Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], February 12, 1823, Image 1

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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VOL. II
«TO SHEW VIRTUE HER OWN FEATURE, SCORN HER CftrVN' IMAGE, AND THE VERY AGE AN1> BODY OF THE TIME, HIS FORM AND PRESSURE.”
. U*TiTZ<*i:9Sfa/!m,Z,TZHiiV MRR ® 3
HARPERS-FERRY, VIRGINIA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1823.
Whole No. 80.
PUBLISHED, WEEKLY, BY
JOHN S, GALLAHER & CO.
CONDITIONS.
The a Free Press” is published, at two
dollars per annum, if paid in advance ;
two dollars and twenty-five cents if paid
at the end of six months ; or, two dollars
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year.
No paper will be discontinued until all
arrearages are paid ; nor then, unless at
least one week’s notice be given, previous
to the expiration of the term subscribed
for.
%CjT As payment in advance will serve
the interest of all concerned, that mode is,
respectfully solicited.
*** Advertisements inserted three times
for one dollar per square ; and twenty-five
cents for every subsequent insertion.
The postage must be paid on all letters
and communications, or they will not be
attended to.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1823.
We rejoice to find that the subject of
improving the navigation of our princi
pal rivers, has been brought before Con
gress. On the 22d ult. the President ot
the United States communicated a Report
of the Board of Engineers, of surveys
made on the rivers Ohio and Mississippi,
from the Rapids of the Ohio at Louis
ville, to the Balize, for the purpose of
facilitating and ascertaining the most
practicable mode of improving the navi
gation of those rivers. The attention of
that body has also been called to the Re
port of the Potomac Commissioners. In
fact, the subject of internal improvement
generally,seems to acquire additional in
terest among the representatives of the
people ; and there is much reason to hope
that the power to make sucli improve
ments will he explicitly granted to Con
gress, by an amendment to the Constitu
tion.
This seems to be the most rational and
certain way of having a beginning made.
Let all doubts as to the power be remov
ed, and the matter will then be presented
in a national, and not a sectional point
of view. Those who are secretly hostile
to improvements not immediately in their
own neighborhood, disguise their hostili
ty under the comprehensive plea of con
stitutional scruples—a very potent and
magical plea in some quarters. This
mask to selfish motives being once re
moved, narrow-minded politicians will
then be compelled to give place to men
of national feelings and views. The
guardians of the public weal cannot long
fail duly to appreciate the importance of
adding to the internal security and wealth
of the country, by means so simple and
easily commanded. Persons legislating
for. the Union, although unavoidably en-,
cumbered with many local predilections
and dislikes, are more likely to be govern
ed by an enlarged and liberal policy, than
the mere representatives of counties or
petty boroughs.
We confess that our hopes, of substan
tial and permanent improvement, rest
more confidently upon Congress than up
on the legislatures of the states interest
ed; for, although a biil lias been report
ed in the Maryland House of Delegates,
favorable to the object, yet there is great
reason to fear, that, for want oi the effi
cient co-operation of Virginia, nothing
will be done, at least for some time to
come.
We subjoin a statement from the Re
port of the Potomac Commissioners, to
show the cost and distance oi‘ each section
of the contemplated Canal.
ISAAC BRIGGS, in pursuance of au
thority conferred on him by the Board
of Public Works of Virginia, and of
the approbation of the said commis
sioners, as successor to the late Engi
neer, respectfully offers the lollowing
Report:
Gentlemen,
From the notes of Thomas Moore, the
late engineer, (notes which he left in pen
cil writing,) I have carefully, and in de
tail, calculated and arranged all the esti
mates of expense necessary for construct
ing, along the valley of Potomac river, an
independent canal, in which the water is
intended to be 30 feet wide on the surface,
.20 feet wide at bottom, and 3 feet deep.
The notes of the l^t.e engineer commenc
ed at CumberlamYpbd extended to a few
perches more Uj^|j3g23 miles below Har
per’s Ferry—sjroYmiles. In order to ar
rive at the grp&test possible accuracy, in
making the estimates of cost, the same
has been taken in minute portions, and
each calculated separately, as the site has
varied according to the difficulty or faci
lity, and of course the greater or less ex
pense necessary for constructing a good
canal. For the various kinds of works,
prices have been assumed which have
well sustained the test of experience, ex
tensively in the state of New York, and
in some measure in the state of Virginia.
I therefore confidently believe, that if the
execution of the work be faithfully and
prudently managed, its cost will not ex
ceed the estimate. It has been deemed
expedient to divide into sections the pro
posed canal, for the purpose of facilitat
ing its execution. The first section ex
tends from its commencement at Cum
berland, in Maryland, to the mouth of
Capon, in Virginia, 54§ miles; the se
cond section, from the mouth of Capon
to the mouth of Great Conogochcague,
or Williamsport, in Maryland, 33| miles ;
the third section, wholly on the Maryland
side of the river, from the mouth of Great
Conogocheague to Harper’s Ferry, oppo
site to the mouth of Shenandoah river,
38£ miles ; the fourth section, still on the
Maryland side, from Harper’s Ferry to
the head of the Great Falls, 46^ miles;
and the fifth section, still on the Mary
land side, from the head of the Great Falls
to tide water, in the District of Colum
bia, 12 miles; amounting altogether to
185 miles of Canal Navigation, from
Cumberland to tide water.
