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



that of the three possible routes to the West, the one via the Juniata 

 was, by far, the most practicable. In recommending its adoption 

 the commissioners stated that a portage wagon road* over the moun- 

 tain should connect the canal sections on either side. 



Since the Act of February 25th provided for the construction 

 of only two short sections of the canal, in order to avoid delay, it 

 was now necessary that additional legislation should be passed. 

 The most advantageous route having been determined by those best 

 calculated to pass judgment thereon, there was no further need of 

 deferring action. Accordingly, on the 9th of April, 1827, "An Act 

 to provide for the further extension of the Pennsylvania canal"t 

 received the governor's approval. It required the commissioners to 

 locate and contract for making a canal along the valley of the 

 Juniata from the Susquehanna to Lewistown; to build a canal, 

 locks and other necessary works from the western section to Blairs- 

 ville via the Kiskeminetas and Conemaugh; to commence work on 

 the feeder from French Creek to Conneaut lake ; to contract for all 

 sections common to both of the proposed routes^ between Pittsburg 

 and Lake Erie; to build the works necessary for a canal naviga- 

 tion up the Susquehanna from the Juniata to iSTorthumberland; 

 and to expend not more than $100,000 for the construction of a 

 canal along the Delaware river between Bristol and Easton.§ The 

 same act of legislature required the commissioners to undertake at 

 once numerous surveys extending to almost every stream of the 

 commonwealth and to nearly every section of the state. 



An analysis of the above shows that, of the six different parts of 

 the improvement system whose commencement was now provided 

 for, only two were on the main line.|| These were along the Juniata 



* At this time the prevailing opinion was that the link between the canals 

 on either side of the mountain should be a macadamized road. 



fLaws of PennsylA'ania, 1826-27, p. 192. See also J. H. Rep., 1830-31, 

 II, pp. 600-601. 



I These were, first, via the Allegheny river and French creek to Presque 

 Isle; second, through the Ohio river to Beaver, thence by way of Beaver 

 liver and French creek to the same point on Lake Erie. 



§ See sections 6 and 7 of the act on page 273. 



II The main line when referred to later is not intended to include the sec- 

 tions of the public works between Pittsburg and Lake Erie. Tliesc were 

 never completed by the state, and once the work of construction had been 

 undertaken, contemporary writers rarely spoke of them as being a part of 

 the main line. 



