Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-01

persons in our community have any adequate idea
of the magnitude of the great work which connects
this city with the Cumberland coal region, and
having few years ago been much upon 1t, and
along the line il occupies, have drawn up the
following description. and shall feel much grated
if you can afford room for it in your paper. II is
proper to state that for the distances, measurements,
and description of materials, have been princl-
pally indebted to report of w. II. SWIFT and
NATHAN HALE, with its appendix, published at
Boston, in l646.
Taking boat in the broad and beautiful Washington City
Canal on the level of in the river Potomac, enter
the of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal at the south
ern extremity Of nth street, which lock has N Of about
three and half feet The level gained BY this lift is pur-
sued along the border Of the river for mile and quarter
to the basin the mouth Of Rock Creek, where there is
another tide lock, which enables boats passing through it to
warp directly alongside the shipping at the wharves of
Georgetown. .
Continuing along the basin, come to the first lift lock
of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal lock No. and rising
through il and Nos 2, 8, and 4, enter upon level Of
about miles, known the Georgetown level fed from the
pool Of dam No. J. built the Potomac just above the
Little Falls Four stone bridges and three wooden
the canal line with the streets Of Georgetown the one
on line with High is Of stone with single arch Of
fifty -four feet span and the Of this arch is about twenty
feet above the surface of the canal.
At the upper end of the town, this its river 'front.' the
Alexandra canal has its junction with the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal from which it is fed for its whole length Of seven
miles to that city. 1t the Potomac by aqueduct,
the Georgetown abument of which is of granite, with two
arches which for rosdway The paapet walls which
form the waterway this abument with wooden
trunk resting on eight massive stone piers.
The canal water sarnce OF forty-
five feet above the river affords power for number
Of mills At the junction Of the Alexandra canal widens
and has average width Of about seventy feet for the
remainder of the level. . .......a
wooden bridge is thrown the canal the end Of
this level for the accommodation of the road to Leesbug,
which the river just below the Little Falls The level
is provided with several ces and 0ass but the object
of this paper is only to speak Of what will be most likely
attract the eye Of the traveller description of these is
to be expected
After passing the bridge aforementioned and the mouth
Of the Little Falls feeder, to lock No. s. Rising
through this, and locks g. g. TO- IL IL, 49, and H.
the levels between which vary from few hundred feet up
and threequarter miles, upon another four mile
level Passing along this lock l5 and rising
through and l6 II, 49, 49, and TO- find that have
the "Grea Falls Of the Potomac whose waters
plashing in the distance far below ..@
All the levels from lock Is to lock 20 short ones. From
20 2l there level of two and quarter miles, and be-
81 and 22 and % and 49, levels of about three miles
EACH Much Of the canal from the Little Falls to this point
had be constructed along the pecpous bank Of the river
and its immense tow-path embankment consequently
subject to be washed by the rivers rushing This
made heavy sopewaing necessary for its protection, and in
part there continuous wall Of this kind for miles
in length, part Of which is ffy-si1 feet high.
Adjacent to lock 49, and between it and the abutmen
dam No. ?, there guard lock communicating with the
river, and through this guard-ock the canal fed This
feeder is generally known the Seneca Feeder" "
From lock % to lock "a is hree-quartes Of me This
last mentioned lock is connected WITH and in fact forms part
Of the lower abu,ment Of the Seneca aqueduc structure Of
hard red sandstone handsomely and having three arches
of thirtyhree feet span, and half feet rise each.
The level attained by lock "a is continued this aque-
duct, and onward for eight miles lock 25 From this to
lock 26 have another long level Of eight and half miles,
and from thence to lock ~ of about two miles.
About half mile above the last mentioned lock we come
to the large ausnt Of the Potomac called Monocacy creek
which the canal s carried by another aqueduct This
beautiful structure known the Monocacy aqueduc of
hard white mountain sandstone, smoothly II has seven
arches OF 81 feet square, feet rise each The abutmens
extend far back in the line Of the canal exhibiting two blind
arches and giving to the entire structure length of 81 feet
of cut work. besides extension of the wings by rubble
masonry. te.~. .....#
More attention appears to have been paid to establishment
In this work than any other the line of the canal The
stone not only smoothly cut but the waterfall has an
unusually fine architectural effect, and the piers are orna-
mented with paster marble slab set in the basin oa
rapet WALL with inscription giving the names Of the Pesi-
dent and Directors of the Company the Resident and Assist
Engineer and of the contractors IT, with the date of
its erection. ,.% ....~ ........
After leaving this aqueduct continue on the same level
for about six miles the famous Point of Rocks" river
bluff formed by the end of the Catoctn mountain Round
this buft was necessary that the Chesapeake and Ohio Ca
nal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad should both find
path; and believed by many that the construction of
the one would eectu,y preclude the others onward pro-
gress Years Of expensive litigation followed till it was at
length compromised thus The Canal COMPANY gave nm
portion of the width of their canal and the rock was cut
deeper into the face Of the bluff for the road and To- thew run
peaceably side by side. We may imagine the navigator Of
the canal be with his immense freight SLOWLY along
its smooth waters, saying to himself as he looks up at the
rapid railway train, No matter exu in your speed if YOU
will; carry more than you, with all your noise we have
both our cause for pride, none for enmity." ..
There but three bridges that cross the canal between
the Little Falls" and Point Of Rocks" Il is no, on,
purpose describe these any than the culvers &c.,
before inmated. SUI say, that nearly all the cross
ing places between Georgetown and Cumberland are under
the canal through road cuive and that what few bridges
there have height above the surface of the canal of
seventeen feet. >s# ..e..