Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-06-14
ALEXANDRIA, ID. C.
NoyDaY MORNING, JUNE "a, 1880.

10 and Ohio Canal, which, when completed,
IN c;ve a third market 10 the commerce of that
leaf ;horuoghfare. The length of tins Canal
IN no about eight miles, for which distance it
saI snnersede a reliance on the navigation of the
IAN river. from a point above Georgetown to
.Ss mort of Alexandria. Its value TO the cit
;,ens of Alexandria and Its vicinity, and to all
,rbo are interested in the markets of the Poto-
mac. whether residing above or upon tide water,
md ~ the United States, merits the attentive
consideration of the public, to whom this appeal
! made in lis behalf. To Alexandria, apart from
il navigation and trade, it will supply. at level
ofpear forty feet above the tide, water for every
n,-ro.e Of security from fire, of health. conve-
rr;e11ce and comfort. Should the Chesapeake and
Oslo Canal Company acquire the power of dis
ao,,ng Of the surplus water of that Canal, it may
h. also confidently expected, that advantageous
,r~ysprsments NAV be formed with that Company,
for the application of part Of it to manufacturing
pIrposes on the South sid of the Potomac.
Il is. however. to the primary end of every
Canal. the facilities of trade which this work will
ba calculated TO afford TO all who enter the mar
ke,s Of this District. that the public attention is
invited at the time of opening the books for sub
,cription to its stock. Whatever expense may
,tiend the transportation of commodities to mar
ken. isborne either BY the producer himself, or
me consumer. 1t the price TO the consumer be
fixed. then whatever reduces the cost OF transport
,t.l, or the mercantile orslipping charges for
conveying it to the consumer, advantageous to
the producer, precisely to the extent of that re-
tlcion. Much of the IN of the Chesa-
peake aud Ohio Canal, will be destined for a for
elm marketable supplies of which, are derived
Is well f7omSC ports of this Union, as from
foreign countries, although the price therefore in
that market NAV be but III a very small degree
leveudent on the supplies Of that of Alexandria,
ma price constitutes the full measure of the va
ae Of every article shipped fom the portof Alex
sadri., from this value mast be deducted, to
me loss of the farmers and all other persons who
visits ina. market, the cost of reaching it. To the
p~roprietor of every commodity descending the
P) oMac. and winch is destined for. consumption
broad. it < 81, ions that the difference of expense
between q ~shinaent Of such commodities from
Inc mort Of Georgetown and from that of Alexan-
dil. will be the price saved by descending to
,5a latter. and If II DO. 80 descend, the rain. il
,yv lp,n It's descent Nv a Canal rather than BY
The main river. accrues TO the benefit of the pro-
p~rietlr. By the main river a canal boat drawn
by horses. cannot descend from Georgetown 10
Alexandria. withor- taking the nnrses into the
bat and providing some other CON lellinS power,
q, sails Jars. uc team, he structure of a proper
canal boat ,'i~a will De, low waist, 90 feet
long al,A -! feet wide, without a keel, units it
for - application Of sails On a broad sheet of
wa.cr. Ii can neither be steered. nor made to
tack 10 adyan.aep-it cannot sail near the wind
and must often be stopped by its adverse direc-
ton The expense of sails, masts and necessa-
nv Igein., 80 we'll as frequent and long deten-
ulns b. b ad wiads. would render q reliance on
nh, mode of navigation, both costly and preca-
mons.
To row a boat of 100 tons s or 10 miles on 4
broad sheet Of water, incommOded by having the
horses on board, which had brought it down the
Canal. must certainly be attended BY the labor
of other hands than had managed it in Us Canal
VOYAGE from above. but would be likewise attend
ed, on the broad sheet of water below Analostan
Island with no inconsiderable hazard.
Potomac boats, of ten or twenty tons burthen,
are nov managed by the labor of six hands, with
poles and oars; bat they rarely, If ever, descend
to the port of Alexandria, heavy canal boat,
provided, as it may be, most amply, at little cost,
with one mau and two boys, with three horses
would never attempt it. To supersede animal
Abr upon a branch canal, by the employment OF
steam as tOw-bOats on the main river, would be
attended with a heavy cost for each boat TO be
lowed, or expose the descent of the boats in great
numbers at one time to much delsy; willie, to
avoid hazard to the canal boats durius high winds
or storms, would require a peculiar construction
10 be given TO those designed for the Alexandra
market On the other hand, a continued canal
vii permit the regular passage to and from Alex.
mdria al all hours of the night as well as day, OF
such boats as navigate the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal. The cost of such canal will depend on
lie manner of constructing the aqueduct across
The Potomac, designed to continue the elevation
dtae line Of canal above Georgetown, and thus
10 preclude the obstruction of an intervening
,ocklge between the two ports. Ii this aqueduct
@all consist of u wooden trunk, resting on stone
PIERS, it would probably not exceed IN cost
5000 dollars. In like manner would the price
this canal depend on its dimensions and plan,
rs cost may reach 100000 dollars; and, with
ne aqueduct and locks to descend into the 70
Nmac at Alexandria, it would swell the expense
o 1.-The entire canal to 100000 dollars. AT 1--we
per cent. the expense of this canal would be
$500 dollars per annum; and no reasonable
doubt can be entertained that a much larger ex-
NMl "