Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-12-04

crSevega !.unGsed, have osS.. -. .,JiS ;vr n.0se
than two months.
1t is, also, confidently believed, that, while
their contracts have conported with the facilities
afforded by the river Potomac for the execution
Of The contemplated works along lis banks, their
known skill aud character, as well as fair COM
psrison Of the prices Of their labor wi; ,tcsc Tor
like work similar enterprises, i'll the United
Stotes, are pledges that they will receive an am
PIE remuneration for their expenditures Of time
and money.
At the Lecsburg letting sos offers, for va,-
Gus parts OF the labor on the Canal were made b.
ic2 different agents, counting each company Of
persons as one agent The far greater portion OF
the contracts, both as 20 number and value, are
made with contractors North OF the Potomac;
from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
Pennsylvania, aud Maryland their experience
and skill, having enabled them greatly 10 under
bid, except in very few cases, the less confident
contractors from the South.
The work contracted for, is 20 be completed by
the end oil the next year and efforts will be- made
as speedily possible. by other contracts, TO ex-
tend the Canal, 1riihin tie same period, from
Rock Creek TO Shepherdstown. No other than
feSdf in,pedimentS can prevent it, and the char
Ter Of the Company provides il is believed for the
prompt removal Of these.
Lest the cause of the reduction Of the contract
price OF the Canal below the prior estimates of the
United States Engineers should be misapprehend-
ed. strict comparison has been Instituted be.
tween the various quantities OF work, as well as
ted States Engineers, and in the recen, contracts.
BY the former, tho Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
was designed to be 80 feet wide and five feet deep,
except where peculiar difficulties were supposed
10 require its breadth to be reduced. The canal
contracted for is to be, ,rere less than 50 feet
":te, ard IL is 10 be every where Il. least six feet
deep. IL viii DE 90 WHEREVER The former was 70
be - feet sside, and six where that was 10 be i've
iect deep The comparative quantities. and prices
oil labor on his Canal, between a point five miles
HlOuOCaCy. n mill bel fi,a
hitoctan Mountain and the Little Falls of Poto-
mac, according TO the p;ior estimate and to the ac-
'ua contracts are, III relation to the principal de-
'aiis' as follow The quantity of excavation Of all
sorts oil earth, rock, SC, III this part Of the Canal
1t computed by the United States Engineers TO
reach 2,i2O $50 cubic yards, AID 10 cost 702 ,9i5
collars. The quantity contracted for, according
10 the estimate OF hessrs. Wright and Martineau,
ms 1852 Oi3 cubic yards and it is actually contract
ed for, at the cost of S2iS,76S.
The Embarrassment computed by the former, on
the same line OF Canal, amounts TO iN,lio cubic
yards ard its estimated cost is $4,000, aveJag-
ing more than ~ cents the cubic yard that re-
CURED by The latter, amounts to 9S3,9l6 cubic
yards, and is contracted for at Sis, 253, or 1. and
seventy two hundred cents the cubic yard
The Stone W aliing,in the estimate OF the fomer,
amounts III quantity TO l39 ,245 perch, and in cos.
10 i37 "a dollars in that of the latter 1t com.
prehends II3,720 perches, and has been contract.
ed for at S63,5.,t
An Aqueduct, OF arches of thirty fee. span,
Is computed in the former estimate at SO, 923 dol
lars. 1t has been contracted for upon the same
pian and dimensions, for g 600 dollars The low
est price III the former estimate, for cubic yard
oil excavation, OF any Sort is IL cents, and the a.
verage cost every species, % and eight tenths
cents; The lowest price at which this species OF
very simple work has been not under contract, is
cents the cubic yard; its average cost tor every
&Int OF material, TO be dug, auarred, or blasted
IS for near two millions of cubic yards contracted
| TO be II cents per yard.
The substitution of substantial auueducts, OF
massey stone, Tor the wooden trunks estimated by
Messrs. Geddes and Roberts, and the great en-
largement OF the cross section OF the Canal, are
evidences that its importance has been duly re-
garded, and must exclude the suspicion that the
reduction OF its cost results in any degree from a
tifnnution OF its original plan, any disregard oil
its permanent durability Its entertainments are.
in truth, greatly enlarged, and strengthened bv
sub shutting slope, for vertical walls, whenever
there is space enough to allow il; and It's culycr,s
| exceeding the estimated number of Mcss-s. Gei.
des and Roberts, equal in that respect, and sur
pass, IN actual cost, those embraced in The pro,
computation OF the United States Board Of Inter.
nal improvement
III is evident, that the impediinents which so
'ong deiayed the commencement OF this great
work, naiona! in its purpose, il ia, in part in
me means provided for its accomplishment, have
iinaiiy Ceased to obsiruet its progress: and its
friends nave but TO persevere, in order 10 ensure
It's successful and speedy accomplishment on a
scale commensurate with its commercial aud poli.
teal importance to tl.e States and TO the Union.