feelings on this head are by no means in subjection to their reason. The raising of blood seems particularly calculated to affect the spirits of the patient, and the sight of that fluid, so essential to life, oozing through unnatural channels, is sure to appal and disconcert the most courageous minds. Mr. Linn was haunted, from his earliest youth, with a fatal persuasion that he should die young, and of all diseases he regarded consumption with most abhorrence. His present symptoms were to him infallible tokens, not only that death was hastening on him, but that it was approaching in a form the most ghastly and terrific. These mournful impressions acquired unusual strength in the winter and spring of 1804. He was attacked several times with spitting of blood; and though these symptoms were not deemed fatal or incurable by his physicians, they spoke a language to his own heart not to be mistaken. He was, however, prevailed upon to try the effects of a new journey. For this purpose, he obtained from his congregation leave of absence for two or three months, and set out towards the eastern states. By this journey he was little amused or benefitted, and the state of his mind, when setting out on his return, will strongly appear in the following extract of a letter, written at Boston, to his father: "Never was a traveller less qualified for giving or receiving pleasure. I cannot discover that I have received the least benefit from my voyage or travel, nor have my spirits ascended the smallest degree above their customary pitch. time after the writer was no more. In this letter he declares himself incapable of being burthensome to his congregation. "Does not," says he, "my obligations to God and to my people dictate that I ought without farther trial, to relinquish my present charge? May not a righteous Providence point out this conduct as the only road to health? You know how fervently I love the study and the teaching of divine truths; yet, if com pelled by necessity to leave the pulpit, may I not still be useful in some way more corresponding to my strength? Severe, very severe, are the dispensations of my God towards me; but I hope to be able to submit. Hope, on which I have lived, has only glimmered on my path to flatter and deceive me. I am convinced that something must now be done." Alas! these schemes for futurity were rendered unnecessary before the rising of another sun. On the evening of that day, he occasionally raised blood, but in a degree scarcely perceptible. It was, however, sufficient to dissipate every ray of cheerfulness, and his heart sunk beyond the power of the friends that were with him to restore it. He retired about half after ten o'clock, as little apprehensive of immediate danger as any of his family; but scarcely had he laid his head upon the pillow, when some motion within him occasioned him to say to his wife, "I feel something burst within me. Call the family together: I am dying." He had scarcely time to pronounce these words, when his utterance was choaked by a stream of blood. After a short interval he recovered strength and sensibility sufficient to exclaim with fervency, clasping his hands and lifting his eyes, "Lord Jesus, pardon my transgressions, and receive my soul!" Such was the abrupt and untimely close of a life, -which, though short, had been illustrated by genius and virtue, in a degree of which our country has hitherto afforded very few examples! "I am convinced, that unless I undergo a total renovation, I must leave the pulpit, and endeavour to earn my bread in some other way. If my present impressions are true, if appearances deceive me not, I shall need but little here below, nor need that little long.'But as all my hopes of the world are clouded and ruined, could I only subdue some rising apprehensions, and leave my family provided for, I should not regret the blow, however speedy, that crumbled me to dust. I write not to afflict you, but to relieve myself. It is a strange consolation, but it is one of the few consolations I know. You will therefore please to pardon me for this, and all other offences towards you of which I may be guilty. They are inseparable from my cruel dis ease. "I feel the ruin of an intellect, which, with health, would not have dishonoured you, my family, or my country. I feel the ruin of a heart, which I trust was never deficient in gratitude towards my God, or my worldly benefactors. This heart has always fervently cherished the social affections, but now broods over the images of despair, and wars ineffectually with the pang which bespeaks my dissolution. But I must be silent. I believe I have gone too far." After a short stay in New York and its neighborhood, he returned to Philadelphia, in July. During the ensuing six weeks, he was attacked by indisposition in several forms. His mind struggled in vain against the conviction of his increasing and incurable infirmities. As this excursion was followed only by new diseases, his hopes were totally subverted, and he wrote a letter to the session of his church, which contained a resignation of his pulpit. This letter was written from the bed of sickness, and he was persuaded to recal it a few days afterwards.Some expedients were proposed for relieving him from part of his professional duties, and his mind experienced some temporary ease from the prospects which his friends held out to him. A day of