Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-14

the same period Of time, with the same towing
or Propeiling power, and, therefore, at the sams
cost, as on canal Of the same length. with
lockage OF no more than 600 feet, but of the
breadth, at the waterline, offorty feet only with
depth below it Of but four feet.
The difference OF resistance afforded by tbo,.
different volumes OF water, to boat pass;rs
through them, being equivalent TO difTerencss
OF 1858 feet OF lockase upon line of 342 milss
OF canal, allowing minutes delay per foo, or
perpendicular lit at each lock- The length &c
the Western canal of New-York is se2 miles.
its lockage is 6ss feet. given tonnage. tbrre'
fore, being required to be transported from Al.
bany to Buffalo, by the Erie Canal, and from ,bs
District OF Columbia to Pittsburg, by the Che,
| sapeake and Ohio Canal, having depth Of five
feet and breadth OF foity-eight feet, it womb
arrive at is destination in less time, and. bena
propelled by The same force, at less cost alsSS
on the latter, than on the former canal.
While, however, this conclusion founded 49,
the certain deductions of experimental pboso
ply, exhibits, in strong light, the expedencv
| OF resortlng to the broader and deeper canal e
regard be not had to the greater cos, Of lie ror
struclIon; the profitable results to the CAPITAL
| invested in the structure, and the Counties a"J
tata r
| the small canals of England, alike demons,r.,a
| their vast superiority to the best turnpkes; and
the magnitude Of the first expenditure or 90
| extensive work as the Chesapeake and OH
| Canal, deseryedly received the considpr.,;nS
| given to the manner Of constructing il NV ,1o
| commissioners deputed 10 receive subscription,
| to its stock.
| In regarding its praclicability, as well &c i.
TN I'm nj ito
ence to its cost, as that must Of necessity nave
| like reference 10 the means of defrayne +
While the Central Committee render syerv
just tribute to the learning, labor and ab,y
displayed by the United States Board of Intern.
al Improvement in their late reports, they are
| led by their own experience, and by information
derived from sources entitled to the highest
| respect and confidence, 10 question the accura.
cy of such portions Of their tables of estimates
as present to the judgment, facts, occurring
daily, within the sphere of common observe.
ton, rather than in the paths Of scientific re-
search; such are the wages Of labor, and the
price Of the materials required for the consruc.
ton Of those parts Of canal which resemble
the ordinary works Of the coarsests arts in TIE
country adjacent to the line Of canal; such. also
are the quantities of labor which can be Der.
laborers, in given time.
10 ascertain these particulars, by inquiries
from source in which the Board and the pub
lie could not but conhde; from men of inteeri-
ty and experience, most cognisant with then,
from their places OF abode and their daily pur.
suits, and whose authority would be conclusive
on all the doubtful topics of estimate, constitut-
ed, indeed, one Of the objects which prompted
he
ton 10 reassemble in the City Of Washington
an6 to extend that invitation to the counties
and other corporations interested in the end Of
lis deliberations, and who were unrepresented
at the former meeting. Among BODY so con.
stltuted, and people previously appraised Of
the objects OF their approaching re. union, there
must exist many individuals who derive from
their own observation, or come charged with
the results Of the experience of others. as 10 the
detail Of an estimate Of the probable cost of the
labor and materials required for the very sim.
pie purposes OF excavating, embanking, walling
and paving canal, and fencing along its Dor.
der.
The quantity Of each species of this work 10
be executed on any section or subdivision of the
canal, depends, indeed, on estimates foundedon
scientific application Of the structure Of The
canal to the ground along which it is designed
to extend ii, and the quality of that ground; but
the quantity being ascertained, and the manner
OF its execution determined, science has per.
formed its office, and common experience, com.
bined with an actual acquaintance with the re,
sources OF the country, must do the rest.
Conhding their remarks, for the present TO
the estimates Of the Eastern Section of the ca.
nal, which the Board propose to terminate at
Cumberland, the distance Of SO miles from
Georgetown, it appears that they have comput-
ed the cost of that section at Ss,,77 ,o8l O5 for
excavation, entertainments, walllng, lockage &C.
queducts, culyerts, bridges, pudding, paving,
dams, waste weirs, and gates, fencing, basins,
and certain items not reducible to any general
head of expenditure, but few in number, and
amounting together to an inconsiderable sum.
OF the specific heads, the FIVE first mentioned
cover near seven-eighths Of the total cost ofthlS
section, in the proportions,
For excavations of s2,sl5,if6 IS
embankments, 685,456 II
waling, 2,7S7,GoS 68
lockage. including guard locks, 9s7,3c2 90
acqueducts, 81 $50 90
Being total amount Of S7,457,43i %
OF tI,e idua ~, c7,o sO &C he