The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-25
DISMAL SWAMP CANAL
The Contract Awarded for the Rebuilding
Of This Great, Waterway.
AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN COMMERCE,
a Government ORiciaI Gives n Chap.
ter on Life In the Swnmp-The
Birds, Animals mud Reptiles TO He
Found 'Fherc-An Interesting re.
view of the Great Waste

The Baltimore Sun of yesterday SAYS:
y contract for the reconstruction of
the famous old Dismal Swamp Canal
has been awarded by the Lake Drum
mond Canal and Water Company to
Patricius McManus. OF Philadelphia.
me work Is to begin within thirty DAVIS
ana to be completed by January, 1898.
By the reconstruction Of this canal an
important link will be filled in a system
OF inland waterways from Boston 10
Florida. When opened for traffic the
canal Will give TO an extensive section OF
the Southern States the valuable adyan-
tage of barge service for handling
freight. Barges OF large capacity In tow
OF tugs will be enabled to take this
, mn, route from Norfolk to the Pam
leo and Albemarle Sounds OF North
Carolina. avoiding the perils of Cane
Hatteras
The contract covers the construction
OF completed canal. ready for business
win locks. dams, approaches, waste
Mers; All necessary excavation, clear
ing, ultching, bridging, drains, wooden
cuiverts and conduits. This worl, viii
extend over the whole route of tht.
canal from place OH the Elizabatb
river. four miles from Norfolk, Va To
a place where the canal emptfes into
the Pasquotank river. near South Mills
y. {. The specifications call for tba
In Deep Creek. near Norfolk. waste
weirs at Deep Creek, South Mills AMI
Northwest river, without gates, each tn
De l0O feet long; four drawbriuaes nj
road crossings. each to have 40 feet snnn
ana be IA feet wide. Deepening and en-
iarsins ol the present channel Is also
specified. clear depth OF 10 feet of
water from Deep Creek lock to South
MINIS lock. with width of 10 feet on
me oottom ana 60 feet at water level Is
| to be given.
Ihere are to be ten "turnouts" pro-
Vlued between these places. Each turn
out is to be 20 feet wide on the hot
tom, and at least 200 feet long. curvin,,
out at each end to make uniform con.
uition with the banks. For 600 foot n
Deep Creek and South Mills. the resnec-
tive northern and southern termini OF
the canal. 1t is to be widened to so feet
at the bottom.
A feeder about three miles long is to
De constructed to Lake Drummond. The
! total length of the canal from Deep
Creek to South Mills Is about % miles
| IHeht OIL way 200 feet wide I'm Virginia
ana $50 feet wide through North Caro-
lima is owned by the company.
a. H. Fisher, OF the United States
| department of Agriculture who hna
recently explored the Dismal Swami for
the Government. has Il lengthy article
IN the New York Journal OF Sunday de-
scMbing what he saw. III Il he saws
| that the arnithologist who visi, the
DISMAL swamp I'm summer Will be dis
,api,oihtea at the comparatively few
KINDS were found in June and of these
not over ten species were uncommon
enough TO be at all noticeable The
handsome prothonotary warbler. in its
piushaEe OF orange anu white, enlivens
me cane everywhere. and it's sweet
il ". n 4, -.
cheerE when coming from the dark and
Sombrc wastes Eeyot!d as from the
bright and sunny openings Scarcely
does the naturalist push his way into
the canebrakc before Il metallic chirn
Is heard. and almost Immediately q
ysiow-breasted bird with black head
markings appears fitting about with
Widespread tail. This Is the hooded
warbler. another common inhabitant
OF The swamp. The rare Swainson's
warbler. heretofore not known so far
North, was seen on several occasions
Nurnal birds OF prey axe not very
common, hut owls are abundant. and
'hsif weird and varied calls are among
the common sounds that break the. still
ness or the night and the quiet slum-
oefS or the sleeper. HeronS are. scarce
and during the summer season the wood
duck is the only water fowl found there.
IN the iall, however. ducks, geese and
occasionally swans come in at early
morn from the outside. where they are
harassed by gunners. to rest in security
| on the lake throughout the day Al this
season the thicke.s. brakes and forests
hlso swarm with the migrating horde
of small birds. and the numerous spar
rows, thrushes and others find a variety
OF food among the ripening berries
| or the large mammals found in the
swamp, beer. deer. wildcats, raccoons.
otters, opossuins. mink. rabbits and
| squirrels are more or less abundant.