CANAL DOCUMENTS.

3,840 00
10,000 00
1,000 00
250 00
1,000 00

96,667 00
15,780 16

$173,581 80

In pursuance of that part of my instructions from the board, which relates to the canal passing through the city of Pittsburg to the Monongahela river, the following surveys and estimates, with a plan and profile of the same, has been made, a copy of which has been deposited with the mayor of the city of Pittsburg for the use of the corporation. Said report is as follows, viz.

To the hon. the Mayor of the City of Pittsburg. Sir,-Agreeably to a resolution of the board of canal commissioners, dated Harrisburg, 8th February 1827, I am directed to furnish you, for the use of the corporation of the city of Pittsburg, a draft and specifications of the several canal routes through the city, as therein mentioned: and in pursuance of which, I have made the following surveys and estimates of the canal routes through the city of Pittsburg, which are laid off and staked out upon the ground, viz.

From the abutment of the proposed aqueduct at the foot of Washington street, on the Allegheny river, thence along the centre of Washington street, and to the left of and parallel to Grant street, (about half the width of the canal) to the foot of Grant's hill, near the head of Hog's pond; thence along the said pond and the foot of Grant's hill, to a point 80 feet from the easterly side of Smithfield street to the Monongahela river, above the bridge, terminating at a point parallel to the fan of the abutment of said bridge.

A map shewing the lines and curves of the canal, and the profile of the ground will accompany these specifi

cations.

In viewing the actual location of the canal as staked out on the above route, it appears that the lots of ground to be more or less occupied by the buildings which will be more or less injured or destroyed by the canal, will be as follows: Beginning at the foot of Washington street, the embankment will cover about 42 feet of lot No. 74, near the aqueduct, but will diminish in width as the ground rises towards Penn street. On the left hand side 35 feet will be covered more than the breadth of Washington street, at the lower end, and five feet more at Penn street. A small brick magazine will be partly covered, on the left side of Washington street, and about ten feet taken off the small houses and sheds on the S. E. corner of Washington street and the turnpike.— 4 ft. Between Penn and Liberty st, the canal will occupy on Penn street, and thirty feet on Liberty street, from lot No. 75. From Liberty street, the centre line curves and runs to the left of and parallel to Grant street, on vacant ground, but the canal will occupy about half of The canal tow path will Grant street as it now runs. take a small kitchen from a house occupied by Mr.Bower near Seventh street, and near the head of the little ponds the canal will remove two small shops or stables built of wood. Here the canal curves and runs on vacant lots of ground along the ponds and the foot of Grant's Hill, to lots No. 426 and 427, on which is a tannery which must be wholly removed. On lots No. 421, 422, the canal is part in the pond and part on the hill side, to 5th street, where the pond ends. From Fifth street the line uns on lots 377, 378, and a small part of 376, to Diamond alley. Near Diamond alley the line curves, and the centre line of the canal is 80 feet from and runs parallel to the easterly side of Smithfield street to the ter

mination in the Monongahela river. Between Diamond
alley and Fourth street, the canal will occupy a part of
363, 364, 365 and part of 366. The cutting in the centre
is 53 feet; the lower side cutting is 22 feet, and the up-
per is 83 feet. The slope of the sides being 18 inches
to a foot. This is on Grant's hill, which is composed of
indurated clay and veins of rock of several kinds. (It
is probable this would stand at an angle of 60°, if so,
much cutting might be saved.) It may answer to cut the
slopes to a steeper angle, if so it would take less breadth
up the hill, &c. Towards Fourth street the hill subsides.
From Fourth street the canal will occupy lots 307, and
the slopes part of 306 and 308, quite to Third street.
Between Fourth and Third streets, the following build-
ings will be injured and destroyed: On lot 308, a wood-
en house and stable to be removed; on 307 a brick house
occupied by Mr. Holdship, removed, and all the back
buildings within the limits staked out, to be removed.
The average width on those lots is 63 feet on the right,
and 55 feet on the left of the centre line.

