1st Session.

SANDY AND BEAVER CANAL.

APRIL 12, 1830.

Read, and laid upon the table.

Mr. THOMSON, of Ohio, presented the following report and estimate of the Sandy and Beaver Canal:

To Messrs. POTTER, BEGGES, HANNA, and OTHERS,

Commissioners of the Sandy and Beaver Canal.

GENTLEMEN: From the notes and observations made along the line of the Sandy and Beaver Canal by myself, in 1828, together with the surveys and measurements more recently furnished me by the resident engineer, I have completed the calculations and estimates for said canal, and have now the honor to communicate the results in the following report.

For convenience of reference, the line is divided into three natural subdivisions, called, respectively, the Middle, Western, and Eastern Division, which I shall describe in the order in which I have named them.

The middle division corresponds precisely with the summit level of the canal, and of course occupies the dividing ground between the waters of the Little Beaver and the heads of the Sandy. It is fourteen miles in length, commencing on the high ground about a mile and a half West of New Lisbon, and terminating in the valley of the Sandy, two miles below Hanover. The first part of its course, for about six miles, passes through grounds generally favorable, being level, easy of excavation, and of an uncommonly fine soil for retaining water. Two slight extra cuttings, of about a third of a mile each, and average depth of twelve feet, are the only particulars that deserve to be excepted from this remark. Another portion, of about four miles in length, winds among the head waters of the West fork, (of Little Beaver) and is somewhat more undulating than the preceding. Two deep cuttings occur upon it, of which the most considerable is 56 chains long by 36 feet average depth: the other is also about 30 feet deep at an average, but only fifteen chains long. With these exceptions, there is nothing particularly unfavorable; and, upon the whole, the better kind of ground greatly predominates. A third portion of this division, about two miles in length, intersects the principal dividing ridge, and reaches the head waters of the Sandy. This will require a tunnel of about 900 yards, for passing the more elevated part of the ridge and deep cuttings at each end, to the extent of about two and a quarter miles in length, and about 20 feet average depth. Four shafts have been sunk on the line of this tunnel, for the purpose of ascertaining the precise nature of the strata though which it will pass; and I am happy to say that the result proves extremely favorable. The material at the level of the drift is a sand stone rock, of moderate hardness, which could be excavated in the open air for about 35 or 40 cents per cubic yard, and which, therefore, according to the analogy of such works, would not exceed one dollar and sixty cents in the drift, apart from the cost of remov ing the rubbish. This rock is found to be of sufficient depth in the stratum to ensure the stability of support without the assistance of masonry.

Th

extreme height of the ridge above the line of the tunnel is 120 feet; but, at the positions where the working shafts would be sunk, the height does not exceed 84 feet. A small proportion of rock excavation will be necessary in opening the deep cut at the East end of the tunnel; but, on the West side, the rock disappears at the commencement of the deep cutting, and the length of the tunnel has been determined by this circumstance. A tunnel of such a length, and under such circumstances, cannot be regarded as a difficulty of very great magnitude; it probably will not be more expensive than a 48 feet. cut of the same length in common gravelly loam. The remaining two miles of the middle division occupy the level flats of the Sandy below Hanover, and are wholly favorable. The feeders, which should be noticed in connexion with the summit division of the canal, are for the purpose of introducing the waters of the following streams, viz. Davis's branch of Sandy, Mendenhalls's do., Holland's do., and the main branch of the same, also, the West fork of Little Beaver, and Cold Run. Of these, the first two will require a single feeder of about 5 miles in length; the others either intersect the route, or lay contiguous to it, and may be introduced almost without expense. Should the purposes of trade be found to require a further supply, it is ascertained that a part of the waters of the Middle Fork (of Little Beaver) may be thrown into the summit level by an engine feeder, under circumstances singularly favorable, and at a very moderate expense. But of this I shall speak more particularly hereafter.

The Western division of the route continues down the valley of the Sandy to its routh, and is 334 miles in length from the first lock, below Hanover, to the village of Bolivar, on the right bank of the Tuscarawas, where it intersects the line of the Ohio and Lake Erie Canal. No part of the route on this distance offers any impediment worthy of particular discussion. On the contrary, the fine open plains and gentle declivities by which the valley of Sandy is remarkably characterized, offer on a large part of it a choice of favorable locations; and, if it were not for the lockage, and the expediency of crossing the creek occasionally, in order to shorten the distance, the construction of this division would be reduced to a very low minimum indeed. The soil is generally a light species of gravelly loam, inclining to clay towards the head of the valley, and becoming somewhat more sandy Westward; but, though generally easy of excavation, it is nowhere so loose or light, as not to afford, with proper attention to the slopes, good and sufficient banks. The lockage amounts to about 223 feet, including one ascending lock at the junction of the Ohio line. Feed water is received from one or two tributaries of the Sandy, and from the Sandy itself, as occasion requires; generally, however, at such points that the dams may also be used with advantage in crossing the stream. The dams are of moderate length, and do not exceed an average of 4 feet in height. There are three crossings of this description, and three by means of aqueducts, including that across the Tuscarawas, at the termination of the line. A few instances of bluff bank occur on the location side near the mouth of the Sandy, amounting to about three-fourths of a mile in all. These will require protection walls, or they may be secured by diverting the stream into a different channel.

The Eastern division of the line commences at the Eastern extremity of the summit level, and immediately descends, by a rapid succession of locks, to the level of the middle fork of Little Beaver. It then follows the valley of that stream to its confluence with the Ohio, and up the right bank of the latter to the mouth of the Big Beaver, where it intersects the route of the

Pennsylvania State Canal. Its precise length will depend somewhat upon the ultimate location of the latter; pending which, it is considered as terminating at the end of the 43d mile, near the Beaver bridge.

