1841.] RED RIVER RAFT. by saws or otherwise into the lengths before mentioned, and As an example of the progress made in the removal of a raft, part of which was sunken, I have been credibly informed that an extent of more than a mile of compact raft was removed by fifty-six men in fifteen days. In case a snag or sawyer of large size has to be removed, the snag-boat is brought up to it in a manner to thrust its inclined plane or lift under the end of the snag, as presented above the surface of the water, thus lifting the snag partially into the boat. The windlass chain is then applied to the main part of the trunk of the snag, as near to its root as practicable, and the entire snag is dragged into the boat, deposited on its roller-ways, reduced to picces, and disposed of as before. When a planter (the trunk of a tree standing perpendicularly in the water, with its roots more or less firmly imbedded in the alluvion at the bottom of the stream) is to be operated upon, the snag-boat is made to run with its full speed and momentum against the obstruction, and to repeat this operation, striking the planter in different directions, till it is The windlass chain is then effectually loosened to its roots. applied, the planter lifted out of the water and deposited on the rollers of the boat, after which it is cut into pieces and disposed of as before.* ner. Logs more or less deeply imbedded in the deposits of the river, are grappled, raised and disposed of in the same manThe snag-boat is occasionally employed as a tow-boat to drag the materials of a reduced raft from the channel, and force them into bayous or pools, or to deposit them on shore. Other operations, having for their object the improvement of the river, are of the following character and import, and may be effected in the following manner: A cut-off leading across the gorge of a bend or detour of a channel, is effected by excavating a new channel, eight to ten, or twelve feet wide, and to the depth of three or four feet below the high water surface of the river; the depth in all cases being sufficient to penetrate through the soil and below the roots of all trees and other vegetable products springing from it. Thus begun, the cut-off is completed by the abrasion of the current spontaneously produced in the excavated channel by subsequent freshets, one of which is sometimes sufficient to complete the operation. In order to prevent the formation of a raft or the creation of other obstructions at or below the point of a contemplated cut-off, the trees, &c. standing upon the ground to be occupied by it should be felled and cut into pieces prior to the formation of the cut-off. Short turns or crooks in the channel may be rendered Jess abrupt, and more safe and easy of navigation, by reducing the protruding points around which the channel passes. This operation is to be effected by cutting the trees and bushes from the points, extracting any logs contained in them, and loosening the earth of which they are composed, till the obstruction is sufficiently demolished, and its component parts swept away by the current. In order to guard against the formation of new rafts, it has been deemed advisable to fell and reduce to pieces, in the manner before mentioned, all trees and saplings standing As a remarkable example of the difficulties of these operations, Captain Cooper, commanding the snag-boat Archimedes, informed me that he attacked a sycamore planter, seven feet in diameter, standing in the channel of the Missouri river near a sand-bar, and so situated that the snag-boat could be brought to act upon it from below and on one side only; and that the planter withstood more than one hundred shocks from the full power and momentum of the boat without any appearance of yielding; after which it was effectually loosened and entirely eradicated. on the banks of the river, and within their respective lengths Whatever the mode of improvement, care should be taken, There is still another species of improvement deemed desirable and necessary by some, but which I regard as unadverted to contemplates a widening of the channel in various visable under existing circumstances. The mode here adparts of the river, embracing an extent of several miles in each, in many instances, which cannot be effected without an expenditure vastly greater than the amount of the present appropriation. If the channel as it now exists is cleared of all its obstructions, and kept free of snags, lodgments of drift, and other impediments of a character to impede the velocity of the current, and if effectual measures are taken to accelerate the vious and certain result will be gradual enlargement of the current in places where it is at present too sluggish, the obchannel and its volume, which will be