Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

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(May 28th - by mistake) (In the afternoon I went up the canal and then went to Louisville and got some books sent to Mr. Goodwin by Capt. Smyth. The title is 'Traite de la Construction des Ponts par M Gauthey' in three quarto vols. Paris 1809)

...harbour at Sodus Bayon Lake Ontario and says that he rode to Utica with D.S. Bates who is appointed to survey the Chemango Canal - Mr. Price called upon me to get me to level some streets in Louisville which I am to do tomorrow morning.

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Tuesday June 2d 1829 This morning after breakfast I went to Louisville with the level in a sack, [illegible] attend to the business just mentioned but owing to some misunderstanding among the commissioners appointed to superintend the graduation of the streets they were not ready; accordingly I had to return without doing it, and as we had use for the level in the afternoon I was obliged to bring it with me. In the afternoon I was on the canal. June 3 In the forenoon I helped give some levels at the bridge and in the afternoon...

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...noon I helped set stakes at the upper end of the canal near Louisville. Mr. Richard Singer, an acquaintance of ours, returned from New Orleans this evening. June 4th This morning I went to New Albany to get some castings made for the canal; carried the bound vol. of Silliman's Journal to Dr. Clapp, did not find him at home but left the book at his house. I went down to the shipyard to see a boat fixed up by Mr. Shrieves for the purpose of removing snags from the Mississippi River.

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It consists of two boats about 100 feet long and 12 wide placed about 10 feet apart and strongly connected by timbers running across at the bow & stern - each boat contains a very powerful steam engine. The timbers at the bow are covered with sheet iron on the forward side which is to be applied to the log and the power of the engines is to remove it I went also to see the work for a new jail built of cut stone. In the court house is a man confined sentenced to be hung for murder...

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...on the 30th of this month. In the afternoon I was on the canal. June 5th After making ot the reports, estimates &c. which took all the forenoon. I went to Louisville to give them to the board of directors - I also took a letter to Mr. S. Penn Jr. Editor of the Louisville Public Advertiser containing an article relating to the progress &c. of the canal with a request that he would have it published - I did not see him but left the letter with his clerk. Bought a pair of shoes & paid for McMurtrie's Sketches of...

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...Louisville which I got of Mr. Penn more than a year ago June 6 I was on the canal nearly all the time today. June 7 Sunday I went to church this morning and in the afternoon I stayed in my room. The weather is cloudy, windy, and towards evening cool; or compared with temperature for a few days back it might truly be said to be coald [sic]. June 8 This morning was quite cool,

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...so much so as to render woolen clothes quite comfortable reminding us of winter weather - I was on the lock nearly all the time today attending to placing of the segment for the rollers of the swing bridge. June 9th Mr. Mann Butler of Louisville is authorised by that city to travel through New York to visit the High Schools for the purpose of establishing one in Louisville. This morning I went up there to give him some letters from Mr. Henry to his...

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...friend in New York. Mr. Henry got a letter from Mr. White who thinks he will not start for this place until the 20th of June. In the afternoon I went to Louisville again to give Mr. B. another letter and put one in the post office for Mr. White. A very cool day for this season of the year. Wed June 10th I was on the canal all the time this day. June 11th In the forenoon I was on the canal and in the afternoon I was at...

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...work in the office making out the account of Carney, Sayres, &c. The directors of the canal make their engineer also a clerk Fryday June 12th This day makes just one year since the family left this place - since that time I have been here alone. Mr. Ridgeway an engineer from Ohio visited us today. In the forenoon we made out our reports, estimates &c. and in the afternoon I took them to Louisville after which I worked a little while in the office...

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Saturday June 13th I was on the canal all the time today. The mosquitoes are now so plentiful as to render at necessary to use mosquito bars. June 14th Procured a horse in the morning and rode into Indiana about 6 miles for the purpose of riding and collecting mineral specimens of which I found no new ones returned about the middle of the afternoon saw a species of lizard with feet like climbing birds (see this journal 1 1828) on the side of a tree. I rode up...