) 8th CONGRESS, f 23 1 t ' " £>
' 2d Sbssiox. . L J l-f
LIBRARV
iUREAU OF RAILWAY ECONOMICS
WASHINGTON, 0. C
OT THE
PRESIDENT AND DIRECTORS
OF THB
»119 Canal Comnan^,
DECEMBER 27, 1824.
Read, and referred to the committee of the whole House, to which is committed
the bill to authorize the subscription of stock in the Delatvare and Chesapeake Canal
Cotnpanp.
• WASHINGTON:
PBINTED BT GATES SEATOB.
1824.
.c 3r
[23]
MEMORIAL
To the Senate and House of Rqmsentatives of the United Slates of
America in Congress assembled,
The Memorial and Petition of the President and Directors of tiiC
Chesapeake and Dcläware Cánal Company,
Hespectfullt Sheweth:
That the importance of uniting the waters of the Chesapeake
and Delaware bays, by a water communication, was felt many years
prior to the Revolutionary war; and it is believed, that, bad the
Canal existed at that eventful period, it would have saved tiie go->
vernment, in carriage alone, a sum more than equal to the whole eX'
pense of the work; and that during the late war, the savings would
not probably have been less. That your memorialists are not in
possession of data on which to frame an accurate estimate of tiiesö
facts, But that some idea may be formed of the savings it would have
occasioned to individuals from the ascertained circumstance, that,
dui'ing six months of the late war, a single mercantile house in Phil'
adelphia, paid for the inland transportation of produce from the State
of Virginia to that city, the considerable sum of about sixty thousand
dollars; but, it is not from considerations of this character alone that
the advantages of this Canal are to be tested, even in a national
point of view: for,
In a confederacy of great republics, like that of these United
States, whose existence rests, under Providence, on the will of the
people, it is of incalculable importance to cement tiie most distant
parts together by the ties of mutual interest, the constant interchange
of good offices, and the bonds of commercial intercourse. In these
respects the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal presents itself in the
most imposing and favorable aspect to public patronage: for your
memorialists think they may challenge the world to jjroduce another
instance in which more extensive, fertile, and increasingly produc¬
tive regions can be united by so short a line of artiñcial naviga¬
tion—this being less than 14 miles.
That the proper location of this Canal being a subject of deep in¬
terest to the Stockholders and the public, your memorialists, on the
revival of the company in 1822, consumed more than 18 months, and
expended more than ten thousand dollars in new surveys and other
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prcpjírafory measures, in all which, they were aided by the best
scientific talents within their command. That the mass of intbrma-
tion thus obtained, toi^ether with all the facts and documents in their
control, were then submitted to a Board of Examining Engineers,
composed of General Bernard and Colonel Totten of the United
States' Engineer Department, and two other gentlemen of great ex¬
perience and acknowledged talents in the formation of canals, who,
after having carefully explored the ground between the two bays, and
after having held two separate sessions of consultation,-unanimously
lecommentled the route which the Board, after great deliberation,
unanimously adopted. That this Canal commences at Newbold's
landing, on t!ie river Delaware, opposite the Pea Patch, on which
Fort Delaware is erected, and, passing through St. George's Mea¬
dows, is lifted by a lock of 8 feet into St. George's mill-pond, and
proceeding westwardly descends 6 feet into Back Creek, having a
tide lock at each extremity, which, w ith the two lift locks, are all
the locks embraced by the plan. That it is intended to*create an
artificial harbor on the Delaware for the reception and protection of
vessels' and the Board had made arrangements last spring for its
early completion, but, on subsequent reflection, they judged it most
advisable to apply their funds in the first instance to objects of inord'
pressing emergency. The Canal itself is 60 feet wide at the water
line, 36 feet at bottom, 8 feet deep, and sufllciently capacious to ac¬
commodate coasüng vessels. A canal of smaller dimensions might
have proved adequate to the passagç of boats from the Susquehanna,
but the public would not have been equally well accommodated.
