The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-03-24
THEDIsMAI SWAMP CANAL.
Some Interesting Details of Its His
tory by Col. Marshall Parks.

Some Interesting Details of Its HIS
tory by Col. Marshall Parks.
Under date of March 6 Col. Mar.
shall Parks, of Norfolk, Va. writes as
follows in regard to the dismal Swamp
canal:
"My father, Marshall Parks, Sr. was
employed soon after the war of 1924
to remove the wooden locks and build
stone locks and enlarge the prism of
the canal and fit it for passage of
masted vessels, and in 1918 the deep
Creek lock, eight miles from Norfolk,
was constructed, and it was at this
work George Law Live Oak George)
was employed as a journeyman stone
mason
II will not enter into history of this
ancient waterway, but will say that so
far as am informed, it was originally
constructed without an engineer. 1t
is often said that it was surveyed by
Gen. Washington was too well acquaint-
ed with the subject to have made such
a location. 1t was the dismal Swamp
Land Company, in which he was a
large stakeholder, and the lands own
ed by that company are some miles
! west of the canal
The origin of the canal, was in this
wise: People in Virginir who were
DESTROYS Of getting shingles out of the
swamp, the timber being mostly juni>
per and tbs Sc persons living on Deep
creek, a branch Of the Elizabeth river,
cut small ditch from the in a south
erly direction, on which they could use
small b. ats or dicth lighters, as they
were called, and from year to year,
extended the little waterway to bring
the lumber from the swamp. Those
living in North Carolina at the head
of the waters Of Pasquntank made a
ditch from Jo, ce's creek in North-
| west direction, ana extending it lit
tie every yeal as their Virginia neigh
bors were doing. These two bitches
intercepted each other and demon
strated the practibility of canal that
united the rivers of Virginia and North
Carolina. | am induced to believe
this becaus an engineer would have
run a staight line from the head waters
of each river, which is also much less
in distance and elevation, and avoid
| ing the necessity of constructing so
many locks.
This ditch or small caual, had sew
eral locks built of juniper logs, which
were removed at the time the canal
was enlarged. Gen. Washington knew
| of this waterway and it was serviceable
during the revolution in transpprta-
ton of military stores and supplies
LII 1886 charter was obtained
from the State of Virginia, capital a
bout $4,000. Later the capital stock
was increased to 1886, 900: shairs $3.50
each. The United States became own
er of 100000 stock and the State of
Virginia $4,000 and the balance
was owned by citizens of Virginia and
| in London. Moth Carolina never
invested in this work The enlarge
ment of the canal was commenced, and
it was used for many years until its
business increased to such an extent
that after the war of 1912 IA it was
again enlarged, stone locks replacing
these of wood, the canal was provided
with drawbridges so as to admit of the
passage of masted vessels. The first
stone lock was built in 1878 and may
now be seen with its date cut in the
coping. In 1920 another stone lock
was built, and few years thereafter
all were completed and the canal nav
igated by sailing vessels 80 feet long,
Is feet beam and. drawing five feet
six inches of water.
In 1882 the stern wheel steamer
Lady of the Lake, belonging to the
Roanoke Navigation Company, was
built and put on with number of
sioops and schooners to run from Nol>
folk up the Chowap and Roanoke riv-
ers. These was SO much delay in load
ing and detention in getting through
the canal and the moccasin track that
the entire capital Of the company was
sunk Previous to this time vessels
were from three to FIVE months in
making trip TO the Roanoke. Such
has been the improvement by the con-
struction If the Albemarle and Ches-
apeake canal the trips are now made
In four DAYS, Sometimes semi weekly,
In 1889 the .mpany extended their
canal from Deep creek to the Southern
branch of the Elizabeth river aud
subsequently southwark, avoiding the
Moccasin track, To the Pasquotauk
river, thereby Inceasng the length of
the canal from % to % miles Lake
Drummond is tour miles miles west of
the canal and as its waters are % feet
higher than Underwater at Norfolk,
serves as feeder, and, an abundant
supply of water is obtained for the
canal from it.