CHAPTER XXXIV. COLUMBIA TERRITORY, AND THE CITY OF WASHIN ΤΟΝ. THE territory of Columbia, which formed a parti the states of Virginia and Maryland, became the pe manent seat of government in the year 1801. Th territory, extending on both sides of the Potoma contains a surface of ten miles square, of which tl diagonals are north and south, and east and west. T south angle is at Fort Columbia, situated at Jones Point, at the mouth of Hunting creek, on the le bank of the Potomac. Rivers.-The Potomac, which has been describe in the chapter on Virginia, traverses the territory of C lumbia. From Washington to its mouth, in the Chesa peak bay, it is navigable for the largest frigate, a dis tance, in following its course, of about 200 miles. Th Mr Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virginia," has given the fol lowing table of the breadth and depth of this river, at different tide water flows to the distance of three miles beyond Washington city, where the common tide rises to the height of four feet. By a survey of the Potomac, made in 1789, it was ascertained, that at the distance of fifteen miles above the city of Washington, this river is 143 feet higher than at tide water; that from the mouth of Savage river, near the western limits of Maryland, to Fort Cumberland, a distance of thirty-one miles, the descent is 445 feet, or fourteen and a half per mile; and from Fort Cumberland to tide water, a distance of 187 miles, the descent is 715 feet, or 3.82 per mile. By a survey, made in 1806, at the expence of the Potomac Company, it was ascertained, that the Shenandoah river, from its mouth to Port Republic, has nearly the same breadth during all this distance of 200 miles, in which the descent is but 435 feet. The Potomac Company, by whom the navigation of the river has been opened, was incorporated for this * Thence to the falls, 13 miles above Alexandria, 10 feet. * Both these rivers have been rendered navigable by means of locks and canals, constructed at very considerable expence. At the Great falls of the Potomac, boats pass through a canal one mile in length, six feet deep, and twenty-five feet wide, descending se venty-six feet by means of five locks, each 100 feet long, and 12 feet wide. On re-entering the Potomac, its course leads to another canal, (at the Little falls,) of the same size, and two miles and a half purpose, by acts of the states of Maryland and Virginia, passed in the year 1784, which authorized the in length, furnished with three other locks, of which the descent is thirty-seven feet to tide water. The two last locks, at the Great falls, cut out of the solid rock, are each 100 feet in length, 18 in breadth, and 12 in depth, containing ahout 21,000 cubic feet of water. This work was executed in the space of two years, by 100 workmen. The other three locks are lined with stone, which is found near the river, at the distance of ten miles above the falls. The sluice-gates are of cast iron, and turn on a pivot fixed in the centre, so that the edge of the gate, when open, is directed towards the stream. The locks of the Little falls, three in number, are constructed of wood, and are each 100 feet in length, and 18 in breadth. Three canals, without locks, have also been completed. The first, below Harper's ferry, at Shenandoah falls, where the Potomac breaks through the Blue Ridge, is a mile in length. The second, along the Seneca falls, is three quarters of a mile. The third, at House's falls, five miles above those of Shenandoah, is fifty yards in length. The Shenandoah river, from Port Republic till within eight miles of the Potomac, a distance of nearly 200 miles, has a gradual descent of about two feet in the mile, except the last eight, of which the descent is ten feet. By means of locks and canals, this river is now navigable from its mouth to the port called Republic; and it is proposed to extend the navigation, by the middle fork, from this place to the mouth of Lewis's creek, and thence to Staunton. There are five locks, each 100 feet long, and 12 wide; and six ca. nals, each twenty feet in breadth, and four and a half in depth, extending 2400 yards. The water of all the locks and canals is sup. plied by the river. The boat navigation of the north, or main branch, of the Potomac, now extends to Western Port, near its source, a distance of 219 miles above tide-water. The south branch of the Potomac is navigable 100 miles from its junction with this river, and the north fork about sixty miles. * The charter for the navigation of the Shenandoah river was granted by the legislature of Virginia in 1803. |