1808.] 
southern extremities of lake Michigan, 
without any other interruption than that 
of the falls and rapids of Niagara, he- 
tween lake Erie:and lake Ontario. The 
descent from fort Schlosser to Devil’s 
Hole, a distance of four miles, which in- 
cludes the perpendicular falls:of Niagara, 
has by correct:measurement been ascer- 
tained at 375. feet. The whole fall-from 
lake Erie to lake Ontario, is estimated at 
450 feet, making the elevation of lake 
Erie above tide-water, six hundred and 
fifty feet. 
Lake Superior, the largest of those in- 
land seas, communicates with the nor- 
thern extremity of lake Huron, by the 
river and rapids of St. Mary’s. |The fall 
of these is not ascertained: but it is said 
that a small canal has. been opened 
around the most difficult part, by the 
North-West Fur Company, 
Five of the Atlantic rivers approach 
the waters of the St. Laurence; viz. the 
Penobscot, Kennebeck, Connecticut, the 
North, or Hudson river, and the Tioga 
branch of the Susquehannah. This last 
river will afford a useful. communication 
with the rivers Seneca, and Genessee, 
which empty into lake Ontario. ‘The 
length of the portage has not, been pre- 
cisely stated; and the general navigation 
of the Susquehannah has already been 
noticed. It may however be observed, 
that it is the only Atlantic river whose 
sources approach both the western wa- 
ters, and those of the St. Laurence. 
The three eastern rivers, afford con- 
venient communications with the pro- 
vince of Lower Canada, but not with that 
extensive inland navigation, which pene- 
trates through the United States, within 
two hundred miles ef the Mississippi. 
No statement has been received of any 
improvement having yet been made on 
the Penobscot, or Kennebeck;. and a 
very imperfectaccount has been obtained 
of some short canals opened around the 
several falls of the river Connecticut. 
One at Bellows’ falls, in the state of Ver- 
mont, has been particularly mentiened, 
and is the highest improvement on the 
| _ fiver. 
What is called the North River, isa 
narrow and long bay, which in its north- 
wardly course from the harbour of New 
York, breaks through, or turns all the 
mountains, affording a tide navigation for 
vessels of 80 tons to Albany and Troy, 
160 miles above New York. ‘This pe- 
¢uliarity distinguishes the North River 
from all the other bays and rivers of the 
United States. The tide in no other as- 
Moxrury Mac., No. 177. 
Public Roads and Canals in the United States. 
343 
cends higher than the granite ridge, or 
comes within thirty miles of the Blue 
Ridge, or eastern chain of mountains, 
In the North River, it breaks through the 
Blue Ridge at West Point, and ascends 
above the eastern termination of the 
Catskill, or great western chain. * 
AA few miles above Troy, and the head 
of the tide, the Hudson from the north, 
and. the Mohawk from the west, unite 
their waters, and form the North River, 
The Hudson in its course upwards, ap- 
proaches the waters of lake Champlain, 
and the Mohawk, those of lake Ontario, 
The works necessary to effect water 
communications between the tide water 
of the North River, the St. Laurence, and 
all the lakes, (lake Superior only except- 
ed) are therefore estimated at four mil- 
lions of dollars, viz. Dollars. 
Northern navigation to 
lake Champlain, . - 800,000 
Western navigation to lake 
Ontario, - = = 2,200,000 
Falls of Niagara fora sloop 4 
navigation, SHIRA 2 1,000,000 
4,000,000 
Interior Canals. 
Under this. denomination will. be in- 
cluded all the canals of which any know- 
ledge has been obtained, and which are 
net immediately on the rivers opening 
communications with the western waters 
or with those of the St. Laurence, although 
some of them may be considered as ex-= 
tending those communications to more 
remote sea-ports, 
Turnpike, or Artificial Roads, 
A great number of artificial roads have 
been completed in the eastern and middle 
states, at an expense varying from less 
than one thousand to fourteen thousand 
dollars a mile. The !abour bestowed on 
the least expensive species consists in 
shortening the distance, diminishing the 
ascent of hills, removing rocks, levelling, 
raising and giving ‘a proper shape to the 
bed of the roads, draining them by 
ditches, and erecting bridges over the 
intervening streams. But the natural 
soil of the road is used, instead of cover- 
ing it with a stratum ofgravel or pounded 
stones. 
Fifty turnpike companies have been 
incorporated, since the year 1808, in the 
state of Connecticut alone ; and the roads 
undertaken by those coinpanies are all 
of that description, Thirty-nine of those 
roads extending together 770 miles, are 
completed. 
No particular account has been re- 
Xx ceived 