customary health revisited his soul with a transient gleam of consolation: but the fatal period was now hastening, which was to bear stronger testimony than even he himself had imagined to the justice of his apprehensions. On the thirtieth of August he rose with less indisposition than usual. The last words which he committed to paper was on the morning of that day, in a letter to bis father, which, however, was not delivered till some On the character of Mr. Linn, as a preacher, it is not necessary to dwell, among those who have enjoyed opportunities of hearing him. It is well known, that few persons in America, though assisted by age and experience, have ever attained so great a popularity as he acquired before his twenty third year. The merits which shone forth with so much splendor on his first ascending the pulpit, the discipline and experience of four years by no means impaired. Time, indeed, evinced its salutary influence only in pruning away his juvenile luxuriances, and giving greater solidity to his discourses, without rendering them less engaging. As a poet, performances must also speak for him. He took up the pen, and his effusions obtained public notice and regard, at so early an age as sixteen. He was not nineteen when he had completed two regular dramatic pieces, one of which was brought upon the stage. All his performances, however, candor compels us to consider as preludes to future exertions, and indications of future excellence. While their positive merit is considerable, they are chiefly characteristics of the writer, by suggesting to us what might have been expected from him, had Providence allowed him a longer date. On his character in general, the following is the testimony of two of his friends, who had long enjoyed his intimacy, and who are better qualified than any one living to draw a just portrait of him. One of these, the Rev. Mr. John Romeyn, of Albany, speaks of him in the following terms: "I need scarcely mention his talents were of the first order. His imagination was glowing, and yet it was chaste. Even his earliest attempts of writing display a soundness of judgment rarely united with fervidness of fancy, especially in young people. His taste was formed on pure models. He was capable of deep research, though constitutionally indisposed to it. His genius was poetic. He always preferred a poem, or criticisms on polite literature, to any other species of composition. His constitution was sanguine. This caused a precipitancy in some of his actions, wnich prudence condemn. ed. He had a bias to pleasure, a taste for it; so much so, that I have often, in reflecting over past scenes, wondered how he escaped its pollutions as he did. His readings in early life contributed very much to increase this taste. He was disposed to be romantic in his views and conduct. His temper was quick, his sensibility exquisite. He had all the capricious feelings peculiar to a poet. Though hasty, and sometimes rash, yet was he generous: he scorned meanness. He was warm in his attachments; benevolent in his propensities to mankind. His anticipated pleasures generally exceeded his actual enjoyments. He was accustomed to dwell more on the dark, than on the bright side of the picture of life. He was prone to melancholy, the melancholy of genius. Ofttimes he appeared its victim, sitting for days silent, sad, and gloomy. He felt, even to madness, the slightest disrespect, and as sensibly enjoyed attention paid to him. He was not calculated to move in a moderate common course with the generality of mankind; he was either in the valley of gloom or on the mount of transport; rarely did he enjoy temperate, calm pleasure. With years, the sensibility was corrected. I myself perceived a change in him, in this respect, the last time we were together. In short, his system was like a delicate machine, composed of the finest materials, which was liable to derangements from the slightest and most triAling circumstances, and the continual, diversified action of those parts tended gradually, though certainly, to a speedy destruction of the whole." The Rev. Mr. Alexander M'Leod, of New York, speaks of his deceased friend in the following terms: "About the time of his beginning to preach the gospel, he was greatly agitated about two of the most important points in the Christian's life, What are the cha racteristics of gracious exercises of heart toward God? and, What is the connexion between the speculative truths of revealed religion and those exercises? "I advised him to read Dr. Owen's Treatise on Communion with God. He did so. He was satisfied with it. He entered fully into the doctor's views of that interesting subject. Of the state of his mind I have received from himself explicit information. Opposed to enthusiasm, and naturally delicate, he was not very communicative on such subjects. He did not think it prudent to unbosom himself to many, because he had himself such a low opinion of his Christian experience, that he thought it probable a fair statement would dispose the censorious to conclude he was entirely destitute of piety, and render the nominal professor satisfied with his own attainments; and consequently have a tendency to hinder his public usefulness, and to encourage inattention to experimental religion. He therefore scarcely ever alluded to his own experience, in conversation even with his most intimate religious