New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-14

NJ them and the gates cloeed upon without touching
il; thsi the City Hall IN the PAM IN the City Of Ses
ieet in length might have one hundred and thirty
teet ssced 10 IT, and still be locked through-that the
combined length of the two sides and wings OF tue
two locks together is nearly one-thrd OF mile IN
r,tb All OF soid masonry, twenty five feet high, ten
fst thick At the base with buTesss siI feet width
AZ every twelve feet, all faced with cut white ne
stor equal if not superior to me D. oil this Sas
One of these locks vas built under the -uoerintend-
cree Of Mr.. Ashley, Of New-York Mll. AID the other
nv der the superintendence OF Mr.. Tooey, of Marcy
The gates Of these locks are each forty feet VIDE or
twice az wide az an entire lock on the Ere Canal'
Esch gate IL suspended and held in place like Gus.
renson bridge. weighing many tuns, and yet mo 7ed
With ease by the strength Of one man. They were
made on plan patented by Mr.. Mccarthy, Of Pits
bnyo Pa and under his direction.
The Capal IL 100 feet vide at top OF water eni 10
wide at top of 's banks. The depth Of water IN Il /.
70 feet The main body Of tho Canal is excavsei
through rock and walled up with such slope Ais a.
the Erie Genial cannot bos.i OF. 10 protect TINS worS
above and below locks, supported by strong ana
handsome Masonry, portion OF which WAS bunt un-
der the direction Of Mr.. Essterbrooks of Herkiner.
There il no instaDce record in which laod apPro-
prated by the General Government has been so hon.
eAly applied or made 10 accomplish so much.
Tie work hes been accomplished IN an uuprece-
depieoly short time, and in the face OF difficulties
which no ordinary energy or capital could have over
The frs. movements of the contractors were fet-
tered by an Injunction. In the frat summer the m n
we're weak. ned and dsheariened by dysen'ery; and,
during the lsst summer, the cholera made mu IN
havoc smopg them; fresh forces had to be poured IN
constantly upon the canal TO prevent ts Abandonment
and even then nothing but the constant presence ana
energy of Mr. Brooks and Mr.. Harvey prevented
panic end totsl deserticn of the work Many vau
able lives were lost. Among them, Mr. Ward ana
Mr.. Mapes of this State. Quite large portion OF
the work was done in the MIDST of winter the sever
ty Ct which we can hardly appreciate This was &C
CON plisf ed tbro ugh the enerpy Of Mr. Chapel no
member of the Legislature OF the State OF Mlcnig in
The only covering which could protect the Zee. OF
the workmen from the frost vas blanket or lar "hie
boots were found 20 be too cold 10 be So-n Tee feet
bspds and faces of the laborerI frequently frozen
and vet not single day ives lost during the whole
winter. The men agreed not - leave the work a;
long az the Superintendent, Mr.. Chapel remlined at
his rost; and on one occasion he suffered cns OF his
feet 10 be frozen rather than be tne first 20 yield
After the death of Mr.. Ward, Oliver p. Root, OF
Oneida brother Of Judge Root, of thI city, took
charge Of the work, and proved himself to be most
expelieIced and capable man, and OF srea' Valde 70
the contractors. - -
In this account Of the 81. Marys Ship Canal did
not design 20 notice the various persons who have
been connect with IT, yet ought not to TAU to m n
tion the lameDted Captain Garfield, who was ap-
pointed Chief Engineer Of the State of Michig An,
al who formed the plans Of this Canal but OF whose
service Il e Company was early deprived by his un-
timely death. His successor was John l. CLARK, our
State Er cinter with Col Glenn of Michigan, Gs his
Assistant together with Mr.. Nichols whose skill and
accuracy rs AN engineer are well koown among eng-
neers in this vicinity. MsnY men have distinguished
Themselves on this work. among whom are Messrs
Chsppel Hamln and johnson, and others OF Aitch-
gan; and Ashley, Tobey, Easterbrooks aud Frazisr,
and others Of this State.