Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1897-02-26
DISMAL SWAnP CANAL.
ONE OF THE OLDEST ARTIFICIAL WATERWAYS S
IN THE UNITED STATES.
Planned by Washington.
Is Being Enlarged Deepened and Restored for
rlodern Use

delapidated condition, and has
been practically moribund ever
since
Some years after the war
Gen. +. F. Butler and certain
New England capitalists con-
ceived the idea of purchasing
the canal property and building
a railroad on the towpath. But
the engineers sent out to make
the preliminary survey came
back with all unfavorable report,
and the scheme was abandoned
There has been talk in Congress
of charging this canal, and of
making it a part of the inter
coastal waterway from Boston to
New Orleans. This ambitious
scheme probably had its origin
in the brain of John c. Calhoun,
and that statesman was its chief
advocate for many years. But
the intercoastal canal is still an
unaccomplished dream of naval
officers and menbers of Congress
who delight in extraordinary
modes of spending the public
revenues"
THE WORK OF CONSTR RuCTION
In March, 1896, the work of
construction was placed in the
hands of a Philadelphia firm of
contractors. Operations were
begun upon the locks and termi-
nails of the canal, and machinery
placed upon the summit level
with which to begin the excava-
ton. Preliminary construction
in the way of diverting the chan
nels Of creeks near the northern
terminal has been finished, and
the lock at that point is we'll
under way. By the terms of
the contract, the work is to be
completed and the canal made
ready for traffic January 23d,
1898.
The Dismal Swamp Canal
starts at the head Of navigation
in Deep Creek, a tributary of
the Elizabeth river, six miles
south of Norfolk, Va. 1t runs
thence in a southly direction
twenty-five miles to Mills Creek,
N. c. Then through a lock the
line of the canal enters Turner'S
Cut, and four miles further down
strikes deep water in Pasquo~
tank river, eighteen miles above
City. The old canal
was thirty-two feet wide in the
bottom and carried four feet
depth of water. 1t had
five locks and navigation on that
account was somewhat slow.
Barges 100 feet long, 1o IL feet
wide, and drawing 3 teet of
water, could pass through, but
for years the tow path has been
greatly out of order, and difficult
ty was experienced in obtaining
tugs to tow in such shallow
water.
The improvement now under
way will result virtually in cou>
a new canal. The
prism is being enlarged to
width of 40 feet at the bottom
and 60 feet at the surface, with
water depth of 10 feet.
Two enlarged and improved
Iocks-one at either end of the
take the place of the
five locks of the old water way.
Each of the new locks is to be
so feet long, 40 feet wide, and
10 feet of water above the mitIe
sill. There will be three sets of
steel gates worked by powerful
machinery, and SO arranged as to
pass boats through quickly. Ten
are also to be construct ,
ID, each 20 feet at the bottom ,
and 200 feet in length, and for
1 distance of 900 feet before :
reaching the locks the canal is
% have a width of 80 feet in the
bottom of the prism. :
By this means provision is be> ,
ng made for both speed of ten {
niles an hour and for the accom-
n nodation of many boats at once. r
It is estimated that barges towed |
by steam tugs will be able to E
make the passage from Elizabeth E
City to Norfolk in six hours. +
If anything like such speed can +
De developed, the new canal i
will become a powerful rival to E
he Albemarle and Chesapeake q
,anal, and invite to the shorter 8
inland route much of the coast :
rade from Savannah, Charleston
and Jacksonville, which now
axes the outside passage around