From 3d to 2d streets the canal will occupy lots No.
293, 294 and 295, on which the following buildings will
be injured or destroyed: A chairmaker's shop and all the
kitchens and back buildings in the rear of houses front-
ing on Smithfield street, on lot No. 293, and a house on
294, occupied by Mr. Rahm, all to be removed, and all
other buildings, &c. within the limits staked out. From
2d to 1st street, the lots occupied by the canal are Nos.
208, 209 and 210. The buildings to be removed are a
on centre of canal on lot No. 209, and on same lot a
frame house on 210 fronting 2d street, two frame houses
frame house fronting on Front street, and on 208, Mr.
Anshut's brick stable, and on 210 two old log kitchens
on Front street, all to be removed. From Front or 1st
street the locks extend 400 feet to the termination in
the river. The lots occupied by the locks are Nos. 195,
196, 197, the centre on 196. The following buildings
to be removed and mutilated: a wooden stable and brick
house and back buildings on lot No.196 on Water street
house on the corner of Water and Smithfield streets,
and a brick and frame stable or kitchen joining the stone
and probably undermine the stone house on the said
corner. Through the whole of this route, the centre
line of the canal, the towing-path on the left and the
bench or berm bank on the right are staked off on the
ground and the stakes marked and numbered. The cen-
tre denotes the depth of cutting, and the side stakes de-
note the distance from the centre where the excavation
is to commence, and all the buildings between the outside
or slope stakes are to be removed and are intended to be
described. Those buildings standing near to, but out-
side of the slope stakes, may be injured if the ground is
sandy; but those most exposed are intended to be de-
scribed. All the staking off is recorded for inspection
and future reference.

The expense to be incurred in constructing the canal on the Grant's hill route as above described, is as follows, viz:

Embankment at abutment of the aqueduct,
15,528.32 yds. at 10 cents.

No. 9, 27 ch. Excavation in the canal to go
into the embankment, 20,318.06 yards 10

cents

No.16, 21ch. Excavation to the ponds along
Grant's hill, 32,747.69 yds. 12 cents
To 4th street 7 ch. 48 links, Excavation cuts
heavy upon Grant's hill, 58,428.85 yards,
20 cents

To head of locks, 7 ch. 50 links Excavation
from 4th to 1st streets, to head of locks
heavy cutting, 32,185.13 yds. 124 cents
Lock pits Excavation from the head of the
locks to fan of abutment, the lock pits and
wings, the excavation calculated to stand
on an angle of 45°, 33,947.31 yards 124
cents

1,552 83

2,031 80

4,093 46

11,685 77

4,023 14

4,243 41

Building 39 feet of lockage in four combined
locks including the foundations and sheet
piling, and all the materials of wood,stone,
lime, sand, iron, &c. for the locks, gates;
&c. and their appendages and landing up
the locks, the whole to be completed in a
workmanlike manner, (and considering
the great depth of the lock pits and the
want of room to deposite such vast quanti-
ties of materials,) $800 per foot lift
Nine road bridges over the canal, 600
Add for contingencies, 10 per cent

Distance 69 ch. 57 links from river to river
Deduct difference in routes near Diamond
alley

31,200 00
5,400 00
6,423 04

70,653 45

5,620 17

65,033 28

This is the line as recommended for examination at Harrisburg; but it may be varied between Diamond alley and Fourth street, and by occupying about ten feet of Smithfield street, and cut less on the declivity of Grant's hill. The difference in cutting is 20,100.85 cubic yards at 20 cents, 5,620 dols. 17 cents; but when completed, the direct line in such deep cutting would be preferred. As the canal, from section No. 9 to the termination in the Monongahela, will afford a vast quantity of surplus carth and rock, or spoil bank, it is necessary that some place of deposite should be designated by the proper authority of the city. I have supposed it must go to the rivers principally from the south end.

As the ground from Fourth street to the river is very valuable and the cutting deep, I take the liberty to calculate the quantity of wall which would be necessary to protect the sides, in order to save ground to the city. The distance from Fourth street to the head of the locks is 7 chains 50 links or 495 feet.

