Under Water Cement

 One problem that had to be solved in order for the canal to be a success was finding a durable material to build locks. If the locks were made of wood, they would rot in a few years. Good stone locks required hydraulic cement for water proofing mortar. At this time the only known source of hydraulic cement was in Europe. Importing the cement would have been too costly. The engineers had to solve the problem themselves.

Early on they attempted to build the locks by uniting stone to stone with ordinary mortar and then applying a thin coat of imported hydraulic cement at the joints between them. The Erie's locks where destined to fall apart. The only question was how fast these make shift locks would fall apart.

In 1818, a solution was found accidentally. Contractors along the canal line discovered natural cement rock. They found that when this limestone was pulverized into powder and combined with sand, and put into water it would form a hardened ball of hydraulic cement.

This accidental discovery was perfected by Canvass White (considered by many the most gifted engineer on the canal). Canvas White had some experiences as an engineer in 1816 and was sought after by the Governor. In 1817, Canvass White went to England to examine the hydraulic works going on there. The trip was the Governors idea but was funded by White himself. In England he traveled 400 miles observing canals, aqueducts, and underwater cements.

When White returned to New York he became the assistant engineer on the middle section of the canal. Using his knowledge of underwater cement and the discovery of the local limestone, he perfected a process of making quick lime cement that was far superior to anything that was in the United States.

This cement was made by calcining the local stone and then reducing it to powder and mixing it with water and sand to form a mortar. When the cement was placed under water, it would become increasingly hard with age. The use of this cement began in 1819 on the canal. It was applied to all parts of the canal the needed mortar. In the end, over 400,000 bushels where used in the construction of the canal.

Whites discovery caught on very rapidly. His patents where ignored by manufacturers and he never received fair compensation for the infringements on his patent. White was a great engineer but he was very unfortunate in his business affairs. Canvass White died young in 1834, leaving his wife little more than furniture that she was later forced to sell.