The opening day celebration of the Erie Canal in 1825 was a momentous occasion, featuring parades as well as crowds of people gathering to witness the first ships sail through the canal. One such witness was the Reverent Charles Giles. Giles arrived in Western New York from Connecticut, and eventually settled outside Utica after more than a dozen years of preaching around the state. A part-time poet, Giles wrote “Celebration of a Grand Canal” as a tribute both to the monumental construction as well as a salute to then Governor Clinton for his role in the project.
“Celebration of the Grand Canal” (1825)
Fixed as a pharos midst the flood,
Enwheeled by glory’s noontide blaze,
And marked by wonder’s eager gaze,
The ruling genius dauntless stood!
Who[se] will matured the grand design
To change creation’s ancient line;
To prostate mountains, rend the ground,
Th’ opposing streams by art to guide, tear up old Nature’s storm-proof bound,
and blend proud Erie’s waves with Ocean’s tide!
Impelled by skill and public weal,
Th’ illustrious sire of state proclaimed
The grand emprise, which rose high famed
O’er reasoning false and party zeal.
The peers of state, in council wise,
Saw in the scheme grand prospects rise.
Forth orders went, and straight the power
The prompt auxiliaries obeyed and seized the all-propitious hour
To form new wonder and giver commerce aid.
‘Twas said, and straight the bounding share,
From shore to shore, cut wound on wound,
Tore through dense forests, swept the ground,
And laid Earth’s hidden treasures bare!
The hills afrighted moved aside;
Deep excavations opened wide,
Strong marble bars felt sudden shocks;
Huge sledges stroke their strata through;
Impelled by flames the solid rocks
Leaped from their beds, and, thundering, upward flew!
The levelled bed, thus urged by force
Through villages, and hills and woods,
And rocks, and meads, and fens, and floods,
Maintained its welcome, winding coarse.
O’er nether streams strong arches rose,
On which the ponderous banks repose;
A smooth firm way adorns the strand;
On solid walls high o’er the road
The frequent bridges arching stand,
And swinging gates stupendous lock the flood.
Hark! loud the signal sounds from far
The Work’s complete, the cannon roar
Along the banks from Erie’s shore:
The triumph rides in thunder’s car!
‘Mid splendid trains in honor’s cause,
With martial pride and loud applause,
Throned on a pompous barge sublime
The patriot comes from Eries’s past,
Borne on his own invented stream,
Bound to th’ emporium on the Atlantic Coast.
Now brilliant crows convival meet,
With mingled music sounding high
And rapture sparking in each eye,
The founder, patrons, all to greet
Of the grand work, and celebrate
This novel era of the state
The festal halls with pomp abound;
The flowing state no gift denies;
Our councils rule; our parts resound
With commerce, learning, arts, and enterprise.
Or noble guest awakes delight;
From port to port loud thunders greet
His welcome barge; the joyful treat
Sheds mimic day amid the night.
Now all conspire in one grand cause,
And swell the notes of just applause.
So, vassel waves in pomp convey
Down through the state your charge along!
While future years revive this day,
And barges float let CLINTON’S name be sung!