UNION CANAL. A description of the plan, and a statement of the cost, of the Union Canal of Pennsylvania. The Union Canal Company of Pennsylvania connects the Susquehanna at Middletown, nine miles below Harrisburg, with the Schuylkill, three miles above the head of the Girard canal, two miles below Reading, and about fifty-seven miles above Philadelphia. Its length is 80 miles, exclusive of a navigable feeder on the Swatara, hereafter mentioned. $59,137 21; and was derived from the following commodities, viz. Flour, wheat and rye, whiskey, iron, coal, lumber, shingles, staves, gypsum, fish, salt, merchandize, corn, flaxseed, cloverseed, cotton, tobacco, leather, limestone, butter, lard, hemp, bricks, &c. The repairs of this canal from the 1st of April, 1828, to January 1, 1831, amounted to $14,737 40. Repairs for 1831 alone, $2,723, which shows that the amount for repairs is fast decreasing. It has four collectors of tolls, whose salaries amount altogether, to about $1,250 per annum; 80 lock tenders and engineers at water works, who receive on an average, $10,223 25 per annum for their services. The tolls are collected at the following places, viz. Fair Mount, Reading, Lebanon, and Middletown, and some of the lock tenders are allowed to receive tolls from boats passing a short distance on the line. Its works comprehend a tunnel of 245 yards in length, 18 feet wide, and 14 feet in height, two summit reservoirs, containing 12 milllions of cubic feet of water, one of them covering 27, and the other 8 acres; two steam engines of 100 horse power each, and three water wheels for feeding the canal by pumping; two dams, one across the Schuylkill, near Reading, and the other across the Swatara, below Hummelstown; 43 waste weirs; 49 culverts; 135 bridges; 12 small and two large aqueducts: the latter are over the Swatara, one 276 RAIL-ROAD FROM NEWCASTLE TO FRENCH. feet, the other 175 in length; two guard locks of wood, 92 locks of cut stone, and 14 miles of protection walls of stone. The Swatara feeder, which is, in fact, a branch canal, is 24 miles in length, including the great reservoir, formed by a dam 40 feet high, and covering near 1,000 acres of surface, extending the navigation to the basins at Pine Grove. A rail-road of about four miles in length has also been constructed, commencing at the basins in Pine Grove, and extending to the neighborhood of the coal mines, with a rise of about 130 feet. The works, and especially the numerous aqueducts and locks, have the reputation of being well constructed. On the eastern division of the Union canal, there 7 "3 inches, Length of lock chamber, Breadth of Length of boat, do Breadth, out and out, Greatest width inside the clear, Burthen from 25 to 30 tons, and will draw three feet water: requires one horse or mule, and the attendance of one man and one boy. The Swatara feeder is 63 miles long, 20 feet in width, four miles long, five feet wide, and two feet deep, descent 7 feet. Feeder from Kentner's reservoir, 1 miles long, two feet deep, and 4 feet wide; descent 4 20.100 feet. The cost of this canal and rail-road has been, exclusive of interest on loans,about two millions of dollars. Its stock consists of 2,500 shares of new, and 738 shares of old stock, at $200 each, which are now selling in the Philadelphia market at 228 to $230 for the former, and 185 to 190 for the latter. The company have loans amounting to $1,430,000, upon which they pay quarterly an interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum. The tolls of this canal for the two last years, amounted to the following sums: in 1830, $35,133 82; in 1831, TOWN, In the State of Delaware. The length of the road from the centre of Front street, in Newcastle, to the wharf, on Elk river, at Frenchtown, is 86,910 feet, or 16 46.100 miles. Note. The length of a straight line, connecting the eastern and western terminations of the road, is 84,332 feet, or 15 97.100 miles. This road is composed of 6 curves and 6 straight lines, of which the curves amount to 27,240 feet, or 5 16.100 miles. And the straight lines amount to 59,670 feet, or 11 3.10 miles. The radius of the least curve is 10,560 feet, or 2 miles. The deflection on 100 feet of which, is 119.1000 of a foot, or 1 4.10 inches. The radius of the greatest curve is 20,000 feet, or 3 79.100 miles. The deflection on 100 feet of which, is 0.062 of a foot, or of an inch. The road bed is graded 26 feet wide, exclusive of side drains; average width, including drains, about 35 feet. The whole amount of excavation, exclusive of those drains, is 496,000 cubic yards. The whole amount of embankment is 423,000 cubic yards. There are 4 bridges or viaducts, and 29 culverts of stone masonry. The deepest excavation is 363.10 feet. The highest embankment 23 9.10 feet. The greatest