Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1827-08-10
NO. 81.
FRIDAY o4Mgust 10, ls27.

loor,ny to their line They are generally youths Of
trvln 20 years OF age and Constitute altogether
1, set OF The most pudent and disorderly young men
| ever met with The cause of this may be found
in the fact that they entirely free from the con-
troll or restraint of their parents and employers, and
exercise an absolute independence OF the captains
of the boats The State Prison at Auburn has al
ready received several graduates from this school,
and the prospect Is very far ior the number Oh It's
inmates from that source continuing to increase
The owners Of boats viii tind it necessary, ere long
to adopt some system Of government and restraint
over these young men, or their property and the
character OF their LINES will be Jeoparded
| There are SOME prominent works Oh the Canal
that deserve particular attention among which the
manner Of weighing boats with their cargoes is not
the least interesting. A lock, similar to the COM
mon looks of the canal, contains platform, or rah-
| : the beams Of platform, that performs the duty
of the dish of scale, which is just the size OF the
inside Of the lock, and is suspended In 1t ny IRON
rods that are attached TO scale beam. in the man
ner Of hay Scales. This platform, when the lock
is full oiiwateris four Or i've beneath the surface
4 Boat to be weighed enters the lock, when the
water being drawn uf, she settles gradually upon
the plat-form and is suspended in the scales as
completely as is ii load Of hay. The weight is then
aseerained in the same way that hay Is weighed,
and the lock is again filed when SHE moves out IN
to the Canal. In various places on the canal, also,
there are dry docks Tor repairing boats and for laying
them up in winter. for which the canal offers great
iacilities- they are large basins excavated ny the
= side of the canal, and. when boat Is to be repair
. ed they are filled with water from the canal, when
- the boat enters placed over set Ut tnnbers' ana
: the water drawn Fly lond gate at the lower side
Of the dock. There is contemporaries, III various
places Oh the canal for the SAME purpose. 1t isa
set OF Screw $50 attached to the timbers upon which
" the boat is toated, to raise the whole sufficiently
high to enable tie NOrkmen to operat upon the bot'
/. tom OF tie boat.
;+tI, FALL 10 ne
III stupendous and elegant pieces OF mason work that
the country affords. The Aquducts at Rochester
and over the Mohawk between Troy and Schenecta'
Us dy. axe much longer, one of the latter beng tour
= huuuted yards long bus bn'lt :" wood, on stone
e. piers but neither OF them to be compared tor
maglticence. and beauty of workmanship. to that
co. over the Mohawk at Little Falls. The arches on
ire which rests are perfect Sen-crcles, and, togehs
ie- cr with the aqueduct itself, built of beautiful blue
e stone. the grain of which is So fine that 1t appears
la susceptible of polish equal to the finest marble.
~, This stone wrought into blocks Of equal dimensions,
Is elegantly and exactly beveled to fl the arch, and
"a squared for the straight work, the whole so closely
RS fitted thathe cement scarcely preceptble Inns
g. supendos work. it may with propriety be SAID wiii
RI. last for ages. Of the Stone spoken OF nearly Az
uii the locks and acqueducts on the canal are Duit
'on 1t appears 10 have been found in abundance on the
line Of the canal, aud have been obtained In BLOCKS
me Of any size that might be required.
"A Human nature is exhibited in and very pc.
'i culiar character on the Canal There are between
up $500 and 1000 boats, each manned by captains
Oil who is generally very important parsonage &
tic, steersmnn, and cook, lit is not uncommon ior the
mai captains wife accompany her husband ana act ia
OBJ this capacity) These men are collected from all
- parts of the country, and, may say IRON all partS
e of the world Bringing with them the original Pc
Jas cuarities of their respective districts and counrless
as and mingling them together by an intimate ana un'
WIN interrupted assocatbn, new anu peculiar chalac-
der ter is formed altogether distinct from any other
tor which has ever fallen within the scope OF my ooser-
nu- walton. This character is SO distinctly marhea 'a'
fro. the must superficial observer Is struck win inc
of change even on stepping ashore into one OF the WI
and lagos, which as yet happily, retain their of,snaA
its character Whether the latter viii be Srauuaiiy
the converted into the former, or the former INTO the
rp simplicity of the latter ;Or whether an amaSaation
ute will be formed of the two, by intimate association
p- remains 70 be seeneher the first the last will be
loe subject of deep regret. These Canaheh are gene
N aIv low characters of no education, and addicted
to intemperance or at least they soon become SO by
ANY intercourse with dssipaed characters IN the cities
dis and villages There some honorable exceptions
t. to this description of character to be fonnd' ana
tier happy is the lucky wight who chances to sht upon
" it buat to which the exception will apply nat inc
,rly low wages given generally prevents men VI pe1'
eni character from seeking employment on the Canal,
ime and consequently the generality OF the boats are
sem manned with the characters described above. Inc
cui consequence s that the most oehavour
sur is exhibited and the most abusive and vulgar ePi-
nee thes exchanged, boats meeting anu passing eac
other upon the trivial occasions and the Sea1
ed number Of boats continually passing and repasslDg,
or makes the of these disgusting scenes al
ON most ncessant. Let it be observed, that 1t IS inc
and transportation, and the Packet boats, to which
own have aluson in these remarks. The Packets are
manned by different description of men, Or at least'
Of the are not permitted to conduct diso!dery on