Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

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...and got under way with Mr. Chapman for Portsmouth before the sun had made its appearance. We rode to Piketon (19 miles) before breakfast where we arrived at 12 o'clock precisely. The Scioto River in this distance makes a large bend to the east, but the road which goes on the west side of the river goes straight across the bend, so that it is only about half the distance by water. This route brought us into the hilly country roads tolerably good weather cold & cloudy roads froazen [sic]. The prevailing rock in all this region is sandstone I saw no other - no limestone no slate. One thing wich particularly struck me was the total absence of old boulders of primitive rocks so common in the Barron County North of Chillicothe. In this part of my journey I rode a horse which trotted very hard and by the time I got to Piketon I began to fear that I should...

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...not be able to ride through to Portsmouth in one day. But had changed horses with Mr. Chapman for one which trotted more easily is that I was comparatively resting. Took breakfast and got under way again at 10 o'clock. The road crosses the river at Piketon and followed its valley the rest of the way to Portsmouth. We found it tolerably good until we got within a few miles of Portsmouth where it was extremely muddy. Arrived at Portsmouth (26 miles) at about 8 o'clock in the evening. The weather in the afternoon became snowy & I had but little opportunity to look up enough to make any observations on the geology &c. of the country through which I was passing but as far as I could observe, it is the same as above Piketon.

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The whole disance from home to Portsmouth is 57 miles. In the evening I went to see Mr. L.G. Bates Engineer. Was introduced to Mr. Francis Cleveland resdt. engineer. We got in just after a boat passed down & it so happened that there did not another boat come along in that direction until the evening of the 8th January. Spent most of this time with Mr. Bates. Wrote a letter to my parents on the 8th. Mr. Bates wishes to know whether I will take charge of his line about 4 weeks when I return from the Falls while he visits his friends in New York, if I can be spared from the Chillicothe line? He will write to Mr. Williams and [illegible] this last eve my return. The Steam Boat Robert Fulton came along just at night & we got under way for Cincinnati at about 5 o'clock...

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...the country to examine the situation for a bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville and Cincinnati at which better place he left us. Jan. 9 Arrived at Cincti. this morning before daylight remained there all day & got under way again from Louisville just at night. I bought me a brown...[page tear]...valley of the Ohio River...without doubt based upon a fourth in th great Western limestone formation which I conceived underlay the next coal formation in this country. 1st Alluvium which is nearly the result of the action of the river upon the next formation being composed of the came materials mixed with shells, floodwood &c - It forms what is called in common language the river bottoms end supports the Sycamore, the Cottonwood, Elm, Buckeye, Popaw, & other trees peculiar to these bottoms.

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The whole distance from home to Portsmouth is 57 miles. In the evening I went to see T.G. Bates Engineer. Was introduced to Mr. Francis Cleveland Resdt. Engineer. We got in just after a boat passed down & it so happened that there did not another boat come along in that direction until the evening of the 8th January. Spent most of this time [page torn]...wrote...supports the oak, beech, hickory, &c. &c. 3d Sand stone & slate on the coal formation. This formes the hills which border the river. Opposite Portsmouth I saw the American pine tree upon these hills. The figure on the last page will illustrate more clearly the situation of these 3 formations. Among the passingers [sic] that came down with us in the Fulton was Mr. Wornwag [Wernwag] the celebrated bridge builder. He is now on his way to this part of...

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...the country to examine the situation for a bridge over the Ohio River at Louisville & at Cincinnati at which better place he left us. Jan 9 Arrived at Cincti. this morning before daylight - remained there all day & got under way again for Louisville just at night. I bought me a brown [coat?]. This day was rainy which of course presented my making such observations &c. cursions through the city as I would have otherwise done - I went to some of the book stores to find the agent for Matt Bruns Geography however but as before without success. I went also to the Bazaar to see the splendid painting of the landing of LaFayette at Cincti by Hervieu. Jan 10th Found myself in Louisville this morning at daylight - Went up to Allan's tavern where I found Judge Bates & nearly all the old contractors. After breakfast I saw Mr. Henry & then went down to...

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Jan. 1830

...the steam boat to see Mr. Sayer who was about starting from Ohio. I found that the arbitration was not likely to come on within a week or two owing to the abuse of Mr. [Faron?] one of the arbitrators & the indisposition of Mr. White another. In the afternoon I rode with Mr. D. Carrol to see Mr. Carney who now lives on a farm west of the city. Jan 11th Monday Went down the canal this morning to see the works and my old friends. In the general apearance of the work there is but little alteration since I left here in Oct. The embankment at the upper end is about 25 feet 10 ft wide on the top; slopes about 1 to 1 1/2 to 1. It will undoubtedly be correct away if there should be a high flood in the river this seaso. The contractors are now more in the habit of moving Dibble's crain to raise the rock from...

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Jan. 1830

...the bottom of the canal to the birm. They are not as large as is usually made and have not the small post. The main brace extends from the top of the post to the end of the sill. At the lock I saw two of the gates in rater an awkward portion. The late floods have raised them from the post, and the bottom of the gates swung out from the wall & would have risen to surface of the wter, but for the chains put into open them. It is needless to add that the coping to which the gate was attached is also fremoved from its [illegible], and the adjacent parts of the wall materially [illegible]. Went to see Mr. Taylor & got a letter from Mr. Isaace Sea of Philadelphia relating to some shells I had sent him - After I returned, I spent the rest of the day in copying it.

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Jan. 12th I shall now have some time to spend without anything to do. I thought I would make some plans, consequently I went down to Mr. Ives house to get a set of drawing instruments of Mr. Olmstead - And spent the rest of the time in drawing. Commenced upon a plan of a wooden lock with only a crest of masonry opposite the upper hollow cornis. The rest of the lock is only a [floom?] of train work without any embankment behind it. Jan 15th Mr. Farron arrived here this morning, but as Mr. White remains unwell there is little prospect of the arbitration coming on soon - Wrote a letter to Father last evening. Went over to Jeffersonville this afternoon with Mr. Henry & spent the evening with him & Mr. Farron in his office.

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Jan. 16 Mr. Farron was taken sick in the night and remained unwell all day. Jan 18 Wrote a letter to Mr. John S. Gallagher of Baltimore for his new proposed paper called the Locomotive Engine to be devoted to internal improvements in its name would indicate. Jan 20th As it is now found that the trial can not be brought on within a few days Mr. Farron & Judge Bates went to Ohio. They are going up the Miami Canal, but Bates will return within a few days & Mr. Farron will return when required. Jan 23 Wrote a letter to Judge Bates giving an account of the manner in which Mr. Henry layed out the lower curve upon this canal which was not done exactly according to the common rules of engineering - Wrote also another letter to Father.