brought about by the abrasion of the sides of the channel by currents of water, rains, frosts, and other atmospheric changes, and by the debanks; a result which is exemplified in numerous bayous cay of logs and other perishable materials imbedded in the connected with the lower portions of the river, from which drifting materials have been for a long time excluded, and in which a lively current has prevailed. The In discussing the improvements of the river, there is still another consideration worthy of particular notice. growth of willows and other shrubbery, vines, &c. along the cotton woods, bushes, and other furze upon the river banks, shores and near the water edges, as also the growth of young should be permitted to remain. The alluvion of the banks being held together and confined by the roots of these vegeof currents, and, in consequence, the channel is kept nartable products, is the better enabled to withstand the abrasion rower, deeper, and hitherto almost entirely exempt from shoals and sand-bars. In several instances, where the surface of the ground has been cleared to the water's edge, there begins to be strong indications of an enlargement in the width of the channel, and of the commencement of shoals, occasioned by the formation of bars. Any changes in the river having a tendency to generate obstructions of this character, should be carefully guarded against. [Then follow various plans for the improvement of the river which we omit.-ED. REG.] Review of the Weather, etc., for July, 1841. The month just closed, taken in the aggregate, we shall record as having been pleasant, and very favorable for har vesting. It is true, there were some scorching days, when the mercury ranged in the shade at mid-day, from 90 to 94 degrees. And it is also true, that in many places there were tornadoes, with terrific hail and thunder storms, which made a great smashing of window glass, demolished a few houses and many barns; uprooted trees, and did some damage to vegetation, &c. In this Review we shall endeavor to give a brief account of some of the most important weather disasters of the month, which, no doubt will be interesting. The month commenced excessively hot, but in the afternoon, of the 1st, heavy clouds rose in the West (which were highly charged with electricity) and passed north and south of the city, pouring forth copious showers, accompanied with heavy thunder and vivid lightning, which cooled the atmosphere for several days. The newspapers soon teemed with accounts of most awful storms on the 1st, some of which were described as being more terrific than any for half a century particularly in New England. We shall notice in the first place, the weather in this city during the month. The first day was very hot, with mercury at 94, but after a heavy thunder shower in the evening, it became cool, and we had mild summer weather until the 14th, the mercury ranging from the 2d to the 14th, at midday, from 78 to 86. On the 14th it rose to 93, and from that period to the 28th of the month, the range of the mercury at mid-day, was from 82 to 88, except on the 15th, 23d, 24th and 25th, on which days it ranged at 2 o'clock, from 90 to 94. Saturday the 24th was the hottest day during the month including the whole 24 hours. The clear shining of the sun was enjoyed the greatest part of every day during the month, excepting the last, although in the evenings of six of the days, we were blest with seasonable and refreshing showers. The quantity of rain which fell during the month was 34 inches. That which fell during the corresponding month of last year, was 4 inches. The medium or average temperature of the whole month, was 74 degrees, viz: at sunrise 67; at 2 o'clock 83; and at 10 P. M. 714. The average of the corresponding month of last year was 74, and that of 1839, was 74. On the evening of the 5th, a heavy thunder shower passed over this city, during which the lightning struck and set fire to a large rope-walk about two miles from the city, and which communicated to two other rope-walks, and several contiguous buildings, all of which were destroyed. In the same shower, a barn was struck and consumed at Bristol, Pa, and another in New Jersey, and we have seen other accounts of barns being burnt by lightning the same evening. Towards evening on the 1st, a part of the States of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, were visited with frightful and destructive wind and hail storms. The hail fell in great quantities and was very large, measuring from 4 to 6 inches in circumference (as the newspapers from those places stated) accompanied by violent wind, and breaking many thousand panes of glass; uprooting trees, demolishing barns, sheds, &c. in great numbers, and doing immense damage to