The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-09-18
Tha Canal Again.


that this community should be fully acquaint-
ed with that in which they feel so great an in
terest; in connection with this Canal, while at
the same time justice shall be done the en-
ployees. We had intended merely giving the
substance of his letter, but take the liberty of
making an extract or two direct In his let
ter dated the 14th, he says:
II got home this morning, having just re-
turned from Petersburgh. Now | will give
you an account of operations on the Canal:
First, breach occurred on Sunday, the 26th
of August, between White River and Mays
vile, and there was pretty heavy land slide,
owing to the sudden falling of the water in the
Canal. The breach was not very heavy one,
but in consequence of the general prevalence
of sickness in the country, it was difficult to
get sufficient force, so that this work could
not be completed until Saturday evening the
LIST of September Just after the water was
let on again Mr.. Wright received word that a
culvert some eight miles above Maysville
had commenced breaking very badly, and he
started his boats up the Canal that night. They
loaded up the material wanted on Sunday, and
proceeded to the culvert. This culvert is To-
Gated in quick-sand prairie and it had COM
menced breaking badly there several times be-
fore; but had been patched up as well as could
be without drawing off the water Anxious to
interrupt navigation as little as possible, Mr..
Wright had endeavoFed to make such repairs
answer for the present; as could be done with
the water in the Canal. When / was down
the Canal the last of August, the owner of the
lands near this culvert claimed damages on ac-
count of the breakage of the culyert, and had
sued the Trustees. Under all the circumstan-
Il hoe ~ 10 I,.ax
off the water; and give the culvert thorough
repairing There could be no more favorable time
than the present. On the level above this cul-
vert there were some bad bars, on which boats
had frequently stuck; and whilst the naviga-
ton was already interrupted, it was thought
best to draw off the water from the upper lev
ell, and remove these bars. Now, sir to repair
E the culvert and take out the bars, required
from Saturday night until Tuesday night the
4th of September, and from that time the wa
ter was passed down as fast as it could be, but it
requires some time to fill forty miles of Canal,
ESPECIALLY when there is obstruction from grass.
When | was last in Petersburgh, Wednesday,
the 18th, that level was nearly full, and very
soon, presume, all will be right again. SeUerl-
teen days seems to be good while for naviga-
, ton to be interrupted, bit | have shown you
how the first nine days were industriously oc-
the remaining eight days were required for
the flow of the water. Ihave been thus partic
ular, in order that you may have practical
idea of our operations, and a Knowledge of the
time that is really required to make repairs and
fill the Canal with water.
1t was reported to the Office here, that The
l water had been drawn off to enable Mr.. Ora
ham to do some work on his mill below Peters
burgh. But that report was utterly false Mr.
: Graham's races had been dug nearly ta6c
months ago. and to this fact several of the citi.
n zens of Evansville can testify. No work O
o the kind referred to, requiring the water to be
drawn off, has been done at Graham's mill since
!. the water has been drawn off, as l know my
SELF from personal examination of the prem
S ises, made last Wednesday,
}, Mr., Ball says the report that Mr.. Wright
e had the repair force at work at his mill, and
thus the navigation detained, is entirely false
n There was no work whatsoever done at Mr.
r Wright's mill while the water was off. Afe1
if the repairs completed and the water let in
: Mr.. Sphinx employed at his mill some of Mr.
It Wrights extra hands, who were not other
wise employed. While they were at work
n the repair boat lay aground near the mill, anC
n the water had not yet risen high enough t.
y let her go down. This is the whole grounC
: of the charges against Wright, the Superinten
n dent Mr. Ball says he has known Mr.. Wrigh
/ or several years, and believes him to be per
: fectly honest, and he is very industrious an(
attentive to the Canll.
d Mr. Ball makes some very practical remark
It about placing confidence in flying reports, ant
5, passing opinions upon them. He says: "Iti
l, highly proper that the real action of the off
Ii GERS of the Canal should be closely scrutinized
d and if anything is wrong, it should be known
s. to the Trustees. l desire to see candid ex
< animation into the operations of the Superin
l. tendents and for myself l shrink from no re
n sponsibility.'' And again he says: Il know
e the Trustees are anxious to have the Canal il
n good order, and if any practicable suggestion
is can be made to them for improvement, the.
e would gladly adopt it.
= do not think the Trustees would hesitate
IS to remove an officer who had neglected hi
/ duty or had acted dishonesty.
IS You will understand my meaning. do no
n wish to screen anybody from censure, whel
We justly merited But while we spare not tn
l. officers of the Canal, let US be careful not t.
r injure the reputation of the Canal ITSELF"
N After abiding to the prospective bushes
he of the Canal, he says: ''As you say it vii
s. be of more value than five railroads to Ev
ansville. We have no longer any seriou
a difficulties with the high efnbankments aboti