Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-12
PUSHING THE SURVEY
The Canal Commission Decides to
Run the Route to Pittsburg.
ENGINEERS NEARING THE OHIO.
Colonel Roberts on Its Feasibility and the
Water Supply.
SOME IDEA OF THE COST OF BUILDING
ENGINEERS NEARING THE OHIO.
SOME IDEA OF THE COST OF BUILDING

The Pennsylvania Canal Commission met
in the rooms of the Engineers Society yester-
day. 1t was the regular monthly gathering.
Engineer Goodwin, who has charge of the
survey. was present and made report OF
the progress. It was expected that the sur
vey from Erie to the Ohio river at Rochester
would be completed by the time the meeting
was held, but ten miles yet remain to be
gone over. This work will be finished in
few days.
The commission decided to continue the
survey up along the Ohio river to the Da-
Wis Island dam. Colonel Roberts will
recommend that the canal be built to the
dam. He says the proposed dam at Beaver
only provides for six-fOot stage of water,
and the draught of the canal will probably
be not less than nine feet. As soon as the
survey to the city is completed, a map Of
the canal and the region will be prepared.
1t will require few months longer TO COM
plete this job, and the commission will re-
port to the Legislature next winter.
A PRACTICAL SCHEME.
"What shall be the size OF the canal is
the next question to SETTLE" said Colonel
Roberts Yesterday "If we knew how large
II hOulu DO LuSH i COulO give al CeblhaNS dS
10 the cost. As it is now, 1 have my own
ideas, but don't care to make any blunders.
The original idea was to build a canal large
enough TO float / 500-ton vessel. shouldn't
like to see il SO small that barge with l. 100
tons on board could not he carried. OF the
feasibility of the canal the commission has
been convinced long ago. If we thought it was
impracticable in the beginning, the surveys
would never have been made.
THE people who claim that the water supply
on the summit is not sufficient, should prove
their statements. / have repeatedly said there
Is sufhciency Of water to run the canal: In
TACT, the supply will be larger than the slack
water in the Monongahela river. stand over
This statement, and have the reports OF otner
engineers to confirm me, SO that the men who
decry the water supply should demonstrate the
truth OF their assertions. The summit OF the
canal is a great swamp, and IL can be easily
dredged.
SEVERAL WATER ROUTES.
"Besides. the canal will run through a num-
Der of water routes that have already been
made. and this will greatly lessen the cost of
construction. With the improved machinery
OF these days for dredging, the work will not be
as difficult as some people imagine. l can say
this. that. in looking over the ground, that all
the masonry will be such that ii can be done at
Secretary Brewer, of Erie, is also more
canal. He doesn't claim to know
anything about the practical workings
of the scheme, but he is convinced that the
canal is feasible He also insists that it will
be a cheap waterway to build. He thought if
the Beaver dam was ever built that it might
furnish enough water between Pittsburg and
that point to float the canal craft and it
wouldn't be necessary to run it to Davis Island
dam.
Engineer Goodwin was also at the meeting
He left in the afternoon to go to Rochester,
where he expected to meet his men. After 60
ing over the ground he told Secretary Brewer
that there never was canal built of any con-
sequence IN which the cost of construction will
be as low as in the Pennsylvania canal between
Pittsburp and Erie.