The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-01-07

ed much more secure and Beneficial, and
the time during which il can DO used NAV
be considerably extended, will not admit
OF doubt. Whether this portion OF the ri
yer may be rendered ut all times boatable,
depends OH the depth Of water to be collec,
ted in particular channels b. such means
as are applicable to,hc object.
Some of your Commissioners have been
personally engaged in opening the naviga-
tion OF the North Fork Of James river
through Rockbridgc. They are decidedly
OF opinion that the river denominated
" Jackson's," contains, as far as Dmlop's
creek, more water and less formidable OBJ
structions than were found in the North
Fork. Yet the North Fork, though its i'm
provement is far from being complete. is
now actually used to great advantage, and
is not much inferior tn the river below -----,
Some experienced and judicious boatmen
who were employed on the expedition, who
are we'll acquainted with tho river and it's
navigation, unite in the declaration that,
IT the means be taken which ought to be
employed, that part of JaIpes river which
is between the Cow Pasture and Dunlop s
creek may be used by any boats which will
be capable OF continuing their voyage to
Lynchburg.
Your Commissioners concur in this opin-
ion i; and they take occasion now to remark
that, should it be deemed advisable still to
adhere to the system of improvement here
tofore used in the upper part of the river,
the difficulties OF this navigation would, they
think, be much diminished by several faci-
litics which might be given to it. They
would particularly suggest chains with
bnoys, fastened ill rocks or other rise, or
walls on which men may walk, Of which
boatmen might avail themselves to lessen
the labor of ascending places of peculiar
Nd i,py tb
load which may be carried up the river, or
to diminish the number of persons necessa-
ny TOR carrying up given load. They will
also mention a fact deemed favorable TO
the object contemplated by the Legislature.
II is this although the cold may be more
intense in the bosom of the mountains than
below, this part Of the river seldom freezes
over. 80
1t will perhaps save the honorable the
members of the Legislature some calcutta
ton 10 \obserVe, that the distance from
Lynchburg to the commencement Of the
Blue ridge is stated, in the report of Mr..
Alexander, 10 be IS miles IA * 80 poles :;
the elevation TO be Ill feet inches shew-
ing an average elevation OF four and an half
feet to the mile. The distance through the
mountain, that is from Racoon Island to
the mouth of the North Fork isl Ia miles
and 40 poles and the elevation 1o1 feet 6
inches, giving an average elevation of up
wards of II feet to the mile. The distance
from the mouth of the North Fork to
Crows ferry, or Bealps bridge, the high
est point to which navigation is to be car
ried by the James River Company, is stated
At 90 miles, 80 poles and the elevation is
121 feet inches making the average ele
walton FIVE feet to mile. -.
The distance from Beall'. bridge or
Crows ferry, to the mouth of the Cow Pas
turc. is stated at SO miles SO poles-and the
elevation is 100 feet inches making the
average elevation 1-2 feet nearly to a
mile. The distance from the mout tn of the
Cow Pasture to the mouth of Dunlop's
creek is stated at % 81 miles 20 poles !,
and the elevation is 228 feet inches ma
king the average elevation Ia feet to the
mile.
Having reached Dunlop's creek your
Commissioners proceeded to view and
mark out what appeared to them to be the
best and most direct way for turnpike
road from the mouth iof that creek to the
most convenient navigable point on Green
brier river.
With some inconsiderabls Z deviation
which will appear iii the report of Mr.. a
lexander already referred to, and some o.
theirs which will be suggested, the road
now leading from the mouth of sDunIop's
creek by Bowyer's Sulphur Spfing to An
derson's Ford, over Greenbfier, at the
mouth Of Howard's creek, is Believed to be
the most eligible which can be made. To
that part of the road which passes from
the mouth of Dunlop's creek to the old j.
ron works, a distance of about five miles.
there arc considerable objections which
your Commissioners are inclined to believe
may be diminished. The road crosses the
creek eight times and the ground during
the winters spring would, if not much used
and not well covered with stone or gravel.
be much cut and be very deep. The creek
TOO is frequently so high as not TO be florida
BILE.
Should it be found practicable, which
your Commissioners believe to be the fact,
20 render Dunlop's creek navigable up to
its falls, some distance below the old iron
works, these Inconvenience would be in
great measure moved.
Should 1T be deemed unadyisabIe to c ar
py navigation up Dunlop's creek, adirecti-
on, as is understood from somt OF the inha
bitauts of that nieghborhood, may be given
10 the road, so as TO avoid FIVE crossings of
thc creek, and at the same time shorten
the distance. No attempt to view this way
was made, because guides could hot readil;
re procured, and your commissioners fear
ri that, ~ devotug too much time to n
minor object, o. which Complete informati-
on is atcainsbl5 with care and certainly
through various channels, they might IA
zaTd Tie f2Iiure OF others which we're he
heyed 10 DC OF rluch importance.