The average cutting for that distance is 21 feet.

The width to be cut open at the top averages 91 ft. If the sides were walled nearly perpendicular the width necessary would be 60 feet in the clear at the top of the towpath. The wall required would be 5 feet at bottom 2 at top, and 15 feet high, 2250 perches.

To reduce the width of the lock pits (after the locks are completed) to 60 feet wide, would require a wall 300 feet long each side, average 5 feet thick and averaging 30 feet high above the coping equal to 3600 perch.

The second route for the canal through the city as surveyed, is situated between Penn and Liberty streets. The centre line of the canal is 100 feet from Penn street and 140 feet from Liberty street. The distance from the Allegheny at the proposed aqueduct, to the Mononga hela on this line is 85 chains 11 links. This line from Washington street is perfectly straight, and the lockage is distributed as follows. A lock of 5 feet at Garrison alley, and 12 chains and 53 links forward. A lock of 5 feet is located at Barker's alley, and 36 chains forward. The remaining 29 feet of lockage is located, divided into 3 locks, 2 of 9 feet each and one of 11 feet lift; which last terminates in the Monongahela river, about three chains above the point. By this location of the locks, the cutting will average nearly 8 feet, which will make it the more convenient passing over the bridges, which must be built over the canal, at every street or alley on the line.

The embankment and excavation necessary to make
the canal from the proposed aqueduct to the Mononga-
hela on this route is as follows, viz.
Embankment at proposed aqueduct
15,528.32 yards at 10 cents
Excavation in the canal which must nearly
all be carried to the river and the embank-
ment 41,150.71 yds. 15 cts

Do. in lock pits 25,269 yds. 15 cts
Lockage 39 feet in 5 locks completed at
$800 per foot

13 Bridges for streets and alleys at $600 each 7,800 00 Contingencies 10 per cent

Distance 74. 41 from Washington street.

5,051 57 $55,567 35

This canal is at present staked out, the size which the law requires, viz. 28 feet wide on the bottom, 40 feet at the top water line, and the towing path 8 feet wide, but no berm is included. I would recommend to the canal commissioners, to wall up the sides of the canal, and to reduce the width at top water line to 32 feet in the clear, and allow 8 feet for the tow path, which I would recommend to be made on the Penn street side of the canal, this would require but 40 feet for the canal and towing-path through the city. The wall required would be 6 feet high, average 2 feet thick, equal to 4500 perches. This line when completed would be the handsomest in the city.

Specifications and Descriptions.

The following width of ground will be occupied by the canal, from which must be removed all the buildings and improvements thereon, between Liberty and Penn street, as is staked out on the ground, beginning at Washington street, from thence to Wayne street, the average width required for the canal and tow-path will be 63 feet. This would be necessary, as a part of the distance the canal has some embankments. One frame dwelling house and a few small buildings to be moved.

From Wayne street to Garrison alley, the average breadth required is 54 feet. A small frame stable, and a shed, and the yards to be moved. From Garrison alley to Hand street, the average breadth required is 63 3-10 feet. The buildings to be moved are two small frame stables, several small dwellings and other buildings, and will take 4 feet from Jone's brick dwelling house.

From Hand street to Irwin's alley the average breadth required is 56 feet. The buildings to be moved, are several small wooden sheds and houses, a smith's shop and coal house, and half a brick stable on the left side of the canal. From Irwin's alley to Irwin's street, the average breadth required is 52 2-10 feet. The buildings to be moved are an iron house, a tobacco warehouse, a shop and a small stable, all frame buildings, and on the left of the canal centre, takes 7 feet off a frame dwelling house, and on the right, a small stable of little value and 5 feet off another stable on the left, and a small frame kitchen on the right. On Irwin street takes 14 foot off a frame house on the left, and a lime house, and frame, and several other buildings within the limits of the canal to be moved.

