PENNSYLVANIA CANALS AND RAILROADS CONSTRUCTED BY COMPANIES.The Lehigh navigation consists of a succession of canal and slack water navigation constructed by the Lehigh company, numerous dams built across the river. form navigable pools, and between these there are canals of various lengths. These works join the Delaware section of the state canal at Easton on the Delaware, and extend up the Lehigh river by Bethlehem and Allentown to Mauch Chunk, at the eastern termination of the great southern anthracite coal basin. The canals are sixty feet wide at the water line, forty-five feet at bottom, and five feet deep; locks 100 feet long and twenty-two feet wide, capable of passing boats carrying more than 100 tons; dams from 300 feet to 564 feet long, and eight feet to nineteen feet and a half high. Distance, forty-six miles and a half, with a rise in lockage of 353 feet.

From Mauch Chunk the navigation is continued up the river to Whitehaven, twenty-four miles and three quarters; and thence to the falls at Stoddartsville, thirteen miles and a half, there is a descent for boats by artificial freshets, chiefly for bringing down lumber. The distance from Mauch Chunk to the northern termination of the works, is thirty-eight miles and a quarter. Ascent, 936 feet. The locks above Mauch Chunk are of the same length as those below, and twenty feet wide; one of them has a lift of thirty feet, and can be filled or emptied in two minutes and a half. On this upper division of the work are twenty dams, from fourteen to thirty-eight feet high, and from 187 to 375 feet long. Total length of the Lehigh navigation, eighty-four miles and a half.

The Lackawaxen canal is an extension of the Delaware and Hudson canal into Pennsylvania. It enters the state near the mouth of Lackawaxen, and extends up that stream to Honesdale, in Wayne county, where it connects with a railroad to the Lackawana coal mines at Carbondale. Length, twenty-five miles; lockage rise, 187 feet from the Delaware to Honesdale, which is 870 feet. above tide water.

The Schuylkill navigation commences at Fair Mount dam, near Philadelphia, and follows the Schuylkill by Norristown and Reading to Port Carbon. It opens a water carriage between the Philadelphia and the Schuylkill coal region. It was commenced in 1815, and completed in 1826. Like the Lehigh navigation, it consists of pools formed across the river, with intervening lines of canal, sometimes on the east and sometimes on the west side of the river, which the canal crosses several times. Near Reading it is intersected by the Union canal, which joins the Susquehanna, and the state canals of the interior. Length of navigation from Philadelphia to Port Carbon, 108 miles, of which fifty-eight is canal and fifty slack water. The longest line of canal on the route is twenty-two miles, called the Girard, the upper end of which is five or six miles below Reading. Width of canal, thirty-six feet at top, twenty-two at bottom, and four feet deep. Locks, eighty feet by seventeen; total ascent, 610 feet.

The Union canal passes from the Schuylkill, near Reading, westward up the valley of Tulpehocken creek, to the summit between the head waters of that stream and those of the Quitapahilla, a branch of the Swatara. It then descends the Swatara to the Susquehanna, near Middletown. A branch, twenty-three miles in length, serves the double purpose of a navigable canal and a feeder, and extends up the Swatara northward to Pine Grove, in Schuylkill county, from which railroads extend to the coal mines. Near the gap by which the Swatara passes through the Blue mountain, a large dam is constructed which forms a pool or reservoir several miles in extent. The feeder on the Swatara being lower than the summit level of the canal near Lebanon, water works have been constructed, which are now aided by steam engines, for the purpose of raising the water, which is conducted in a trunk several miles to the main canal. From the commencement of this canal on the Schuylkill to the summit level, the decline is forty-one miles and a quarter; ascent of lockage, 311 feet. The summit level is seven miles long, and 498 feet above tide water. From this to the Susquehanna is thirty-three miles and three quarters; descent, 208 feet. Width of canal, thirty-six feet; depth, four feet. Locks, seventy-five feet by eight feet and a half. Length of canal, eighty-two miles.

The Susquehanna or Tide Water canal, commencing at Wrightsville, opposite Columbia, and continues along the west side of the Susquehanna river to Havrede-Grace, in Maryland. This canal opens a communication between the eastern division of the Pennsylvania canal and the tide water of Chesapeake bay. Canal, fifty feet wide, five feet deep; locks with double chamber, admitting the passage of two boats at the same time, or of a raft 170 feet long, and sixteen feet wide. Length, forty-five miles; descent, 233 feet.

