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Letter to John G. Stringer From Dr. Dr. Robert J. Kapsch Follow-up on Paddle Gate, December 22, 2004
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203745084
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Letter to John G. Stringer From Dr. Dr. Robert J. Kapsch Follow-up on Paddle Gate, December 22, 2004
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December 22, 2004
Mr. John G. Stringer
(b) (6)
Poolesville, MD 20837
Dear Jack,
Since you showed me the paddle gate in your possession from a lock presumably on the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, I have been looking through my records to see what I might
have on this artifact in your backyard.
Enclosed please find a drawing of what I believe may have been the original design
drawing of your paddle lock and others like them. This drawing comes from the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal records in the National Archives and is not dated but I
believe it is circa 1830. This drawing would have been used by the foundry to cast these
paddle gates. Note the cast iron pin that would have been used to pivot the gate.
Also enclosed is a drawing of the wood frame that would have supported the gate.
By comparing the dimensions of your paddle gate to these drawings, we can probably
reach a pretty good level of assurance that these were the drawings that were used to
manufacture the paddle gate in your possession.
It is my understanding that you are interested in donating this artifact to Historic Medley
for display in their garden both as an historical artifact of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
and as a historical memory of your Great Grandfather (and as part of the history of
Poolesville) who used this paddle gate as a fireback in your home. These drawings might
be used as an interpretative display to explain how the paddle gate operated. Other
drawings, showing the paddle gate in its position in the lock gate, are also available and
also may be used as part of such an interpretative display.
I hope that you find these drawings of interest. I am also forwarding a copy of these
drawings to Historic Medley.
Thank you for your interest in preserving this interesting piece of canal history and the
history of Poolesville.
Robert J. Kapsch
Cc to: Perry Kapsch, Historic MEdley