Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-16

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defective portions of the canal, which have been
repaired so far as the lateness Of the season
and the character of the repairs required would
permit, while the remaining ones. though In
volving considerable amount of labor and ex-
pense, are confined to comparatively few points
Some OF the repairs can be made during the
winter On the opening of spring the water
can be admitted into many portions of the ca
nal, and gradually filed as suitable material il
placed i'm the bottom and upon the sides. bv
means of boats In other cases material must
be hauled with teams, aud il is difficult 10 say
what force Of teams and labor can be cornman.
ded can see no difficulty, after the contem.
plated repairs have been perfected, the ensuing
season, in passing loaded boats. Although the
friends of the canal anticipate lnrge trade,
but few boats have been built with the view of
transportation upon it, and strong inducements
must be held out to withdraw them from the
other Pennsylvania canals 1t is not probable
that the owners of line boats on the Erie ca.
nal, who have visited the North Branch with
the view OF transferring them, will do so until
the piles Of stone and rock, and stone berme
banks that adorned the canal, have boen re-
moved. rErr -
DELAWARE AND NORTH BRANCH DIVISIONS.
The early history of our State canals seen.s
to be forgotten. The Delaware division now
yielding about twenty per cent. on cost, had
difficulties to encounter. The Canal Commits
sioners in their report dated Dee. Is. 1881.
under the head of old lines of canal say AT
the last annual report of the Canal Commits
sloners, December, 1880, in speaking of this
division, they say that the filling of the canal
for navigation, in its whole course, began Oct
1881, and that twenty-five miles are nayigable
but they add that part Of the work first con-
stFucted has proved defective and requires ex-
tensIve repairs. This last observation has been
verified by the fact, that since that time. the
two supervisors on the Delaware division have
expended s97, 1889 81 OIL repairs and introduc-
ing feeders, and the whole line is not vet omen
for navigation. The original plan and con-
structlon of large portions of this division have
proved exceedingly defective, and although ey-
cry eXertiop has been made throughout the
year by the officers of the line to fll the whole
canal with water, yet their efforts have hereto
fore proved unsuccessful The Durham creek
ten miles below Easton, was introduced. bv
feeder 1880 feet long by II feet wide and
Milton creek, near Lumberyile, by feeder
l,o09 feet long, besides temporary feeders on
sections "a and 81. Boats were passed in the
fall OF 1882, but could not carry full loads
The tolls received amounted to So, ,043, and the
expenditures to the close of 1882, SI9I, ,5l4 90.
to which should be added during the year 1888
$4,000. The original estimate for the cost of
this work was $687, 900, and the actual cost
was 81 ,203,l65.
Similar difficulties were encountered on the
Lower North Branch Canal as well as the ca
nails belonging to the Commonwealth general
ly, as will be seen by reference to the commu-
nications of the Canal Commissioners from
1880 to 1885,
The North Branch extension has MANY ad.
yantages not enjoyed by the other Pcnnsyl-
vania canals, viz:
1t is located above high water mark, with a
heavy slope upon the size next to the river.
thereby rendering it secure against the action
of ice and foods |
The aqueducts and cuyerts are built of sub
stantial masonry and have capacous and am.
pie waterways for the passage of the streams.
The plan of dams will insure stability.
1t is true that years of we'll applied labor
will be required to perfect the canal: that
sinks III the bottom, small breaches and slides
from the hiiis will frequently occur, but mucl,
OF the danger OF slides can be prevented bv
building cribs and filling with stone, or driving
piles at the base of the hills, aud by surface
bitches to collect and carry off the water for
which purposes the frequent examinations made
during the rains of the past season, have afford
ed ample opportunities for observation, to as
certain their proper location. Sinks in the
bottom and breaches will gradually diminish
by vigilance on tie part of those having the
canal in charge
1t has been urged against the success of the
North Branch canal, that the strong current
against the boats ascending it, will increase
the rates of transportation to such an extent
as to prevent a successful competition with the
lIackawanna and Western and Erie roads.
carrying coal from Scranton, or the Sunburv
and Erie and Williamsport and Elmira roads
from Shamokin H - s- ...
The resistance to ascending boats can be
much reduced by gradually widening the con-
racted portions of the canal, the introduction
u Wyaluslng creek as feeder, the construction
)f reservoir on Tusearora creek tic nlainten-
lnce in the spring and fall of all the tempora,
y feeders now in use, and the continued tight.
eHing OF the canal by attention on the part of
those having the work in charge. -, sg4
The extra charge for freight, will be for
horse power alone. The expense of boats and
hands will be the same as on other CANALS sas
The competing railroads, unlike the Read
ing, with its descending grades have noun
tains to cross. The coal carried by the North
Branch, is of different quality, and will.
therefore, have its market. The caual if kept
IN suitable condition, with proper manag cement,
will command its share of coal tonnage, DC
sides large miscellaneous trade will have IL
revenue in excsss of the expenditures after the
present year, result not attained on the most