History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

578 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1794.
by means of an inclined plane, overcoming a height of
fifty-three feet within a distance of two hundred thirty.
Over this the boats were carried in an immense car or carriage,
which was run on three sets of wheels, the second
and third sets being so much larger than the first as to keep
the carriage level. Boats or rafts were floated into a lock,
and as the water was allowed to escape, they settled down
upon the car. This car was attached by ropes at first, and
afterwards by chain cables, to a huge drum at the top of
the canal, which was operated by an overshot wheel at each
end, sixteen feet in diameter. When the boat or raft was
passed through the canal, the water from the river above
was turned onto these wheels, and they were easily and
safely carried in either direction.
,
The Canal Opened. Tliis work was Completed in the fall of the
year 1794, when the canal was opened by an
apparently impromptu celebration, in a most informal
manner. A boat load of people, consisting of the Presi-
dent, Directors, Stock-holders, and a number of others,
ladies and gentlemen, to the number of sixty or seventy
persons, were carried through the canal in both directions.
The proprietors gave it the name of the " Hampshire Ma-
chine," and the " company then gave three decent and joyous
cheers, on beholding so pleasing, ingenious and useful
a novelty in this country." ^ This structure was for many
years a great point of attraction for all the country round
about. It was resorted to by parties of young people, and
by older people, who often remained at the tavern there
over night. " It was the lion of this section," and was the
first attraction that drew crowds of sight-seers. These vis-
itors nearly all traveled on horseback. The tavern frequented
by them was in the village of South Hadley Falls.
High Water in North- The dam raised the water so much above
arapton Meadows i^g ordinary level as to effect the height of
causes Sickness
the Town.
in .
, /• i -i r^
^'^^ stream for ten miles or more. Consequently
the water set back upon the
Northampton meadows in times of freshets, leaving stagnant
water where no water remained before, as it receded,
1 From newspaper reports.