The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-04-24
rTrsm the Albany Argus
Opening of the Enlarged Canal.

I q meeting IN WaterviIet, ofthe contractors on
the eastern section Of the Erie Canal Enlargement,
Edward Larned, Hezekiah sage. David Hamilton,
w. ]. McAlpine and VIM Eggleston were appoint
ed a committee to invite the canal board, the resi-
dent Members OF the legislature, and such other
gentlemen as they might deem advisable, TO accom-
pany them on a trip from the Lower Aqueductto
the city of Albany, for the purpose Of viewing the
new line OF canal and the various structures there
on.
A committee of arrangements was appointed at
the same time, consisting Of General A t. Dun
ham, w. w. Wright, Mr.. Decker, General Smith,
{, C Hubbard, J. H Mallory, Alonzo BALDWIN
sud Eenerai rates. to make the necessary prepare
ton for the excursion.
Accordingly on Wednesday, two boats, the E n
largement," capacious and well fitted up for the
occasion, and the sc. w. Little, we're in readiness
at the Lower Aqueduct, IA miles from the city.
And at noon, the respective committees, with their
invited guests, including the Acting Commissions
for this section, the Comptroller and other public
officers, started on the downward trip of review
the boats bearing the American aag-with music
from Cookies fine brass band, and a salute and
hearty cheers from the shore.
Previous to starting, however. the company
found ample time to examine the Lower Mohawk
Aqueduct This structure is une qualled in mag
nitude, and not surpassed in any respect, throughout
the line of the enlarged canal. 1t is a noble work,
rejecting the highest credit upon the skill and Ia
lent of the Resident Engineer, Mr.. McAlpine, upon
the contractor, Col. Sage, and upon all who have
been engaged in its construction 1t is massy and
luDO6IpR LII It6 0DDeaTduCt,a II dsIur III lOe0
of utility. and as a material link in the greatest
work Of improvement OF the age, q sight Of l: is
worth a ride atleast from the city. It crosses the
Mohawk by twenty six arches, each 81 feet span,
an entire length Of l14O feet, and a width of 40feet.
1t was commenced in 1893, and was completed on
the 10Th inst at a cost Of $3l5, 900 In its plan and
proportions, as well as its substantial and finished
masonry, it is one Of the proudest triumphs of art.
1t is the largest a~queduct in America.
The other structures on this section are in keep
InU with this UIUanftr Unrk Thara r aiuhfaan
new locks, seventeen of Them double locks-four-
teen of them lOfeet lit, one 10 feet 8 inches, and
two III feet 3 inches. Thc average cost Of each is
about $75, 900. The material is generally of the
Amsterdam stone. They were commenced in 1886,
and were completed on the ooh inst. They will
vie with any work of the kind in America, for ca
paciousness, and for solidity and beauty of mason
ry; and the contractors may point with pride TO 90
fallen under eur observation. Notwithstanding
their greatly increased size, they are worked with
surprising ease and rapidity, the average time of
locking in and out for each boat being only one mi
mute and twenty seconds.
Above West Troy, the line Of the Enlarged Ca.
nal DIVORCES from the former canal, taking a higher
level, and avoiding the inconvenience of bringing
many locks, as before, into immediate cOntiguity.
But the difficulties OF q part of the route were truly
At the Cohoes, in attaining the eleva.
tion, the new route passing above the factories,
the side hill was cut of l26 feet above the bottom
Of the canal, so that we now look upward on one
oso ~ tuNt oittAuuCs WhilC " IA III OtucI II Al Gu"
bankmentfrom 30 to 60 feet in height This proved
to be the most difficult port on of the route, The hill
being of hardpan formation, and requiring conf
nued blasting, and the embankment r. quirisg, in
its unfinished state, the greatest skill and care to
prevent its yielding to this pressure.
But decidedly the most perfect masonry on the
route, is the lowest side cut. or new combined
locks, at West Troy; constructed by Messrs.
surpassed by any similar work in the world; less
perhaps in their extraordinary size and capacious.
ness of bed, being % teet lift, than the care, exact
ness and finish Of the superstructure. The average
locks, is Sc cubic feet, s~killfully wrought out from
the Saugerties quatries; and there are substantial
walls OF masonry at the entrance and outlet. The
cost of the side cut was $IO7 900.
22O feet in length, and II high and wide, of stuff.
cieut capacity to admit the free passage of q load
Of hay, is a very substantial and well built strue-
ture, and the culvert below the Arsenal, q beau
They are both a part of Mr.. Hsbbard's contract,
and we're constructed under his immediate direc-
ton.
The works on all this section have been planned
by and carried forward under the Immediate direc-
tion Of Mr.. McAlpine, the resident engineer, Of
whose capacity and great efficiency we can speak
in terms scarcely too strong and emphatic.
The entire fourteen miles, it is well known, are
senal and its surrounding grounds, edllices aud
works, now in a state of high improvement, the
Cohoes Falls, and the commanding view OF the
Mohawk, the Hudson, the Factories, Troy, Water.
the long and straight, aad we may say also broad,
canal level, walled and beautifully finished, be.
tween the Arsenal and Albany, with the Hudson
and its fleets on the one hand, and the thronged
McAdam road on the other, and passing through
rich and highly cultivated grounds and at the doors
of cottages and mansions, form altogether an aggre
gate, combining grandeur OF scenery, picturesque
views, the channels Of a great and growing com.
merce and the pursuits OF active life, rarely equal
ed, and Of the highest interest
Throughout this distan ce, at every turn, and in
passing nearly all the bridges, the boats were re-
eeived with cheers by the assembled population
and were answered by responsive cheers, by the
music of the band, and by salutes from a six pound
cr on board one 'of the boats, and lat the Arsenal,
salutes were given and returned. Altogether it
was a gay and enliveng scene-the more enliven-
ing, as the earnest of the returning season Of active
and busy life on the great highway which bears to
its mart the wealth Of the soil and the labor OF
nearly an illimitable interior.
The arrangements on board the boat " Eolarge.
ment'' were we'll and appropriately made, Col Sage
a~ctinglas marshal. and Mr. J H. Mallory as assist.
ant; and an abundant C lllation was served up, IN a
handsome manner, on the temperance principle,
by John b. Vanderwerken.
This section of the enlarged canal has been
brought into use, at this time, with incredible ct
fort. The contractors although h-avily in ad-
vance to the state, and, under the financial manage
ment of the late adm lRistratIou, without the expec-
tation Of immediate payment, nave brought to the
work an amount efforce that has carried it through,
despite the obstacles, physical and Pecuniary,
they have had TO encounter Its importance to the
navigating interest was such as to call fo1 the COM
pletion of the structures and the use of the new
locks il possible; and the acting commissioner, the
engineers and the contractors, have brought all
their energies to the task Its completion results
in reducing the number "flocks between the aque-
duct and the city from Fl to Is; in facilitating the
locking in and out of boats, Notwithstanding the in
creased lift; in saving five or six hours in the pas
sage of each boat from schenectady; in providing
ample basins, and so arranged as to avoid ground
ing or delay, or the pressure Of boats upon the
locks; and in avoiding heavy expenditures for re.
pairs, which the longer use Of the old line Of the
canal and its strained and lettering single locks,
would have rendered Unavoidable.
The boats reached the Albany basin between five
and six in the afternoon passing many, several
heavily laden, which had cleared during the day
the company well pleased with the excursion, and
with the opportunity to view these noble works oil
Art and of a well directed publie muni6ceuee.