From Irwin street to Baker's alley, the average width required is 66 feet. The buildings to be mutilated or moved are 15 feet off Mr. Adam's large house, the whole of his octagon and two-thirds of the kitchen, also adjoining the alley, 4 vats and pump, frame and bark house, and part of a shop belonging to J. Thompson, Currier. From Barker's alley to St. Clair street, the average breadth required is 61 feet. Takes part of the vault of the Pittsburg brewery, and half a small brick building opposite the brewery and others of small value.

From St. Clair-street to Cecil alley, the average breadth required is 57 feet-takes on St. Clair-street a large old frame dwelling house and stable, a small frame stable; and further on the line, a number of small wooden stables, &c. of small value, all to be moved from the limits staked out for the canal and towpath.

From Cecil alley to Pitt street, the average breadth required is 58 13-100 feet. Takes a frame stable of Mr. Hutchinson, and Mr. Hays frame stable. From Pitt to $1552 83 Hay-street, the average width required is 56 feet. The buildings to be mutilated or destroyed, are a new frame kitchen, a frame stable a few fruit trees, the whole of a small brick house of Mr. Devo's. From Hay-street to Maroury-street, the average breadth required for the canal is 77 feet, and will take half of Mr. Little's brick house, and a part of a small frame kitchen on the left,

6,172 60 3,790 35 31,200 00

and five feet off a frame house and a kitchen adjoining on Marbury street. From Marbury street to the Monongahela river, the average width required is 77 feet. The buildings to be moved are, a small house on Marbury street, a small frame house, block maker's shop, small frame dwelling house, a small frame stable; and and part of a stable on the left; a frame carpenters shop, and one half the Fort Pitt magazine of stone, on the left, a small frame stable at the head of lock No. 4, a frame house, (old) a frame work shop, opposite lock No. 5, a frame stable on the left, near the river. There are various other back buildings and fences, and some other improvements in gardens within the limits staked out, difficult to describe, but the stakes will define the limits required, and which will be prudently adhered to, each distance being accurately measured and recorded for further reference. A very convenient basin for the city and Northern Liberties, can be made at or near Washington street and Spring alley, on either of these two routes of the canal.

Tunnel Route.

87

As the high level from Pine creek to Pittsburg, which has been run for the purpose of re-crossing the Allegheny river on an aqueduct at either of the proposed places, and from thence through the city to the Monongahela by any route which has been examined; would be very inconvenient and expensive: I recommend to the board the following location, which is estimated and located as follows, viz: Make a lock of nine feet at Pine creek, thence continue that level along the peninsula, and below the narrows, and near Hare's make another nine foot lock. This will place the canal to much better advantage along the bottom and the narrows, and the Butler turnpike road can be placed on ground much safer than on the steep declivities of those precipitous to a short distance above saw mill run, there make a lock of five feet lift, and enter the valley of Saw-mill run, which is very favourable for a large natural basin, and a water weir, and for connecting the canal to the river, opposite the Northern Liberties by two locks, one of nine feet, the river lock of thirteen feet. From the basin at the Saw-mill run continue the level along the bottoms through Allegheny town, below the street leading to the bridge, here lock into the river by two locks, one of nine feet, the river lock of thirteen feet, and a convenient basin at the head of the upper lock, for all which the ground is very favourable.

In addition to the two canal routes directed to be located through the city by order of the canal commission-hills which are so liable to slope. Continue this level ers, I have re-surveyed and located the Juniata route, at the special request of the citizens by their representatives. This line commences near the chapel, passes under Grant's hill by a tunnell, thence down the valley of Suke's run to its entrance into the Monongahela, which is about one mile from the point or junction of the two rivers. The line of the canal and of the tunnel, and a profile of the same, is accurately laid down on a map herewith presented. This survey is to correspond with the Deer creek level, and supposes the canal to cross the Allegheny at Pine creek.

