ME DOLLAR PER ANNUM, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE. TOWANDA: Satnrbun fUorninn, /ebrnarn 18, 1838. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NORTH BRANCII CANAL, TO THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS. WII.KKS-B.ARRE, January 12, 1856. To Oif Board of Canal CommUtiontrt : (i kn'ti.kmkx : —For a statement of the ex penditures made to the close of the year end ing November 80, 1855, and the amount re quired for the year ending November 30,1850, vou are referred to the accompanying statement marked A. The North Branch extension, Pennsylvania canal, extends from Pitts ton to the New York State line, a distance of 94 19-100 miles, fol lowing the valley of the Susquehanna to Athens, and thence along the Chemung to the State line. Here it joins the Junction canal, mid by it is connected with the New York im jirovements. The work was commenced in 1836, suspend ed in IH4I, resumed in 1849, and rej>orted complete in cnnnl reports of December, 1853. The mechanical structures consist of three dams, three guard-locks, twenty-three lift-locks, two guard-gates, twenty-one aqueducts, sixteen waste-weirs, forty-sx culverts, and ninety pub lie and farm bridges. The accompanying ta ble-, marked B. f give the locution of the aque ducts, locks, and of the most importaut places on the line of canal. In its course from Pittston to the State line, tli- North Branch of the Susquehanna river nit- the A llegheny range of mountains to the base, ami its valley probably presents more geological and topographical difficulties than have been encountered by any other canal in lYiinsvlvania, and perhaps in the Union. For one-third of the distance the canal is construc ted at the base of mountains ; most of the re maining distance, except where streams are crossed, the river bottom or flat is very uar im\v, ami rises iu a series of benches and with a rapid slope, generally attaining an elevation of from two to six hundred feet in less than a mile from the river. Strata of clean gravel, alternating with sand and sometimes covered with a layer Of sandy mam, is the characteristic of the valleys. Be low the dam. at Horse Race, for about two miles, the gravel is not encountered, and is the only case for an equal distance on the en tire line. PLAN OK CAX.Ua. Through the narrows or points, where the river run.- along the cuds of the iuouutains,tlie plan of canal was to throw down the loose rock, lying at the base of the mountain, aud ! excavate from the solid rock any additional ! amount required to form a bench in the river, of the requisite width, to support the canal, and in some instances the rock was cut back -iifficieiitlv to receive the public road on the 'crine. lhc outer bank was protected, against 'he action of floods, by a heavy slope wall. i The lining, t< retain the water, was iu tended ;o be composed of selected earth from the de oni|osed rock found at the base and on the l-'iichcs of the mountain. This material, unless arcfully selected, is entirely unfit for the ob t contemplated, as experience, in the at fuupts to open the caual, has too clearly de- 1 uiuii.-'trated. In {sod rock was left, after forming the I' -iii of canal, lining was hauled from the flats •"ij'ntiiiig. In this way the solid rock forms 'mm uiic-tourtli to one-half of the bottom un ivr the lining, with many seams and crevices, v hile the quarried and loose rock make up the remaining portion, and, in some cases, the eu- , 're Amount below the lining iscomposedof this broken rubbish. t hi introducing the water into the rock sec •WS it filtered through the lining, when ob ;'!'fl from the narrows ; and whcu made from y siiuly loam, borrowed front the flats, it was 'tred by the water through the interstices •liiong the quarried and loose rock, and breaks leaks were the consequence. Breaks in portions of the canal were caused, in ma • "stances, by the rains, and in some cases - ended through the entire length of tkcuar- After passing through the rolid rock in the i : " w \ and generally at their extremities, y the material was composed of earth min *"'* *ith loose roek, and sometimes of a de '"f gravel, it was supposed the natural i;al w-'Mihl answer without liuing. Here, •" 'Ay, it has been found that the natural ca '" ami water passages have l>een undisturb -1 u|kii the introduction of water have • 1 "ted a jierfect system of subterraneous •• with a constant disposition toformdan ■ ''reaches. At several points there was ' ■ rr,J,v flat where a tow-path was built and water allowed to spread back to the hill •'untain, where it finds a subterranean pas i roogli the loose mass of material to the ..r<.r the flats, the plan of the work, as out, was in thorough cuts to depend ."J' '" e material in place without lining, and ■ riJn ' , l,ls a " ( l tills, making use the material f 't ie adjacent cuts for forming the prism a ; " ,,>sl instances without refer -5,,,. 'election for lining ; but depending "f'ng puddle ditches and the taking off „, H "i w '!