Irthin Ai iirajfordßeporter, Extris.3 North Branch Canal.' . LETT'ER It. 41s early pn;jr4iox—immerge dais of Inland Mitigation united and citended by it: Before entering upon any considers• tion of the revenue which the - State would derive from the completion ofthis work, it is proper I should look at its present condition, and the probable cost of such completion. The diMenSions of the work ; as far as constructed above the mouth of the L e ackawanna, correspond with those on the line extending down the river to Co lutrabia. The width is twenty-eight ftiet on the.bottom ;. forty feet at the surfliCe, --providiug for four feet depth of water. The locks are ninety feet long by sek enteen feet wide Fin the chamber; and the lockage, from the mouth of LaCka wanna to the State line, averages but little over two feet per mile! its capa city, when completed, would therefore, :be ample to pass'a million of tons each sway, every year. , _ 1 hive said, that part of the North Branch line above the Lackawanna, is designated-in our Canal Reports as the "North Branch Extension ;" in order, probably, to distinguish the expenditures upon it, ; from those on the line below, which, down as fir as Northumberland, was called originally the "North El ranch Division of the Pennsylvania Canal." :This "North Branch Extension," is again divided into the "Tunkhunnock Line"—from Piuston to the mouth of Wyalusing Creek, fifty-four miles and .nineteen chains; and the "Tioga Line" —extendibg from the Wyalusing Creek •to the State line,lhirty-nine miles. The -amount already expended on each of these divisions, is about the same;'—the gross sum on both, is $2,484,039 . 60. The amount necessary to complete the upper section, or "Tioga is,esti mated by the State engineer, at $215,- -656 08;—the lower, or "Tunlthannock -division," would require upwards of a -million of dollars. To be precise : the -amount required, according to his esti mate, to complete both lines, is $31,5.17,- 452 81. It is proper to state. however, in this place, that the experienced Engi neer, (Wm. B. Foster,) who made this -estimate, on the part of, the State, made -it in accordance with the original plans -of the work, which were of the MOSE -beautiful and durable description.. if -completed under the specifications and contracts existing at the time of the sus pension—(and more than two thirds of it has been already so- completed)—it would be one of the best canals, in re gard to the manner of construction, -in -the, Union; and 1 may add in the same connection, one of the cheapest The same able Engineer, at the in , stance &Isom° public spirited indiViduals of Philadelphia and the Northern coun ties, made a re-survey of the work in 1847, with a view to report upon its -present condition, and to ascertain the probable cost of a substantial, but econo• mical completion; such as consisted with the more limited means of private ,enter prize. He gives the 'following as the result of a careful examination:— I Dam across the Chemung, at Athens, 514,101' 00 '2 Dam across the Susquehanna, 10;452 00 , Total estimated costof Dams $l2-2,019 00 9 Aqueduct, three of which are partly built, $109,718 00 27 Locks and 2 Guard-,gates, three of the former being completed, some work done at six others, - 31 Culverts, ranging from2to 24 feet span, 2 Towing-path bridge over the Chemung, $11,028 00 1 do over small run at Towanda, 134 Road and farm brid ges over !irk canal, of of which 24 are either finished or`partly so, 27,600 00 Total estimat'd cost of bri'ges, $39,128 00 7 Lock houses, 13,500 00 19 Waste-weirs, five of which are partly finished. 10,000 00 .18 Water-ways around Locks,' 5,400 00, Making roads where destroyed by canal, , • Making fence, 15,000 rods, Removing buildings from the, line of canal, -Sections, comprising Excava 'lions of Earth and rock,em bankments, Vertical and Slope Walls, Lining, Pud dling, dec., Total cost of compliting line, $1,106,037 00 The t'oregoing estimate contemplates a permanent and useful .work, dispen sing with all ornament, and only pro viding tor what is necessary to make it substantial, The Darns are designed to be tnade of round:and square timbers, well framed. and pinned. together, and compactly. filled,with stone; -the slopes to be cov• ered with oak timber, not los than eight inches thick, and well secured to the Dams with iron bolts. The abutments are to be founded at such depths as to render them secure, and to be built of heavy durable stone. At each dam; pro vision has been made in the estimate, for the construction of a schute, suitable for the safe descent of arks and other river craft. The Aqueducts will be upon gravel foundations, and are designed to have heavy stone butments and pier; resting upon a platform of timber and plank, sunk to such depths as to render them Secure from the action of the floods in the several streams, and prevent their undermining. The masonry to be rub ble-work, of large durable stone, wehl bedded and jointed and laid dry, • The superstructures to be of wood. In cases where the spans do not exceed thirty-five tee!, the trunk will be supported by string pieces laid longitudinally under and where the spans are to exceed 'thirty-five feet, the