Research

Scope and Content Note

The series consists of various computational studies, with particular emphasis on hydrological data, conducted to estimate needs and costs for canal construction and the affect of the "new" canal system on adjacent property. Most computations were created pursuant to the Barge Canal Law (Chapter 147 of Laws of 1903) by which the canal system was to be "improved" to handle increased tonnage capacity.

The records include: 1) survey computations for contracts No. 48 and No. 76, including coordinates of base line (1909) with corrected distance, latitude, departure, etc.; 2) baseline data (1913 survey) giving readings including station, azimuth, distance, and north and west coordinates; 3) estimate of August 26, 1935 for Barge Canal enlargement, including rough notes/computations, and a revised preliminary estimate of quantities and cost for enlarging the canal through the entire western division; 4) material relating to the canal at Clyde, Newark, and Lyons, including elevation, discharge, flow data, and gauge readings; engineers' report on damage claims, with blueprint copies of topographic maps and summaries of property affected by canal construction; and typescript copies of newspaper briefs on Clyde River floods (1872-1906); and 5) base line survey computations from Hurds Bridge to Sulphur Guard Lock.