- ,o table matter on the snrface, when li , I,anks - cut off leakage. . ,n y instances both mucking and puddle Hi V ( '' s l ,(,nse d with, as is evident from V'lh-VT surface, ovcrflow n'l j'' iU|, l damaging the crops adjacent; ni,)!,. ' )l " p I'luces. where both mucking and , r )' itching were probably carried out, the s, "! k "'rough the jtervious strata at ""1 following it to the river, or until " runs out to the surface or is i : een lined with a single coarse of jointed and sea soned plank. The hurried manner in which the work was executed, made it necessary to use unseasoned plank, aud thes shrinking by exposure to the suu, left the crevices so large 1 that it has been necessary, in most cases,to rc liue with boards. A breach has occurred in the south span of Tunkbannock aqueduct, caused by the break ing of the floor beams in the middle of the ' span, and for one-third of its length, the water at the time wanting seven inches to run over | the trunk. At the time it was being construc ted this span was carried from the false works by a flood, aud in the hurry of re-building, de fective timber lias been used. Some of the aqueducts will require considerable repairs to make thcin answer the desired purpose. WASTE-WEIRS. The remarks with reference to planking, sheet piling and puddling, applied to aqueducts, will also apply to waste-weirs. Three new ones have been constructed the past season, at points where accidents hod occurred, because of no means of discharging the surplus water, and additional gates inserted in others, so that in case of accident, the water cuu be suddenly drawn from the canal, thus reducing the lia bility to heavy breaks. LOCKS. At Athens and Towanda the guard locks are of cut stone laid in cement. The remain ing are of the composite kind, with dry stone walls lined with a single course of jointed plank. Shrinkage of the plank had allowed the water to pass through the spaces and wash out tlie material from the rear of the walls, rendering caulking with oakum or lining with boards ne cessary in most cases. The hanging of the gates and valves, or wickets, the rejwnrs to those on the Tioga line, that were completed before the susj>ension in 1841, the puddling and the feeders or water ways around the locks, show the same want of care iu superintending and defect in material, as was manifested in the construction of the aqueducts. With the exception of the out lets at Pitts ton and Meshoppen, where the foundations have yielded, the masonry seems to be sustau tial. The former being a quicksand founda tion, has required considerable repairs, which could uot be completed while the water was in the Wyoming line of the Lower North Branch. Several of the water-ways will require re-build ing, having been undermined by the leakage of the water through thein. Three of the locks will require a liniug of boards. DAMS. The dams have a flat lower slope, which pre vents their undermining froin the reaction of the water, thus eusuring their stability, and when the angle or corners adjoining the abut ments are once secured with cribbing, the usu al repairs for gravelling, and the wear of the timber, will be ail that is required. MILES. I>ain No. 1, located at Athens, sup plies the canal with water from the Chemung to the pool of Tow anda dam 13 31-100 Dam No. 2, located at Towanda, is intended to feed the canal to the pool of Horse Race dam - - 38 Dam N'o. 3, is located at Horse Race, is to furnish the supply until it joius the Lower N. Brauch at I'ittston 32 0-10 CONDITION OF CANAL AND REPAIRS. When the canal was suspended in 1841, thirty-two and one-half miles were completed, most of the remainder under contract and in different stages of progress. Siucc this time, these finished sections have been exposed to the action of frost, expanding the mass, thus giving a free circulation of air through the pores, by which the vegetable matter was de stroyed, while the rains have washed away the finer particles of earth from the liuing of the sections through the narrows into the coarse material below. The gravel sections have al so been rendered porous by the same means. The water being admitted in either case,would make a breach or wash away the residue of earthy matter, and leave only a stone pile re maining. Similar difficulties have been experience in the works of an adjoining State, as will be seen by the following extract from the rcjmrt of J. B. Stillson, engineer and surveyor of Ccncaacc Vallcv canal, Jan., !802. feet Re* PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH. " REGARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER." port of New York State Engineer and Sur veyor, page 188. " The great number of failures in the old banks of the canal that have occurred the past season, show conclusively that old banks are less safe than new ones. Banks annually us ed and made impervious by sedimentary mat ter drawn into and deposited as a lining on the face and bottom, will undoubtedly become more and more safe, but when left to the ac tion of rains and frosts for several years, be come porous aud unsafe, and abound with cav ities where the vegetable matter in the soil has decayed. " Nine years have proved sufficient time to work great changes in the solidity and com pactness of the old banks. It is, therefore, recommended in all cases where the old banks are found, to remove the sod to the outside, and plough and comminute thoroughly, to the depth of twelve to eighteen inches, the mate rial over the bottom and up the slope of the prism. This will be found indispensable to safety. The heavy breaks that have occurred since the opening of navigation last spring, were exclusively through the old banks, and uniformly disclosed a loose condition of the material." Like results are found in old mill races, and it is confidently believed that the same would be exhibited, if water should be excluded for a few years from any of the old aud establish ed lines of canal. The short time that