186 A. L. Bishop — The State Worhs of Pennsylvania. 



with minor amendments, which were approved of by the house 

 the following day; and two days later by the approval of the 

 Governor, the commencement of the canal to connect the eastern and 

 western waters was provided for by an Act of Assembly. The 

 indomitable perseverance of the advocates of the scheme in Phila- 

 delphia and elsewhere had at last borne fruit. 



The Act of February 25th provided for the commencement of 

 the canal at both extremities simultaneously. The parts authorized 

 to be put under contract at this time together constituted but a 

 small fraction of the total length.* They were as follows : — From 

 the western end of the Union canal to a point on the Susquehanna 

 opposite the mouth of the Juniata; and from Pittsburg to the 

 mouth of the Kiskeminetas. The combined length of these sec- 

 tions was fifty-four miles. Since they were common to all the routes 

 proposed, it was considered safe to commence them before it was 

 finally decided what line the canal should follow through the 

 center of the state. 



This view was the result of three reports recently made to the 

 legislature. The recommendations made by the first board of 

 commissioners appointed on March 27th, 1824, have already been 

 examined. Two reportsf made by the board of canal commissioners 

 previous to the passage of the Act of February 25th, 1826, demon- 

 strated equally well the practicability of building a canal to connect 

 the eastern and western waters. But the question of route for all 

 the sections, excepting limited portions at either end, was still some- 

 what in dispute. Accordingly, more accurate and detailed sur- 

 veys were necessary to warrant the legislature in deciding upon 

 the best location for the canal. 



In view of the policy adopted later, it is important at this point 

 to note that the popular movement was for but one improved line 

 of transportation. The various reports of the canal commissioners, 

 and of the committee on roads and inland navigation, show that 

 their efforts had been directed to the problem of discovering which 

 one of the three possible routes was preferable. Moreover, the Act 



* This act also provided for tlie construction of a navigable feeder of 

 a canal from French creek to the summit level at Conneaut lake as soon as 

 the canal commissioners should deem it expedient and practicable; also for 

 the surveying and locating of a canal from Conneaut lake to Lake Erie. 



fl^ecembor 30th, 1825, and February 3rtl, 1826,— formd in J. H. Rep., 

 1825-26, II, pp. 159-163 and 222-233. 



