American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-30
- 00JI0T 6
From the Eikton Press.


ISnEohFEAhE AMI DELA W. AXE CANAL,
Mr.. Editor-Having very recently heard that
the operations on the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal were under successful progress. and as has
been nearly nine months since made visit to
that great and important work, determined to
review il again and judge for myself whether it
was going on now in manner to insure final com
pleton within any shori period commenced nv
investigation al end Of the canal and procre d
deliberately to the other and 1t is with great salts
faction that am able to state, my thorough con
vction that the time when we shall see this canal
navigable is not iat distant. The contractors an
pear 20 have adopted system, tn have laid we'll
| dgested plans Tor the prosecution of their work
and the whole to be moving on wi,h the regularity
OF a discipline army do not think it necessary
10 parlicuarse any portion OF the wo,k as evucipp
stronger evidences of good management than
another lit was whole hat dete, mined 10
review 1t, aud it is as whole that speak OF it.
Every where the men informed me that they
were regularly and punctually paid well fed and
comfortably lodged-and to my great surprise |
neither saw no heard of one sick man among the
'aborers. Among some OF the contractors the
high price of grain and hay, and the scarcity OF
both, seemed the only difficulty they had to con-
lend with but upon inquiry found that the prin.
cipal contractors had raised the wages OF the ,eams
and were in fact the only sufferers. Al the time
the last contracts were made for the Eastern section,
feed for horses was fifty per cent lower than at
present, the boarding of men was much lower and
several o!her things have risen much beyond what
any one had reason to anticipate. The profits of
the work, therefore, to the principal contractors di
mlnshed in much greater ratio than the increase
OF price in these necessary and indispensable articles
OF daily USE because they are compelled to pay to
the sub contractors several cents per cubic yard
more for excavation than would otherwise have
been demanded. But notwithstanding this fact
o. Ill a.
push forward and surmount difficulties that gives
me the most sauguine belief that The work could no,
be conhded to better hands.
understand also that the Engineers have, by the |
present contract, the immediate command of the |
whole work; that they investigate every thing that
pertains even to the sub contractors, and that not
only the general plan but even the mnuta OF
operations are attended to by them 10 person. This
is certainly most wise and wholesome regulation.
and the only one that strikes my mind as being COM
pletely calculated 10 put an end to vexatious com
plants. One thing however, heard at Newbods
Landing in conversation between two gentlemen
from Philadelp ha, that was most unexpected A
party seems is rising up composed of the friends
OF the former contractor on the Eastern section, to
turn out the present Board Of Directors. If this
should prove true, it would be most disastrous
event and will in all probability defeat the compile
lion of the canal On nquiring more about this
matter, OF number of intelligent gentlemen, l
was told that if any material change took place in
The Board at the next election for directors that the
Engineers (and very justly too) look upon it an
indirect censure upon all of them and of course
will retire; that in that event the present
ors were determined to surrender their contracts
and abandon the work as their contracts have been
1rawn under the fullest expectation that change
't Engineers would ever take place, and have in
'erted in them a number Of provisions so pecu-
iarly hard that they will not trust themselves in
he power Of new set Of men. Is
hope therefore that other stockholders will dol
IS have done, view the work for themselves be-
ore they vote, and they will be convinced
hat no change ought to be made, but the sures,
node Of success is to let things go on as they are
low progressing. A Maryland Stakeholder.
May 1900