The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-06-14
Anoth r Break in the Canal.


Anoth.r Break in the Canal.
The letter below announces another break
in the Canal at the same point where two other
breaks have recently occurred and been repair
ed The canal boatmen have right to complain.
Many Of them have all their capital invested
in boats, entering into their different enterpris-
es with the understandings contract implied
or directly made by the State and bond hold
ers when they opened the Canal to the public
and invited private capital to assist in develop
ing its resources-that the Canal would alb
least be kept in reasonable good ORDER and
navigation free during the seasonable portions
of the year. After years of interruption and
delay, all interested in the canal, the commu-
mites along its route and that at its southern
terminus as we'll as the boatmen, had right
to expect that this spring and sumner, ifnever
before, the canal could be and would be kept
in reasonable good order. The season has
thus far been particularly propitious for such a
condition Of things There has been plenty
| of water in the feeders and no storms or heavy
rains of consequence to injure the embank-
ments. Yet the navigation has been contin-
ually interrupted, and during the last month
almost fatally suspended on the second divis-
ion of the canal. Three breaks have been al
loved to occur at one locality. How far the
| Superintendent of this section is to blame for
the recurrence of these accidents we cannot
say. The letter below appears to think he is
not doing his duty properly. Mr.. Fuller. the
Superintendent OF the First division or section,
is indefatigable in attending to his duties. He
is always on the alert, always prompt, ener-
getic and faithful. There has been no COM
plant made against him which has reached
our ears. Such man is wanted on the next
section. If Mr.. Wright be not this kind OF
man, and we do not say he has not the proper
qualifications, he should be at once superseded
by some better qualified or more energetic per-
son.
There are immense quantities of freight
along the Canal awaiting shipment, and mer-
chandize, &c. here to go to points above
Evansville has begun to realize some of the
benefits ofthis channel of commerce and trade,
even under the unpropitious circumstances
mentioned. We have at least realized enough
to appreciate the fact, that it is of the utmost
! Importance to our interests that this canal
should be kept in good order. How is this to
be done ? Is 1T possible that it is beyond the
power and skill and genius of man, backed
with capital, to keep this avenue of trade in
order at least three-fourths of the year? We
say nothing is impossible at this day which
does not require an actual miracle to accom-
plish. We certainly do not regard the task OF
keeping this canal in fair and reasonable order
as anything requiring either miracle of ge-
MUS or Of labor. 1t seems to us there must be
negligence or ineficiency somewhere. Where
is it ? Here is the letter: rr ri--
8 fs KINDERHooK, June IL, 1856.
/ Mr.. SANDERS :--This afternoon we have
the third break, which is as large as any that
has yet taken place. 1t occurred four miles
above here, at the same place, and this is the
/, third time that the embankment has broke
under Mr.. Wright's division, and there has
been spent from five to seven thousand dol
lars, so l have been informed. and nowwe, as
boatmen, want to know if there cannot be
some way by which this canal can be made
navgable ? We wish the people of Evans
vile to look to this work and see if there can
not be some permanent labor performed, for
the work has been built up of quick sand, and
built on blue clay bottom twelve to sixteen
feet below bottom of canal and this blue clay
bottom is just the same as soap, and quick
sand will not stand on so smooth surface !;
it will always slip as long as the world will
stand. This division, l suppose, is the worst
division on the canal, and Mr.. Wright can
certainly do as much as any man can on
breaks, but fthis work can be Shut he should
make 1T stand, and ifthere cannot be some rem
edy for such evils on this canal, we, as boat
men, are broke up. Now 1 have been six
weeks from Terre Haute to this point with
my boat. j. B. COCHRAN
IN behalf of other boatmen.