Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-04

The late Alfred Kelley and oliver Culver.
The deCease Of Mr.. Kelley has called to mind
an incident in bis life which Mr. Culvsr related
to Us when at our Pioneer Celebration in octo-
Der, 1883. Before entering on the eonstFuotion
of the Ohio Canal, Of which Mr.. X. was Canal
Commissioner, he visited the State of new
York to get what lessons he could from person.
al inspection of the Erie Canal and from cons
tractors and others who had practical experience
in canalling. This tour was made probably in
ls24.or'5 We are not advised, but there may
be in the early reports of she Canal COmmis.
siOners an account of this tour Of Mr. ks, Mr..
Culver had completed a job Of canal running
through his farm, little east Of Rochester,
which included the construction Of two or three
locks. Aftsr this Mr. Culver took very heavy
contract through the "Mountain," as it was
called at LackpOrt it wac rock cutting Princi-
pally and required blasting depth Of 20 feet
through solid rock in order to make current 10
feed from Lake Erie. 1t was while here en-
gagged that Mr. Kelley called on Mr. Culver and
spent "two days" with him, getting what in
struction he could in the art and science Of
practical sanalling. The country from Buffalo
to LOckport was very new, but Mr. Kelley
threaded his way Ihither A great many tons
Of powder was consumed in the progress Of
this, the heaviest and most expensive work Of
the whole line. Years were required, we be-
lieve, Tor Mr.. Culver to cOnsummate this job
The blasts were being let of in rapid succession
like to, but for much longer period than, the
cannonads Of SsbastOpol Soon as the noun
tain contract was completed the whole work
was accomplished, and the grand ceremony Of
opening the line from Lake Erie to the Ocean
ensued-a pageant Of such splendor Of appoints
ment and triumph as has never been equallsd in
4 modern times This rock excavation allowed
the waters Of Lake Erie TO flow eastward through
| 81 locks, I90 feet descent as far as Montezuma,
a distance Of l56 miles, when. meeting ascend~
ing locks, that intercepted their further use in
i the canal they fell into Seneca river and ming
i ling with those Of that stream and the 0swegO
river, and after turning many hydraulic mills
on this latter river entered lake Ontario by this
4 new interior route Of $50 miles, l27 miles east
II of their natural outlet, the mouth Of Niagara
III f1Vef. Ihls now oil the waters OF LAke Efle 70
Montezuma was on the line which Jesse Haw-
ley has pointed out in his celebrated published
canal writings in 1907 for che ogerlGnd route
of the Erie Canal. He also in the same writings
suggested the artificial water communication to
connect the Ohio with Lake Erie at the mouth
Of the Cuyahoga, which work was commenced
eighteen years after, Mr.. Kelley being one Of
the Canal Commissioners.
Mr. Culver made no arctic discoveries nOT did
he lay the Atlantic cable, but he, in construct
ing that remarkable fssure through the noun
tain rock for the eastward flow of the waters Of
the great Lakes, achieved a work of far great
er utility to man. It was with these thunder
ing powder blasts almost as ineessant as the rOal
of Niagara, that Ohio, through Mr.. Keley,wa
receiving instructions from Mr.. Culver, and il
due time the Ohio canal, commenced July 4
Il 1925, meandering 500 miles, was constructed al
an expense of 100000 Of dollars. For q
years It's great ministratiOns blessed the regior
Of country through which It passed. We ap'
J pend statement from official sources showing
the valuation Of lands and the price per acre O
the I9 counties through which the canal rum
for the respective periods of 1926 and 1853
The one of 1858 embraces ehattel property
which the law prevailing in 1926 did not in
clude. The law regulating valuation is altere'
every six years, and ls59is the nearest Of thos
! points to the termination Of the period 0
twenty years.