friends. He was not, however, absolutely opposed to conversation upon such subjects. He could throw aside reserve, and enter upon it with freedom, when he was under no apprehension that this freedom would be abused. vid and more lasting, and rendering his sorrows more easy to endure and overcome." No man ever stood more in need of the aid of friendship and domestic sympathy than Dr. Linn; and no stronger proof could be given of the purity and rectitude of his character, than his feelings on this head. His father and his sisters were his friends in the highest sense of that term. In the bosom of his own family he sought for objects in whom to repose his confidence, and from whom to claim consolation. To entertain a general regard for the worldly welfare and advantage of near relatives is so common, and originates so frequently in selfish motives, that it can scarcely be deemed a merit in any one; but Dr. Linn's attachment to his family was of a higher order. It led him, not only into the tenderest concern for their welfare, but into an intimate union of his heart and affection with theirs. From the time of his entering on the study of theology to his death, he kept up a frequent correspondence with his father. To him he imparted all his hopes and fears, and thus afforded the strongest proof of integrity of thought and action, since eminently pure must that mind be, which can repose unbounded confidence in a father.— Such confidence, indeed, is no less honourable to the father who obtains, than to the son who bestows it; and justice will not discountenance the favourable inference which may be suggested by the present case. The best companions of his early youth, those whom a similarity of age and inclinations had endeared to him, were, indeed, removed by their diverse destinies, to a great distance from him; and this circumstance might have been a source of some regret to those who loved him, had not the filial and fraternal charities glowed as warmly as they did in his heart, and supplied the place of all other friendship. He was esteemed and beloved by great numbers, but it was his fondness for seclusion, and not any froward or morose passions, which occasioned him to have but little intercourse with mankind. This little intercourse was by no means fettered or disturbed by personal prejudices. With all his clear and cogent principles, on moral, political, and religious subjects, he combined a charity open as day, and extensive as mankind, and no one's deportment could be more benign and inoffensive than his, towards those who differed with him, even in essential points. He avoided the company of those whom he had no reason to love or respect. He did not seek beyond the small circle of his nearest kindred the company of those who had secured his regard, but when propriety or accident led him into contact with the former, his treatment of them was adapted to win their reverence, and he never refused his confidence or kindness, when claimed by the latter. Short as was his date, and clouded as was the morning of his life by infirmities and sorrows, few there are whose memory will be treated by his adversaries, if any such exist, with more lenity, or will live longer in the hearts of his friends. To mankind at large his short life was useful and glorious, since it was devoted to the divine purpose of inculcating moral and religious duty, and the purpose, only less divine, of illuminating the imagination with the visions of a glowing and harmonious poetry-Valerian, PROCEEDINGS OF COUNCILS. Thursday evening, September 25th, 1828. "He was much under the influence of the fear of death, and a reluctance to dying. But he was not in terror of future punishment; for although he confessed himself worthy of it, he trusted in that Saviour which the gospel offers to sinners, and, firmly persuaded of the safety of believers, cheerfully hoped that his own faith, although weak, was really sincere. The frame of his mind, in relation to spiritual things, was almost uniform: never extremely gloomy, never extremely joyous. It differed surprisingly from the natural temperament of his mind. In the concerns of common life, he was the slave of sensibility, the mere child of circumstances. He knew this. His religious life appeared to himself, a third estate, supernaturally called into existence in the empire of his soul, which created a dis- On motion of Mr. Donaldson, it was resolved that the tinct interest, to which all his affections were drawn; city commissioners be authorised to put Lombard street and which gradually progressing in strength and in in-from Schuylkill Front street to the Schuylkill, in a pass. fluence, checked the dangerous efforts of the opposite able condition for carts. Mr. Johnson stated that the principles of his constitution, rendering his joys less vi- expense would not exceed 50 dollars. Mr. Linn from the committee appointed to inquire if any disposition should be made of the old reservoir at Chesnut street on Schuylkill, made a report recommending the subject to the attention of the next Councils, The committee was, at its own request, discharged from the further consideration of the subject. On motion of Mr. Smith, it was resolved, that the Mayor be requested to draw his account on the city treasury in favour of the Chairman of the committee for the purchase of the Morrisville Estate, for the amount of 511 dollars, for