trunk will be suppor ted by arch and truss work cif sufficient strength to bear any weight that may be required. - The Locks are designed to be built with good, heavy, durable stone, laid dry and faced with. planks. - The com posite Lock is best adapted to The cir cumstances of this canal; as no stone Suitable for cut stone locks are to be had. at reasonable cost; while those of a good quality for a composite lock, are easily obtained. • In regard to the present condition of the work, he states that he finds it in a "rematkablestateofpreservation." The walls and embankments stand firmly, and the only injury the work has sus tained by its suspension, consists in the natural decay of those wooded portions - of the lochs, waste viers and bridges which were wholly, or in part comple ted.; and at three points on the line, where land slides have broken front the mountain sides and partially filled the canal. This latter source of difficulty, does not exist to near as great an extent, as he had apprehended; and makes but a small item in the estimated amount of work required to complete the line. The points at which these slides are likely to occur, are all now well de. veloied, and by proper care in construc- Lion,' the line may be .so arranged as to avoid for the future, all interruption or difficulty from this cause., The loca tion 'of this canal is upon p high level; and unlike most other canals in Penra sylvania, will not be liable to injury front the periodical floods in the river. On this point he examined particular') with reference to the flood of March last. which had proved so destructive upon the Defeware. Susq.tebanna and North and West Branch Divisions of t h e ;ir a t e ‘canals; 'and found, with the exception of the feeder levels, that this, the great est flood which has occurred for more than half a century. had not reached in gfrierhl, above the plane of canal bot tom; and in no single instance had the water passed over the banks of the ca , nd I where they raised to their full height. 1 feel!entire:confidence in the opinion. that if this canal had been finished and in use, it would not have sustained dam age, by this extraordinary flood in the river, to theamount of $5OO. throughout itsentire length. This is an important Nevin reference to the value of this im provement. While the Delaware Di vision sixty miles long, was damaged to the amount oftwenty-eight thousand dol lars, the Susquehanna and Branches one I hundrial • and eighty-six miles, to near sixty thousand, and one hunch:et] miles, , of the eastern portion of the Main line, to the iiinotint of thirty thousand dollars, 'here we hive a line of ninety-four miles, ' , so located and thus far constructed, ns to be secure front the highest flood that has ucCurred within the past sissy years. AoOther important fact in reference to the Cost_ of completing the : North BranCh Canal should not be omitted in the present view, The lands to be.occu pied, have nearly all been released to . the Commonwealth. for the use and oc cupancy of a canal, to be constructed by, or •°uaider. the gytkority °Ole State of Pennsylvania." This item ; Often a vex atious and costly one in the construction 113,65 GO 35,020 00 500 00 8,60000 11,700 00 2,400 00 599.737 00 of public works, is nearly out of the qnestiori so far as concerns this work. The few remaining cases, where relea ses were not 'obtained, present no serious obstacle in the way of its progress; as the desire of the citizens and owners of lands -along the line of this :improve ment, is so strong for its completion ; that 1 do nQt apprehend the least embarras ment or difficulty from this source. A connection of the North Branch line with the ChM/1111g Canal at Elmi ra, is essential to make up the xt hole chain of inland navigation from Tide Water to the great Lakes; and without this, some of the advantages which wo'd otherwise be derived, might fail to be realized. There need be no hesitation. on this account, in urging fotvard the work on the North Branch. The dis tance Ofthe connection is only seventeen miles along the valley of the Chemung;• and will be easily and expeditiously made. From infortnation:recently de rived thiough a member of the Canal Board• of New York, I have no doubt that State will carry out its original plan of uniting the Chemung line with tlii: Pennsylvania improvements. Be this as it may—a law containing very liberal provisions, was obtained from the New York Legislature; in the winter of 1846 incorpoi•aling this "Junction Canal Corn. pany" for this route. I speak advisedly. when I say, within one month from the time PennsylvTatia resumes here work . onOte North Branch, a company will be organized and measures taken to complete this seventeen miles, from the State line to Elmira. Besides. 'the New York and Erie rail-road be finished to Elmira next summer. At the State line, this road is located within a few rods of the terminus of the Canal; and provision has been made by law, for connecting with -it. if necessary. True pOlicy would dictate the com mencement of the work on the North Branch at both ends of the unfinished line. Less than . 