Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-09-11
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL.
THE WORK OF EELARGING
THIS CANAL IS NOW
IN PROGRESS.
TWO YEARS TO FINISH.
After Which This Famous Old
Waterway will Again be
Whitened by the Sails
OF Commerce.

The work Of widening, deep
ening and otherwise enlarging
the old Dismal Swamp Canal is
now Ill active progress and the
rebuilding Of this old waterway
which will contribute so much
to our commercial Importance is
an assured fact. We are in
debted to the Ne7y Daily Pilot, of
Norfolk for the following facts:
The changes contemplated are
ali increase i'll the s'ze of the
locks and canal connecting
Elizabeth river near Roper's
mill, at Gilrcrton, with Pasquo-
tank river, North Carolina. The
present depth Of the canal per-
lnits the passage of vessels draw
ing not more than four and a
half feet. When the canal is
deepened according to the plans,
it will accommodate vessels
drawing ten feet.
The width Of the canal, now
forty feet on top and twenty to
thirty at the bottom, Will be in
creased to sixty teet at the top
and forty feet at the bottom,
thus largely increasing the ca
pacity Of the canal
The locks, of which there are
now four, will be reduced to two.
These will be located, one at
Deep Greek, and the other at
South Mills, North Carolina.
Those now III Use prevent the
passage Of vessels Of sixteen-foot
beam and ninety-hve feet in
length. The new locks will be
forty feet wide, $50 feet long,
and give ten feet Of water over
the 1ljter-sill at low water.
The feeder, Lake Drt1mnond,
will be dredged out, and lowered
seven feet, thus doing away with
all Of the levels but one, which
will be from Deep Creek locks
to South Mills locks.
The entrance to Lake Drums
lnond will then permit the pas
sage into it Of vessels Of not ex-
ceeding four feet draught.
There will be three waste
Weirs on the line, one at Deep
Creek, 100 feet long, with twen>
ty-six gates; one 1T South Mills,
Of the same dimensions, and the
third at Northwest river, be-
tween Deep Creek and Wallace
ton, without gates, but having a
tunbling dam.
a new dam is now under cons
struction at Deep Creek. It is
2,4oo feet long, with a lock
twenty feet wide and 100 feet
long.
This canal is one Of the oldest
ii this country. It was origi>
ually surveyed by George WASH
ington, and was at one time, be
fore the coming Of railroads, Of
great importance, but OF late
years has been distanced in the
race by competing lines of rail
way and other canals. However,
when the present improvements
are completed, giving a depth of
water sufficient to carry large
vessels, it will probably regain
much OF its former Importance
as a great artery Of trade.
The canal is twenty-t three
miles long, and about I2o men
are being employed. The
dredges and stu,np-pullers will
be il condition to go to work
about Wednesday next, and it is
expected that the work mapped
out will require about two years.
The general superintendent Of
the canal is Mr.. S. w. Gary, of
Deep Creek, who is also inspec>
tor Of the work. NJ. Hill, of
Philadelphia, is i'll charge of the
dredges. Mr.. Wrenshall is chief
engineer Of the Lake Drummond
Water and Canal Company.
Mr.. Otto Klatt, of Philadel-
phia, is in charge of the con-
struction of the locks, waste
rivers, dams, and bridges.
There will be four new bridges
built, the location of which will
probably be as follows: One at
Gilmerto", one at Deep Creek,
one at South Mills, and the
fourth as yet undecided.
Four weeks ago four large
dredges and two stu1np-pullers
were taken through~to Wallace
ton, where they are being fitted
up for the work. They were
built az Philadelphia, and are
very powerful, as needs be for
the heavy work that they will
have to do.