the payment of expenses incurred in the purchase of said estate. Mr. Smith said that the charges were, fees for legal advice, searching the offices, drawing and recording deeds, &c. &c. On motion of Mr. Linn, it was resolved, that a copy of the engraving of the survey of the river Schuylkill be, as soon as the same shall be completed, presented to each member of council, and each warden of the port. Mr. L. stated that the Wardens had taken great interest in the survey, and would be at considerable trouble in placing the buoys directed by resolutions. Mr. Lowber presented a petition from Mr. Henry S. Tanner, who states that he is preparing to publish a plan of the city of Philadelphia and the adjoining districts. He prays permission to incorporate in his plan, to make it complete, the recent survey of the river Schuylkill by Mr. Maclure under directions of councils. Referred to Messrs. Lowber, Johnson, Toland and Reed. Mr. Johnson presented a petition from the Diligent Hose Company, complaining that in the apportionment of the appropriation for the aid of fire companies, they had received but 125 dollars, while other companies not superior in merit, and whose apparatus is no way superior to the Diligent's, received 201 dollars. The Company being fearful that the small amount appropriated to them, may lead the public to believe that their apparatus is inferior to that of other companies, pray that the amount appropriated to them may be increased, or that by some expression of opinion the unfavourable impression which they conceive has been created, may be removed. The petition was referred to the Committee on Fire Companies. A statement was received from the city treasurer, of receipts and expenditures during the last six months. Referred to the committee on accounts. Mr. Linn offered the following: Whereas, a most unfortunate and melancholy accident happened at the State House, which eventuated in the death of William Plankard, a meritorious carpenter, employed in erecting the Steeple, who has left a widow and two children, without the means of support. Therefore Resolved, by the Select and Common Council, That the sum of dollars be, and is hereby appropriated to the use of the children of said William Plankard, and that the chairman of the committee on the Steeple be requested to deposit the said sum in the Saving Fund, the interest thereof to be drawn by the widow for the use of said children, and said sum be charged to appropriation No. 21. Mr. Linn said he should let the preamble and resolutions speak for themselves. A member observed that as the gentleman gave no reasons why the preamble and resolutions should be adopted, he could not feel free to vote for them. He knew of no principle on which councils would be justified in making provision for the widows and children of such as met with accidents when engaged in public works. At the suggestion of another member, the consideration of the preamble and resolution was postponed for the present. Mr. Hale, from the Watering Committee, made the following report on the construction of Fair Mount Dam, accompanied by letters from distinguished engineers, and others, who concur in expressing an opinion that the dam is of good construction. FAIR MOUNT DAM. To the Select and Common Councils. with instructions to consult experienced wharf and dam builders, on the subject of the matter contained therein. The opinion of this gentleman, in the first place, called in question the stability of the dam, from a supposition that some of the timber in front of it were either out of place, or in danger of being separated from their posi tions, by the decay of the original fastenings and ties of the dam. And secondly, that to guard against these supposed de fects, and to render the dam perfectly secure, it was necessary to throw in large quantities of stone immediately in front of it, extending to high water mark, and occupying a base of two hundred feet down stream, and reaching across two hundred and eighty feet to shallow water on the western side, the depth of the water varying in this distance from seven to nineteen feet, making an average depth of nine feet, to be filled in, and requiring 20,000 perches of stone. The expense of which, according to the estimate of the committee, would be about $20,000. Admitting the conjectures and opinions entertained by Mr. Rush to be well founded, the subject matter of the letter would immediately become one of great interest to the citizens, and consequently to their delegated agents the Watering committee, upon whom devolves the management of this important work.