106.000 would com plete and open it for navigation, above Towanda—a distance of seventeen miles. The whole “Tia,ga line" froth the mouth of Wya losing creek upward. thirty nine miles, could be opened fora little more than $200,000, according to Mr. Foster's estimate. A company is now organized. and ocly wnit the com mencement of the wort: on' this upper 'pOrtion of the Canal. to construct] a rail• .. , ay or a plank road, to •the Coal mines. So that this upper division would soon be in profitable operation. It would be an illiberal and unwise pol icy to retard all enterprize on this divis. inn, until all should beromillete below; and nothing would be gained by such a course, to the people of the Wyoming coal region: Hari:l ,, thus adverted to matters nat urally preliminary to a discussionorib, 'probable trade and revenue of the North Branch Canal—l shall proceed in Inv next to consider - those subjects. 11 C. L. WAllla A . GOOD SIGN.-A c * orrrsponilent of the Boston Evening Traveller says An incident occurred at one of the largehotelS at Troy, New York, where I, made a brief sojourn, that pleasingly illustrates the progres,! of temperance- As a numerous comonv sat down to dine, a drinking bill of fart was dated at each plate embracing not h ss than thir ty diflerent kinds of wines and. liquors. The 'wine list' was a-polite invitaton to us to whet our appetites for dinner. But there was no acceptances ! -Not a solitary guest 2ouched a drop. V.very goblet was filled with pure cold tVater ! It was quite a triumph, worth b rij oy • Had N. Y. and Pennsylvania (Which are in het Democratic States )goile for Cass, Taylor would have receive 11 but 101 electoral votes, and consegliently would have lacked 45 votes of ad elec. Lion. Let the Whigs retnemberi this, while they are_ crowing.—Bali more Republican and Argus. Had your aunt been a man, dm Would have been your uncle. Let herileph ews remember this while they are call. ing her their 'aunt.' The Tribune's dispatch froth ington yesterday, says, the nous: today passed to its third reading, creating n Deputy of the faterior, vote of I II to 67: Ottt.t liffunro \BIII3 C E LATHROP, EDITOR litcblicsban, fcbruarn 21, 1849. • The %Vino.% stand n. hero the Republirans of 1798 Mond, and where the ‘Vhitnit of the Revolution were. bvttling for Ltosnry for the PEOPLE, for FREE Ix• STITETIONm ; riga instyols ER. againAt Connerrtorit, against Execoravr: ENChOACEISIENTS, apIELSI MON. !MOM—Henry clay. it'r There will be a meeting of the Wyo ming county Bible Society, in the Presby terian Church, this (Wednesday) etrening. An address may be expected by Rev. Mr. Ar.rent of the State Bible Society. All are invited to attend. HENRY STARK, Sen.. Pres% Feb,' el., 1849. ~ 'i ~ 1 In common with the people of Northern Penn Sylvania, we owe a debt of gratitude to those persons in other portions of the State, who, having no especial interest in the matter have labored zealously this winter, to se cure the completion of the North Branch Extension. Should it be completed, they can in after years, recur to the fact of their having so directed their influence, with proud and hearty satisfaction. He is a benefactor, who exerts himself for the well being of his kind: certainly not he who only cares fur self. The spirit which actuates the latter, moving in a community, would effectually destroy its vitality. That community in which liber ality is the prominent feature, will always thrive, despite the most untoward circum stances. We are led to these remarks from the f4ct of having noticed in some of our legislators, a manifestation of the same illiberal spirit towards their fellow citizens of other sec- OM It would seem that members of the Legis lature have only in view the passage oflaws designer:llo effect their own immediate con stituency. The legislative body represents . the intecists of the whole State, and should therefor considerevery Act in tt.e light or its onerations upon the gre,it mass of the people. ' There are men in_our Legislature who oppose the completion of the North Branch. Aid whyl Because they have their own private purposes to accun - rplish, and fear that it might defeat their schemes. We do not believe there are many such ; but jus: enough to render it difficult to pass a law calculated to effect the public good. —The completion.. of the North Branch 7sanal is urged upon high grounds. Every thing is urged in its favor—nothing can be urged against it. - It is asked for, not' be cause it will benefit the people of Wyoming county; Bradford county or any other coun ty; nor even of Northern Pennsylvania; but because it will benefit the people of the whole Commonwealth, both directly and in directly. The supporters of the measure are public benefactors in every sense of the word, and deserve the thanks and esteem of every'one . interested in the prosperity of :he State. . The:c are some who oppose the measure —at the same time not doubting that its completion would be ureafly beneficial—on acenti..t df its increasinc the already error• mous State debt. But is this a valid objee. uon 1' Is there a man who, after 'having partly completed a work, would refuse to fmisit it, when by a loan he could do so, with the assurance that the productiveness of the work when completed, would enable him to