| IVashimbton and the Potomac 773
x v. GF,ORGL. GILPIN TO WASHINGTON.'
D .SO'
oil stlnday the 3d of this month I event within one mile of the Seneca
falls it then rain'd very fast which prevented me from going nearer; oil
tnonday the 4th I went to -\It. Gideon Nloss's who lives the nearest to the
Falls of any person on the virginia Side, and who issued provisions to
the hands that workd under Johnston and Clapham last year. I then
crossed over the river just above the falls to the tnaryland side and went
down to where the huts was in which the people lived last fall and then
to a Mr. Goldsboroughs at whose house Johnston and Clapham lodged
When they- attended the works. I form([ no person at any of these places
who wanted to engage iturnediately. one person who had been at Mr.
Goldsborouglls oil the ist clay of the month by mistake went away. lie
wanted work and said he understood blowing rocks. Mr. .Moss arid others
informed me that they thought hands might be procured after harvest but
they were all employed in gathering their Grain and Hay; I left a short
advertizinent at these places and some others. I then view'd the falls oil
both sides and then went to Shenandoah. I arrived at harper's ferry- on
the 5th in the evening.
on the 6th it was near Iz oclock before I could procure an Express to
Bath. a few labourers Came but they did not want to enter to work
then except one old dutchman who Came very drunk. I informed them
of the Sth day of august as the day on which their wages would begin
if they appeard and would go to work. from what I Could gather from
a number of gentlemen that assembled there that labourers may be had
I believe anough for our purpose and 40/ virginia Curr'cy is about the
price. the reason a;signd why more did not appear was that their harvest
is great and all the labourers elriployd. I wrote a letter to Gover'r John-
ston and one to Gover'r S. Lee and sent them. I wrote a few adverti7e-
ments sent one to Fredericks Town and some to other places. I viewd
the falls on both sides ;Old got what Intelligence I Could Concerning the
river and theft waited at Capt. Breadys till Friday evening when f\Ir
Rutnsay a Came. eve had some Conversation about the navigation of
'The writer of this letter, George Gilpin, was one of the directors of the
Potomac Company and a very energetic worker in its behalf. When advertising,
invitations, and personal solicitation on the part of the Company had been
made
in a vain effort to obtain workincn for the project, Gilpin undertook the
task of
securing them. This letter was written on his tour of the region for that
purpose.
Pickell mentions Clapham's given name as James (p. 7o) ; whereas Mrs. Bacon-
Poster refers to him as Col, Josias Clapham (p. i53). The Johnston mentioned
seems to be Thomas Johnson. This letter contains the only reference I have
found to work on the riper in the fail of 1784.
'James Runisey, one of the most picturesque characters of the period-" Crazy
Runisey" lie was called locally in Maryland and Virginia because of his
invention
of mechanical propulsion of boats on inland waterways. Washington had met
him at Bath on his western tour, Sept. (, i;8G, and recounts in his
journal: "Re-
mained at Bath all day, and was showed the model of a Boat constructed by
the
ingenious Mr. Ramsey, for ascending rapid currents by incchanism . . . . The
Model, and its operation upon the water . . . not only convinced me of what
I
before thought next to, if not quite impracticable, but that it might be to
the
greatest possible utility in inland Navigation." flow much Washineton's
vision
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