHtDl Vi West.
ern Pennsylvania" and that we will give our
aid to every measure likely to forward 50 des.
rable an object.
Resoiued, That the proceedings of this meet.
ing be published in the papers OF this place
L. WORKMAN, Chairman.
JoHN MARsHE, Sec'y.
Wheeling, va. AUguSt %, 1926.
DEAR GENERAL: Perceiving that meeting
Of tine Central Committee Of the Chesa2eake
and Ohio Canal is to be held at the City on The
29lh inst. take the liberty OF communicating
to the Committee through you, some fat
which may be useful in their deliberations CT
this interesting subject.
Some time since, procured copy of The
estimate Of the prices Of labor and materials 10
be employed in the construction OF the Canal
on which the general estimate Of twenty mil.
lions is founded; l have since made it my bust
ness to investigate this subject, and have asceg-
tanned beyond all doubt or controversy, tia, ii.
estimate, in the most important items, is at eas.
three or four times too high, and have nov
written and verbai proposals made by respons.
bic men, who are willing to be bound by Their
offers to furnish the materials, and DO the work
for about one fourth Of the estimate, and IL
some ses less; fer instance, as to masonry snc
stone work, (perhaps the most important item
in the estmate,) the Board have estimated "dy
walls where the Stone are on The spot" al Z,
per perch. Offers are made to do this iOr .
cents. Walls with mortar &c. are ectmaec
at SIS 81 per cubic yard, equal to about S. 81.
per perch. Offers for this are made at 81 50
Lime is estimated at so cents per bushel az:
quantity can be delivered for from TO cents,
and have no doubt contracts could be made a.
once to supply lime for the whole Western sec
ton at this rate. Bricks are estimated at ;:
per thousand. A gentleman who is now ila.
ling contract for 100000 at this place, a.
So Is per thousand, where he pays 81 l2!pa
cord for wood, offers 10 make any quantity On
the Canal, and especially on the mc1n'ln
where the wood will cost little or nothing 20.
IS per thousand. The lowest estimate c. its
Board for labor, is s per day. This caf o.
had for less than half this sum.
have just received letter srcm JereiF'
Abner Lacock, who once offered, wi:t "
Shriver, to construct the Canal from l'a;hln5
ton City to Cumberland, for two and \ da'
millions, who says to me, in his le:tef OF 'h'
the job for "my old bid, two ana hall MT
lions, and am confident "that the wofA ca.
be done for that sum. | am enabled % spe~F,
he says, "with some certainty; ! have iH'' al,
day finished contracting for twenty-five r'i','
up the Allegheny, over much such 8'oc"v'
this will cost, including lockage, aud ever ..
Their expense, less than nine thousand dc'ia''
per mile" This letter have shewn to Ai1'
Shriver, who was connected with Mr. Laco e.,
in the bid referred, who says he is also S".
willing to engage to make the Canal H'N'
Cumberland to Washington, for the sum msl
toned, two and half millions, and give an
pie security for its fulilment. And the prop
sal appears TO comport with the dlterehoe =
the estimated cost of labor and materials, a"'
the actual cost as ascertained by contracts ~
Gently made. | have written TO General l~
cock to procure a detailed statement o. y.
prices paid on the Pennsylvania Canal, tor -.
work and materials contracted fer. i"
days ago large public meeting was he1a 90
Uniontown, and Committees Of suitable p,
SONS residing along the whole line OF Cana
were appointed TO collect information as =
prices, and receive written proposals from -
sponsible men to do the work, &c. these
will forward to the Board ofImter.Ial impro's
ment, by which hope they will be enabled "
correct the estimate before its publication
the extravaganza of the estimated cost OIL w
work, you know, is the great and principe
difficulty we have to encounter. / would 81?
gest whether it would not be well TO adopt si'ii!
lar measures On the Eastern section. On ID