ascent or descent on the road is 29 feet to a mile. This grade is only for about 7.10 of a mile next to the western termination of the road. The greatest ascent or descent on any other part of the road, is 16 8.10 feet per mile. The cost of graduation, including the cutting of The cost of bridges and culverts (materials and $185,000 11,000 16,000 1,000 A single track of rail-road is laid down with seven sidelings for turn-outs of 500 feet in length each. On about 9 miles of the track, the rails are laid upon blocks of granite, containing each about 2 cubic feet, placed at the distance of 3 feet apart from centre to centre, and well bedded on sand or gravel. The string pieces upon which the iron bars, or rails, are laid, are of Georgia yellow heart pine, 6 inches square, and are fastened to the blocks by cast iron knees, two to each stone. The iron rails (or bars) are 24 inches wide, and of an inch thick. 1832.] LAW CASE. 899 fraud. On the remainder of the track, say 7 miles, the his executions upon vague suspioion and surmise of string pieces and rails of the above description, are supported on wood foundations; the greater portion of which is of the description following, viz. The court held the case under advisement, and on the 27th of April, rule discharged. From Poulson's Daily Advertiser. Hemlock plank, averaging about 10 inches wide and 4 inches thick, are laid lengthwise along the track on both sides, in the bottom, resting on sand or gravel. On this foundation, cross sleepers of white oak, about 7 feet long, and eight inches in diameter, are laid 3 Commonwealth, feet apart from centre to centre, which are spiked down to the plank. On these sleepers, the string pieces rest, and are secured to them in the usual manner. The cost of materials and workmanship for the part of the track with stone foundations, per mile, Cost of materials and workmanship for The total cost of the road, including land, $6,300 00 4,440 00 365,000 00 From Poulson's American Daily Advertiser. LEGAL DECISION. vs. John Moore. } MURDER-June 18th, 1832. This case was tried on Monday, the above date, at an adjourned session of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, before Judge King and his associates. The defendant was convicted in April, 1831, of murder in the seIcond degree, but a new trial was granted. The facts were substantially these. In June,1830, John Moore met the deceased, Richard Simpson, a deputed constable of Moyamensing, and with a stick, which Moore, having but one leg, was accustomed to use, together with his crutch, in walking, he gave the deceased a blow on the forehead over the right eye. The wound bled profusely, and the deceased was, the same day taken to the Pennsylvania Hospital, where, after remaining three days, he died. The blow was sudden, and Simpson at the time having offered no provocation or resistance. He declared immediately after his injury, that Moore had given him his death blow; and with proof of threats on Hyneman, District court for the city and county of the part of the defendant, to "fix the deceased" if he vs. Hyneman. Philadelphia. Judges Barnes, Hallowell and Cox. This was an application by creditors to stay proceedings upon fi. fus. issued upon two judgments, amounting together to about $7000, confessed to the plaintiff on the 25th of December, 1831, two days before a general assignment by the defendant. On the 31st of December, a rule was obtained upon the plaintiff to show cause why the executions should not be set aside, and a rule to take the depositions of witnesses to be read in evidence. Upon the return of the rule to shew cause, many long depositions were read on both sides. The case was argued on the 7th and 8th of March inclusive, by Samuel Brashears and Job R. Tyson, Esqrs. for the creditors in support of the rule, and by Joseph R. Ingersoll and John K. Kane, Esqrs. for the plaintiff against the rule. molested him, as well as passionate expressions of satisfaction after the blow had been struck, this, together with the deceased's intemperate habits, proved by crossexamination, was, in substance, the evidence for the commonwealth. No physician was called by the prosecution to give evidence. For the defendant, there was some evidence that the deceased, under color of his office, had vexatiously interfered with, and arrested the prisoner, but he mainly rested his case on two different depositions, taken for the first and second trials, of Dr. Thomas E. Wilson of Georgia, at the time one of the resident physicians of the Pennsylvania Hospital. He testified in substance, that from the slightness of the wound, he hesitated whether to admit the deceased into the Hospital, but having been informed by the deceased, and his friend, when the former was brought to the institution, that