The flight of rocks, mentioned at the commencement of this division, descends a ravine, of nearly uniform declivity, and of convenient dimensions for all purposes of construction. The number of the locks is twenty-seven, having an aggregate lift of 162 feet (6 feet each) in a distance of one and a half miles. This will afford intermediate basins of 186 feet length, which, by occupying rather greater width and depth than usual, will be sufficient to make locks of this lift independent of each other. It may be observed, that locks, under the circumstances, and in the relative position here described, are frequently built with more convenience and at less expense than in the ordinary way; as, by shelving down the bottom of the basins, from lock to lock, the necessity of breast walls is entirely removed. In the present instance, it is another favorable circumstance, that the bottom of the ravine, on a considerable part of the descent, is composed of ledges of rock, which, while they furnish in part the material for the locks, will also afford an imperishable foundation for all the works. The foot of this flight of locks reaches the middle fork of Little Beaver, from which a feeder is taken, and the line then crosses immediately to the left bank. From this point, through the town of New Lisbon, and to about five miles beyond, the location is extremely favorable through a succession of meadows and river flats; but, below this limit, the valley begins to assume a more bold and precipitous character, and, on all the remaining distance to the Ohio, furnishes a very strong contrast to the flat, open topography of the Western division. This feature, however, is not without its advantages for the construction of the canal; as we are enabled, by the narrowness of the stream, and the boldness of its banks, to dam it with the greatest facility, and thus form slack water pools, from 100 to 300 rods in length, in many places, where the construction would otherwise be attended with considerable difficulty. About five miles are thus constructed in a distance of nineteen, reducing the labor of excavation to the mere formation of a tow path, in addition to the necessary dams; and it results, that the construction of the canal down this valley, rude and unpromising as it appears, is very little more expensive than the ordinary average of an open route. The employment of this mode of construction secures at the same time the necessary feed water for the use of the canal. In one instance only, a separate feeder is required for the purpose of leading the water of the North branch into a dam located on the main one, a little above the confluence. About two miles above this confluence, the line, for the first time after leaving New Lisbon, crosses by a dam to the right bank, and continues down that side to the mouth of the creek, where it re-crosses by an aqueduct. The continuation of the line, from this point to the mouth of the Big Beaver, occupies the flats of the Ohio just sufficiently above the line of extreme high water to secure it from the freshets, the ground at this level being free from any great irregularities, and generally favorable in other respects. A basin is projected at the end of the 43d mile, in which the present location terminates; and, in case the Pennsylvania canal should be located on the West bank of the Big Beaver, which the report on that subject seems to indicate as most probable, a few rods only of excavation will remain to complete the navigable connexion.

The total lockage on this division is 429 feet, including a rise of about 12 feet on the ascent of the Ohio. Having thus particularly described the

whole route of the canal, properly so called, and exhibited the various local advantages and disadvantages, under which it will have to be constructed, I proceed next to examine the important question relative to the supply of water. The interesting situation and relations of this canal, regarded as a connecting link between the State improvements of Ohio and Pennsylvania, give a high degree of interest to every question of this kind; and as some doubts had been expressed on this subject, it did not fail to engage early and particular attention. Soon after my arrival on the line, dams were constructed on all the principal streams of the summit level, that is to say: Davis's Branch of Sandy, Mendenhall's and Holland's Branches of the same, and the ma n branch below Hanover; also the West fork of Little Beaver, and Cold Run fork of the same. These dams were furnished with waste weirs, of the proper shape and dimensions for gauging, and built with some degree of permanency, so as to afford a series of measurements, during the whole of the dry season. At the time of their construction, the streams were yet on the decrease, but on the 29th August, when they appeared nearly to have reached their lowest limit, the weirs were measured, and found to yield an aggregate of 736 cubic feet per minute. On the 6th September, the drought being still uninterrupted, the measurement gave 708 cubic feet, and the same on the 18th; but about the first October the waters began to rise, and by the 6th of the same month, the aggregate flow was upwards of 2000 feet per minute. From these measurements, and my own knowledge of the state of the water, previously to the 29th August, I have assumed the duration of extreme drought for the year 1828, at about seven weeks; and the average supply during that time at 722 feet per minute, being the mean of 736 and 708. This will appear a very safe estimate, when we consider that the waters generally, before the 29th August, were higher than at that time, and that the average afterwards was also higher than that at the times of measurement: for those measurements were always made after the longest interval of continuous drought, and when the streams were least affected by occasional rains, of which there were several instances in the course of the dry season. According to the best information to be obtained, the streams had seldom, if ever, been seen as low as in 1828; but that there may be no room for doubt on this head, I suppose the duration of drought in general, to be sixty days, instead of seven weeks, at the rate above mentioned, which will comprehend nearly the whole of August and September.

The summit level of the canal I propose constructing with an extra depth of three feet, which will make it a reservoir for about ten millions cubic feet of surplus water. This will enable us to secure the product of every shower during the Summer, for the use of the canal, and (being filled, of course, in the earlier part of the season) will afford us, even without any accessions of this kind, a regular supply of 114 cubic feet per minute, in addition to the preceding, during the whole 60 days. We may also estimate at least 50 cubic feet per minute, from the heads of Brush Run, and several other small but permanent Spring streams, by which the line of the canal is intersected, and which are not included in the foregoing estimate. The aggregate of the whole is 886 cubic feet per minute; we shall presently add to this, the pro duce of an engine feeder from the middle fork of Little Beaver; but to show more clearly the grounds of certainty upon which this canal may be undertaken, let us first inquire how far this supply alone, without any such addition, would meet the expectations of public convenience and revenue.

In the first place, it will have to supply the losses of soakage and evapo