-After the most deliberate and careful invertigation of this subject, in all its parts, after hearing in verbal consultation, the opinions of Mr. Rush, and such Wharf-builders as he wished to be consulted, and who agreed with him in opinion, in favour of throwing in stone in front of the dam,-your committee have unanimously arrived at the following conclusions: 1st. That the dam at present is in good condition, and perfectly safe, being built entirely on the solid rock. 2ndly. That the plan of depositing stone in front of it would answer no good purpose-and 3dly. That the best method of giving additional security to the dam, when it becomes necessary. is by sinking a range of new cribs in front, and extending the roofing of the dam over the new work to low water mark. These opinions of your committee have been tho roughly confirmed by an examination of the dam during the late drought, when the water was drawn down, and a careful inspection of its present condition was made by the committee and superintendant of the Works, accompanied by William Strickland, Esq. and Daniel Groves, Esq. assisted by Mr. Frederick Erdman. The timbers and general structure of the dam, were found entirely satisfactory, exhibiting no marks of decay or removal from the precise position in which they were originally placed-this circumstance being abundantly confirmed by the recollections of Mr. Graff and Mr. Erdman, the latter of whom planked the dam at the time of its completion in 1822. Conformably with the instructions of councils, to consult experienced wharf and dam builders, the committee took carly measures to obtain the personal attendance at the Works, of gentlemen who were deemed peculiarly fitted from their talents and experience to judge correctly in relation to this matter, but owing to the unusual prevalence of wet weather during the fall of 1827, and the early part of the present year, the dam could not be drawn down, until lately, and as several of the gentlemen lived remote from the city, it was deemed sufficient to address a circular to each of them, a copy of which accompanies this report, containing a draft of the dam, with information of the plan of its construction, and queries as to the best method of strengthening it, in case it was deemed necessary, and particularly desiring their opinions of the propriety of depositing loose stones in front. Of the gentlemen addressed on this occasion, answers By a resolution of councils of August 9th, 1827, a let-have been received from Messrs. Benj. Wright, Josiah ter from Mr. William Rush, on the insecurity of Fair Mount Dam was referred to the Watering committee, White, Erskine Hazard, Wm. Strickland, Daniel Groves, Canvass White, and Frederick Graff, which are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and which accompany this report. It will be seen from these communications that the opinions entertained by all the gentlemen addressed are substantially the same as those of the committee, except Mr. Strickland and Groves' plan of making the structure in front of the dam of stone instead of timber, be deemed a variation. In every answer received, the plan of throwing in loose stone, in front of the dam as a security to it, is rejected as entirely useless:-the experiment having been completely tried on the river Lehigh, where stones weighing from one to three tons, were carried by a heavy freshet, from a dam of only four feet fall. In the estimation of your committee, it is a matter of great importance to have a regular survey of the dam made every year, at such time as the state of the river may admit of the water being drawn down, and as the Watering committee will no doubt, always be desirous of obtaining the best judgment possible on so important a case as the actual condition and stability of this great work, it is considered desirable that this survey should be made by two competent persons appointed by councils for that purpose, to act in conjunction with the Superintendent of the works, under the notice of the Watering Committee, and that their report shall be made in writing to councils, and the committee beg leave to recommend the adoption of the following resolution as one of the standing rules of councils, viz. Resolved, by the Select and Common Councils, That two competent persons be appointed by councils at their first stated meeting in, April annually, whose duty it shall be, in conjunction with the Superintendent of the Water Works, and under the notice of the Watering committee, to make a regular survey of the actual condition and stability of the dam at Fair Mount, at such times as the state of the river will permit; and to report to councils in writing their proceedings, and the condition of the dam. THOS. HALE, ANTH'Y. CUTHBERT, LEVI GARRETT, EPHRAIM HAINES, BENJ. JONES, Jr. HENRY TROTH, WILLIAM GERHARD. Philadelphia, 25th Sept. 1828. (CIRCULAR.) Philadelphia, 25th Aug, 1828. Dear Sir-The Councils and the Watering Committee of the city of Philadelphia, being desirous to have their works at Fair Mount placed in the most permanent manner, request the favour of your opinion respecting the Dam in its present condition, the plan of the construction of which I believe you are acquainted with. The impression of some persons is, that as Mr. Cooley did not use iron bolts in putting some of the cribs together, that those which were put together by the locust pins are not sufficiently strong, and that the face logs looking down stream will force out. In order to prevent which it has been suggested to throw stone against the lower face of the dam where the water falls over the dam, with a view to prevent the face logs getting out. The size of the cribs average about 20 to 30 feet wide, and in the deep water 40 to 50 feet long up and down stream each, which are faced with plank and loaded with rubble dirt on the stream side. The dam is put together thus, (A) and rests on a perfect bed of rock, of which the bed of the river consists. The object of the inquiry is, whether in your opinion the stone marked B would remain as represented in times of heavy freshes, and be a permanent safety to the Dam, or whether, if deemed necessary by you that the Dam requires repairs at present; whether a crib formation placed in front of the present Dam, filled with stone, would not be more permanent, and preferable to plan B. And please to add such other remarks as may occur to you on the following points: 1st. Whether you do not think the Dam in its present condition perfectly secure and sufficient. 