Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17
THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL.

We have just received copy of the annual Report of
the Directors of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal made
to the Company last month.
The topic of leading interest in it for the public is the
extensive damage suffered by the Canal from the great
food in April last On this subject the able Chief En-
gneer Mr. Fisk expresses his opinion that the $50
ESTIMATED by him in Apri will not only be sufficient
restore the navigation in july but also, few points,
commence works which, when completed will SO protect
about six miles Of the Canal in the aggregate where the
heaviest damages sustained both regards expense
and time for repair to prevent than about three
thousand dollars in damage in place Of about forty thou
sand at present. the event of rise in the Potomac
high that of the 18th and Goth of April lastths
highest that be found for the last hundred years
make the following extract from Mr. Fsks report:
That the late freshet unprecedented for height
far information extends the past is lite
rally true. have been in the valley of the Potomac
upon the line of the canal for the last twenty years
and during that period particularly in the last years.
have spared pains to get the highest reliable
marks of the Potomac and now state that have met
with none above high, those left by it in
April last The fresh in 1S47 already remarked was
regarded very high one; yet the late above
it. from the Point of Rocks to the mouth of the South
Branch, distance of lie miles, from feet and
Immediately below the Great Falls it about SIXTY
four feet above low water and eight feet above the fresh
of 1847.
I'm view of the preceding facts the Canal Company
may think congratulate itself upon having work that
will when the present repairs and improvements making
in connexon with them completed be little liable
to serious damage from casualties like the recent
and to which food in the Potomac high, well
can be ascertaned any within the last hundred years.
could not do damage exceeding $4,000
"And in the end it may be well for the company
that the late disaster has beaen it before the business
upon the canal had become extensive and when the nd
rect loss to the company in revenue from suspension of
the navigation Of its canal is much less than it would
be few years hence for it will have been the cause Of
bringing about the construction of such improvements
in the canal would in the Of another rise in the
river great the one reduce the time to
the navigation from about three months il will now
be, to not month.
81 come now to speak of the condition of the canal
as it was Immediately before the Of the late
fresh and as it will be again when the navigation is
restored The canal in better condition than
in March last Boats of the first class drawing Al
feet water and carrying loads averaging about 100
1t Gin March as against serious damage and
interruption to its navigation from water high in the
Potomac as had been known for long period and will
be- as already remarked when the present repairs and
work going completed, equally secure against
serious damage and interruption to its navigation from
water as high as any Of which we have knowledge"