Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-16
r E p O R II
OF THE
SUPERlN EN- DENT
OF THE
NORTH BRANCH CANAL.
WILKRs-BARRE, January IL, 1856
TO THE
CANAL COMMISSIONERS.

WILKRsBARRE, January L. 1885,
IN the Board of Canal Commissioners:
GENTLEMEN For statement of the ex.
penditures made to the close of the year end
inc November 30, 1855, and the amount re-
qured for the year ending November 80, 1856,
YOU are referred to the accompanying statement
marked A.
The North Branch extension, Pennsylvania
canal, extends from Pittston to the New York
State line, a distance of "a 19lO0 miles, fol-
owing the valley of the Susquehanna to
Athens, and thence along the Chemung to the
State line Here it joins the Junction canal,
and by it is connected with the New York i'm
proyementS.
The work was commenced in 1886, suspend
ed in 1871, resumed in ls49, and reported
complete in canal reports of December, 1853.
The mechanical structures consist of three dams.
three guardocks, twenty-three lift-locks, two
guard-gateS, twenty-One aqueductS, sixteen
wastc.wcirs, forty-sx culverts, and ninety pub
lie and farm bridges. The accompanying Ia
bIeS marked b., give the location of the aque-
ducts, locks, and of the most important places
on the line of canal
In It's course from Pittston TO the State line.
the North Branch of the Susquehanna river
cuts the \ egheny range of mountains to the
base, and its valley probably presents more
geological and Typographical difficulties than
have been encountered by any other canal in
Pennsylvania, and perhaps in the Union For
one-thrd of the distance the canal is construc-
ted at the base of mountains most of the re-
naming distance, except where streams are
rir hatf Hof !.
NV, ami rises in a series of benches and with
rapid slope, generally attaining an elevation
Of from two to six hundred feet in less than a
mile from the river
Strata of clean gravel, alternating with sand
and sometimes covered with layer Of sandy
loam, is the characteristic of the valleys. Be-
low the dam, at Horse Race, for about two
miles, the gravel is not encountered, and is
the only case for an equal distance on the en-
tire line
PLAN OF CANAL.
Through the narrows or points, where the
river runs along the ends Of the mountains. the
plan of canal was to throw down the loose
rock, lying at the base of the mountain, and
excavatc from the solid rock any additional
amount required to form bench in the river
Of the requisite width, to support the canal
and in some instances the rock was cut back
sufficiently to receive the public road on the
BERNIE The outer bank was protected, against
Inc action OF floods by heavy slope wall
The lining, to retain the water, was intended
10 be composed of selected earth from the de-
composed rock found at the base and on the
oenrhes OF the mountain. This material, unless
carefully selected, is entirely unfit for the OBJ
Jet contemplated, as experience, in the at
tcnptS to open the canal, has too clearly de-
monStratcd. In places where no earth or de-
composed rock was left, after forming the
prism Of canal, lining was hauled from the fats
adjoining In this way the solid rock forms
Tom onc-tOurth to one-llalf of the bottom ull-
ler the lining, with many seams and crevices,
While the quarried and loose rock make up the
remaining portion, and, in some eases, the en-
Ire amount below the lining is composed of this
broken Rubbish
On introducing the water into the rock sec
IONS 1t Uttered through the lining, when OBJ
a!Aed lrem the narrOws and when made from
ne sandy loam borrowed from the fats, it was
"'ced by the water through the interstices
among the quarried and loose rock, and breaks
laQ leaks were the consequence. Breaks in
Aese portions of the canal were caused, i'm ma
d! Instances, by the rains, and in some cases
extended through the entire length of the mar
IONS =
Al'eF passing through the rolid rock in the
.5,''o"$ and generally at their extremities,
''eFe the material was composed of earth min
,El WIN loose rock, and sometimes of a de-
"," ol gravel, it was supposed the natural
-''tFal would answer without lining Here,
%5uy 1t has been found that the natural ca
'eS ahd water passages have been undsturb-
w. ,,I. Snd upon the introduction of water have
1.0''ed perfect system of subterraneous
.'' with constant disposition to form dan
,ouS breaches. At several points there was
arrow Hat where tow-path was built and
.' wafer allowed to spread back to the hill
uouAtan, where it finds subterranean pas.
~ through the loose mass of material to the |
,!Gg through the fats, the plan of the work, as
mo. ,,'G u out, was in thorough cuts to depend |
P.a 5,1 ue material in place without lining, aud
ron .,t :, cuts and fills, making use the material
& "e adjacent cuts for forming the prism
,o canal in most instances without refer
M, " a selection for lining but depending
In, 'ulong puddle bitches and the taking off |
GnrJ esetable matter on the surface, when |
TIN banks. to cut off leakage
arbo. a'any Instances both mucking and puddle
d, os ~ we're dispensed with, as is evident from
b, tIa @Asge along the natural surface, overflow
I'd % IN ,a aellS and damaging the crops adjacent;
sda spale S.l places, where both mucking and |
asr "'cllng we're probably carried out, the
pion "'s sunk through the pervious strata at
yterr ia anu following it to the river or until
|' strata runs out to the surface or is
!Ac 9i an impervious nature, makes J