Thanks very much. That does help. I was able to order a
copy on Amazon. I think I see what is happening here.
When Canvass White went to England to study canal construction, he brought back
a model canal packet boat which was 7 x 61 feet. The model is supposedly in the
Buffalo Historical Society. Plans are available from the Smithsonian. A boat was
built from this model in Rome in 1819 and called the "Chief Engineer of
Rome" and was 7 x 61 feet. This boat is often referred to as "the first on the
original canal" but may be more properly called the first boat "built for the
original canal," as Durham boats which were in use prior to the canal were said
to have been used on the canal in the early days. I saw somewhere a statement to
the effect that "the plan for this boat was not used for subsequent boats." This
makes sense as boats that did not maximize their carrying capacity would be
driven out of business by competition from more efficient (larger) boats, and
the statement that the original Erie Canal locks were built for boats 7 x 61
feet is probably incorrect.
From: [log in to unmask]" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Julie Daniels
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2016 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: [NYHIST-L] Original Erie Canal Lock
Size
Hi,
Im attaching three c. 1910 Drawings from the New York State Archives that
show: cross sections of the Erie Canal and successive enlargements; plans and
lock sections on NY state canals and successive enlargements; and Erie Canal
boats over time as well. The drawings are in the Archives holdings but they were
also published in the Archives Partnership Trusts publication, Erie Canal:
New Yorks Gift to the Nation, A Document-Based Teacher Resource. Two of the
three drawings are attributed to George L. Schillner.
I
hope this helps. Julie
Julie
Daniels
Coordinator
of Educational Programs
NYS
Archives
518-473-8495
From: A LISTSERV list for
discussions pertaining to New York State history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marty
Pickands
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 4:23 PM
To:
NYHIST-[log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [NYHIST-L] Original Erie
Canal Lock Size
Go to the NYS Archives in Albany and you will find anything
you want: maps,plans of locks, later construction photos, etc. Also check Noble
Whitfield's history of the canal system.
Sent using OWA for iPhone
I've found a large number
of references online which state that the
original size of the Erie Canal
locks was 90 feet by 15 feet, built to
accommodate boats of 61 feet by 7
feet. I can't find a primary source to
confirm this. Is it true that
boats on the original (pre-enlargement) canal
were limited to 61 by 7 feet,
and if so, why, if the locks were 90 by 15
feet? Thanks.
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