Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-15

Ger, Esq. by hls Iamented drai.i,to sup
pix whose vacancy they have appointed
John w. Green, Esq.-On The twelfth day
ut November, 1916, the hoard proceeded
to the appointment Ola principal engineer,
WREN Lnammi Baldwin, EST. was chosen.
This gentleman WAS represented from
The most respectable sources 10 the pre-
sideni and directors rs a man OF great m
formation and science III his profession, u
has displayed so much ability as well as
assiduity mhis examinations, surveysand
reports, as 10 excite great regret at the
bounds receiving an intimaiion of his in
tention 10 resign his employment. The
services in which the principal engineer
has been and is now employed, Will APP
pear from the scqpelof this report.
To enable the legislature 10 Judge Of
the present state of the various compa-
MICS in which The fund for internal ini-
provement has an interest, and 10 shew
the progress made, the president and di-
reciors beg leave TO refer, Ia the co'nmu-
nicaiions from the said companies, 10 the
secretary of this board.
By letter from the treasurer of The
Little River turn pike company, (malked
T. is shewn the progress which has beea
made by them, towards The fuiiiln;ent OF
| the objects of their incorporation. by
this report, II appears, that Tie tolls OF
the company, for the year ending thirty
| first December 1876, were S 81 ,937 Sc, a
sum greater, than that anticipated, in the
last annual report Of this board, and that
| the expectation therein expressed, Of Il
| dividend of six per centum, being made
| in January 1918 will be realised.
The report of the Dismal Swamp Canal
company, (marked Co. presents an intp-
resting view of the state ami progress of
that work. Ii appears they have expend-
ed $4,000, during the pasl year, and
made considerable advances in deepen
iug and widening their canal. Tie in
crease of public confidence in this i'm
| portant enterprise, manifested, by the
augmentation of the value OF IFS stock,
affords a pleasing presage OF its success
| full accomplishment. In pursuance OF
The act of Assembly of The last session.
| The president of this board, under its AN
tlority, has subscribed the sum provided
| for therein towards The capital stock oi
| said company, Of which S 10, 800 have
| been paid 10 the company, being the in
| staimcnt ofsaid subscription, payable IN
| August 1917. Illustrative OF this parl OF
| the present report, will be found the cor
| respOndence between ihepresidcnt of this
board and the president of the said COM
pany, designated Nos. l, . and g.
| The letter from the President Of the
| Upper Appomattox company (markcd D.
will shew the relative situation OF that
work, at the dates Of the last and present
reports. The opinion seems TO he enter
tanned, by those having the management
Of this undertaking, ihaf il will be ac-
complished in two years more.
| The principal engineers now employ
ed, under the resolution of the board
| (markcd Ed in surveying the route of "a
canal, for the purpose OF connecting the
waters of the Roanoke and Appomattox
| rivers, the expense of which survey is 10
be betrayed by the inhabitants of Pc
tersbHrg, it having been made at their
instance, and they having raised a fund,
for that purpose. The extreme impor-
| lance to the southern counties Of this
state, OF forming connection between
the waters ofthe Roanoke and the ATTAIN
tic, thro' the Appoma,tox, is too appa-
rent TO require comment or calculation.
The practicability of attaining, and the
| most eligible mode oil accomplishing the
! object, will be better estimated after the
report of the engineer shall have been
made.
AS soon as the priacipal engineer shall
have performed the service, IN which he
| is now engaged, be has been directed
! TO survey the contemplated route of
canal, from Goose Creek, III the coun-
! " of Loudoun, TO Alexandria, as is
! provided for in tie resolution of the
president and directors. (msrked F. the
! expeuce of which survey is 10 be borne
by the people of Alexandria; for which
purpose all adequate sum has been pro-
vided.
A resolution has also been passed. here
TO annexed, (marked o. providing for the
survey of the route of canal, connect
| ing the waters OF the Roanoke and James
| River; provided the funds necessary TO
| defray The expence of that survey, be
raised by those who have solicited of tie
board, the performance Of that service.
| The president and directors beg leave
| TO refer to the document (inarked II } be-
| ing very full report of the situation Of
the Potomac Company, exhibiting also
The rise and progress of the improvement
of tue navigation Of that river and lis iri-
butary streams. II will appear, that
! though the stock of that company is at
| present unproductive Of profit TO the
stockholders, The improvement of the
navigation as far as il has proceeded, has
| rendered great and essential service TO
tie highly important and fertile parts Of
| tile commonwealth, which are connected
with tie Potomac or dependent on it,
/ for The carriage Of its produce 10 a mar
! ket. This is demonstrated by the great
aaa progressive increase of the native pro-
ducts, aud of the mercbaudiZe, which it
appears from document annexed to the
report of The company, have been trans
ported on that river, for a succession of
| years.
The documeniq withthe statement en-
closed from lie nresldenf nf the Illnns