Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-02
River Naviga,Ion.

On INVITATION oil several gentlemen who are
interested in the improvement of the Connect
cut river, and in making it navigable for large
freight boats as far up as Holyokc, Gen Theo-
dCre q. Ellis, of Hartford, the government engi
neer IN immediate charge of the work visited
this city on Saturday afternoon, and explained
atHaynes' hotel, the plans which have been
made for the work which needs to he done FOrfy
or fifty manufacturers and business men of
Springfield, Chicopce and Holyoke were present,
and manifested such lively interest in the mat
ter that they are not likely to rest until the pro-
posed improvements are carried out. As is well
knOW0, congress has appropriated $40 900 (half
at one time and half at anOtherl for the i'm
proyement of the river above Hartford Part
OF this money has been expended in making a
thorough survey to ascertain Just What needs TO
De done; but the larger part has been devoted to
the construction of wing DAMS" in order to
Turn the water of the river so that it will wash
away distractions and make for itself clear
nayigable pathway. There will be five of these
Dams, running out into the river from five
hundred TO sixteen hundred feet, and each
built up % feet above low-water mark, so that
treShets will not disturb them and in times of
medium or low water they will fully answer
their purpose. Coming north from Hartford,
the first of these dams is at Higley'S point the
second near BARRIERS landing the third at the
mouth Of the Pennington river, the fourth at
Stron%s island bar, and the fifth at Scantic bar,
which is about u miles from Hartford and four
below Windsor Locks. Work was commenced
last August, the contract being awarded TO G.
Mcclellan Son, of Chicopee and the two dams
last named were nearly completed before winter
set in. As early in the spIing as practicable
WORK will be resumed, and all the dams will be
completed, this year. This will put the river in
good shape as far up as Windsor Locks.
But the chief trouble, as is well known, is at
the Enfield rapids, above Windsor Locks. A
canal 81 miles long was many years AFRO built
around the rapids but it is too small for present
purposes. 10 meet the emergency, Gen. Ellis
has made five plans, which he exhibited on Sat
urday, and clearly and fully explained. Two
OF them, however, are the same except in one
particular, and the number OF different plans is
actually but four. The first is a new canal on
the west (Suf1ield) side Of the river, outside of
the Old canal, and taking in the part of the river
west OF Kings island rs a basin. it would run
IRON Enfield down to the upper part of Wind
SCR Locks, and would be Al miles long. The
second plan is for canal on the east (Eufeld)
sac OF Inc river, (whcre The present canal should
nave been built in the first place. running un-
der the Hartford and New Haven railroad east
OF the bridge, and passing through the village
oil warehouse Point aud into the river
below the village. The length of this
canal would be Al miles, and it would
furnish a fine water power in that
place. Third, Gen. Ellis proposes to dam the
river near Kings island, turning the water into
canal on the east side, which would need to be
about two miles long, and would follow the
same track laid down for the one mentioned in
the second plan. The fourth and last scheme is
TO enlarge the old canal, which, beginning at the
Enfield dam, empticS into the river below Wind
sor Locks. Above the village of Windsor Locks
the average width of the old canal is IS feet.
while through the village it will not average
more than So feet wide. Its least present dcpth
Is AZ leet, and it is generally IN poor condition.
uel' Ellis, IN this, as in all the other plans, pro-
poses TO make a canal $50 wide, with water
at least feet deep, and instead of locks
Is feet wide by 81 long 1.-THE Size of the prpscnt
onesl would put in four locks, each 50 feet Inv
2OU, thus giving opportunity for the passage of
freight boats Of large size.
ms last plan, owing to the greater length of
me canal Give and one third miles,, the neces.
slty Of purchasing the franchise of the Connncti
cut river company, and for several other reasone
IS the most expensive Of all, the cost rcacbing
about 81 800 600. The cheapest. and ot ,Le
same time, the best plan is the Second-for
new canal on the east side of the iver-its cost
being only about $500 The money for the
wing-dans referred TO above is already ammo
priated and this additional appropriation is now
needed TO open the river from Long Island sound
10 Enfield, CT. Above Enfield there is no trouble
WIN The river, soundings made through the
ice having demonstrated that there is a channel
hVe leel deep all the way from Enfield TO uoly.
oke. The only distractions are the Two
bridges in this city and the one M Chironre
all of which would have to be provided Viii
draws. "i''i
Gep: Ellis vas heard with great interest and
the spirit OF the meeting was that the improye.
ments he proposes could and must be carried
out, The broad Connecticut, with its great pos
siblllties for business, has been idle quite loo
long, and in the saving in the single item of coal
which would be brought without breaking bull5
and VI a ton cheaper than now, would soon
amount to al that the improvement would cost
--Sprinafetd Republican.