Estimated as follows, beginning at Washington street.
Distance 16.30, Excavation to 2 ch. forward of No. 9,
(Grant's hill route) 12,060.16 ys. at 10c 1,206 01
Distance 3.31, excavation rising Grant's hill
to 30 feet cutting, earth and rock, 9,118.89
yds. at 15 cents

All to be drawn perhaps, to Hog's pond.
Distance 12.29, tunnel 800 feet, equal to 20
feet diameter, through indurated clay and
layers of rock, at 25 dols. per foot lineal, 20,000 00
NOTE. As the hill appears to be composed of alter-
nate layers of earth and rock, it is highly probable it
must be arched with cut stone masonry, supposing the
inside to be 18 feet in the clear, and the arch 18 inches
thick-2981.48 perches, at 4 dollars a perch, including
centering
11,925 92

(An open cut instead of a tunnel, contains
151,582.04 cubic yards, at 20 cts per yd.
amount
30,316 40
Distance 6.28, Excavation from 30 feet cut-
ting on the east side of lock No. 1, to be
drawn some distance, 8,848.55 yds at 15c
Distance 2.00, excavation between 1st and
2d locks 1,085.32
between 2d and 3d
locks 2,198.24

Do. 2.00 do.

above levels is as follows, viz: Beginning at the lower
The estimated expense of the canal and locks on the
end of section 92, above Pine creek:
Sec.93, length 18 chains, excavation 6869ys.

at 6 cents

1,367 83

412 14

1,327 28

101

98, length 21 ch. exavation 17,766 ys.
(passing Buffington's)a10c
Grubbing 11 chs. $3

99, length 21, excavation 12,382 ys. 10c.

Grubbing 11 chains, at $4

100, length 11, excavation 19,173 ys. 10c

Grubbing 11 chains at $4 18 Excavation 24,282 yds,

Grubbing 18 chains

102 Gurties run 24 Excavation 9214 yds.

Embankment 14613

21 Excavation 7794

104 Miller's salt works 24 do 15165

Embankment 6608

Slope wall 4 ch. 30 high, 3 thick, 950
per 75 cents

33 00

44.00

44.00

1238 20

1917 30

10

2,428 20

5

6

552 84

90 00

1,061 55

660 80

712 50

103

105 Hare's 18 Excavation 19173 yds 10 cts.

1,917 30

Grubbing 15 chains

2,653 43

106 passing locks of 9 feet lift 21 chains excava-
tion 13517 yds. 7 cts.

946 19

36,000 00

Building an arch under the road 863 perchs.
at 2 dollars 50 cents

Building 1 road bridge below mouth of tun.
Add for contingencies, 10 per cent

2,157 50

342 50

107 do. 21 excavation 7182 yds. 6 cts.
108 do. 21 do. 8673 yds. 6 cts.
109 passing locks of 5 ft. lift 24 ch. excavation
8689 yds. 6 cents

430 92

520 38

512 34

7,797 04

Grubbing 4 chain 4 dols.

16 00

85,767 49

410 64

112 length 15 ch. do. 6844 yds. 6 cts.
Embankment brick yard 2490 yds. 10 cts.249 00
113 length 23 ch. 73 links, excavation 17494
yds. 6 cts.
Whole distance 5 miles or 440 ch. 73 links,
embankment 803 at 10 cts.
Terminating in the Allegheny below the bridge.

Road and farm bridges, 10, at 400 dols.
Butler turnpike to be made anew, 1 m. 46 ch.

5 dols. per rod

Aqueduct at Pine creek

Culvert at Gurtie's run

Do. at Salt works

Waste wier at Saw mill run 80 feet

45 feet of lockage 600 dols. per foot
Extra on river lock, on foundation and land-
ing up

Add for contingencies 10 per cent.

Expense of two extra locks at Saw Mill Run. Excavation (length 6 ch. 74 links) 9288 yds. 10 cts. 928 80 One lock of 9 feet lift, 600 per foot 5,400 00 One do. of 13 feet lift, 600 per foot 7, 800 00 Extra on river lock 2,500 00 Allow for contingencies 10 per cent. 1,662 88

Amount of the estimate on the west side with double locks

1,049 64

80 30

4,000 00

2,520 00 9,000 00 1,000 00 250 00 400 00 27,000 00

2,500 00
7,394 67

18,291 68

99,633 09 Private damages done to buildings, except on the city side would be inconsiderable on either of these routes. From the above estimates, the following appears to be the aggregate of expense on each route, exclusive of private damages, viz.