The Conestoga navigation consists of dams and locks, on Conestoga creek, from the city of Lancaster to the Susquehanna river. Locks, 100 feet by twentytwo feet; length of navigation, eighteen miles; descent, sixty-two feet,

The Codorus navigation, by dams, locks, and canals on Codorus creek, from the borough of York to the Susquehanna river. Length, eleven miles.

Bald Eagle and Spring Creek navigation, extends from the West Branch State canal, at Lock Haven, in Clinton county, up the Bald Eagle and Spring creeks to Bellefonte, in Centre county. Length, twenty-five miles; nineteen of which are finished. Lockage, 183 feet.

Monongahela Improvement navigation, extending up that river to the Virginia line; unfinished. Length, about forty miles.

Mahoning canal, eight miles of which are in Pennsylvania, extends from the Beaver division of the State canal, near Newcastle, in Mercer county, up the valley of Mahoning river into the state of Ohio, and joins the Ohio and Erie canal at Akron, Ohio. Length, eighty-five miles.

CORPORATED RAILROADS.-There are in the city of Philadelphia and the

incorporated districts adjoining, several short railroads joining or uniting the greater railroads which approach the city in different directions.

The City railroad extends along Broad-street from the Columbia railroad, at Vine-street, to the Southwark railroad, at Cedar-street or South-street, one mile; with a branch down Market-street from Broad-street to Third-street, and thence down Third-street and Dock-street to the city warehouses near Dock-street wharf. Length, one mile and a quarter.

The Southwark railroad extends from the City railroad at South-street down Broad-street to Prime-street, and thence by the latter to the Delaware above the Navy-yard; nearly two miles. A branch of this road, half a mile in length, extends up Swanson-street to Cedar-street, near the wharf.

The Northern Liberties and Penn Township railroad branches off from the Columbia railroad and down Willow-street to the Delaware railroad, joining the Germantown, Norristown, and the Philadelphia and Trenton railroads. Length, one mile and a quarter.

The Philadelphia and Trenton railroad, from Philadelphia to Frankford, Holmesburg, Bristol, and Morrisville, opposite Trenton, on the Delaware. Rails across the bridge into Trenton, form a communication with the railroad from Trenton to New York. Length, about twenty-eight miles.

The Philadelphia and Wilmington railroad joins the Southwark railroad at Broad-street and Prime-street, in Philadelphia, crosses the Schuylkill by a viaduct, passes through Chester to the state boundary, thence to Wilmington, in Delaware, where it joins the Wilmington and Susquehanna railroad to Baltimore. Length, twenty-seven miles.

The Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown railroad, seventeen miles in length, along the eastern side of Schuylkill, by Manayunk, to Norristown, in Montgomery county. About three miles from this city, a branch leaves this road and proceeds to Germantown, three miles.

The West Philadelphia railroad, extends from the Schuylkill, opposite Philadelphia, north-westward, joining the Columbia railroad about eight miles from the Schuylkill. It is unfinished. The most abrupt grade is nearly fifty-seven feet, the average grade forty-three feet, per mile.

The Valley railroad branches from the Philadelphia and Reading railroad on the west side of the Schuylkill, near Norristown, up the valley, to intersect the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad east of Downingtown, about thirty-one miles from the city. Length, twenty miles. Maximum grade, thirty-five feet and three quarters per mile. Road unfinished.

The West Chester railroad branches from the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad, twenty-two miles from the city, to West Chester, about ten miles.

The Philadelphia and Reading railroad, joins the Columbia railroad, below the inclined plane, on the west side of the Schuylkill, near Philadelphia, extends

up that river to Pottsville, opening a line of communication between Philadelphia and the Schuylkill coal region. The whole line, from Pottsville to Philadelphia, is composed of levels and descending grades, which gives great advantages to the descending transportation. A locomotive engine of eleven tons' weight has conveyed from Reading to the Columbia railroad, near Philadelphia, 101 cars with 423 tons, at an average speed of ten miles the hour. There are three tunnels on this road; one at Flat Rock, eight miles from the city, 960 feet in length; another near Phoenixville, of 1932 feet; and the third near Port Clinton, 1600 feet. Near the second tunnel, about thirty miles from Philadelphia, the road crosses to the east side of the river by a viaduct, 288 feet in length, and twentyfour feet above the water. Length, from the Columbia railroad to Reading, fiftyfour miles; from Reading to Pottsville, thirty-six miles. A branch, five miles long, from the Falls of Schuylkill, crosses eastward to the Delaware, at Richmond, about three miles from Philadelphia.

