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The papers of James Harris contain correspondence with William Bell, John Blair, John Mitchell, and others, 1802-1826; a plan of Mifflintown (1790), 1814; deeds for lots in Bellefonte, 1807, 1809; agreements between James Harris and others, 1803, 1813, 1826; notebook, journal, notes, etc., regarding various surveying expeditions, 1784; notifications of Harris' appointment, 1787, to lay out a highway from Frankstown on the Juniata to the mouth of Loyalhanna Creek on the Conemaugh; field notes, 1787, relating to the Frankstown to Conemaugh road; book of acreages, with journal of surveys, 1786-1787, on the Conemaugh, the Sinnemahoning, and other streams; field notes on surveys, 1792-1806; receipt book of William Harris and James Harris, 1803-1813, and day book for the estates of John Harris and William Harris, 1800-1826.
Revealing professional, political, and personal involvements during James D. Harris' employment as principal engineer on the Western Division, 1827-1829, West Branch Division, 1831-1834, and North Branch Division, 1836-1838, of the Pennsylvania Canal, the papers of James Dunlop Harris embrace considerable correspondence with canal commissioners, superintendents, engineers, contractors, and such prominent individuals as Joseph McIlvaine, William C. McPherson, John Mitchell, William Fisher Packer, E. F. Pennypacker, Francis R. Shunk, Joseph Smith, Thaddeus Stevens, and Josiah White. Included are such interesting items as a letter to John Mitchell, 1833, describing a riot between canal laborers and boatmen, and an account of William F. Packer for the expenses of troops led by Captain S. H. Wilson to quell the disturbance.
There is correspondence, 1833-1834, with James and Simon Cameron relating mainly
to Harris' taking an engineer's position on the Portsmouth and Lancaster Railroad;
correspondence, 1835, with Thomas Burnside of the Bald Eagle and Spring Creek
Navigation Company and Abner Lacock, president of the Pennsylvania-Ohio ("Cross
Cut") Canal; correspondence, 1835-1836, during Harris' employment as principal
engineer on the Pennsylvania-Ohio Canal; and correspondence, 1831-1841, with
William Foster, Jr., Harris' assistant, friend, and successor in canal appointments.
Related items include a longhand copy by Harris of his report on the survey
of the Columbia Philadelphia Railroad, 1838; notes by James M. Nesbit on two
surveys done in 1837 along Penn's Creek, one for a railroad, one for a canal,
both under directions of James D. Harris; a copy of Harris' report on the Union
Canal, relative to the enlargement of that waterway, 1839; statements on canal
techniques and canal problems; and various plans and drawings for canal features.
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