elapsed after my ap pointment in the fall of 1854, before the set ting in of winter, and the pressing duties that devolved upon me, made it necessary to rely, in a great measure, on the information obtain ed of those who had charge of the line, aud of the foreman who had the season to make ob servations, and who had been superintending the repairs, for the condition in whichtbe work was at that time. They supposed the leakage in the narrows or rock sections confined to a few points, gen erally well defiued, and sufficient to account for the disappearance of the water. In the *' light sections," where the cutting had exposed strata of coarse gravel, in some instances of cobble stone and clean river gravel, it was evident that unless these were removed and finer material used, that the water would continue to follow the line of natural drainage of the country, as it had done for centuries, and as it obviously did when the experiment was made by introducing the water, aud as was realized at every rain storm. In making the repairs the past season, every known expedient has been brought into requisition, us the peculiar features of the case demanded. But in general, the tediousness, expense aud unreliability of over hauling with 11 pick and shovel," or cxcacatiug from the bot tom and side replacing with uew material, made it necessary to adopt some more expedi tious aud economical plan. Accordingly, a force was employed at every point where water could be introduced from small streams, and wherever the nature of the material would require and it could be execut ed, the ground was ploughed, and the stone and coarse material exposed iu the furrows, or brought to the surface by the frequent appli cation of the harrow, collected by rakes and removed outside of the prism of caual. In this way the exceptionable portion of the ma terial only was removed, and that inore care fully selected substituted, and room left by the removal of the coarse material for an addition al quantity of lining, if found necessary. A heavy cast iron roller was applied both before aud after the admission of water, for the pur pose of compression, instead of the usual mode with commanders. It was supposed that the lining was such, that by overhauling the sur face in this way, leaks would be exposed and the finer material left would be sufficient to render that below im;>ervious. Tue rains showed the porous character of the material such, that it was afterwards found necessary, in most cases, to move it to a greater depth, both in the narrows and light sections, where gravel occurred, than had been contemplated, thereby causing unexpected delay and expense. MECHANICAL ACTION OK WATER ON EARTH. The idea has been frequently advanced and reiterated, generally by those who had been engaged in the construction of the most drfce ll vc portions of this canal, and who in addition to their experience on this, claimed knowledge gained on works for a similar purpose, " that all that was necessary to form a good and perfectly tight canal, was to allow the water to puss into it, particularly whcu in a muddy or riley condition from freshets ; that the earth then carried forward in solution would be de posited in sufficient quantities to prevent leak age.'' Unfortunately for the theory, it would only apply to the viciuity of the dams on the feeder levels, as the current is not sufficient to carry the sediment but a short distance, leav ing the remainiug places to be stopped by other means. Soil being constituted of decomposed rock and broken down vegetable tissue, comprising particles all shapes and sizes, from stone and gravel to the finest jmwder, these particles, in a state of nature, resting upon and agaiust one auother, form a system of irregular cavi ties or arches. But upon being broken up or moved, a portion of the vegetable matter pas ses off in the form of gases ; and when in this pulverized condition, if water is kept in con tact it percolates through the mass, displaces or destroys the adhesiou of the particles, and gradually brings them into a smaller space, while, the solvent property of the water redu ces the portion in immediate contact, or the external surface into the state of thin paste, which is drawn into the mass by the j>ercola tion of the water or capillary attraction, until the external pores become clogged or imper vious, according to the character of the mate rial used. This process is gradual and slow in its ope ration, dependiug for its rapidity upon the character and situation of the materials. But if weight is applied, the soil will be compressed iu quickness and amount, in pro }>ortion to the quantity of material and to the weight. This is the operation of puddling ; and for the purpose of compression, railioudv and other banks are formed in layers. This happens also when a head of water is main tained iu the canal. Tlie roller has been used, because it produces the same results in a shor ter time. By applying it before the admission of water, it crushes the particles near the sur face, aud afterwards, wheu water has been in troduced aud has penetrated the mass, ren dering the crushed surface a paste, the roller then, from its weight being greater than the full head of water- must produce a propor tionably greater compactness. The results, from the practical operation of this plau, have reailized all that theory would claim. So long as pressure is constantly renewed, the mass will be kept in its compact state ; but if it is removed