1

Coosada, Sep 23, 1820

Dear Sir,

On the 24' day of August I commenced the survey and
examination of the Coosa River, beginning at the mouth of Hell's creek and
continuing the same to the foot of the Wetumpkee falls - The fall from the former
to the latter place I found to be 272 feet 3 inches. -

The obstructions to the navigation of this River are princi-
-pally lodges of rock and beds of gravel, which will not be very difficult to overcome

In many places however, the River spreads out to a considerable width, and is
consequently quite shallow: This difficulty however, will be easily overcome by con=
structing wing and side dams by which the water may be collected into a
narrower & deeper channel, which will facilitate the navigation of the River down
wards. But from the very great fall in this River & consequent Rapidity of
its waters the ascending trade thereon must ever remain laborious & tedious
so long as the bed of the River is used, or until it shall be superseded by
canal navigation which cannot happen until the wealth and population of
our country shall justify the extraordinary expenses that must necessarily at=
tend the construction of works of this kind - . - The Cossa will however,
admit of such improvements as will enable the farmer to transport the
produce of his fields to market, and in return, the boats employed, if
properly constructed, may be freighted with from one half to two
thirds of the amount of the tonnage they carry down. -

the sum that will be necessary to expend on this river in order to open
a sluice sufficient to admit the passage of boats drawing 27 inches water
is estimated at $56.000. - . -