Morris Seely's Ditch
&
Miami-Erie Canal
" Miami-Erie Canal
History"
click on the above
The following material covers the Miami-Erie
Canal;
with due consideration to Morris Seely,
his life of foibles and follies, one
such adventure being...
Seely's Ditch.
"I want to leave something behind to be remembered by...
That something will be Seely's Ditch"
Larry Sizer 1935-201?
Dedicated to Robert Creeley,
(May 21, 1926 – March 30, 2005)
...in knowing that you know that you know.
Morris Seely
History of Dayton, Ohio 1889
(page
160) In 1830 a company was formed to construct a basin connecting the canal at
its intersection with Wayne Street and a point at the southern extremity of the
city. Morris Seely was the main mover in this project, and great expectations
were entertained in regard to it. The supreme court had decided that the water
power within the city limits, and furnished by the canal, belonged to the State
of Ohio, a decision which was afterwards reversed, and the water power given to
the Cooper estate. It was believed that this water power could be leased and
utilized along the proposed basin. Land was bought at what was then an
extravagant price, and lots laid out. These lots were small in size, and
arranged for factories, warehouses, and docks, such as would be required in a
large city, but were unsuited to a place with the pretensions of Dayton. The
scheme proved an utter failure, and left consequences that were an annoyance to
the city for years afterwards. The lots were unsalable, and the method of
platting a serious detriment to that part of the town. The canal, or ditch as.
it was afterwards called, bred disease, and the city authorities were called
upon to fill it up. Before the controversy was finally settled, the excitement
ran so high that the saw mill of Mr. E. Thresher, located on the canal at Wayne
Street, which used the ditch as a tail-race, was burned. A large part of the
ditch is now filled up, and the lower end used as a city drain
(Page
193) March, 1841: Mayor, Morris Seely,
(page
159) Morris Seely was elected State senator this year and John Turner
representative
Morris Seely's
"Documents"
"morris seely records" "Catherine Seely Records"
"cooper vs williams, uncondensed" "Cooper vs Williams, Condensed"
"Daytonology Dayton Canals & Hydraulics Front Street"
"Taylor Street" "Seely Ditch Petition's"