2d. Whether loose stone thrown against the face of the dam on the lower stream side may be considered as an effectual and permanent addition of strength to the present superstructure. Sd. Your opinion as to the best method of securing the Dam, should you think further security necessary. An early reply to this communication is earnestly solicited, and will much oblige the Watering Committee. The importance of the subject to the city, must be the apology for troubling you on this occasion. With great respect your ob't serv't. (Copy) Signed, THOS. HALE, Chairman of the Watering committee. Philadelphia, Sept. 2d, 1828. Dear Sir-Your favour of the 25th ult. only came to hand this morning. In giving an opinion as to the permanency and sta bility of the Dam at Fair Mount, I must premise that I give it only on the information I received on my visit in July, in company with yourself and other members of councils. The outline of the plan of construction of the Dam at Fair Mount appears to me to be good; if there is any fault it is in the execution of the work. If the longitudinal timbers which run across the stream, and form the lower side of the Dam, are boxed into the timbers which form the tiers, (or these timbers running up the stream,) by being let in two inches on each side, and these latter timbers extend 18 inches or two foot below the cross timbers, so as to form a good heading, and then the whole well secured together with locust tree nails-it appears to me it is hardly possible that it can separate so as to admit any timber to come out, and thereby let out the stone, &c. It cannot produce this effect unless there has been some error in supposing the crib when sunk to have found the solid rock. If there was earth or small stone under the crib, so situated as that a powerful current of water passing over the dam would actually remove some of the substance on which the dam rested on its lower side, then, and not till then, could there be any probability that the timber in the crib could get loose. If by an examination (which was suggested at our visit, at low water, when the water could be so reduced as to admit a boat to pass under the overfall) it has beers found that there is a change in the timbers from what they were at first-or so much of a change that the rub ble stone which loads the dam will fall out, then I should fear the permanency of the dam,-and its importance is so great as to justify securing it to the last doubt. The answer to your queries then recurs: "Whether loose stone thrown against the face of the dam, on the lower side, may be considered as an effectual and permanent addition to the strength of the present superstructure?" In answer to this I cannot say that I believe stone thrown into the river on the lower side of the dam would remain there. It is well known that a body of water from 4 to 8 feet thick passes over this dam in great freshes-this would remove stones of several tons weight if it can get hold of them by the current. It is true that a body of heavy stone, if they could be placed so far under the shute of the dam as to be out of the direct current, and that nothing but the under tow would strike them (see A) then I believe stone of two or three tons cach would remain unmoved. But it will be seen at once that it will be difficult to raise the upper edge of this triangle of stone high enough to secure every weak point up to B, for in that case the base of the stone would come out so far as to come in contact with the powerful current at C, and this current would remove them, and then those above would fall down, and be removed in turn. It appears to me that I should adopt your other sug gestion, by an additional crib work, sunk on the lower side, and the only variation I should make would be to have the bottom timbers very large, and plenty of them, so as to form a kind of foot that should counteract (by their extending [see C] six or eight feet further out than the body of the crib) any inclination which the crib might have to settle away from the main dam. These timbers ought to be 24 inches square, so as to have great strength at the point where the first cross timbers lay upon them. I should then fill in with small round stone any vacancy which should exist between the old part of the crib work and this new part, so as to have every timber in the old crib retain their present situation. The new crib being filled with stone, would certainly make a permanent and solid work. This plan is predicated upon the supposition that the rock bottom of the river is such as to permit cribs to be sunk, and rest firmly on rock. If the current of water which has already passed over the Dam, has found the rock at bottom shelly, it has probably scooped out a concave bed under the water fall. Should this prove true, then the plan of the crib work must conform to this concave bed by forming the crib, with large timber on one side and smaller ones on the other, so as to shape to the bottom if it can be done. I am writing rather at guess, and should have proposed to