for a loug period, and ex posed to the frosts of whiter, the earth is again brought back to a porous condition, and the sooner if in u thin layer like the liniug of a canal, or in banks where a greater amouut of surface exists on which to operate. It is on the theory of the porosity of soils that the subject of under-ground drainage is founded. Even in clay soils, tiles buried to i the depth of three feet afford draiuage ; filters j composed of layers of sand and gravel to the | depth of six feet, afford supplies of water for large cities; the reservoir of Nottingham, England, is excavated at a distance of oue hundred and fifty feet from the river Trent, yet receives its supply by percolation of the river water. The practice of ballasting rail roads, and the whole theory of wells and springs, rest upon it, and the instances are not wanting wherein old and well established canal leaks can be found that have existed for years, aud show no signs of stopping. Can it therefore be reasonably expected, that in a work of such long standing, a lining of three feet, resting on a bed of loose rock or a cut through strata of cobble stoue or gravel, will now become im pervious to water, unless carefully selected and presenting the smallest amount of pores ? DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN MAKING REPAIRS. Several times during the winter, aud early iu the spring, attempts were made to organize a force for the commencement of repairs, but the unusual character of the winter, and late opening of spring, prevented the beginniug of effective work until April. The frost had penetrated un unusual depth, and owing to the repeated freezing aud thawing, and the continued rains during the season, an immense i amount of bars and slides had to be removed. The slides and breaches have cost eighteen thousand and eighteen dollars, exclusive of Aiamages to the mechanical work. Besides this, the alternative presented itself of working to disadvantage in the mud aud water produced by the rains, and in the feeder level by the floods, or disbanding the forces.— The result has been that much of the work cost more than double what it would have done under ordinary circumstances. SCARCITY OF LABOR. The line having been represented as finish ed, the laboring force had left for other works, and the shanties had been demolished. The late opening of spring, and the rainy season, had confined the time for work of those engag ed in agriculture to so short a period, that suf ficient assistance from that quarter could not be derived. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, and the upper jiortiou of the Lackawanna and Bloonisburg railroads were rapidly approach ing completion, an advance of prices to the con tractors in many instances depending on the completion of their work within a given peri od, the construction of new colleries aud later al roads in the coal regions, and the building of a railroad from Towanda to the coal mines of the Barclay coal company, all created a de mand for lalxir, making it exceedingly diffi cult to obtain hands at the proper time, and much more so to obtain the proper product of labor. To the high prices of provisions caused by the failure of the crops, was added the necessi ty of procuring supplies from the State of New York and I'ittston Shanties were erected at suitable points, yet much difficulty was expe rienced in obtaining board for the men—preven ting the employment of large forces at some points where it would have been desirable.— The lock-houses could not always be rendered available, since there had been no settled ar rangement with the landholders for the lock house lots. The promise of payment not be ing complied with, they, in some cases, unwil ling to give up jwssession, and the tenants oc cupying the houses, would not consent to board hands. - Another difficulty was to secure experienced foremen. Those who had been employed in introducing the water into other canals, were engaged in other pursuits, aud could not be obtained for the compensation allowed by law. Higher rates are paid by contractors, and ex perienced men will not work for the State at the same compensation as for individuals, be cause of the uncertainty attaching to their po sition, and the aunoyauccs to which they arc compelled to submit. To this should he added the fact that in ma ny eases it was found necessary to do a large amount of work where but little was anticipa ted. One case may be cited :—Below Horse Race dam repairs were found necessary, which consumed most of the season, and an exjiendi ture of over teu thousand dollars, which, if the supposition of those who had had it in charge were correct as to its condition, not one-fourth of this sum would have bceu required. Although the difficulties that have delayed the opening of the canal belong more particu larly to the formation aud material through which it passes, it is useless to deny the fact, that there arc numerous defects in construc tion, most of which may be attributed to mis taken, but perha|>s laudable, notions of econo my that prevail in regard to the accessary corps of engineers aud superintendents re quired to ensure the proper construction of the canal. There lias been a constant change of assis tants on the line, many of whom, on account of increased salaries, have cugaged in the ser vice of companies. At no time *vas there more than suft'cicut corp. • than -a as necessary, to have cdrefuliy measured and esti mated the work, while to have