. New England; a human interest geographical reader. n andsteered with a rudder on the larger boats, and a wide-bladed oar on the smaller ones. Cargoes of merchan-dise and the household goods of new settlers werebrought up the river, and shingles, potash, and otherproducts carried down. Passengers, too, were occa-sionally transported. A canal around the South Hadley Falls was completedin 1795. This was the first canal in America for theimprovement of river navigation. Its length was twoand one half miles, much of the way through solid slaterock. Canals were made later around several of theothe
. New England; a human interest geographical reader. n andsteered with a rudder on the larger boats, and a wide-bladed oar on the smaller ones. Cargoes of merchan-dise and the household goods of new settlers werebrought up the river, and shingles, potash, and otherproducts carried down. Passengers, too, were occa-sionally transported. A canal around the South Hadley Falls was completedin 1795. This was the first canal in America for theimprovement of river navigation. Its length was twoand one half miles, much of the way through solid slaterock. Canals were made later around several of theother falls, and the river was a very busy landings along the shores became the favoriteresorts for leisurely dwellers in their vicinity to seethe boats come in. Some of the later flatboats were seventy feet in lengthand fifteen feet across at the widest part. At the sternwas a snug cabin, and the captain and crew lived on 20 New England board. The crews of the small boats boarded at water-side taverns and farmhouses. The boats usually. The outlet of the canal around Enfield Rapids tied up to the bank at night, but might go on whenthe moon shone and the wind favored. Traffic on theriver kept increasing until a railroad was built up thevalley. There were no bridges across the river until after theRevolution, and ferries were an important of the early ferries had no larger craft than acanoe. If a mounted man wanted to cross, he sat atthe back end of the canoe holding a leading rein, andlet the horse swim along behind. A cart would eitherbe towed over, or, if a stout skiff could be had, the cart New Englands Longest River 21 was taken to pieces so it could be loaded on the some ferries a raft was used. Later, flatboats be-came common, and such still go back and forth at thepresent day ferries. They are kept from floating down A ferryboat. The ferryman is on the shore prying around theend of the boat to make a better landing for the load of hay
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjohnsonclifton1865194, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910
