West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-02-23
Canal Navigation.
ny Max Adelcr.f

10 decide the merits of the various plans
submitted. The following extracts from
the report subsequently made 10y the
committee will bc found TO bc of in
terest
In reference to the plan offered by
Henry Bushelson--which proposes TO run
the boat 10y means of his patent propeller
we may remark that the steam engine
with which the propeller is moved
would sink the boat, and, even IL il did
not, the propeller blades, being longer
than the depth oft the canal, would dig
about 500 cubic feet of mud out of the
bottom at each revolution. As mud
dredge Bushclson's patent might bc n
success, but as motive power IL is n
failure, and his suggestion that the tow
path might bo cut up into lengths and
laid side by side and sold for farm,
is therefore not wholly practicable.
The idea OF Michael O'Flukc IL that
holes be cut in the bottom of the boat
and through these the legs of the mule
could be inserted 80 that il could walk
along the bottom, while it's body is safe
and dry inside. The idea is the offspring
OF fruitful and ingenious mind and if
the water could be kept from coming
through the holes IL might be considered
would have TO invent new kind of mule
with legs about seven feet long. Mr.
O'Fluke's mind has not vet devised any
method for procuring such mule, and
unless he can induce the ordinary kind
TO walk on stills, we fear that the OBJ
staCles To success in this direction may
be regarded as insurmountablc.
Mr.. j. Pcterman Boswick urges that
"A N - isrl, Ia, l,,.
making the canal an inclined plane, so
that when n boat is placed upon IL the
boat would simply slide down hill by
the power of attraction Of gravitation
This seems TO us beautiful method of
adapting 10 the wants of men one of the
lawsof nature, and we should be inclined
TO give Mr.. Boswick the first prize but
for the fact that we have discovered,
upon investigation, that the water i'm
the canal would also slide down hill and
that IT would require about fifteen rivers
the size of the Delaware TO keep up the
supply. Mr.. Boswick does not mention
here were we are TO get these rivers He
does, however, say that if it, shall be
inadyisable 10 slope the canal the boats
themselves might bc made i'm the shape
OF inclined planes, so that they would
run down hill upon a level canal. There
Is something 40 deep, 50 amazing, in this
proposition that, your committee needs
more time 10 consider and brood over it,.
Mr.. w. j. Robinson proposes to draw
of the water from the canal, Law rails on
the bottom and then put the boats ON
wheels and run them with n locomotive
Your committee has been very much
struck with this proposition but has CON
cluded, upon reflection that IL is rather
revolutionary. If canal navigation
should be begun i'm this manner, prob
ably we should soon have the railroad
companies running their trains on water
by means of sails, and stage lines trav-
cling in the air with balloons. Such
things would unscttlc the foundations of
society and induce anarchy and chaos
canal that has no water is licentious
and incendiary canal and it is equally
improper when, "a Mr.. Robinson sug-
gests, the boats were hoated i'm tanks
run on rails.
Your committee has given much
thought and patient examination TO the
plan Of Mr.. Thompson McGluc. lie
suggests that the mules shall be clad i'm
submarine armor and made 10 walk
along the bottom Of the canal, being fed
with air through n pump. As we have
never seen a mule in action while dec
Grated with submarine armor,
we are unable 90 say with pOsitiveness
what his conduct would be under such
circumstances. But the objections TO
the plan are Of formidable character.
The mule would, Of course, be wholly
excluded from every opportunity 10
view the scenery upon the route, and we
fear this would have n tendency 10 dis
courage him. Being under water, too,
he might be tempted 20 stop frequently
for the purpose Of nibbling at the cat
fish encountered by him, and this would
distract his attention from his work.
Somebody would have 10 dive whenever
he got bis legs over the tOw-line, and
when the water was muddy he might
lose his way and either pull the boat in
the wrong direction or be continually
butting against the bank
OF the various other plans submitted
your committee have 10 say that a. X.
Madkey's proposition TO run the boat
by sails and fill the sails with wind by
means Of n steam blower on the vessel
James JhOmpson's plan Of giving the
captain and crew small scOws 10 put on
their feet 80 that they could stand over
board and push behind William Black
ldea That motion could be obtained by
employing trained surgeons 10 haul the
boat Martin Stotsbury's plan that
propulsion could be given by placing a
cannonOn the poop deck and firing il over
the stern 30 that the rccoil would shove
the boat along all these are wonderful
evidences Of what the human mind can
do when it exerts itself, but they arc not
as useful as they are marvellous.