repay the loan,and to realize a fair per centage on his investment l We think not. But this is the precise condition of the North Branch Canal. Less than half the amount already expended on it, will complete it; and when completed, it would be the most productive line of canal in the State. The Daily News, in an able article on the importance of the completion of the North Branch, holds the following truthful lan guage in regard to the idea of its embar rassing the State; The condition of the commonwealth demands great caution in undertaking . anything that may add to her burthen and we commend the judicious and de liberate spirit which is manifested by our representatives. But it is possible to permit prudence to degenerate into cowardice. and to "lose the good we oft might win by fearing the by Though somewhat crippled by past ex: travagance, it is not necessary that all i . 11(.;i of pros mss should be abandoned. The hest moths of lig htenitig 'our present load, is to add to our resources by a cau. tious enterprise and a guarded energy, If we stand still to wait for better times, we will petrify into marble—a monu ment of spiritless dullness and nerveless imbecility. SARTAIN'S UNION MAGAZINE, for Febru ary; we have received. Of the different Magazines published in the country, we think Sartain's takes the lead. The present number is beautifully embellished, and cho;cely filled. Terms $3 a year—address J. Sartain. 4. Co., Third St., opposite Mer chant's Exchange, Philadelphia. ash has bill by a n , THE CINCINNATI ATLAS publishes Washingtod's Farewell Address as a reply to the manifesto of Southern agitators. Death of the Polk Dy4asty. But a little while now, and the present general Administration will have died a na tural death. Not so its - blighting effects npon - rhe pros perity and industry of the country. 'They will live—be •felt years hence, and perhaps never recovered from. Future geneiations haveiyet to witness the results of the policy of Poik's Administration. —ln reviewing its history, we behold a succession of acts, fraught with imminent danger to the country, and which may re sult in its dissolution. Fastened upon the country by a system of fraud and decep tion, its every act has been with a view to secure the continued ascendency of a cor rupt and designing faction. The interests of the people have been overlooked, and op position to their known wishes has matked every step of its progress. In the face of a great majority of the American people, it has extended the curse of human slavery; and in spite of their earnest remonstrances, held in check the developing energies of the country. It has declared war against a sister Republic in violation of the Constitu- ion, and terminated it with an Immense oss of blood and treasure. —But its time is :host. The third of March next will witness its expiring throes, and if the friends of the Constitution and the country but prcve true to themselves, its vitality can never be restored. Sir. ruller's Speech. We find to the Harrisburg Telegraph, the speech of Henry M. Fuller, Esq. of Luzerne, delivered in the. House of Representatives of this State, on the North Branch Exten sion, ti week or two since. We regard it as a splendid ellort—deep in research and in controvertible in argument. A greater a mount of important information we never saw condensed in the same space. Mr. Fuller taken the lead in the movement at Harrisburg, and if an appropriation is made, to him more than any other man, will the t. tate be indebted for it. —lt is our intention to lay the speech before our readers next week,.believing it wiil be read with interest and satisfaction. California Etmigranta. We understand that Jas. B. Harding, E. Q. Harding, Jas. Lee, and E. Jenkins Har ding, residents of Eaton township in this County, left for the 'gold diggins' on Thurs day lass. One or two of the citizens of our Borough, are preparing to leave fdr the new El Dorado in a few days. Those on their way, and those expecting to go, have our lon/ wishes for their success; and we sin cerely hope their golden dreams may be realized. ;Jar.- On Saturday last, on motion of Cooper, the House took up the bill providing for the comple. tion of the North Branch Canal, the question being upon Mr. %Veirick's amendment. Messrs, Weirich, Bull, and Eshelman opposed the bill, and Mcaora. Cooper, liteele. and Little, advocated it. R . !x The Harrisburg Telegraph copies ou. article in relation to the nomination of Elmi ay M. Ful.t.Eß, Esq., of Luzerne for Cana Commissioner, and regards it with favor The Lancaster Trtbune also looks upon 1 , favorably. vir Tug ScsiaucnaNN•, opposite this place is fiozen over again for the second time this winter. The weather has been very severe for the last few days. n. We are indebted to Hon. Craurce BUTLER, for a valuable public document. TOROTOCOL AUAIN. Th sident has, in answer to the resolution of Congress, sent in a mes sage, admitting . the execution of the pa• per referred to in another c , alumn, un der the above title, in which he endeav ors, first, to throw the blame upon the commissioners, second, he asserts that the commissioners . did no more than ex plain the Senate amendments, and third ly, if they even did go so far in effect to annul those amendments, the treaty with the protocol is as good as it would be without it. Mr. Polk has, indeed, got himself into a bad scrape, but he will manage to lie himself Out of it'to the sitisfiction of the party. "rylerism,' is not in the code of modern Democracy, and we have no doubt Mr. Polk will re• tire with honors thick upon his brow. It is a fortunate circumstance that his seat is not the throne of Great Britain, or Mr. King Polk's head would be found tolling around in search of a bo dy. A less offence than his, has oft bathed the headsman's axe with blood. —Mauch Chunk Gaze Us. 01110 LEOFSLATURE.NOMINATION FOR U. S. SENATOR.