From Pine creek and crossing below Hare's

Island and continuing between Liberty & Penn streets and terminating in the Monongahela

By crossing at the same place and terminating above the Monongahela bridge or the Smithfield street route

By continuing down the west side and crossing at Washington street, and terminating between Penn and Liberty street, in the Monongahela

The tunnel route in a public point of view may be considered as very objectionable, as all business coming to or from the Ohio river, or the Allegheny, must pass through a tunnel, in addition to an aqueduct nearly as inconvenient as combined locks. And although the locks are separated, they are located in a narrow valley with steep banks or hills on each side, a very inconve nient plan to do business, and from its terminating in the most remote part of the city, at least one mile above the point.

On the line which is located on the west side, no such inconveniences arise. All that part of the line from opposite Hare's Island, from opposite Allegheny town, is on the finest ground for building lots, and has but one curve in the whole distance. The locks are all separate and only two extra locks are necessary to supercede the necessity of an aqueduct and tunnel. The convenience of a double connection with the rivers and harbours, will be a great saving of time in the despatch of business. The upper locks will accommodate all the Northern Liberties, and a great part of the city to the Allegheny ri ver, which during last summer had a sufficient depth of water from Hare's island along the Pittsburg side, to a bar running out at the point which can be removed, and by taking advantage of both sets of locks, boats can ar rive and depart from any places of business on the Monongahela and Allegheny, at all ordinary stages of water; and when the present and future amount of business to be done in that vicinity is considered, this location must have in my opinion a decided advantage over the inconvenient and slow progress of passing every boat over, an aqueduct through a tunnel, or a combination of locks from the canal to the rivers and from the rivers to the canal.

By this location which would be safe and permanent, not only the busssiness & Pittsburg, which in its present limits does not cover more than 600 acres of ground, 219,874 00 but the adjacent villages equally well situated for manirfacturing, will have the great advantage of being conveniently connected by the same locks with that impor 229,339 93 tant branch of the Pennsylvania canal which is in contemplation to be extended to lake Erie, and the state of Ohio, without any additional expense to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

-194,938 90 By excluding the aqueduct and tunnel and continuing the canal on the west side and terminating by a double set of locks in the Allegheny river, as represented in a map and profile of the same 99,633 09 In pursuance of my instructions I take the liberty to state my opinion, with respect to the inconveniences or utility of each of these routes

The best and most practicable route through the city is that between Liberty and Penn srreet. But this would be attended with many inconveniences to the citizens, by destroying a great amount of private property, and by having a bridge over the canal at every street and alley leading to the Allegheny river, and by having a combination of three locks at its termination.

NATHAN S. ROBERTS, Engineer. On the western section of the Pennsylvania canal. Harrisburg, 1st May, 1827.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL
IMPROVEMENT.

Mr, Lehman, from the committee on inland naviga tion and internal improvement, to whom were referred a part of the governor's message, also the report of the canal commissioners and engineers, and sundry petitions relative to rail roads and the extension of the Pennsylvania canal, made

REPORT

That the state by various legislative enactments has recognized, the wisdom of completing a system of internal improvement which will make a fair distribution of benefits among all the great sections of the commonwealth and will combine practicability, economy and state importance.

The Smithfield street route, would be very inconvenient, on account of the great excavation to be made along the side of Grant's hill, and the very great difficul- The utility of canal navigation and rail roads, in proty of excavating to the necessary depth to sink the locksmoting industry and the free exchange of the products which would destroy much valuable property, and the great inconvenience of passing a great number of boats through a combination of locks thus situated.

of labour and the mind, is now universally acknowledged. Next to the establishment of schools, adapted to develope mental riches and to give permanence to our free