160 Account of the Welland Canal. 



a half miles, until it intersects the river Welland, into which 

 it descends by a ship lock of eight feet lift, thence a towing 

 path or track way is constructed ten miles,* and thence the 

 canal runs in a northerly direction to Lake Ontario, winding 

 up a ravine about sixty six chains with from eight to twelve 

 feet cutting. This part is finished and filled with water, to- 

 gether with a guard gate to control the admission of the 

 waters of Lake Erie. Thence commences the deep cut, (as 

 it is termed,) or dividing ridge, and a most formidable work 

 it assuredly is. It commences with an almost abrupt height, 

 of thirty feet above the canal bottom, then gradually rises to 

 fifty six feet six inches in a distance of one hundred and six 

 chains, then gradually descends in a distance of twenty eight 

 chains to thirty feet, when it as abruptly breaks off in anoth- 

 er ravine. The entire distance through this cut is one 

 mile fifty four chains, averaging about forty four feet cutting; 

 to the depth of from twelve to eighteen feet from the surface, 

 it is composed of clay with a small mixture of sand, and be- 

 low this, a tenacious blue clay. 



This cut was commenced in Sept. 1 825 ; it contained one 

 million four hundred seventy seven thousand seven hundred 

 cubic yards, and at the close of this last season, there remain- 

 ed to be removed, only three hundred seventy thousand yards. 

 The bottom is removed from each end of the cut with scows, 

 and the earth is deposited in the Welland river and in a large 

 reservoir below bottom level at the other end. Between 

 these points, the earth is removed with carts, wagons and 

 machinery ; being drawn to the top, where it is deposited on 

 the bank, on either side. The machine in most general use, 

 is a common wagon wheel, fixed on an upright post, 

 about seven feet from the ground on the top of the bank ; a 

 rope, with a hook on each end reaching from the bottom of 

 the canal to the top, is fixed round this wheel which hooks 

 on the back of the descending cart and to the tongue of the 

 one below, so that the return team assists in pulling up the 

 loaded one, thereby, in effect, reducing the ascent to aperfect 

 level, as the loads are drawn up with more ease than they 

 are removed on the level to discharge. 



* This part of the canal, was placed under contract in October last ; a number 

 of men are now employed on the Marsh, which has to be excavated from ten to 

 sixteen feet deep throughout. The contracts stipulate for its being finished, 1st 

 Oct. 1828. 