his habits were those of a sober man, he had administered to him remedies calculated to prevent any inflammation, The counsel for the creditors contended that an issue or the occurrence of any other disease which might posto try the validity of these judgments should be award- sibly arise from his slight wounds. That on the second ed, because they were confessed by a son to his father day, mania a potu, with all its attending symptoms, had on the eve of an assignment-because the testimony fully developed itself, which disease continued until he was contradictory, and the court could not decide the died. That he made a post mortem examination, (the question of relative credibility between witnesses-be-details of which were fully given,) at which time the cause the evidence established a former partnership wound was entirely healed, and that he found no inflambetween the parties to these judgments, and there was mation or external or internal injury whatever, to the no proof of its dissolution-because the ability of the skull or the brain; and he further gave his opinion, that plaintiff to lend the money for which these judgments the deceased died of mania a potu, "and from no other were alleged to be given was not satisfactorily shown, cause. but on the contrary his recent insolvency-because the Dr. Thomas Harris, of this city, was called by the evidence would not authorize judgments de novo for defendant's counsel; he fully attested the talents and those specific amounts-and lastly, because where there professional reputation of Dr. Wilson, and, by opinions is a mere allegation of fraud or collusion, to the preju- pertinent to the case in question, corroborated Dr. dice of creditors, an issue is always directed. It was W's. evidence. This was the amount of the testimony replied, by the counsel for the plaintiff, that the rule for the defendant. After full argument of counsel, should be discharged as the defendant in the judgments Judge King charged the Jury on the general features of was proved to be without means, and could not have the case; adverting to the misrepresentation of the decommenced business but for the assistance of the plain- ceased's intemperate habits by himself and his friend on tiff-that it was distinctly proved that, though lately in- their coming to the hospital, as having induced and jussolvent, the plaintiff had accumulated considerable sums tified the medical treatment he at first received; that of money-that witnesses had sworn to the considera- this was to be attributed to the deceased himself and tion for which these judgments were confessed, and not to the defendant; and that this circumstance, not these witnesses were not justly impeached in credit-appearing on the former trial, together with the greater that the time of confessing and the party by whom they fullness and strength of the testimony of the Physicians, were confessed are immaterial, and cannot affect judg-varied the present case more in favor of the defendments founded upon consideration-and finally, that ant, and increased those doubts, which existing on a the plaintiff should not be deprived of the benefit of former occasion, had induced the court to grant him a new trial. Judge King's charge, throughout, was favorable to the prisoner; and the jury, after a few minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY, and the defendant was discharged. Counsel for the commonwealth, M. W. Asн, Esq. Attorney General. For the defendant, S. Rusн, and Н. HELMUTH, Esqrs. DIED,-At his residence in Wayne township, in this county, on the 27th ult. Mr. HUGH HEFFERNAN, in the 76th year of his age, a soldier of the revolution. He was a native of Ireland, but emigrated to this state some time previous to the commencement of hostilities; with a bosom fired with the princples of civil liberty, he enrolled his name among that gallant band, whose memory cannot be forgotten, while liberty has a friend on earth. He joined the army at the opening of our struggle for independence, nor did he return his sword to its place, or his bayonet to its scabbard, until victory had crowned his toils, his dangers, his scars and bleeding wounds with success, in the capture of Lord Cornwallis. During that protracted contest, he was in five general actions, one seige and two storms, viz: Stony Point and Pigeon Hill. At Stony Point, he was one who composed the forlorn hope; besides many, very many sharp and severe rencontres, where danger and death, was spread around with unsparing hand. His numerous scars and wounds, bore ample and indubitable evidence, that he had often been where none but the brave dare venture. In the private walks of civil life, he was esteemed as an honest man, and like a shock of corn in its season, he has been gathered home to the house appointed for all living, old and full of days, and grass to wave over the spot where he has his friends along with his sorrows forgot.