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Document 35, P 15

forty men at the pumps to keep it down and it was not without the utmost
difficulty that the Pier was founded upon that principle at that Depth.
The South Abbutment and Contiguous Pillar were also successfully found-
-ed according to the original Intentions but at the second Pier from the South
the Water being much deeper (being in the Main channel and the Gravel
Bottom clean wash’d like the second from the North Mr Smeaton judged in
vain to attempt any more Pillars by Coffer dams because it would be an
useless expence to construct a Coffer Dam without the least probability of
mastering the Water.
Early in the summer of one thousand seven hundred and seventy
eight the remaining five Pillars were begun to be executed by Caisson and
Mr Smeaton attended the execution of the first that was laid which was
the fourth Pier from the North side being the support of the North side of
the Center Arch and which was done with so much [???] Expedition
Ease and convenience that the Season and weather turning out remark-
-ably fine the whole body of Agents and workmen pressed forward to get as
many of them done as possible while that favorable Season lasted but a
number of Blocks for the Girdle course not immediately arising out of the
Quarry’s of a sufficient size for the purpose about the latter end of July four
out of the five Caisson Piers were grounded upon the bottom of the River and
brought above water when only one of them had any of the Girdle Stones
brought and deposited and this only in part around it beginning from the
Western or upstream Salient point and extending from thence about half
way around the Pier on each side in this state of things after a remarkably
dry Season of some Months there came a violent rapid flood not indeed
a very high one, but the River being previously empty of Water and the Rain
which occasioned it falling very suddenly it came down (being also urged by
a violent wind at West) with uncommon rapidity the Consequence of which
was that the four Caisson Piers totally unguarded except as above mentioned
were all underwashed at the West ends to the depth of about fifteen inches
15 at

Note: Mr Smeaton's Memorial, p 15

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Transcribed by CTW and KS