have gone with you to the Dam, had it remained dry-the river would now prevent my seeing any thing more than I did before. I shall return again to the city in three weeks probably, and should there be any thing in my communication requiring explanation, I shall give it with pleasure. With great respect, I am, Dear Sir, your ob't serv❜t. THOS. HALE, Esq. BENJ. WRIGHT, Chairman of the Watering Committee. Mauch Chunk, 8th Month 29th, 1828. Respected Friend, Thos. Hale, would be difficult to replace it by crib work, in conse JOSIAH WHITE. Philadelphia, September 8th, 1828. THOS. HALE, Esq. I do not recollect the construction of the dam, but am under the impression, that the cribs have ties running up and down stream, (in each course of logs) not more than five or six feet apart. If this be the fact, I think no apprehension need be entertained of the perfect security of the dam. That the structure is capable of bearing the pressure of the freshets, while the timbers remain sound, is, I think, sufficiently proved by the present state of the dam. I am inclined to the opinion, that the substitution of locust tree nails for iron bolts is advantageous, as the iron is subject to rust under water, while the tree-nail in the same situation could be destroyed only by abrasion by a current, from which I apprehend it is entirely protected by the logs into which it is driven, coming close together. The part of the dam most liable to injury, in my opinion, is the sloped sheathing on the down stream side of the dam, which being continually in a current, with, frequently, rough bodies passing over it, will wear on the upper surface, and may become loosened in its position, by the jarring of heavy bodies, and by the current of water passing through the cracks of the planks upon the timbers below them-this part then should be examined once or twice each year. From the river being so much contracted at the Bridge below the dam, I should suppose that a freshet in the river would cause the water to rise as much below the damn as it does upon it, or in other words, that the head would remain pretty much the same. If this be the fact, the pressure upon the dam would not be altered by the quantity of water in the river. Should it be deemed prudent to add to the security of the lower side of the dam, this should be effected by an additional crib, filled with stone, placed below it, the top of which should form a continuation of the lower slope of the dam. I have no hesitation in saying that stone thrown below the dam would be of no service, a fair experiment having been made of that plan upon the Lehigh, contrary to As to its present condition, I should think it safe from the opinion of both Mr. White and myself. In that case, bursting out on the lower side of the dam, (the perpen- stones weighing from one to three tons, were thrown dicular part of the crib,) for 50 years to come, provided below a dam which had about four feet fall, and disapthe horizontal timbers up and down stream do not ex-peared entirely after a heavy freshet. ceed six feet apart, and that they are not now indicating decay, and that the timbers across the stream are notched into the other timbers, so as not to wholly rely on the pins. Chairman of the Watering Committee. If an (eddy) current acts against the pins (parts between the logs being exposed) it will wear them off in perhaps a few years. Their appearance at present however is the best test, as it is now about 10 years since the Dam was built. I should advise an annual examination (during low water) of the lower slope of the Dam, as being the part most likely to wear, and if the plank gets loose and off, it would effect the worst consequences in case of ice freshets. As to its future condition, I should prefer a crib befow the old dam, as thou has drawn it, and as the water is so deep it requires the dam to be high, put in three tiers of timber across the stream, and the timber up and down stream, say 6 feet apart, and to prevent serious injury from the covering getting off in a freshet, pave the top course of stone with long stone end ways up and down. I have strong doubts of the stone, represented by B, below the Dam, lying there permanently, aud if it should go away generally, and not altogether, it then VOL. II. 26 I believe I have now noticed all the queries in your letter, and am, sir, with much esteem. your obedient servant, ERSKINE HAZARD. To the Watering Committee of the City of Philadelphia. Gentlemen, At your request we have examined the construction of the dam across the river Schuylkill at Fair Mount. From all appearances both above and below the body of the damn, together with the sheathing, there are no indications whatever of its being impaired by settlement more than what might be reasonably expected in any work of its kind. The evidence of some few of the stones, which form the filling of the sunken cribs having washed out from between the logs, is of no material account; this can all be repaired and obviated by a conti nuation of the upright sheathing in front. The back filling of the dam has been well attended to, and is in every particular as far as our examination went, a sound and substantial piece of work. We are, however, of opinion, that at no distant period the front of the dam will require a substantial stone abutment in advance of its vertical breast, and carried across the deep water of |