. Following the tow-path and through the Adirondacks awheel . l and we saw therA first lock. At first sight it looks something/ A like a dam. The path rose by a sharp gradefrom the lower level, on which we werewheeling, to the upper, the drop here, or the dis-tance from our level to the other being eleven lock is divided into two parts by a solid wall ofmasonry built longitudinally in the centre of thecanal. At either end of both the sections thusformed are massive gates of heavy beams andplanks. The combined structure forms the lock—or, rather, two locks, one being used to pass thebo
. Following the tow-path and through the Adirondacks awheel . l and we saw therA first lock. At first sight it looks something/ A like a dam. The path rose by a sharp gradefrom the lower level, on which we werewheeling, to the upper, the drop here, or the dis-tance from our level to the other being eleven lock is divided into two parts by a solid wall ofmasonry built longitudinally in the centre of thecanal. At either end of both the sections thusformed are massive gates of heavy beams andplanks. The combined structure forms the lock—or, rather, two locks, one being used to pass theboats from the lower to the upper level, and theother from the upper to the lower. On the great wall which separates the two lockswere small buildings used as offices and the opposite side of the canal, among greatspreading trees, stood the home of the keeper, hisfamily and assistant. One can walk across thecanal, from one side to the other, over the gate-heads and the central stood looking at the locks, when the keeper(24) -f- U s^?^. invited us to step across to the centre and sit in theshade of the buildings and trees, where chairs wereplaced. Leaving our wheels in some tall weeds bythe side of the tow-path to protect the tires from thesun, we accepted the invitation and crossed over. In a few minutes we were pleased to see a tow oftwo boats coming along the canal, for we wereanxious to see them pass through the locks. Thekeeper and his assistant were very courteous to us,and explained the process as the boats went were going from the upper to the lower level,and they went astonishingly quick. The lowergate was, of course, closed, so the water in thelock was at the same level as that in the upper levelof the canal. Just as the tow-horses reached thelock the tow-line was slackened and carried overthe timber work to the lower level, where the horsesstopped. Slowly the two boats glided into thelock, and were stopped. Then the keeper, goingove
Size: 1421px × 1758px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectnewyorkstatedescript
