REPORT
OF THE
WATERING COMMITTEE
OF THE
SELECT AND COMMON COUNCILS OF PHILADELPHIA,
RELATIVE TO
THE TERMINATION
OF THE
COLUMBIA AND PHILADELPHIA
RAIL ROAD.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED BY LYDIA R. BAILEY, No. 10 NORTH ALLEY.
1830.
In Select Council, Dec'r. 24, 1829.
Whereas the Councils of the City, during the last Session of
the General Assembly, on two several occasions expressed their
decided approbation of the termination of the Columbia and Phi¬
ladelphia Rail Road at the corner of Broad and Vine streets,
and communicated the same to the Representatives of the City
in the Senate and House of Representatives :—And whereas it
appears that the Board of Canal Commissioners has recommend¬
ed to the Legislature another route, on the western side of the
Schuylkill, and intended to cross at or near our important works
at Fair Mount, contrary to the opinions of four of the most dis¬
tinguished engineers of the State, who have uniformly recom¬
mended the route and termination approved by the constituted
authorities of the City. And, whereas it appears that the loca¬
tion so recommended by the Board of Canal Commissioners will
be highly detVimental to the interests of the City at large, and
may prove greatly injurious, if not destructive, to our Dam and
works at Fair Mount, and it is right and proper that so import¬
ant a subject should be duly weighed and considered, and the
opinion of Councils deliberately expressed, after full information,
therefore,
Be it resolved, by the Select and Common Councils, that the
Watering Committee be, and they are hereby directed, to make
a full inquiry into the probable effects of the route for the Phi¬
ladelphia and Columbia Rail Road proposed by the Canal Com¬
missioners, on the general interests of the City, and particularly
on our establishment at Fair Mount, and to report the result
thereof, with such measures as they may deem expedient to be
adopted, at the next meeting of Councils.
Common Council concurred.
Extract from the Minutes.
THOMAS BRADFORD, June.
Clerk of Select Council.
b
REPORT, 4;c
The Watering Committee, who were directed by a reso¬
lution of the Select and Common Councils, of the 24th
instant, "to make a full inquiry into the probable effects
of the route for the Philadelphia and Columbia Rail Road
proposed by the Canal Commissioners, on the general in¬
terests of the city, and particularly on our establishment
at Fair Mount, and to report the result thereof, with such
measures as they may deem expedient to be adopted, at
the next meeting of Councils,"
REPORT,
That they have made as full an inquiry into the subject
referred to their consideration, as the short time allowed
them would permit, and the result of it they will briefly
lay before Councils.
The first object proposed by the resolution, was the
probable effect of the route proposed by the present Board
of Canal Commissioners, on the general interests of the
city. The route recommended by the Canal Commission¬
ers for the termination of the Rail-way, is one surveyed
by Major Douglass, under the orders of the Board of the
11th and 21st August last, and commences "from the in¬
clined plane near the farm of the late Judge Peters," and
extends " down the western side of the river Schuylkill to
a point near Fair Mount, thence across the said river and
down its eastern side to sloop tiavigation between Market
and Chesnut streets." Upon examining the report of
Major Douglass, and the map accompanying this report,
( 6 )
your Committee find that the line continues on the west¬
ern bank of the river until a short distance above the Up¬
per Ferry Bridge, from whence it crosses the river ob¬
liquely by a bridge of six spans, two of 90 feet, and four
of 103 feet, with five piers set in the thread of the stream ;
and it is then carried through the bridge property, and
at the distance of 26 chains it turns and continues on
the eastern front of the Schuylkill, and passing through
the eastern abutment of the Permanent Bridge, terminates
one chain south of it. It would therefore appear not to
be the intention of the Canal Commissioners, to extend the
benefits of the Rail Road to the centre of the city and
the Delaware front, nor to the adjoining districts, but to
confine them exclusively to a small portion of the water
front of the Schuylkill. This route has never received the
approbation of any engineer in the service of the state.
The route originally located by Major Wilson, and sub¬
sequently reviewed and approved by Messrs. Robinson,
Hopkins and Douglass, crosses at Peters' Island, by a bridge
of seven spans, and 824 feet between the abutments, and
passes into the bed of the Union Canal.—The main line
is continued to the intersection of Vine and Broad streets,
and a branch line, diverging at the Four Nations' Hotel,
turns into the direction of Fair Mount street, and passes
along the western front of the City, and through the east¬
ern abutment of the Permanent Bridge, and terminates
also to the southward of it. The Watering Committee
think that the comparative merits of these two routes can¬
not be better expressed than in the language of the En¬
gineers of the state. Major Douglass says, " comparing
these two lines with regard to the expense, we find, from
the estimates given, a balance of S 33,018.30 in favour of
that which crosses at Peters' Island. With regard to dis¬
tance, the same line has the advantage of 14.40 chains, in
( 1 )
reaching Broad street, and of 20.40 in reaching the Per¬
manent Bridge. In point of rise and fall, it has also the
advantage by 34 feet on the line to Broad street. Lastly,
in point of convenience, for connexion with the various lo¬
calities of the City, it is thought also to have the advantage,
as conforming more nearly with the views already sug¬
gested on this point, and particularly being more apart
from the ordinary travel of the streets."
Messrs. Robinson, Hopkins and Wilson say, "we con¬
clude by stating what we presume has been already infer¬
red, that the line adopted by the Board of Canal Commis¬
sioners Cthe former Board,) crossing opposite Judge Pe¬
ters', and following the bed of the old Union Canal, with
the change in its graduation proposed, presents, in our opi¬
nion, the most eligible and least expensive route to the
City, and at and near its point of termination, offers as
many facilities for an extensive distribution of, and conse¬
quently a full and free competition for the trade of the
Columbia Rail Road by branch Rail Roads, as any one lo¬
cality can combine."
A more decided expression of opinion could not have
been given by these distinguished engineers.
The Watering Committee think it however their duty,
to present their Hews of the effect of the two routes on
the general interests of the City. The route by the west¬
ern side, it appears by the report of Major Douglass, must
cross at Fair Mount, or not at all, as his decided disap¬
probation of the erection of a bridge between the Upper
Ferry and Permanent Bridges, leaves this as the dernier
resort of the advocates of the western side of the Schuyl¬
kill. If, as we shall see hereafter, this plan of a bridge at
Fair Mount is not feasible without a vast destruction of
public and private interest, then the railway on the west¬
ern bank of the rjver must be exclusively confined to that
( 8 )
side, and must terminate on a comparatively uninhabited
and unimproved shore, instead of in the heart of a popu¬
lous district of nearly 200,000 inhabitants. Such a loca¬
tion might suit the interests of a few individuals, owners
of property on the western hank, but would injure vitally
the interests of the City and Districts, and jeopardise the
great advantages expected by our fellow-citizens in the
interior, from a successful completion of this great state
work ; the object of which is to introduce, by the best and
cheapest means, to the best and most profitable market,
the various productions of their soil and industry. Sup¬
posing it to pass at Fair Mount, the line now recommend¬
ed by the board terminates nearly two miles from the De¬
laware front, and confines the whole trade that may cross, to
the sparsely settled front of the Schuylkill. The location on
the western bank is in fact a private, not a public concern;
and if it is needed, private capital, assuming the shape of an
incorporated company, can easily be found to complete it.
The route on the eastern side passes along a levelled
track, through the heart of Penn Township, strikes into
Spring Garden, and terminates at the intersection of Vine
and Broad streets. From different parts of this route,
branch railways can be readily taken to accommodate the
flourishing districts of Spring Garden, the Northern Lib¬
erties, and Kensington—it can also be taken to any part
of our city plat, and by conducting a line through the
centre of Broad street, it will also suit our fellow-citizens
in Moyamensing and Southwark, who will have their share
of the trade of the interior by this noble improvement.
Our western front will also be supplied by their branch
as before described. The Watering Committee are there¬
fore decidedly of opinion, that the route proposed by the
present Board of Canal Commissioners, by the way of Fair
Mount, would be highly injurious to the.interests of the
( 9 )
City and the State, and that the route by Peters' Island
is the only proper mode of terminating the Columbia and
Philadelphia Rail Road.
Your committee will next proceed to consider its effects
on our establishment at Fair Mount. A short description
of these works and their cost, will better enable Councils
to judge of its operation on them.
" In the year 1799, Councils, sensible of the importance
of a supply of water to the City, appointed a Committee
to ascertain whether it could be introduced by means of
water power, and whether such power was to be found
within a reasonable distance of the city, and to report on
the subject.
"Mr. Latrobe was employed by the Committee, and
after considerable pains it was believed that no water power
could be had adequate to the purpose, and Councils finally
decided upon constructing two steam-engines, the one on
Chesnut street (Schuylkill), and the other in the Centre
Square, and by these means to supply the City with water
from the Schuylkill."
These works cost, - - - - S 275,861 10
" In the course of a few years, these
works were found insufficient, and very
expensive, which induced Councils once
more to look for a more frugal means of
supply." The consequence was the erec¬
tion of two steam-engines and works at
Fair Mount, and the raising of the water
at that spot.
These engines and works cost, - - 200,700 32
" The constant and great expense at¬
tending steam-engines, and the vexation
occasioned by repeated accidents," in¬
duced the Watering Committee to pro-
( 10 )
pose the present method of raising the
water by water power, which was adopt¬
ed, and the present works were accord¬
ingly erected.
These works consist of a Dam across
the Schuylkill, of which the height of
fall at high water is six feet six inches.
The overfall part of the Dam is 1204 feet
long, and the mound Dam 212 feet, mak¬
ing together 1416 feet from shore to
shore.
The mill buildings, containing the
wheels and pumps, are 238 feet front, by
56 feet deep, and contain apertures for
eight wheels, and pumps opening into
the forebay between the mill buildings
and the hill.
There are now four wheels and pumps
put up and in use, and of course room
for four more.
Each pump raises in twenty-four hours
about 1,200,000 gallons of water. The
grounds owned by the City at Fair
Mount contain about thirty acres.
There are now three finished Reser¬
voirs on the hill, which is ninety-eight
feet above high water mark, which oc¬
cupy about six acres.
No. 1, contains, -
No. 2, do.
No. 3, do.
Gallons.
- 3,917,659
- 3,298,434
- 2,707,275
Gallons, 9,923,368
( 11 )
Reservoir No. 4, which is
now erecting, will con¬
tain about, ... 10,000,000
and occupy also about six
acres of ground ; and the
estimated cost of it is
S 50,000.
Total contents, 19,923,368
The iron mains and pipes which dis¬
tribute the water from the Reservoirs
laid in the City to December 31, 1829,
amount to 36 miles.*
The whole cost of the last Water Works,
including laying pipes and mains, with
the expenses of the former works, and
these works from August 1812, to
December 31st, 1829, is, - S 1,307,081 32
Making the total cost of all the works, S 1,783,642 74
From which deduct estimated loss by
works abandoned, - - - - 500,000 00
And it leaves, - S 1,283,642 74
the cost of the works now in use, with Iron Pipes, Reser¬
voirs, &c., included.
What will be the effect of the contemplated bridge and
rail road at Fair Mount, on this valuable property?
The river at the Upper Ferry Bridge is contracted to
340 feet between the abutments. The contemplated bridge
• The iron pipes laid in the Districts to December 31st, 1829, amount to nine¬
teen miles, which, with thirty-six miles in the City, make fifty-five miles of iron
mains and pipes supplied from the Reservoirs at Fair Mount.
C
( 12 )
begins a short distance above, on the western bank, crosses
the marsh below it, and terminates on the bridge property
at Fair Mount, on the eastern side. There are to be six
spans, and five piers, and two abutments. The piers can¬
not he safely less than twenty-eight feet wide at the base, as
they will be sunk in the water twenty-three feet deep, and
they are to be carried twenty-two feet above the water line,
making forty-five feet in height. This will of course nar¬
row the river at this point from eighty to one hundred feet,
but a short distance below our works, and where the river
is but 400 feet wide. Past experience supplies us with
ample materials to foretell the inevitable and fatal conse¬
quences of such an obstruction. In February, 1822, the
water rose nineteen feet five inches at the Falls of Schuyl¬
kill, and was eight feet eleven inches perpendicular
on the Dam at Fair Mount, and the water below the Dam
was on a level with it. What would have been the effect
of a rail way bridge at that time, cutting off a fifth of the
natural channel of the river below the Dam ?
This freshet, if the works had been in operation, would
have rendered them entirely useless for twenty-four hours,
without such an impediment. A common ice freshet in
February, 1829, of five feet, stopped the water wheels
for eighteen hours, and the ordinary full moon tides stop
them six hours in the twenty-four.
