Box 1, Folder 6: Diaries 1828-1830

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28 Shippingsport Ky 1828

Dec 2d Tuesday I stayed about home most of the time. Mr. Henry left us this afternoon for Frankfort to attend the meeting of the Legislature of Ky. while they are acting on the bill to extend the Charter of the Canal Co. as also the Bridge Bill - he will probably be back within two weeks. Dec 3d Wednesday This morning Mr. Carney gave me some money and I went to Louisville and got a pair of [illegible] price 43 3/4 cents after which I commensed drawing...

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29 Shippingport 1828

...a plan of the locks for him. Dec 4th Thursday Spent my time at home drawing and writing a letter to Darius and one to Mr. Eckstein agent for the Cincinnati Academy of Fine Arts. I offered him drawings of our locks for the good of the institution. Dec. 6th Saturday Wrote a letter to Mr. Henry at Frankfort and one to Pazzi Lapham at Cincinnati. Went to Louisville to put them in the Post office. Dec 7th Sunday Went to church in the morning and on Rock Island in the afternoon found...

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30

Nothing very interesting except 2 specimens of Orthoceritite. Got some [illegible] shells. Dec 9th Tuesday I wrote a letter to Mr. D.S. Bates Esq. Civil Engineer and, Dec 10th Wednesday I went up to Louisville this morning to put it in the post office. Got an Ohio State Journal containing a description of the Welland Canal by Darius Lapham esq. Mr. Henry returned from Frankford the charter being exended two years. Dec 19th Fryday Received a letter form Mr. Pazzi...

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31

...dated the 13th Dec in answer to mine of the mine of the 6th of Dec 1828 in which he informs me that he has been sick but is getting better Dec 25th Thursday Christmas day. In the morning accompanied some of the most respectable citizens of Shippingsport and six or seven of the most experienced hounds over to Gravel Island for the purpose of hunting a fox which was said to be on there; but in this we were as might be expected where foxes are so scarce, disapointed [sic]. In the afternoon I went to Louisville to see an exhibition of the microscope which is said to magnify...

32

...objects 1,000,000 times animalcula in vinegar were two feet long and resembled eels variases other objects of curiosity were exhibited such as small insects, a fly's wing &c. &c. The exhibition was in a dark room no more light being admitted tha what passed through the instrument which was made in London. Mr. [Canwal?] White and Lady arrived here on the 26th. Dec 31 This morning I went to Louisville and had not been there long before Mr. White went down to the upper end of the canal to locate the new...

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33

...line of canal which is to run in the bank near the hill following its rendings &c.

On the first of January 1829 I went up there with Mr. Henry to level and bore to the rock and ascertain its depth. Jan 5th 1829 Recd. a letter from Darius dated Dec 29th in which he informed me that he has received a letter from Miss Phobe Allen directed to me. I am to send there a leveling instrument belonging to the state of Ohio and three barrels of water lime to be used in the Yellow Bud Aqueduct.

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January 6th 1829 Wrote a letter to Miss P. Allen. Madison Wayne Co. N.Y. in answer to the one above mentioned. This evening we had another ball at our Tavern, Mr. Detistes January 10th 1829 Sent a letter to New Harmony Indiana to the publisher of the works on Natural History for a copy of Say's Conchology publishing or about to be published. Jan 12th 1829 Sent a copy of the report of the directors with a letter to Darius - described the solar...

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...microscope to hom besides many other little things of less importance. Jan 17th Read the January No of Sill. Journ. Jan 19th Monday Mr. Canvas White & Lady accompanied by Mr. Henry went down the river in the Steam Boat Huntress - the former are going to New Orleans and Mr. Henry to the mouth of the Ohio to see about some cypress timber for the lock gates - Mr. White will probably be back within a month and Mr. Henry...

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36

...within two weeks. Mr. White made me a present of a fine pencil for drawing. The rock and pavement yet to be excavated & laid on this canal was let on Saturday last to Messrs Ives & Baldwin, the fromer from the Erie Canal N.Y. and the latter a bridge builder of Pennsylvania, the bridge plan has been altered by Mr. White, the arch being made an elipse instead of a segment and two small arches are added extending from...

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37

...the piers of the large arch to the banks of the canal. Jan 20th 1829 Shipped the leveling instrument and watersluice which father sent for on board the steam boat Aurora. The river lately rose very abruptly about 25 feet but commenced falling again to day. Jan 22 Gen Jackson arrived here yesterday and left here to day on his way to the seat of Government. I sent a letter to Pazzi...