Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-11-24
NUMBER 81.

not quite completed the recessary
reparation, sent up shou, OF well
come more cordial aud contagious
than ever before echoed through the
woods of the Mohawk.
The pond in the Oriskany creek,
above the dam, Is so rods wide, ana
as the towing path bridge is not yet
made across 1t, l. was necessary to
move the boat over IL by setting
poles. This was effected In nine
minutes, when, after taking Col.
Lansing on board, with Mr.. Green
and several others, and being greeted
hy the ringing OF the factory belle,
aud the aeclimations of the multi
tude OK spectators. the passage was
continued, while little girls were
seen throwing flowers aud preeu
sprgs in the boat.
From Orisksny to Rome. the canal
IL laid chiefly through swamps, In
several places the depth OF digging IA
from to 10 feet; and from four
miles below Rome, the northern
bark is all the way westerly 10 that
place, raised fourteen feet above this
bottom of the canal, with view OF
projection against the floods of the
Mohawk. The depth Of the excava.
ton, the size of the guard bank, the
apparent security OF the whole canal,
with .he regularity of its. straight
lines and the beauty of its curves.
gave all the passengers great delight.
At the bridge across the canal, i'm
the swamp little =. w. OF the hotel
In Rome, the passage westward was
ended, after having been extended "A
faA ~ ~ nnn
Here the officers of the u. ). garrI-
son, stationed at Rome, and many OF
the Inhabitants OF the village. came
to mingle their congratulations with
those of their fellow citizens, on tho
perfect success of the first attempt at
navigation on the Erie canal. Ii was
In this vicinity, aud but two years
ago the 4th of last July, that the first
shovel. full of earth was excavated,
In the construction of this great
work. And IL Is truly with mix
ture of wonder, surprise and the
most joyful anticipations, that one
now sees 80 many miles or IL COM
pleted, filled with water aud naviga-
BILE; and learns, that it il aImosL.esr
tain, that the whole middle section,
with the side-cut from tile main trunk
tn the village of Salina, I'm all, a dis
tance of 96 miles, will be navigable
in one month more. ..
An elegant dinner had been pros
vided at Rome for the passengers,
which they were abliged TO forego,
by the engagements, most of them
had entered into, of returning that
evening. After delay of As minutes,
/ during which, the party partook of
suitable refreshments prepared for
them in the boat. Mr.. Wright and
! Mr.. Bonner debarked, and Mr..
/ Lynch from Rome, and Alderman
Lawrence aud Mr.. Benson of New
York, came on board, the boat set out
on her return to utica, where she ar
rived at 10 minutes before eight,
without the occurrence Of the slightest
! incident OF an unpleasant nature.-
And IL ever deep felt gladness WAS
exhibited, on tue human face divine,
it was In universal and full display,
throughout this excursion.
The boat was built at Rome by
Messrs. Miller, Chaplin, aud Brain
ard, contractors, on neat and con-
venient model, being 6l feet long, s
feet wide, and feet deep, with two
cabins, each of which Ii Ia feet long,
q feet and q inches from floor to the
ceiling, and accommodated with the
necessary closets and furniture. She
is called "the Chief Engineer and
carried flag on this occasion, on
which was handsomly painted the
American Eagle and canal boat,
with the words Erie Canal above,
and "Inland Navigation below.
In building the boat, taking out
the bars of earth near the nriskauy,
and making every other provision
for this first experiment. OF naviga-
ting the canal, Messrs. Barnard, Mil.
Ter aud Chaplin, Sheriff Pease, and
Col. Wescott. have made great aud
laudable exertions. Aud IL was easy
To pfeceive, that the canal commits.
sioners, the engineer, with hls assis.
tants. and every other witness and
/ partaker of this expedition, will set
down the day, on which 1t has occur.
red, as the happiest In thier lives.
The boat started from Utica, at u
quarter past nine, In the morning,
and stopped in going TO RoIac,