46 The Middlesex Canal.
surveys between the Charlestown Mcdford to $25 in Billerica. The basin and the Merrimac at Chehns- numerous conveyances are all -ia ford ; but the science of engineering Sullivan's handwriting, was in its infancy, and it was difficult Labor was not easily procured, to find a competent person to under- probably from the scarcity of laborers, take the task. At length Samuel as the wages paid, $10 a month and Thompson, of Woburn, was engaged board, were presumably as much as to make a preliminary survev ; but the could be earned in manual labor else- directors, not wholly satisfied with wiiere. " An order was sent to Eng- his report, afterwards secured the land for a levelling instrument made services of Samuel Weston, an emi- by S. & W. Jones, of London, and nent English engineer, then employed this was the only instrument used for in Pennsylvania on the Potomac ca- engineering purposes after the first nals. His report, made Aug. 2, 1794, survey by Weston." Two routes was favorable ; and it is interesting to were considered; the rejected route compare his figures with those of was forty years later selected for the Mr. Thompson. As calculated by Lowell Railroad. The canal, 30 ft. Thompson, the ascent from Medford wide, 4 ft. deep, with 20 locks, 7 bridge to the Concord river, at aqueducts, and crossed by 50 bridges, Billerica, was found to be 6S-J- ft. ; was, in 1S02, sufficiently completed the actual difference in level, as found for the admission of water, and the by Weston, was 104 ft. By Thomp- following year was opened to public son's survey there was a further ascent navigation from the Merrimac to the of 16-J ft. to the Merrimac ; when, in Charles. Its cost, about $500,000, of fact, the water at Billerica bridge is which one-third was for land damages, almost 25 ft. above the Merrimac at was but little more than the estimate. Chelmsford. Commencing at Charlestown mill- Col. Baldwin, who superintended pond, it passed through Medford, the construction of the canal, removed crossing the Mystic by a wooden the first turf, Sept. 10, 1794. The aqueduct of 100 ft., to Horn pond in progress was slow and attended with Woburn. Traversing Woburn and many embarrassments. The purchase Wilmington it crossed the Shawshine of land from more than one hundred by an aqueduct of 137 ft., and struck proprietors demanded skilful diplo- the Concord, from which it receives its macy. Most of the lands used for water, at Billerica Mills. Entering the canal were acquired by voluntary the Concord by a stone guard-lock, sale, and conveyed in fee-simple to it crossed, with a floating tow-path, the corporation. Sixteen lots were and passed out on the northern side taken under authority of the Court of through another stone guard-lock ; Sessions; while for thirteen neither thence it descended 27 ft., in a course deed nor record could be found when of 5] miles, through Chelmsford to the corporation came to an end. the Merrimac, making its entire Some of the land was never paid for, length 27^ rn.
as the owner refused to accept the The proprietors made Charlestown
sum awarded. The compensation bridge the eastern terminus for their
ranged from about $150 an acre in boats, but ultimately communication
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