OCR Text |
Show EMIGRANT'S GUIDE. section, is $205,877 .. The whole expense,, from .that. point to the Genesee river, as estJmated on Mr. Geddes s sectwn, ts as follows : l'Vhole expense of excavation, for 6 miles ami 42 chains, - - - - $-tOt ,271 'l'otal amount of extras, thence to Genec;ee river 224,378 Expense of each mile, after all extras are calcu-lated, for 65 miles 48 1-2 chains, at $2250, (for which allowance see a subsequent part of the Report) • 14 7,611 On this sum $'¥73,~60 Add for contingencies, 5 per cent. - 38,663 For superilllendtmce, draining, and fencing, at the rate of $1000 per mile for 72 miles and 10 1·2 chains, 72,125 The total amount is $884,048 \Vhich added to the expense ti·om Tonnewanta to Buffalo, above stated, 205,877 :&-Ialtes the aggregate cost of the canal from Genesee river, on the north route, On the south route, this cost is estimated at Buffalo to the $1,089,925 780,000 Leaving a balance of expense in favour of the south route, by these estimates, of - - $309,925." 'fhe routes both pas3 from lake Erie to the central valley; the north route is not intended to rise above the level of Jake Erie; the south route is more direct, but rises seventy·five feet above the level of lake Erie, at a distance from that lake of sixty-two miles. lfhe point where the summit level is attained in rising the acclivity ()f the lake Erie slope, is the most elevated part of the intended canal, lJeing hventy-six and a half feet above the level, near Rome. The distance from lake Erie, by the northern route, to S~ne~a Jlver, is about 170 miles, with a fall of 194 feet. If an art1fi~Jal river was formed without locks, crossing Genesee river by an aque· duct, the fall per mile would be something less than fourteen incheii. rrhe possibility exists of conveying a part of thu discharge of lake Erie, down the Seneca and Oswego rivers, into the south-east part of lake Ontario. SYLLABUS OF THE WESTERN CANAL. Distance in Miles. From Jake Erie to a point upon the Tonnewanta creek - rronnewanta to Seneca river Seneca river to Rome Rome to Schoharie creek Schoharie creek to Albany .. General contingencies - .. . 27 136 77 71l-3 42 Expense. $ 205,877 1,550,985 853,186 1,099,603 I 106,087 ' 75,000 ---·- • Aggregate of distance and expense .. 353! 4,881 '738 EMIGRANT'S GUIDE. Rise and Fall. Feet. Locks. .lt.,rom lake Erie to Seneca river, a fall of - ' 194 25 Seneca river to Rome, a rise of - 48.1 6 2 Rome to Schoharie creek, a fall of 133* 1 ] 6 Schoharie creek to Albany, a fall of 286 1 30 The aggre&at~ rise and f~ll \ts • - - G61 t I 77 Lake Ene JS 56 feet htgher than tide water at the city of Albany · and 145 fe~t higher than the summit level at Rome.;lf ' The following Extract from the Report of th~ Commissioners is a Recapitulation of the route~ distance, necessary labour, and ex-peuse of the Northern Canal, to unite the Hudson with Lake Champlain. " The examination and levels for this canal, have been made under t?e direction of the commissioners, by Col. Lewis Garin, and the Jme for the, same has been marked out upon the maps herewith presented. 'I here are two places of departure from the Hudson, in Qrder to connect that river with Lake Champlain, each of whicb affords a very favourable route, in point of soil, to be excavated and of ma.terials for the artificial works. One of these routes, by ~omlllencmg at the mouth of F?rt Edward creek, and pursuing the vaiJey of that creek to the summtt level, and then following the rav'ine of W: ood cree~, will reach Whitehall in the distance of twenty-two mdes.. !h•s r~ute was formerly deemed mo~t eligible by a board of ~omrmssnoners composed of general Schuyler and others. It is, bowever, su_rposed, by the enginee.r, th~t the other route may be preferable, whJch commences about s1x m1les further down the river, near the mouth of Moses' ki1J, and which, by the natural channel of this kilt, ancl of Dead creek, joined to a short length of artificial can~} forms the summit level from whence it proceeds-pfl rtly by the na: turaJ channel of Wood creek, and partly by artificial cuts, which greatly shorten the distance to \VbitehaiJ. The length of this route is twenty-eight miles, and it pas~es over a soil which is, in general , remarkably favourable, consisting principally of vegetable mould, loam, and clay. As the northern termination of the canal, a few yards 0f limestone excavation will be necessary; this, however, is not deemed an unfavourable circumstance, as the stone are of such a quality as will be useful in the construction of locks, and it may be remarked that the materiaL for the construction of the locks between LakP Champlain and the Hudson can be procured with little difficulty., Between the Hudson anu Lake Champlain nine Jocks will be necessary, viz. three at the Hudson of 7, 779 feet lift each, by which the summit level wj)] be attained, and by a deep cutting the greatest depth ~f which will be 12,465 feet, and the length of which .is about two mrles ; the summit level will be extended fifteen miles, and will termina!e about one mile south of Fort Ann. At this place two Jocks l'Vt.ll be necessary of 6,217 feet Jift each. Between this point and Wh1tehall, two lock~, the first of 8,223 feet lift, and the next of * Commissioners Report, pages 87 and 88. |