ensured a pro per quautity and quality of material, there should have been, particularly in the rock sec tions, while the lining was being put on, an experienced and faithful superintendent on each section. In this way alone could have been prevented improper construction by contractors, whose object ami policy was profit, without re ference to the quality of the work. This wonld have prevented lining, variously intermixed with stone ; drains left remaining which had been constructed to carry off the water, brought in by rains and rivulets; the burying of the remains of sliauty foundations, stables, ovens, and even horses in the lining and embank ments. Where such superintendents conld have been obtained, would perhaps have been a difficult question. The sworn assistants of the chief engineer were in all extses to require the pud dle ditches and mucking to be kept iu advance of the work, and the level and tape applied throughout the sections before making the fi nal estimate of the work ; yet numerous cases exist where tlie prism of canal was not cut down to bottom, or the required width, where the solid and quarried rock eame nearly to ca nal bottom, aud where the mucking and pud dle ditches, under banks, conld not have been performed, as the overflowing ditches at the base of the banks, or the destroyed crops of the farmer will testify. PASSING THE WATER THROUGH THE CANAL. In passing over the canal in the latter part of October, 1854, I found the gates of Athens lock wide open, aud the whole Chemung river, so far as it could be controlled by the dam, passing through the upper level; and at the first lock below the dam, all the wickets aud the water-way were open to supply the re maining six and four-tenths miles of canal be low. At Towanda there was about six ami one half feet of water on the mitre sill, and thence the water gradually diminished from leakage and filtration until it disappeared in the vicini ty of Wyalusing creek, niueteeu and one-fourth miles from the dam. It had previously been to the public bridge across the canal," three fourths of a mile lower down. The water had been repeatedly withdrawu for repairs of small breaks, which acre constantly occurring, and each succeeding attempt resulted in the falling back of the water. The cause is now evident ; the longer the water was applied the greater the quantity of material washed out from the lining into the coarse material beneath, for the reasons before given ; and it is evident that with the same plau pursued for years, the canal could not be filled until most of the i>orous ma terial should be removed. At Horse Race dam the depth of water on the mitre sill of the lock was six and one-half feet, and terminated at the Osterhout narrows, sixteen and one-half miles below. It was again introduced from the Buttermilk Fulls creek, and passed through that level until it termina ted by a subterranean passage in Townsend's creek, covering a distance of about four miles. THE PRESENT SEASON*. The continued rains and slides during the past season, prevented the necessary* repairs to that portion of the canal above Towanda !>cing made for the admission of water until early in August. It was maintained in uavigable order to the close of the season without any breaches. From Towanda dam the water was ]>assed to Laccyrille, thirty miles, and from thence to Meshoppen, by means of the Tnscarora feeder. The levels could have been filled up to four feet to the lock below Browntown. From Horse Race dam the water extended to the narrows above Gardiner's ferry, leaving a space of over one mile before reaching Gardiner's Creek feeder, from which point it was carried to its junction with the Wyoming line. Various circumstances prevented the filling of the levels. Symptoms of a break at the cul vert below the lock at the head of Osterhout's level, prevented putting in more than two feet and sax inches of water. The falls level, in consequence of the breaches recently repaired in the Roberts narrows, was not allowed to carry more than the same depth of water. It was imjKJSsible to fill Falling Sftring level, be- ! cause of the subterranean passages existing in 1 the first mile above the Lackawanna aequeduct. j In the repairs ou this canal, 1 have only had in view the ojiening far successful navigation with full loaded boats as speedily and eertaiuly as the character of the work and the difficul ties encountered would permit ; and if the same system of repairs are pursued for a series of years, its capacity will be materially increased. Where bars have been removed, the waste material has l>ceii placed so as to widen and give stability to the banks. If earth was want ing to strengthen the banks, or fill in the bot tom, it has usually been obtained from contrac ted portions of tha canal, the extra expense being oulv for the distance moved with boats. When holes were cut through the tow-path bank for drainage, to prevent its annual repe tition, for removing bars, a wooden trunk, se cured with sheet piling aud a gate, has been inserted. OPEXIXG OK NAVIGATION-. Many of the friends of the canal have been exceedingly anxious that a boat might be got through the past season, with or without a partial load ; and to accomplish this that eve ry temporary expedient should be resorted to, regardless of any future exjense or delay, in order that the Legislature might lie induced to grant more readily the funds requisite for its service the ensuing year, by congratulating them, in the usual manner, on the future pros pects of the work. Although it might have facilitated the appropriation.