vegetation, fruit, &c. In Wenham, Danvers, Beverly, Boxford, Topsfield and Middletown, thirty-nine barns and some frame houses were blown down, and others unroofed. The Salem (Mass.) Gazette says, that in North Danvers, several barns and other frame buildings were blown down and many fruit trees destroyed, crops injured, &c. A Providence (R. I.) paper says, that thousands of panes of glass were destroyed in houses and factories in that vicinity, by the hail which fell in such quantities as to whiten the ground. In Amherst, (N. H.) one gentleman had 350 panes of glass broken by the hail on the 1st of July. On the same day, Fayette county, Ky. was visited with a destructive hail storm, which broke much glass and did great injury to vegetation, fruit, &c. Cumberland and York counties, Pa. experienced a very extraordinary storm of wind and hail on the 5th of the month, which destroyed whole fields of Indian corn, &c.Some buildings were blown down and others unroofed, trees and fences prostrated, &c. One account says, the hail fell to the depth of a foot, and broke much window glass. Lieut. Lancaster was killed by lightning in Florida on the 5th. George Collins was killed at Columbia, Pa. Samuel Whaley was killed at Hartwick, N. Y. John Marshall was killed near Westminster, Md. Three men were killed at Sidney, Ohio. Wm. H. Lipscomb and three negroes were killed at Pittsylvania county, Va. C. V. Segars was killed at St. Louis. Martin P. Jaggers was killed at Somersville, Tenn. Hiram Gray was killed at Meredith. Joshua Anthony was killed at South Adams, Mass. Henry Starkley and a Mr. Garvey were killed at Springfield, Mass. Nathaniel and Josiah Norris were killed at Wayne, Me. A son of Mr. Armstrong was killed at Wrightsville, N. C. All the above, 19 in number, were instantly killed by lightning during the month. The whole of Mr. Armstrong's family were struck down, but all recovered but the son. In Bergen county, N. J. a whole family were prostrated by lightning on the 14th, and it was feared, that the father of the family would not survive. In Buffalo township, Union county, a barn of Mr. Hirely's was struck by lightning on the 14th, and consumed with its contents, including five horses. At Enfield, a barn was struck and burnt, and three oxen killed. In Berks county, Pa. a destructive thunder storm, with the wind blowing a complete hurricane, was experienced on 14th; which prostrated trees and almost everything before it for about two miles. On the 14th, no less than four severe thunder gusts passed over Easton, Pa. from 9 in the morning to 9 in the evening; in one of which Mr. Brown had two fine horses killed by lightning. Several buildings were also struck and burnt. ton. On the evening of the 14th, a terrific thunder storm passed over Lamberton, Trenton, Princeton, &c. The lightning struck one vessel at Trenton and another at LamberAt Princeton, Mrs. Hamilton's house was struck.— Miss Heath's barn was struck and consumed. Mr. Leigh's barn was struck. A cow and heifer, with some sheep and swine were killed. At Hopewell, Pa. the barn of John McAllister was struck and burnt by lightning on the 14th. On the same evening, several buildings were struck by lightning and burnt at Russellville. On the 12th of July, Kingston, (U. C.) was visited with the most awful and destructive storm of thunder, lightning, hail and wind ever known there. It broke every pane of glass for many miles round, besides destroying all the crops, fruit and vegetables. An uncommon number of human beings, as well as horses and cattle, were killed this season by lightning. A terrible thunder storm was experienced on the 5th, in Worcester county, Mass. which did great damage. The lightning struck in several places, and burnt one large barn and its contents, including a fine horse. In a thunder storm which passed over Sandy Springs, (Maryland) on the 25th, the large barn on the plantation of Joshua Pierce, was struck by lightning and consumed, together with two smaller ones, all filled with grain and hay. On the same evening, a barn was struck and burnt at DeerPark, Maryland, belonging to James Williams. At Watertown, (Mass.) a large barn was struck by lightning and consumed with its contents, on the 25th. Three horses perished in the flames. On the same evening, a barn was struck and consumed on the farm of Mr. Bullock, near West Chester, Pa. A mill in Lancaster county, Pa. was struck the same evening and consumed, together with other property. On the 20th, Charleston, S. C. was visited with a terrific thunder storm and torrents of rain. The lightning struck the citadel, the tower of St. Paul's church, a house, a vessel, and a man, and did considerable other damage. A Baltimore paper of the 24th, says, the weather is intensely hot, and the earth is completely parched with drought, so that the farmers are obliged to feed their stock as in winter. We hope the good people of Maryland have since been blest with like plentiful and refreshing rains, as have been experienced in Pennsylvania. The newspapers from various parts of the U. States speak of the weather as having been intensely hot and dry, particularly from the 15th to the 25th of the month. The mercury ranging at mid day from 90 to 98 in the shade. In this city, the highest point our thermometers reached, was 94, and we have four hanging in different situations in the shade. 