The Washington herald., 1910-04-24

water on both sides and at ye hd-Their
may be a passage also got round this
also upon the Maryland shoar that YES
sells may be hald UP after removing some
Rocks which a moderate expence may
accomplish-One Of the other two Falls
is swift and ugly representing much
the Spout but when the liver Is higher
than ordinary a passage may be had
round a small Island on the other side
which passage may be greatly improved.
abt s miles below this there is another
Fall which is very easy and passable and
abt Niles from that is a cluster Of
small Islands with many Rocks and
swift water which renders the passage
somewhat precarious From this 10 the
Seneca FAN the Water is as smooth d
even as can be desird. with scarcely any
perceptacle Fall-The Seneca FAN IS
easily pass'd in two places and canoes
may continue within two Miles of the
CT Falls but further il is not possible
therefore the trouble and expence Of ad-
vantage Of passg this Fall will not be
adiquite to the expence and trouble will
not answer the Charges as all Carriages
for the benefits of good Road
arc obiigd to pass Difficult Bridge
from whence IL is but Miles TO We
| landing place at the Snyerland Island
and is > Miles TO the Lowest landing
VI can be nd below the aforesd Falls Of
Seneca. Thus Sir as far as I was
capable, have l given you an acct Of the
/ conveniences and inconyeniencies that at.
| tend the navigation Of Potomack firm ye
| FAN up, which I doubt but you will
readily concur with me in judging #
more convenient least expensive and ]
may further say by much the most ex-
| pediuous way 20 the country. There IS
/ but one objection that can obviate thi.
! Carriage & that is We scarcity OF water
in the best season Of ye year for this
kind of conveyance.
! At the beginning Of the Potomac par
Of the letter. Washington refers L
: Frederick county, which was established
| by legislative act Of the Colony Of Vir
ginia in lbs. comprising the part Of it.
/ territory west Of the Blue Ridge ant
| bounded on the southwest by a lin,
to be run from the head spring at Hedg
/ llldlA llNtl " AA4t l4Gdu Sll4ll8 Oh lllt TlNel
! Potomack." The river first mentioned i!
/ one of the upper streams Of the Rap
| pahannock Within the area thus in
cluded by the original Frederick county
as then existing, bounded on the norti
by the Potomac river and Maryland, ar,
nO-= Il counties, and parts Of two others
in Virginia and West Virginia
Patterson's creek joins the Potoma,
about miles below Wits creek, which
was probably the starting point
The distance traversed along the cours
Of the river in the canoe trip was verl
nearly 10 miles, terminating at the hea,
Of the strong rapids close above the Grea
Falls. In this distance the decent Of tn
river, as noted in the reports on waite
power published by the Tenth Unite,
States Census, and amounts to abou
400 feet from about $40 to 80 feet abov,
the sea.
In ~ miles next above the mouth o
the Shenandoah river, at Harpers Ferry
the Potomac falls about q feet; and il
descent in the next miles down stream
is p feet. Thus the series Of rapids ant
falls most particularly described b.
Washington, estimated by him to hav
an extent NED s miles above and be