-Crawf. Messen. DIED-In the 80th year of his age, at his residence in Reading, on Sunday evening last, General JOSEPH HIESTER, late governor of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. THE REGISTER. JUNE 23, 1832. During the past week, the news of the cholera existing in Quebec, &c. reached the city, and has occasioned much excitement, which has lead to the adoption of "sanitary measures," by the board of Health, city Councils, and district corporations; some of whose proceedings will be found in the present number. So far as human exertions will prevent the introduction and extensive prevalence of this dreadful disease, measures appear to have been adopted-in promoting cleanliness, and in the preparation of asylums for those afflicted with the malady,should it visit us. So far as alarm is necessary to produce this effect, it is well; but it is questionable how far it is proper, to terrify the inhabitants, by injudicious publications, calculated to produce a state of mind, pre-disposing the body to the attacks of disease, should it unfortunately gain admission amongst us. In our present number, will be found an interesting article on Butler county, written by an intelligent gentleman of that county, for another purpose, and communicated to us by a friend. Our columns have always been open to topographical descriptions of the different sections of the state-and we have frequently invit ed communications of this kind-and all our volumes contain more or less of them. But we regret to observe so little disposition on the part of men of leisure and intelligence in the interior, to furnish information respecting the neighborhoods in which they reside; which, though not perhaps deemed important to themselves, is still much desired by those at a distance, who can only in this way become well informed of the real condition of the state-and who may have an opportunity of using it to the advantage of the writers themselves, and their neighbors, by directing the course of emigrants, who are now flocking to our shores, to those parts of the state where their settlement is most needed, and will be of most utility. The deceased, is one of the heroes of the revolutionary war, entered the army that achieved the Independence of our country, at an early period of his life. He was engaged in the battle of Long Island; was among the captured of that day so disastrous to the American arms, and subsequently confined on board the prison ship Jersey. After his exchange had been effected, with a gallant spirit unsubdued in the glorious cause of his country, again entered the army and was engaged in the battle of Germantown and Brandywine. When the independence of the country from the galling thraldom of British tyranny and oppression had been established by the heroes of those "times that tried men's souls," he served many years in the Legislature of his native state: And for a long period subsequently, Mina, whose name has become familiar throughout with the almost unanimous voice of his fellow citizens the United States, as the murderer of Mr. Chapman, of his district, served his country in the Legislature of was executed agreeably to his sentence, on Thursday, the Union, with a zeal in common weal of his the 21st instant, at Doylestown. The concourse of country, unsurpassed by that of any of his cotempora- spectators, as usual on such occasions, was immense. ries, who conjointly had been clothed with the important and highly responsible powers of that dignified station. In private life, the deceased was a kind and tender husband, an affectionate and indulgent parent, a good, charitable and hospitable neighbor, and a warm and zealous friend.—Reading Journal. In answer to the inquiries some time since made in the RECORD, of the right time to cut timber, to have it durable, we are authorized by Jesse McCall, Esq. of West Goshen, to state that black oak rails, are now in use on this place, which were cut in the month of June, 1801; the posts were of Chestnut, cut at the same time, some few of which were in use the present spring; and these facts seem clearly to convey the idea, that black oak rails should be cut in the month of June, to insure their durability. The curious may examine them, by calling on Esq. McCall.-West. Chest. Rec. We are indebted to two gentlemen at Washington, for copies of a document laid before congress by the committee on internal improvements, containing valuable information in relation to steam carriages, rail-roads, and canals. From this we have derived the summaries in the present number, respecting the Union canal, and the New Castle and Frenchtown rail-road. |