128 houses and other buildings were destroyed by fire on the 11th of July, in the village of Waterford, N. Y., which was one-half of all the taxable property. Experiment on the proper distances for Cotton. Mr. Editor: When I had the pleasure of seeing you at my house last spring, you requested me to make an experiment on thinning cotton to different distances, with the view of ascertaining, if possible, what is the best distance to give between the hills. I made the experiment accordingly, and hand you an account of it. The rows were three feet apart, and five hundred and eighty-five yards long. C. P. The difference in the product of the different rows, I suspect is owing to the manure not having been equally distributed, for it is difficult to get precisely the same quantity put under each bed. If anything is proven by this experiment, it is, that between six inches and twenty-four, there is but little difference in the product; but the same experi ment must be repeated for several years before the question, whether one distance is better than another, can be settled. Last year was very wet, and the weeds grew unusually large; this may account for the rows having the greatest distance producing as much as the others; but in a dry year the result might be very different. To make a satisfactory experiment, I would suggest that it be made upon cotton to which no manure is applied, on account of the difficulty of spreading the manure equally on the different rows. 78.000 94 degrees. 91 Silk. The New York Times states that Thomas Whitmarsh, of Northampton, Mass. is now feeding four millions of silk worms. A few years since many persons gave great attention to the cultivation of the mulberry, without regard to the manufacture of silk; consequently the product of trees was very great, and the loss of the cultivator proportionate; but when the different branches of the manufacture of silk are brought into harmony, it will be found a very profitable business to all engaged in it. The amount of silks imported into this country, for the last ten years, is stated at $150,000,000. Let the silk culture be encouraged, not the tree speculation. Wheat Trade of Massillon, Ohio. The wheat grown in the surrounding country is brought into Massillon and sold from wagons. For the two weeks ending on the 10th inst. forty-three thousand twenty-one bushels was thus purchased, being an expenditure of $25,000 a week. The Massillon Gazette says: "The gross amount of flour cleared at this Collector's office, during the last year, was forty thousand nine hundred and twenty-one barrels, which was equal to 204,605 bushels of wheat. And of wheat there was cleared at this place eight hundred and forty-four thousand five hundred and seventy-two bushels; making an amount equal to one million, forty-nine thousand, one hundred and seventy-seven bushels of wheat." VOL. V.-12 Statement of the appropriations and expenditures each year, from 1829 to 1840, inclusive, for the civil list, foreign intercourse, and miscellaneous objects, for the military establishment, pensions, fortifications, internal improvements, Indian department, and the naval establishment, exhibiting also the excess of appropriations over expenditures. CIVIL LIST, FOREIGN INTERCOURSE, AND MISCELLANEOUS. MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT, EXCLUSIVE OF PENSIONS, FORTIFICATIONS, INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT, AND INDIAN DEPARTMENT. Appropriation. 1829 $3,721,772 79 $3,092,481 47 $629,291 32 1829 $2,905,729 83 1830 3,264,395 14 3,237,416 04 26,979 10 1830 3,546,477 96 2,910,465 45 $636,012 51 1831 3,192,899 66 3,064,364 34 128,535 32 1831 2,936,056 47 2,983,870 60 47,814 13 1832 5,043,054 28 4,574,887 37 468,166 91 1832 4,132,378 15 3,544,948 89 587,429 26 1833 5,126,158 87 5,052,803 13 73,355 74 1833 4,693,535 32 3,843,669 51 849,865 81 1834 4,614,015 04 4,399,878 82 212,136 22 1834 4,208,170 16 3,583,182 02 624,988 14 1835 3,671,523 47 3,721,261 60 $49,738 18 1835 3,538,670 47 3,538,267 53 402 94 $1,286,780 91 Total. Annual av.! $4,792,593 26 $4,517,417 67 ........ An, av. $74,629,467 81 $6,219,122 31 $71,373,386 38 $4,457,125 29 $1,201,043 86 $5,947.782 19 |