Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

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Our guard lock walls are 50 feet apart 42 feet high at 26 feet thick at the head. In each wall on the inside is a recess of two feet deep at the ends & 3 in the middle having a regular curve or arch of 1 foot versed sine; and 31 feet long. Now if a person stand near one of the walls with his face towards the opposite one at the middle of one of these [illegible] and make any quick & loud sound; it will be echoed from the opposite recess ten or twelve times in a manner...

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...which is very curious & delightful as well as distinct. This evening we went down there with a German flute to hear the echo of its music - which was very beautiful - though best when a tune was played which consisted mostly of a succession of high notes which would be lowered by the echo. May 7th The river having now got down quite low (about 15 feet above low water) it commenced rising today. I worked on the canal...

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...a little while in the forenoon. In the afternoon I assisted Mr. Henry to make out the calculation of survey of the land at the upper end of the canal which we want to purchase of John Rowan - A very hot day. Fryday May 8 Early this morning I went to Louisville to carry the calculations of the above survey to Mr. Goodwin and returned. After this I assisted in making out & copying the reports - In the afternoon I went to Rock island in search of shells...

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...found several but no new species. This day was cloudy with some little rain in the forenoon. May 9th 1829 Last evening the wind began to blow, which entirely disipated the cloudes and this morning the sun rose in all its buliency & morning splendor - Notwithstanding which we did not have a fair day in a few hours the clouds began again to appear & the wind rose - It was so cold that we had a fire...

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...made in our room - I went up the canal in the forenoon as far as the bridge & in the forenoon as far as the bridge & in the afternoon I done some work at the lower end - The state of Illinois has given power to commissioners to construct a canal from the first rapids in the Illinois river to Chicago as soon as they could. An agent was here a few days since I wanted Mr. Henry to go & locate it for them next autumn.

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May 10th 1829 Sunday Went to Louisville this morning as is usual on Sundays with Mr. Henry & Mr. Taylor and as we got there sometime before the church hour we took a walk a mile or so into the country to the south of the city - after church I took a walk up the bank of the river and then called at Mr. Butler's a few moments. The weather though pleasant in the morning was boisterous the rest of the...

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...the day - The dust which was constantly flying about was extremely annoying to our eyes & nostrils. May 11th The weather continued the same as yesterday until noon when we had a shower of rain. In the morning as we were going up the canal we met Mr. Beauford U.S. Engineer who has been mentioned in this journal [Jan 24th 1829] In the afternoon he came down to our office and I...

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...presented him with a plan of the locks and bridge and a map of the Ohio Falls - he said that if I wished to get a situation at the West Point Academy he would give me any assistance in his power Tuesday May 12th 1829 A very cold morning - drew a plan of the bridge for Mr. Sayre in the forenoon and in the afternoon I went to Louisville to get an old plan drawn by Mr. White, Mr. Henry having supposed I had not copied it correctly - He was mistaken. May 13th 1829 This morning I copied a letter...

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...of Mr. Henry's to Mr. White & then went up to Louisville to put it in the Post Office; saw Dr. Fitch and get the book I loaned him sometime since. In the afternoon I went up the canal and also drew a map of the upper end of the canal showing some proposed alterations. May 14th Copied a communication of Mr. Henry's to the board of directors in the moring - Worked on the canal, or rather was on the canal all rest of the day - The communication recommends that the canal...

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...at the upper end should be made on the land belonging to the company unless Rowan will take $5000 for his land. He asked $12000 which is said to be too much - the canal does not run exactly as it was originally intended but terminates at the south corner of the land in order to bring it as nearly as possible to the bank of the river where it will not be interrupted by flood wood Mr. Rowan has been printing us off for some time thinking, probably, that we would ultimately be obliged to give his price, and as there was no probability of the [illegible] being brought...