A rail way bridge must greatly increase this evil, and,
in the opinion of our scientific superintendent, Mr. Fre¬
derick Graff, " will, in part, if not effectually, destroy a
public work, which has cost the City upwards of a million
of dollars."
The Watering Committee think it unnecessary to state
more fully the reasons upon which this opinion is founded,
as they are detailed at length by Mr. Graff in a letter at¬
tached to this report. Even a temporary stoppage of the
( 13 )
water would expose us to all the horrors of conflagration,
without the means of relief, and deprive us of a most ne¬
cessary element, upon which all classes of citizens depend
for the ordinary purposes of life. The works are superior
to any similar ones in the civilized world, and do honour
to the enterprise of Philadelphia; and your Committee
cannot for a moment suppose the legislature of the state
will place them at the mercy of a rash experiment, which
may, nay, will, destroy the comforts of 200,000 people.
The Watering Committee are conscious, that after the
liberal protection extended to these works by the legisla¬
ture in 1829, that it will not be permitted, in 1830, to
erect a bridge at this spot, which will do such vast injury
to the community.
Your Committee have with some surprise observed that
there is no estimate of the damages to be sustained by
the City by this location of the bridge and road. The al¬
most incalculable injury to the works which will he sus¬
tained, together with the damages the Schuylkill Canal
and works may sustain, and which the City by contract
is bound to pay, your Committee have thought should fair¬
ly enter into the calculation of the cost of this route.
In conclusion, the Watering Committee trust and be¬
lieve that the same liberal spirit which was manifested in
the location of the western canal, so as to suit the conve¬
nience of our western sister Pittsburgh, will be displayed
towards her eastern sister Philadelphia, in the termination
and location of this rail way.
They offer for consideration the following Resolu¬
tions :—
Resolved, by the Select and Common Councils, That
in their opinion the location of the Philadelphia and Co¬
lumbia rail road, recommended by the present Board of
Canal Commissioners, would be greatly injurious to the in-
( " )
terests of the City and the State, and destructive to the
valuable property owned by the City at Fair Mount, and
the Water Works thereon erected.
Resolved, by the authority aforesaid, That Councils do
most cordially approve of the proposed route for the rail
way crossing at Peters's Island, and terminating at the in¬
tersection of Vine and Broad streets, with a branch rail
way to accommodate the eastern front of the Schuylkill, as
best calculated to promote the interests of the City and
adjoining districts, and of the commonwealth.
Resolved, by the authority aforesaid, That the Presi¬
dents of Councils be, and they are hereby requested, to
cause to be prepared memorials to the Senate and House
of Representatives, expressive of the sentiments of Coun¬
cils on this important subject.
Resolved, by the authority aforesaid, That the Water¬
ing Committee be, and they are hereby authorized, to take
such measures as they may deem expedient to carry into
effect the views of Councils.
THOMAS HALE, Chairman.
The Resolutions were unanimously adopted, by both
the Select and the Common Council.
( 15 )
Thomas Hale Esq.
Chairman of the Watering Committee.
Sir,
I have received a letter from Harrisburgh, informing
me that the Canal Commissioners have adopted the route
for the state rail road, along the western side of the river
Schuylkill, terminating opposite Fair Mount; at which
place it is contemplated to cross the river by a rail way
bridge, to be constructed with five piers ; which, in ad¬
dition to the contraction already existing in the river, by
the abutments of the Upper Ferry Bridge, will, in my
opinion, form such an obstruction to the passage of the
ice and water in times of freshets, as will completely in¬
undate the canal and mill buildings at the Fair Mount
water works, in such manner as to prevent the regular sup¬
ply of water to the City and districts.
From the experience I have had since the erection of
these works, I can readily conceive what will be the re¬
sult, if any further impediments should be thrown into
this river, already too much contracted.
During the freshet of February 1822, the water and
ice rose eight feet eleven inches perpendicular on the dam
at Fair Mount, completely inundating the canal locks and
guard pier on the west side of Schuylkill, and at the same
time swelled the water below the dam to the height of
five feet above the pumps in the mill house of the wa¬
ter works, which, had they been ready for operation, would
have been rendered useless for upwards of 24 hours.