RE C A PITU L ATI 0 N.
l he hrst section commences at Cum
berland, in Maryland, and crossing the
river 3 times, terminates at the tnouth of
Capon, on its western hank.
The first crossing to theVirginia shore,
just -above Cressap’s landing, 16 miles
from Cumberland, is by a dam of suita
ble elevation, then descending by locks
into the still-water above the dam, we
pass through a guard-lock into a canal
on the opposite shore.
The second crossing to the Maryland
shore is also by means of a dam placed
just below the mouth of South Branch,
19 miles from Cumberland, to raise the
water in Potomac 8 feet.
In every case where a dam is the means
of crossing a river, a guard-lock is indis
pensable at the entrance of the canal on
the opposite shore; aqueducts, however,
as. the mode of crossing rivers with a ca
nal, are, on account of the superior safe
ty and convenience which they afford to
navigation, decidedly pre*’ rable to dams,
although more expensive tti construction,
yet, where we cannot avail ourselves of
sufficient feeders side-streams to
keep always a fullufid certain supply of
water in our uppei’ levt^s, dams are adopt
ed, because, V} the-we obtain.from the
river'an abundant supply. This is pre
cisely the-case in the first crossing, and
;in the second there is n.ot sufficient ele
vation for an aqueduct.
The. third crossing, to the Virginia
shore, 29 miles from Cumberland, is by
an aqueduct, which, by maintaining a
level sufficiently high to be safe from
freshets in the river, will augment the
expense of a piece of walling, just about
§3,900.
Summary of the Estimate of Exfiensc.
For excavating, walling, aque
ducts, dams, See. including 6
culverts rioted by the engineer §262,656
The extra expense of a wall men
tioned above, 3,900
For lockage 146 feet (in 18 locks)
at §650 per foot, 94,900
For 48 culverts (in addition to
those in the first item) at §200
each, . 9,600
For 30 farm bridges, at §300 each, 9,000
For 4 road bridges, at §500 each. 2,000
382,056
Add for contingencies, engineers,
superintendence, 8cc. lOperct. 38,206
Amount of estimates for the up
per section, from Cumberland
to the mouth of Capon, 51|
miles, §7,711 per mile, (which
in the same proportion for a
canal of the dimensions of those
in New-York, 40 feet wide and
4 feet deep, would be §13,983
per mile,) §420,262
The Second Section
Commences‘with as aqueduct across
Capon, and continuing on the Virginia
side 14 miles, crosses Potomac, on an
aqueduct, to the M aryl at) d shore, and
terminates at the western bank of the
Great Conogocheague.
Summary of Estimates of Expense.
| For excavation, walling, aque
ducts, dams, See. 184,413
| For lockage 72 feet, in ten locks,
| at 650 dollars per foot, 46,800
I For 33 culverts, at 200 6,600
! For 20 farm bridges at 300 6,000
i For 3 road bridges at 500 1,500 !
2 i <_> l o
Add for contingencies, engineers,
superintendants, &c. 10 per ct. 24,531
Amount of estimates for the se
cond section, 33^ miles, 8,055
per imie, (stated in proportion
to their dimensions on the canal
of New York, it would be 14,
606 dollars per mile) §269,844
The Third Section
Commences with an aqueduct across
Great Conogocheague, and, continuing
on the Maryland side, terminates at Har
per’s Ferry.
Summary of Estimates of Expense.
For excavation, walling, aque
ducts, dams, &c. 228,313
For lockage, 80 feet 8 inches, in
10 locks, at 650 dollars per foot 52,442
For 33 culverts at 200 6,600
For 30 farm bridges at 300 9,000
For 5 road bridges at 500 2,500
298,855
Add for contingencies, engineers,
superintendants, &c. lOperct. 29,885
Amount of estimates for the third
section, 38$ miles, 8,483 dolls,
per mile, (rated on the canals
of New York, in proportion to
their dimensions, it would be
15,383 dollars per mile,) S323,740
The Fourth Section
Commences at Harper's Ferry, and,
continuing on the Maryland side, termi
nates at the head of the Great Falls.
Summary of the Estimates of Exfiense.
For excavation, walling, aque
ducts, dams, &c. 229,679
Tor lockage, 86 feet, in 11 locks,
at 650 dollars per foot, 55,900
For 73 culverts, at 200 14,600
For 37 farm bridges, at 300 1 1,100*
For 8 road bridges, at 500 4,000
315,279
Add for contingencies;, engineers,
superintendants, &c. 10 ger ct. 31,528
Amount of estimates for the 4th
section, 46$ miles, 7,499 dolls,
per mile, (rated on the canals
of New York, in proportion to
their dimensions, it would be
13,598 per mile,) S346,807
The Fifth Section
Commences at the head of the Great
Falls, and, continuing on the Maryland
side, terminates at the head of tide wa
ter navigation, in the district of Colum
bia.
