The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1864-04-21
Report Of Engineer Charles II.
stuart to the President. relating
to the ship Canal from the Mis-
sissippi River to the Hudson.

stuart to the President. relating
to the ship Canal from the Mis-.
sissippi River to the Hudson.
Mr.. Stuart reports that during the ex
animation of the special and important
features Of the proposed improvement
for the passage Of gunboats from the
Hudson river to the Lakes. he consult
ed frequently with the State engineer
and surveyor OF New York, and with
the corps Of able and experienced en-
gineers in the service Of the Stare, charg
ed with the surveys for the gunboa,
locks on the State canals. He also
states that he has visited all the princi-
pal points of interest on the works sur
veyed and has examined the most i'm
portan, structures. The subject Of wa
ter supply for the large locks has also
been carefully examined, especially on
the eastern and middle divisions. where
there has been deficiency at times
during the last three years, between
Little Falls and the Seneca river. The
engineer of the State OF New York
himself endorsed the estimates Of costs
by the several engineers who had been
engaged in making the investigation,
and believed them sufficient to com
plete the work IN a permanent and du,
rable manner, if put under contract pre-
vious to May, and two years allowed
for the completion. The estimates as.
sumo the average prices Of common Ia.
Dor at one and half dollars day, and
for mechanical labor three dollars day
and for materials fifty per cent, ever
the prices Of 1850. Mr. Stuart recon
mcnds the construction OF stone locks,
or Of wood and stone combined, and al
so the e, larecment of all # the present
locks on the Erie canal, where they are
double except at Lockport, in prefer
!, enee to the construction OF . new tier
alongside Of the double locks, both to
save one ard half millions, OF dollars
and also lockage water. IF gnnboat
locks are constructed oa the Eie and
:. O>we.o canal, it is important to have
the canal deepened to eight feet On
the Et.e canal there ar iiiiy-seves doub
le and fourteen srglc locks, with two
guard locks. The lift locks are s i,et
in width and 10 ii length in their
i chambers, admitting boat e3 feet
long and = = feet wide, drawing 6
feet Of water. The prism Of the ca
nal is generally 50 feet wide, at the
bottom, with the exception Of ninety
miles between Albany ana Rachcsses,
One million seven hundred and eighty
four thousand one hundred and eighty
five dollars vii, be required to increase
tie width to 50 feet
The estimated cost of gunboat locks
on the Erie canal, constructed Of stone
! charging where they are double, and
building new ones, where they are
single, with eight feet of water in canal
is $40, $50, leo. IS.
The estimated cost Of new gnnboat
locks, Of stone, OF the Oswcgo canal,
with eight feet Of water in the canal,
lis s2,503, ,O00.-There are eighteen
locks, all single.
I The length Of the Champlain canal
is sixty four miles, and the SUNNI; lev
el $50 feet above tide wa.er. The as.
cent from the Erie canal is lo5 feet
overcome by thirteen locks, and tho
descent from the summit level to the
lake, Sc feet by seven single locks.
The prism is generally so feet At bot
tom and SO at top. Estimated cost OF
gunboat locks, built Of stone With eight
feet of water in canal, is s6,5al 900.
! The Cayuga and Seneca canal est.
mate is 81 ,o97 900.
! The estimate of cost Of feeders and
reservoirs on the middle division of tho
Erie canal from surrounding streams
and lakes is 1895, III, and on the east.
ern division, 1881 log. to supply all the
water necessary for usln. the four boat
locks to their maximum capacity.
The total estimate Of costs for all the
above stated improvements is S22,as9
os5. Deduct cost Of deepening canals
i S2,474 900 deduct difference between
all new locks and enlarging double ones
when practicable, sl,522,7ls 40; deduct
cost Of removing brick walls to widen
the Erie canal, sl,7S4,ls5 total cost,
/ sl6,7O7,oSl, Is on national account
The water Of the Niagara river des.
cends in q volume Of 90,o00,oo0 Of tuns
per hour over the Falls OF Niagara riy.
er is thirty,two miles long, and aver