p. 219

1971] The Journals of Increase Allen Lapham 219

last. I suppose some person [p. 97] told Henry that there was stone
enough on the ground to build the locks & Bridge and on the day above
mentioned he asked me how long it would take me to measure all the
stone. It is to show his knowledge of practical Engineering that I state
that he supposed I could do it in one day. I told him that I could not
think of doing it alone but that three persons could do it in as many
weeks. He then said that I might do it in two days. I have now been
at it two & a half Days, and the stone are scarcely half measured yet.
[p. 98] What renders this job very disagreeable to me is that Mr. Henry
is inclined to think that I do not work all the time.

Thursday July 31, 1828. I spent the time this day in measuring stone.

August 1st. 1828. In the forenoon I copies Mr. Henrys report &c. In
the afternoon I went to Louisville and delivered to the printer a table
of my meteorological observations.¹⁰⁵ I bought while I was there a
map at [of] Tennessee.

Aug 2. I spent most of the time today [p. 99] in measuring stone.
It was a very hot day but about 8 o'clock in the evening there came on
a violent storm of wind which terminated in rain.

Aug 3. The rain continued through the night and at intervals during
the day. I completed the plan of the locks which I commenced a great
while ago & wrote a letter to Darius.¹⁰⁶

August 4th. This is the first day of the election in Kentucky. In this
place it was held immediately opposite [p. 100] my boarding house.

I went up the canal in the morning, in the afternoon I went on the
Rock Island but found nothing very interesting.

Tuesday August 5th. I wrote a letter to Phoebe Allen today and went
to Louisville in the afternoon to put it into the post office. This is the
second day of the election. The Jackson Candidates "keep ahead" or
have a majority.

August 6th. This is the last day of the Election. Jackson candidates
[p. 101] have a majority both here and at Louisville.¹⁰⁷ Mr. Henry
spends his time electioneering, and I was Reading the New York Canal
laws &c, from which I have made some extracts into my book of memo-
randums &c. Poor Paper & Poor Pen.

Mr. Smyth has been to Ohio for the purpose of hiring stone cutters
for this canal. While he was there he found the Canal Commissioners
of Indiana and made an agreement with them for the office of prin-
cipal Eng[i]neer. He is to be at Fort [p. 102] Wayne by the first of
September next, he will leave here within about a week.

Thursday August 7th 1828. I worked on the canal some this forenoon.
In the afternoon I spent my time in reading Tredgold on Rail Roads.¹⁰⁸