Sumihary of the Estimates of Expense.
For excavation, walling, aqueducts,
dams, 8tc. 103,527
For lockage, 40 feet, in 5 locks, at
1000 dollars per foot, 40,000
For lockage 62 do. in 9 do. at 750 46,500
For 12 culverts at 200 each 2,400
For 5 farm bridges at 300 1,500
19*3,927
Add for contingencies, engineers,
superintendants, Sec. 10 per ct. 19,393
Amount of estimates for the fifth
section, 9 miles, $23,702 per
mile, (rated on the canals of
NewYork,in proportion to their
dimensions, it would be 42,973
per mile,) $213,320
.General Summary.
For 182 miles of canal, comprising, be
sides excavation, walling, aqueducts, and
dams, 487 feet of lockage, 205 culvers,
122 farm bridges, and 20 road bridges.
For the 1st section, 54| miles, $7,711 per
mile, $420,262
2d do. 33^ do. 8,035 do# 269,844
3d do. 38§ do. 8,483 do. 328,721
4th do. 46J do. 7,499 do. 346,307
5th do. 9 do. 23,702 do. 213,320
182 miles, 8,676 pr,n?.$ 1,578,954
This average rate on the whole canal,
$8,676 per mile, would, if applied in ex
act proportion to a canal of the same di
mensions as those in the state of New
York, he $15,732 per mile, and this ac
cords with the actual cost of such parts
of the New York Canals as resemble ours,
in amount of lockage and in laborious
excavation.
All which is respectfully submited.
ISAAC BRIGGS.
Georgetown, 12th Mo. 19th, 1822.
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS,
IN SENATE—January 28, 1823.
Mr. Taylor, of Va. from the com
mittee to which was referred a resolution
proposing an amendment to the Consti
tution of the United States, as it respects
the election of President and Vice Presi
dent of the United States, reported the
following new draft as a substitute there
for: \
Resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, in Congress assembled, two
thirds of both 'Houses concurring, That
the following amendment of the Consti
tution of the United States, be proposed
to the Legislatures of the several States,
which, when ratified by three-fourths
thereof, shall be a part of the said Con
stitution :
The Electors of a President and Vice
President shall meet on the —— day of
—,— next preceding the expiration of
the time for which the existing President
may have been appointed, vote for a Pre
sident and Vice President, and make two
lists of the persons voted for to fill each,
office, to be signed and certified by them ;
one to be delivered, sealed, to the Presi
dent of* the United States, or, if there is
no President, to the person exercising
the powers of the said office, within
days thereafter, to be opened and e\a
\
A
4
/
mined by him; and it it shall appear
that no person lias received the votes of
a majority of the Electors appointed, the
President of the United States, or the
person exercising; the powers of the said
office, shall, forthwith, by proclamation
and by notifications to the Executives of
each state, publish the number of votes
given to each person as President; where
upon, the said Electors shall again meet
on the-day of-, next succeeding
the first meeting, and vote for one of the
two persons as President, who shall have
received the greatest number of votes for
that office, at their first meeting; or if it
should happen that more persons than
two, shall have received the greatest num
ber, and also an equal number of votes,
the said Electors shall vote for one of
them as President. The said Electors
shall transmit the other list of votes for
a President and Vice President, at their
first meeting, and also the list of the votes
for a President at their second meeting,
if it should take place, to the Seat of Go
vernment of the United States, signed
and certified, under seal, directed to the
President of the Senate,"who shall open
the said lists, in the presence of the Se
nate and House of Representatives; and
if it shall appear that any person has been
duly elected President of the United
States, according to the Constitution,
such person shall be the President; if nob
and it shall appear that any person shall
have received the greatest number and
also a majority of the votes of the said
Electors at their second meeting, he
shall be the President. But if it shall
happen that no person is^J^ly elected
President of the United States, eiUitr at
the first or second meeting of the s£.id
Electors, then the Senate and House oT
Representatives shall, immediately, by
ballot, each member of both Houses giv
ing one vote, proceed to elect a President
from the persons duly voted for at the
second meeting of the said Electors. A
majority of all the members present at
the said joint meeting oi the Senate and
House of Representatives, shall be neces
sary to a choice of the President of the
United States, on the first ballot; after
which, a plurality of the said votes shall
decide the election. The person having
the greatest number of votes as Vice
President, shall be the Vice President,
if such number be a majority of the whole
number of Electors appointed ; and if no
person shall have such majority, then,
from the two highest numbers on the list,
the Senate shall choose the Vice Presi
dent) as provided for by the Constitution.
' WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29.
The President laid before the Senate
a letter from Mr. Cjesar A Rodney, a
member of the Senate, from the State
of Delaware, resigning his seat in the
Senate, in consequence of his acceptance
of the office of Minister Plenipotentiary
to the Government of Buenos Ayres;
which letter being read, it was
On motion of Mr. Van Dyke, ordered
that the President of the Senate transmit
to the Executive of the State of Dels