Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

[Left Page]

Jan 1830

Mr. Baldwin (son of the contractor) gave me a sketch of a bridge built entirely of plank, invented by a Mr. Town; - there are several bridges built upon this plan in the U.S. & Mr. Baldwin is now building one over the Susquehanna River a few miles from Harrisburgh where the Pennsylvania canal crosses it. Went to Shippingport with Mr. D. Carrol & took the dimension of the locks. Found the guard lock (between h.c.) 203 5m Upper lock: 199.11m Middle Lock: 199.6 Lower Lock: 195.10 Jan 27th Spent the day with Mr. Carney 28th Drew a plan of the locks & bridge on this canal with sections &c showing the defects of the work. 29th In the afternoon I went down to...

[Right Page]

...Ivesburgh* to see Mr. Baldwin who gave me the [illegible] of his roll of drawings. I find they relate mostly to the Delaware & Hudson Canal & the railroad at its western end called the Carbondale railroad. Jan 30th 1830 It was suggested to me today by May Allen that a railroad eompany might be formed to construct a road from this place to Portland & said that if the canal co. did not do justice to the contractors he would punish them using his influence to have a railroad formed by the side of their canal which would rob it of most of its business. I had before heard the subject mentioned & had payed some attention to it & had written an article on the same subject. *The place where the contractors by that name has his office has been called Ivesburgh [illegible] the bridge]

[Left Page]

Feb 1830

'If we succeed' added he 'perhaps you may be the head engineer' February 1st 1830 Yesterday we had a fall of snow 6 or 8 inches deep, being a greater depth of snow than I have seen in 5 years. Feb 2d Spent most of the time in copying minutes from Mr. Henrys books in relation to Carney, Sayres, & Co's work which I intend to measure for them. Feb 15th Took a walk with some of my friends to Portland & was introduced to Mr. Howel who is going to make a railway to bring goods up the hill from the steam boat landing to his were-house [sic]. He wants me to set stakes for the excavation of the grading accordingly.

[Right Page]

Feb 16th 1830 This morning I took Mr. Olmstead's level & went down to Portland & set the stakes & took the levels necessary for ascertaining the quantity of excavation - Made the calculations in the afternoon. Feb 6th Spent most of my time the past week in making a calculation & measurements of the bridge for Carney, Sayre, &co. In this I differ from Mr. Henry's estimate 159.49 perches. 8th Wrote a letter to Father. 9th Yesterday & today I was engaged in making levels & measurements of the...

[Left Page]

Feb 1830 ...embankment made by Collins, Allen, Perroni & Co. 16th (again) For the past 3 or 4 days I have been engaged in making a map & drawings for the Louisville & Portland Railroad - On Sunday Maj. Allen sent a copy to Lexington - The Lexington & Ohio Railroad, it is supposed will come here & will be continued on to Portland. The weather has moderated now & the snow has mostly disappered. The river is also breaking up & we hope to have the steamboats again moving in a few days. There has not any thing been done...

[Right Page]

Feb 1830

...in relation to the arbitration but the contractors say that as has Judge Bates, Farron, [illegible], they will have the thing settled in some way or other Mr. Farron & Judge Bates arrived in the evening after the above was written Feb 17th This afternoon I rode with Bates, Farron & Henry to see the locks at Shippingport. Feb 18th 1830 As Mr. White is not yet able to attend to the arbitration and as Mr. Carrol was object to by the Company on the ground that he is interested. The two parties agreed upon four new arbitrators which...

[Left Page]

Feb 1830 ...are Samuel Farron - Engineer Merriwether a nincompoop Anderson, McCream - Merchants [illegible] R. Henry - Engineer? But two of these ment refused to 'trouble their heads about' and it was finally agreed upon the following men: S. Farron Engineer JR Henry S Vernon (20 pense is 2&6pense) S. Merriwether These men are to meet tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock & commence operations by examining Mr. Berthoud (one of the witnesses) because he wishes to leave here.

[Right page]

Feb 1830

21st Fryday & yesterday The board of arbitrators done little more than make a commencement of their business. They only examined one witness Mr. Berthoud and he was taken first because he intended to go down the river in a steam boat which will start today. Wrote a letter to Father; weather rainy, river rising. Since Judge Bates returned I have assisted him in making out his calculations of the earch excavation in this canal. In the morningI went to Church but in the afternoon I spent most of the time in writing a long letter. A few days ago I wrote a letter to Pazzi who is now at Columbus Ohio, engaged at the printing business in the office of the Ohio State Journal 22d Feb 1820 Mr. Henry's report wich was appended to the Report of the President and Directors of the Canal was today published in the Louisville Public Advertiser and I...

[Left Page]

...sent a few of them to different Engineers of my acquaintance in Ohio. Fine day - Nothing done by the arbitrators more than to received the evidence of Mr. Berthoud. 23d Spent the morning with Mr. Bates and Mr. Henry who are making out an estimate of the work done by the contractors. Went down to Mr. Baldwin's house to return his books & plans, and to get him his case of drawing instruments. Met Dr. Clapp of N. Albany on the roads. In the afternoon I commenced making a plan which is intended for the Hon. H. Clay of Lexington. 24th I went before the arbitration today - they were occupied all day in taking the testimony of Judge Bates - occasionally asking me a question as it was deemed necessary. The room in which the arbitration was held is a large, elegant room with an...

[Right Page]

...arched cealing [sic] with occasionally the smallest remains of a spider web, and then appearance of dirt & filth; in the middle of the room was placed a table, surrounded by the 5 arbitrators. Mr. Vernon ( who was chosen president) was seated at the head; at the side on his right were Hardy & Merriwether & on the left wer Mr. Farron & Mr. Henry. At the foot of table were two lawyers. Mr. Guthry & Thursten, the former for the Company & the latter for the contractors - By their sides were the acting members of the team parties vis - Mr. Goodwin on the part of the company & Mr. Perrino on the part of the contractors. Near them was the witness - and in different parts of the room were different members of both parties together with some few others who wished to know the proceedings...