( 16 )
In February 1829, a common ice freshet, of five feet,
occasioned so much swell in the river as to stop the water
wheels for 18 hours, and as it cannot be calculated at what
time the ice in the dam may break up, it is impossible to
guard the water works at all times, in such manner as to
have the reservoirs full; for at periods when the water is tur¬
bid in the river, the pumping is suspended, and the pure
water in the reservoirs is permitted to flow to the City until
they are nearly empty. At such time, should an ice fresh¬
et take place and the works be inundated thereby, great
part of the City and Districts might be destroyed by fire,
without the aid of water from the works; as was the case
lately at Cincinnati, merely from the circumstance of one
of the valves of the pump being out of order, and which
could not be got at during a freshet in the river. If such
destruction has taken place from such a cause, should not
the citizens of Philadelphia be alive to prevent a similar
accident happening to their works?
Independent of the contemplated piers of the rail road
bridge, it behooves the citizens of Philadelphia to guard
the Fair Mount works from innovations of every descrip¬
tion. As from late surveys of the Schuylkill, made for the
purpose of building a bridge across the river at Race street,
it has been found that the bottom is rock ; consequently,
when improvements by wharfing shall be extended, the
river will naturally become contracted in width ; and as it
cannot deepen in the ratio as it is narrowed, on account of
the rock bottom, an increased swell of water must be ex¬
pected, and which will of course have a tendency to check
the operations of the water wheels at Fair Mount, which,
at the present day, are frequently stopped eight hours out
of twenty-four, on account of high waters.
Although the bridge at the Falls of Schuylkill was 20 feet
above the common water line of the river, the ice freshet
( 17 )
of 1822 raised it from its bed, and swept it down the cur¬
rent. That bridge had but two piers :—the one intended
for the Rail Road at Fair Mount is to have five; the space
below the Falls bridge widened for the spread of the water,
whilst the space below the contemplated bridge at Fair
Mount contracts to 340 feet.
From these circumstances the consequences may be con¬
jectured, should the rail way bridge be built. As the ice
and water could not find vent between the abutments of
the Upper Ferry Bridge, it will react with double force,
and pass up the western shore of the river, and occasion
destruction to the canal, the water works, and in all pro¬
bability to the rail road bridge itself.
The freshet of 1822 rose to within about one foot of the
springing line of the arch of the Upper Ferry Bridge,
and although the water got vent by the increased width
of the river below the bridge, still it swelled to such a
degree, between the upper and middle ferries, as to inun¬
date all the wharves and store houses; and had it not been
for the low lands on the west side of the Schuylkill, at
High street, giving vent to the ice and water, the damage
above would have been immense. As it was, the store
houses and buildings south of Fligh street bridge were in¬
undated and materially injured.
Under every circumstance, either as regards conveni¬
ence or economy; it is my opinion that the location of the
rail way, so as to cross Schuylkill near Fair Mount, is a
bad one.
1. The distance is greater than Major Douglass' route
by the Union Canal.
2. The grade of levels is thirty-four feet higher.
3. It will cost 33,000 dollars more.
4. It is located contrary to the opinions and judgment
of many of our most scientific engineers.
( 13 )
5. And it will in part, if not effectually, destroy a pub¬
lic work, which has cost the City of Philadelphia upwards
of one million of dollars.
With great respect,
Your humble Servant,
FREDERICK GRAFF.
jDec'r. 26th, 1829.
N. B. Since writing the above, I have received inform¬
ation, from good authority, that Major Douglass has sur¬
veyed the route marked on the plan herewith annexed,
locating the rail way bridge immediately adjoining the
north side of the Upper Ferry Bridge, so as to cross the
ferry road at the toll house, and from thence ranging along
the south line of the ferry road, through the ground of
Messrs. Nixon, Williams, Ridgway, and others. The level
plane of the bridge, by this route, is only twenty-two feet
above the tide ; and owing to its being located at a very
narrowed space of the river, will increase the danger of
the Fair Mount Works in a twofold degree.
FREDERICK GRAFF-
This hook is a preservation facsimile
produced for the Northwestern University Librarv.
It is made in compliance with copyright law
and produced on acid-free archival
60# book weight paper
which meets the requirements of
ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper)
Preservation facsimile printing and binding
by
Acme Bookbinding
Charlestown, Massachusetts
2012