--.The Whig mem bers of the Legislature met in caucus on the 12th and nominated Judge IWLean for U. S. Senator. The day of election has . not yet been fixed •upon. The Senate has pissed a resolution requesting the Senators and instructing the Representatives in Congress to vote for the . Wilmot Proviso. The vote on this resolution stood 26 yeas to 9 nays. . • ;1r The true mystery of the letters 0. K. has at length been disosvered 4 -they Mean Off to Kaliforois. NORTH BRANCH CANAL Ne give the Legislative proceedin upon this important subject up to t time of our going to press. The biT read by Mr. Little attracts much linea l tion ; and meets, so far as we can learn,. with much favor. The probabilities' of the passage of this cao not of course be'calculated. But one thing seems very certain- 7 111e friends of - the measure and the true friends to the inter. est of the commonwealth have comb* ed their energies to effect the completion of a work, the ab‘andonment and neg lect of which has been too fon a re. proach upon the 'policy of the State.-- There are still some narrow views to-be enlarged or removed, some maimi or personal feelings to be moderated—but the general tone of legislative opinion harmonizes with the proposed comple tion of the work. Other parts of the State, remote from the line of tbe canal, nre calling for that which will bee bro. efit for the whole. The mercantile kr. terests of Philadelphia are lending their important aid. We have therefore con tinued hopes of the ultiMate teenage of a bill for the completion of the North Branch Canal in some decided sod op. erative shape. Much praise is due to our Representatives fur their constant and judicious- efforts. The speech of Mr. Fuller wasstrongly argumentative and convincing, and from the reports .of it in out : exchanges, appears to have gained great credit far its euthor: Let the people along the line still continue their efforts, and we shall yet sea just. ce done to the North, nod credit reftec ted upon the whole State by the comple. tion of this important work. —Wilkss. Barre Advocate. Extract front a hiter to a Member of Congress, dated PAiznizville, Pena.. sytrania, Jun. 28: "The furnace is working well mak. ing iron fast ; but the market is fall of iron, no sales scarcely, and price very low. If you do not do something ibis winter for the iron interest, one-half or more' will be broken up before another session. Nearly all the tolling.mills in the.country ate stopped ; and, if they be stopped. what will foundry men do; or who will furnaco men sell their iron to? We have• now made a quantity of pig iron, which wo do not know where to sell." The Boston Post claimed "all the girls" far Cast But Louisa Ann was not "at home" when he called. Miss Sippi and Virginia came near refusing to invite him to "call," and S. Carolina only did so because her "pa "required it. Her sister N. Carolina positively declined, and sn \ did Mary Land. Delis► Ware, Georgia and Flora Day said they knew a stout old soldier worth forty Of him. So Miss Ssuri was left alone ft, do him honor. JAOEZ 1. %V ARNER, n soldier of thy Revolution, of Jericho, Vt.. died a fear days since. He hid voted at every Pres idential election since the adoption of tba Constitution. ' He was strongly impor tuned at the late election to vote the Free Ticket:Soil "No !" said the old soldier, "I voted for Washington, and I shall vote for Taylor. I never change ay THE UNION FOREVER!-.-SIKHOE Foot of Mississippi put on interrogatory to C. S. Morehead of Kentucity:"lfthe Wilmot Proviso' should be enacted, would not the gentleman then be for dis union ?" To this Mr Morehead replied: . "No so help me God, never.. I will never raise the parricidal arm agairpir this glorious Union for any such eause." CONGRESSIONAL Noun;Amts.— The Whigs of the IVth District of Con• necticut have nominated Thonitifilltut ler as their candidate for Congress..:He will succeed the Hon. Truman Smith, who has been chosen U. .S. Camitor from the same State. r „,„ A NBA DEPARTIIENT.- - -A zap nail been introduced into the Hoop of Rep resentatives; by Mr. Vinton, to establish a Department of the Interior. It , au thorizes a Secretary, with a salary Of $6OOO per annum, and a Chief Clerk, with a salary of $2OOO ,per annum:- ‘The necessity of a Home or Interior Depart ment is very generally conceded, and we trust that this Bill. or , something sim ilar, will be speedily enacted into law. It could not but operate • in. a italntatty CI ME
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