The Little Schuylkill railroad extends from Port Clinton, at the junction of the two main branches of Schuylkill above the Blue mountain, up the Little Schuylkill to the Tamaqua coal mines, near the south side of the Broad mountain. Ascent, 406 feet; length, twenty-three miles.

The Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven railroad, extends from Schuylkill Haven, up the west branch of Schuylkill, to the coal mines in the neighbourhood of Mine hill. Length of road and branches, twenty miles.

The Mount Carbon railroad commences a mile below Pottsville, passes up Norwegian creek to the commencement of the Danville and Pottsville railroad, and thence extends by branches to several coal mines. Length, seven miles.

The Schuylkill Valley railroad commences at Port Carbon, where the Schuylkill navigation terminates, thence up the Schuylkill through the coal region to Tuscarora, ten miles. It has many branches to coal mines, the length of which is twelve or fifteen miles.

The Mill Creek railroad from Port Carbon to the mines about Mill creek, four miles, with branches amounting to five miles.

Danville and Pottsville railroad parts from Mount Carbon railroad three miles above Pottsville, crosses the Broad mountain by a summit 1014 feet above the level of the Susquehanna at Sunbury, and then across the valley of Mahanoy creek, and over the ridge between that stream and Shamokin creek, down which to Sunbury on the Susquehanna. On this railroad there is a tunnel 700 feet long, and seven inclined planes: one 1650 feet in length, with an ascent of 345 feet. Chain cables are used on the inclined planes instead of ropes.. The eastern section is completed to Girardville, fourteen miles from Pottsville. A tunnel 2500 feet long has been cut through Bear ridge, on the Girard estate, for the purpose of obtaining coal. The western section of the road is completed from Sunbury, twenty-one miles, to the extensive coal mines, a furnace for

smelting iron with anthracite, to the far town of Shamokin: length of the railroad, forty-four miles and a half. A branch, seven miles, to Danville, on the north branch of the projected Susquehanna.

The Little Schuylkill and Susquehanna, or Catawissa railroad, extends from the termination of the Little Schuylkill railroad at Tamaqua, across the ridge dividing the waters of Little Schuylkill and Catawissa creek, thence down the valley of the latter to the town of Catawissa on the north branch of Susquehanna, about thirty-five miles. Unfinished.

It is proposed to extend this road from Catawissa to Williamsport in Lycoming county. A branch, twelve miles in length, extends from this road near the summit north of Tamaqua, down the valley of Quakake, to the Beaver Meadow railroad near the Lehigh.

INCORPORATED RAILWAYS.-The Mauch Chunk railroad, from the coal landing at Mauch Chunk to the summit mines. Length, nine miles. Ascent, 936 feet; highest grade, 133 feet per mile. There is also a railroad of five miles and a quarter, from Mauch Chunk to the company's coal mines on Room Run⚫ Ascent, 534 feet.

The Beaver Meadow railroad, from Parryville on the Lehigh, six miles below Mauch Chunk, up the river to the mouth of Quakake creek, and thence up that stream to the Beaver Meadow mines. Length, twenty miles.

The Hazelton railroad, branches off from the Beaver meadow road and leads to the coal mines near Hazelton. Length, eight miles.

The Lehigh and Susquehanna railroad, constructed by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation company, from Whitehaven on the Lehigh to Wilkesbarre on the Susquehanna joins the North Branch canal. It has one tunnel and three inclined planes. Length, nineteen miles and three quarters.

The Carbondale and Honesdale railroad joins the Hudson and Delaware canal navigation on the Lackawana. It extends from Honesdale to the coal mines near Carbondale. Length, sixteen miles and a half. The summit on Moosic mountain, at an elevation of 912 feet, is passed by means of inclined planes.

The Pine Grove railroad extends from the Union canal navigation at Pine Grove in Schuylkill county, to the coal mines. Length, four miles. The Lorberry and Swatara railroads, to other mines in the same region, extend eight miles.

The Lykens' Valley railroad, from Millerstown on the Susquehanna, extends along the north side of Berry's mountain to the Wiconisco coal mines at Bear gap, in Dauphin county. Length, sixteen miles.

The Williamsport and Elmira railroad is completed from the West Branch canal at Williamsport, up Lycoming creek to Ralston. Length, twenty-five miles. Thence it is intended to extend northward to Elmira in New York, to join the Chemung canal. Projected length, seventy-three miles and a half.