Alexandria Gazette & Advertiser

PUBLIC DISASTER.

Albany, Friday, July 9.—It becomes
our disagreeable duty to announce that the
lock at the entrance of the Erie Canal into
the Hudson, at the head of the Albany ba-
sin, caved in yesterday morning, to such
an extent that a long time will be neces-
sary to repair it, so that boats may again
pass through as heretofore.

There is a deep fissure in the earth, of
from 15 to 30 feet in length on each side
of the lock; and between these fissures and
the sides of the lock the earth has sunk
considerably, and by its pressure on the
stone work has materially disjointed each
side of the lock. At the upper gate, on
the west end of the lock, the whole body
of the stonework has sunk some inches, se-
parating the wall on each side by a wide
fissure or crack.

The basin, and the canal above, yester-
day morning, exhibited a melancholy spec-
tacle. The water had almost entirely run
out—leaving the bottom nearly bare; and
I counted 25 boats, many of them loaded,
grounded on the basin, and in the canal,
between the two first bridges.

All was bustle and business, to repair
the damage. The first thing is, to make
a temporary dam across the foot of the ba-
sin, the work of which commenced about
nine o'clock yesterday morning, and was
probably finished last evening.

Democrat.