Monday 4th. Thermometer at 70 in the Morning—81 at Noon and 79 at Night. Very little Wind and warm—towards the afternoon Sultry.
Went up to alexandria to a meeting of the Potomack Company; the business of which was finished about Sun down—but matters which came more properly before the Directors obliged me to stay in Town all Night.
Dined at Wise’s and lodged at Colo. Fitzgeralds.
GW today delivered the annual report of the company’s directors to the general members. “The unusual height of the Waters this Spring & Summer,” he told them, “have greatly retarded our Operations on the River but should the Weather become more favorable we have reason to believe that a partial though not a perfect Navigation may be effected this fall & winter from Fort Cumberland to the Great Falls—at which place the Canal is nearly completed. Our principal force has been applied to the Shenandoah & Seneca Falls, which considering the number of hands & the unfavorable Season are in as great forwardness as we could expect” (
, 83–84).