-, the result would have becu a delay in the passage of full loaded boats, an increased expenditure for years, dis appointments and loss to those who "have made investments, with the view oi doing business on or connected with the canal, and only serve to encourage the building of a railroad as a competitor along the same valley, before the canal could be made available. The frequeut rains aud repeated opportuni ties for ob. • vut'O'v as "*cl! 2: tb*' trial of the "later have, it s. believed, developed the moA VOL. XVI. —NO. 3. defective portions of the canal, which have been repaired so far n* the lateness of the season and the character of the repairs repaired would permit, while the remaining ones, though in volving a considerable amount of labor and ex pense, are confined to comparatively few jioints. Soma of the repairs can be made during the winter. On the opening of spring the water cam be admitted into many portions of the ca nal, and gradually filled as suitable material is placed in the bottom and upon the sides, bv means of boats. In other cases material must be hauled with teams, and it is difficult to say what force of teams and labor can be comman ded. I can see no difficulty, after tfie contem plated repairs have been perfected, tha ensuing season, in passing loaded boats. Although the friends of the canal anticipate a large trade, but few boats have been built with the view of transportation upon it, and strong indnceinents must lie held out to withdraw them from the other Pennsylvania canals. It is not probable that the owners of line boats on the Erie ea- Dal, who have visited the North Branch with the view of transferring them, will do so until it has been ascertained, bv actual boating, that the piles of stone and rock, and stone bcrme banks that adorned the canal, havo boeu re moved. DELAWARE AND NORTH BRAVCH DIVISIONS. The early history of our State canals seems to be forgotten. The Delaware division, now yielding about twenty per cent.- on cost, had difficulties to encouuter. The Caual Commis sioners, in their report dated Dec. 15, 1831, under the head of old lines of canal, suv ; "At the last annual report of the Canal Commis sioners, December, 1830, iu speaking of this division, they say, that the filling of the canal for navigation, iu its whole course, began Oct. 1830, and that twenty-live miles are navigable but they add that a part of the work first con structed has proved defective and requires ex tensive repairs. This last observation has been verified by the b*it. that siuce that time, the two supervisors on tne Dchwure division have expended $97,330 51 on repairs and introduc ing feeders, and the whole line is not yet open for navigation. The original plan aud con struction of large portions of this division have proved exceedingly defective, and although ev ery exertion has been made throughout thu year by the officers of the line to fill the whole canal with water, yet tiieir efforts have hereto fore proved unsuccessful." The Durham creek ten uiiles below Kaston, was introduced, bv r feeder 1,890 feet long by 12 feet wide ; uud Milton creek, near Liimberviile, by a feeder 1,509 feet long, besides temporary feeders on sections 54 and 61. Boats were passed iu I lie fall of 1832, but could not carry full loads.— The tolls received amounted to sß,o43 t and the expenditures to the close of 1832,8191,514 00, to which should lie added during the year 1833 $83,000. The original estimate for the cost of this work was $687,000, uud the actual cost wus $1,203,165. Similar difficulties were encountered on the Lower North Branch Canal, us well as the ca nals belonging to the Commonwealth general ly, as will be seen by reference to the commu nications of the Canal Commissioners from 1830 to 1835. " The North Branch extension has many ad vantages not enjoyed by the other Pennsyl vania canals, viz : It is located above high water mark, with a heavy slope u|>on the size uext to the river, thereby rendering it secure ugaiust the action of ice and floods. The aqueducts and culverts arc built of sub stantial masonry, and have capacious and am ple water-ways for the passage of the streams. The plan of dams will insure stability. It is true that years of well applied labor will be required to perfect the canal; that sinks in the bottom, small breaches and slides from the hiils will frequently occur, but much of the danger of slides can be prevented bv building cribs aud filling with stone, or driving piles at the base of the hills, aud by surface ditches to collect and carry oft the water, for which purposes the frequent examinations made during theraiusofthe past season, have afford ed ample opportunities for observation, to as certain their proper location. Sinks in the bottom and breaches will gradually diminish by vigilance on the part of those having tlm canal in charge. It has been urged against the success of the North Branch canal, that the strong current against the boats ascending it, will increase the rates of transportation to such an extent as to prevent a successful competition witn tho Lackawanna and \\ estern and Eric roads, carrying coal from Scrantou. or the isunburv and Eric and Williamsport'and Eluiiru roads from Shainokin. 'Lhc resistance to ascending boats can bo much reduced by gradually wkleuhig the con tracted portiotta of the canal, the introduction £"> v 'U Syj't .V /*. I a.