That the forming of this Canal has ceased to be matter of specula¬
tion: contracts for its entire excavation have brtn executed: the lands
and water-rights on the whole line have bedti secured: able Engi¬
neers are engaged in superintending the work: considerable progress
has been made: large sums expended: men of capital and enterprise
have eitiharked tlieii- services and funds in the undertaking; and no
raiioiia! doubt can exist of its practicability and usefulness, nor of its
yielding a profitable peeuniary return to the stockholders. Hence,
your memorialists are induced to tiiink, that it is entitled to your
consideration and patronage in preference to schemes however in¬
geniously dc'. iscd or laudahlo in their design, w hich are but in medi¬
tation. and for the accomplishment of which, no funds have been
proviilfd.
That, should Congress find it compatible with their vievvs, and
deem it for the interest of the country, ever to adopt a system of in¬
ternal improvement, or to appropriate a portion of the national funds
to the purposes of inland navigation, it is respectfully suggested that
a commencement is to be made at some point, and at some period, and
on sonie object, fairly entitled to public favor; nor is it in the power of
your memorialists to conceive that any canal in these United States,
wiicthrr at present in a state of in-ogressivc execution or hut as yet
in contemidalion, ran come before (lie National Represeniativcs with
higher or more legitimate claims to public bounty.
5
That the excavation and embankment on the eastern division of
this Canal amounts, at the present time; to cubic yards 714,930
And on the western division to 158,866
All done since April last, and amounting, in the whole, to 873,796
Equal to about 37 miles of canal of the usual dimensions.
That on section No. 5 alone, which is on the deep-cut- the excava¬
tion amounts to 668,704 cubic yards, and three of the sub-contracts
are finished to the depth of 12 feet, in a style which would do honor
to any part of Europe; and that the Delaware tide lock, which is an
excellent piece of workmanship, 100 feet long between the gates, 22
feet wide, and containing 40,000 cubic feet of solid masonry, is com¬
pleted.
That, during the summer months, there were from 1000 to 1200
men, and about 200 teams employed on the works, and thai there
remain, since the more active season for labor has passed, 700 men
and 70 teams, exclusively of several powerful machines, the ingenious '
invention of one of the contractors, which are occupied in excavating
the St. George'ff meadows. ' ,
That the estimate of the examining Engineers, designedly framed
on a scale of great liberality for the completion of the Canal, is ad¬
vanced of 1,350,000 dollars, but that contracts have been made for
the w hole line at upwards of 100,000 dollars less than this estimate.
That the available funds of the company may be assumed at 700,000
dollars, viz;
New private subscriptions g425,000
Subscription by the State of Pennsylvania 100,000
Do. by the State of Maryland 50,000
Do. by the State of Delaware 25,000
Old subscription, calculated at 100,000
8700,000
That, should Congress, for objects of internal improvement, ap-
proju iate to tlie several states, as has been sometimes indicated, sums
graduated on the scale of re|)resentation, your memorialists are free
to express their apprehensions, that no portion of it will fall to their
lot, not from any known unfriendly bias entertained towards them
by any of the states—far otherwise: for, they believe they possess
the good wishes of them all. Had the Chesapeake and Delaware
Canal been located exclusively on the soil of any particular state, it
might long since have been effectually aided and fostered by that
state as its es|)ecial oiFspring; but, claiming to be more peculiarly
national in its origin, ciiaracter, and j)urposes, than any similar un¬
dertaking in these United States, it naturally cleaves to Congress
as tiie infant to its mother's breast, foi- that nourishment and protec-
. tion which arc to give licaitii and vigor to its being.
Tiiat this snhject has been so frecpitntly introduced to the notice
of Congress, that your memorialists are restrained by motives of de-
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licacy and fespect from obtruding themselves on your valuable time
and patience, in further urging the inestimable value of this canal to
the nation; and tiicrefore pray tliat your honorable bodies may be
pleased to take the subject into your most serious consideration, and
grant them such speedy relief by a subscription to their stook as
you in your wisdom shall see ñt.
Bv order of the Board,
JAMES C. FISHER, President.
Hi D. Gixpin, Secretary.
Tlít Juads fff Chtat
le course.
U. S bates
than the
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