The National Republican And Ohio Political Register

NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
CINCINNATI:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1823.

OHIO GRAND CANAL.

The stupendous project of uniting the waters of Lake Erie with those of the Ohio River, has become an object of the greatest importance to the future wealth and prosperity of this state, and of increasing interest to the nation. There is no state in the Union which contains so little waste land, in proportion to its territory, and none so favourable for the construction of navigable canals, by which all the different sections can be accommodated with this cheap and easy mode of commercial intercourse, as Ohio. The public will recollect, that the investigations which were made, last season, by Mr. Geddes, the Engineer from New-York, developed the fact of the practicability of constructing a canal on each of the three routes contemplated by the Legislature; but serious doubts were then entertained of the possibility of connecting the valley of the Scioto with that of the Great Miami. We have now the pleasure of stating, from the highest authority, that this great desideratum is no longer a matter of doubt or difficulty; The Loramie and St. Mary's summit can be connected with that of the Tymochtee, by which the whole state will be united, without jealousy or collision, in this grand enterprize.

At the meeting of the Commissioners in June last, M. T. Williams, Esq., and Mr. Forrer, the assistant Engineer, were directed to ascertain the practicability of connecting the Loramie and St. Mary's summit, with that of the Tymochtee, or Sandusky and Scioto, by a cut answering the double purpose of a canal and feeder, through which the waters of the Great Miami (and Mad River, if necessary,) might be passed to supply the latter summit; and thus unite the interests of the two great valleys, the Miami and Scioto, by one common passage to the Lake.--They proceeded, immediately, to the Loramie and St. Mary's summit, and succeeded in finding a summit level ten feet lower than that mentioned in the report of Mr. Geddes, last winter, and by which he made his estimates and calculations, about half a mile west of the road leading from the old fort Loramies to St. Mary's, from which a level was carried to the Tymochtee. The line of this level intersects the Shawnee reservation near the road from Piqua to Wapaughconnetta, passes through the reservation near the latter place, up the valley of the Auglaize River, thence, crossing the Auglaize into the valley of Hog Creek, ascends the valley of that stream until it intersects Hull's road, near what is called Fort Necessity, between Forts M'Arthur and Findlay; and thence, with a considerable southern direction, to the Tymochtee summit. The result of this investigation has proved the practicability of connecting these two important points, requiring, throughout the whole line, but two locks, the western summit being the highest; and the ground over which it passes very eligible for a canal, presenting no serious difficulties or obstructions.

At a meeting of the board, at Lower Sandusky, in July, it was decided and directed, that the following lines should be located, and an estimate made of the expense of each, to wit: From the Tymochtee summit to the lake, and from the same summit to the Ohio river, at the mouth of the Scioto:--From the same summit to the waters of the Great Miami river, on the line above described, and to those of Mad river, if time should permit: And from the middle line, near Columbus, to Zanesville. These locations and estimates of expense, we understand, will be made in the order above mentioned, and that it is intended to complete the whole during the present season, if there should be sufficient time. The commissioners have been considerably retarded, in the progress of their labors and investigations by the sickness of the hands and engineers; and from such causes of delay, it may require the whole of the present season to complete the examinations of the middle route.

We cannot close this article without congratulating the public on the liberal and enlightened views of the Commissioners, in pursuing a policy which cannot fail to unite the whole state in this important work, and their industry and perseverance in accomplishing the great object of their appointment. We contemplate this subject with the most elevated feelings of pride and pleasure, and look forward with sanguine hopes, that no sectional prepossessions and local partialities will be suffered to interfere and embarrass the undertaking.