Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-06-20
IR's staaaato.
So 1850. For the Standard.
arBEMARlE AND CHESAPEAKE CANAL.

~ The rork a careful examinations and satisfying
ourselves of its present condition ana future Pros
poets determined on making an excursion 20 tne
work; and presuming that the results =. oul
vations nav be useful to others we nave concluueu
to give an account Of the trip ,,..,
w. In Norfn,k ON Saturday, The "a day of juno,
,h. Ss.sn,er WASH Cabt Hopkins. The Wasp
!. /. small tug boas belonging to the Company. We
,s,.ss attended ~ Marshal Parks the President and
John LathrSp, the Engineer Of the company We
SnaEted at 5 6'cfock, a. nhs and proceeded up the 3
" branch Of the Elizabeth river, distance of l29
miles to the canal The water in the river Is am
MY sufficient for the canal navigation, to within
abont 800 feet of the canal the water there being
feet de,p. Some dredging will be required at this
point and possibly, at small bar in the river near
the mouth of Deep creek. The only Lock requires,
Hor the canal is located at the junction Of the canal
with the Elizabeth river, and is rendered necessary
only by the tide in the river, which, at that point
has rise and fall of feet The Lock is 40 feet
wide go feet long, between the gates and has feet
depth of water at low tide upon the mitre sils The
walls are built in the most substantial manner with
dressed stone and reSt upon solid timber and pile
foundations. The or''ns surface of the water IN
the canal corresponds with the surface OF the water
in the river at mean tide that at high tide in the
river it is necessary to lock down ofeet, and at
low tide to lock up two feet into the canal while at
mean tide there is no lOckage The lock, with Its
two sets of gates, shutting IN opposite directions,
ease with which they opened, and the elegance,
combined with strength and durability of the whole
lock reflect great credit on Mr.. Lathrop the Engi-
neer. On entering the canal we found 10 feet wa
ter Within half mile of the lock is located the
shops for repairs Of machinery, carried by steam,
and one of the heavy steam drudges or excayators,
was being repaired. Saw here two miniature steam
boats, the Calypso and Ben Miller, used as errand
boats.
In order to explain expressions which may here
after occur may he proper to state that the steam
dredges or excavatorS, cut width of 80 feet and
deep enough to make about feet water, the cut be-
ing frequently IL to 10 feet from top OF sand to bot
tom of canal The whole canal was first cut with
this width and depth, and where the expression
sin0ie cut occurs, it means q cut of 80 feet wide
After completing the single cut the machines were
then set to work at the other cut and where that is
done, it is termed double cut Between these two
cuts there is necessarily, left a little core. The
dredge has to follow and take out this core and put
the canal to its proper depth. When this has been
done, the work is finished.
For about two miles from the Locks. there is
double cut and the core removed. with not less
than 81 feet water-then begins a single cut 2, 100
feet long, with feet water; the heavy dredge, at
the shop for repairs was cutting at this point when
it broke From the end of this single cut there is
double cut, with core removed about mile long,
there being all along 81 feet Here occurs single
cut 900 feet long, with heavy dredge at each end,
cutting towards each other.
No language can convey an idea of the power
and manner Of working of these dredges or exca-
vators. correct diagram of one might convey
some idea but to understand and appreciate their
work, they must be seen. Where one of these
dredges was at work the land was about five feet
above water, and the cut was feet below water so
that the entire cut about twelve feet The trees
are first cut down by hands and rolled away, so
to open an avenue Of proper width; the stumps of
fhof rooc cuf ali ( ~ hIuh nj
machine commences and takes up dirt, logs and
stumps raises them to height of Is or 90 feet and
deposits them on the bank and out of the way.
Stumps of incredible size there to be seen, both
cypress and gum; and logs which were covered at
a depth of to feet from the surface from to 81
feet in diameter, and from 10 to 90 feet long are
taken up by this powerful machine and removed on
the bank. No cutting is required; the bucket is
worked under the root tree and they are litter
ally torn MP. We then passed through a double
cut three miles long, with feet water no spot less
than 81 feet = then single cut of 100 feet long,
with water full feet; then double cut half mile
long; then single cut of 900 feet, where ma
chine was at work. Here we passed the steamer
Lopez, with two large barges, heavily laden. The
balance of the canal to the North Landing River,
distance of $500 feet is completed with 81 feet
water. This canal as described is the Virginia Sec
tioD. It is 81 miles long, and has a double cut,
with the exception of I, 100 feeD with the core,
nearly all removed Dredges are at work on this
section of g. 100 feet which is 80 feet wide and
feet deep, and by the first of August it is expec
ted that this will be completed
The North Landing river from the canal to Cur
ritHck sound, is 20 miles long. 1t is beautiful
river, sufficiently wide quite crooked but with
gradual and beautiful curves and winds its way
through large body of marsh or prairie land with
not q tree for miles each side to obstruct the
view. The water, by actual soundngs we found to
be from IL to 10 feet to within about 4 miles of
Currituck sound, where the water was feet This
depth continued for about one mile where it COM
menced gradually to deepen to feet at its junction
with Currituck sound. The bottom, for these
miles, is of soft mud so that pole can be run down
for 6 or feet with the hand. The distance from
North Landing river, across Currituck sound to
Cedar bay is miles. Careful and regular sound
ings across the sound proved the water to be feet
inches; nowhere less than feet to within half a
mile of Cedar bay, where the water was feet, and
across Cedar bay, distance Of about two miles, the
water was 81 feet A large dredge boat was at
work in Cedar bay, about half mile from the
canal, and where she had cut the water was 9 feet
Deep
At the point where the canal enters Cedar bay,
there is high marsh, and the canal is cut through
it the full width of so feet and 10 feet deep, to
CoiUock bay, distance of 5000 feet The canal
then crosses Conjock bay about two miles The
water in this bay was about two feet deep. The
canal through the bay is nearly completed; there
is large dredge boat at work in it. We examined
this boat sometime, and saw her at work. The ma
chine can remove one and half cubic yards at a
DIP, and can easily make one in two minutes; the
actual time Of several was minute and seconds.
This canal is the North Carolina section: it enters
into North river, and is five and half miles long
and is nearly all completed full go feet wide and 81
feet deep.
There are three swing bridges across tn canal,
at places where the public roads cross and are sub.
stantial structures, and easily managed Mr.. Lath-
rep, the engineer, supposed the tide to be inches
over low water in the sound
The North river, from where the canal enters it
70 Albemarle sound, is - miles long. The United
States Coast Survey, 1855 lays down the soundinss
o. North river to be from to - feet-at no place
less than feet except at the bar, near the North
river point where the depth Is put down BY said