Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-02-19


length commences at Easton and termi-
mates at Bristol. There are on this line
thirty-three locks, including guard and
outlet locks, and ten aquenducts. The
total lockage overcome is one hundred
and sixty-four feet, from medium tide at
Bristol to the top water level of the dam
at Easton.
Navigation was resumed between Bris-
tol and New Hope on the 18th of March,
and the whole line was in order for trans
portation on the I'd of April. The only
interruption experienced was by the
breaking of the Tinicum aqueduct, which
will have to be rebuilt the present winter.
The increase in tolls over last year is
s3s, ,525 Sc
The amount of coal shipped from Eas
ton was 7O7,702 tons. In 1850, 502,
SAG tons. Increase in 1851, 2O5, ,l56
tons.
The tolls collected in 1851,
at all the Offices on the line,
amounted to S253,813 43
Total expenditures for same
period 81 1868 ID
Excess ofrecpts. overe expen. s196,6102S
which gives a profit of over fifteen
per cent. on 81 100000, the original
cost of construction.
This most profitable portion of the
public improvements has now nearly
reached its capacity. Being the main
outlet to the valuable mineral region
bordering on the Lehigh, the facility Of
reaching market must consequently be
restricted by the capacity of tkis outlet.
Whilst all the avenues leading from
other coal regious competing with the
Lehigb district have been improved, the
Delaware division has remained stationa-
ry The persons who are paying into
the treasury SO large portion OF the
profits from our public works have ecr-
tainly some claim upon the Common
wealth for gradual enlargement Of their
means of reaching market, especially
when the cost to be incurred must result
TO the advantage of the Golfers of the
State. The time has arrived when
commencement in this improvement
must be made, if we wish to retain the
trade that now passes over this line.
Other works are in progress, which must
by their competition, cntrencb upon our
revenues. unless we counteract the threat
ened competition by wise and LIBERAL
policy.
The plan proposed to meet the dc
mands of this increasing trade is, with
one exception, to double the locks Ion
gitudinally, retaining the present width
OF eleven feet, and to increase hci iglt> OF,
the banks so as to admit oil an additional
foot of water. As much the heaviest
portion Of the trade on this line comes
off the Lehigh canal, this improvement
would fully meet the capacity of that
work The Lehigh locks are twenty-five
feet wide, admitting of the passage of
two boats at same lockage. The longi-
tudinal addition to the present locks
would attain the same object, and save
water, as compared with the twenty two
feet wide locks, when but one boat Is
passing through. The only exception to
this plan is at the lock at Uhler's on
the first level below Easton. This lock
will be twenty-five feet wide, for the
purpose of afording speedier supply of
water to the lower levels.
The Board would therefore propose
an appropriation of 100000 for the
purpose of building the lock at Uhler's,
two locks at New Hope, the enlargement
of the New Hope aqueduct, and widen
ing the prism of the canal in that vicini-
ty. As these are the weak points on the
canal, this improvement alone would add
at least thirty per cent, to its capacity.
The completion of the improvement
could be carried out as fast as the re-
sources of the Treasury would permit.
A Hard Story.