Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-02-06
RICHMOND, FEBRUARY 6.


From The Engineer Of the Board Of Public Forks
ios Mc,abrr Of tie Board.. OTdeIed by the
Hoass of Delegates to be printed.
Since my return from the survcy nv which,
have been lateiN engaged. L have bad some
leisure TO r,aecI OH The nature, the magnitude
and The iaimense Importance OF the trade ot
the James river
should the navi CATION be rendered asperfect
rs the nature OF the country VIII aumit OF, ~
will not only be important 10 a large portion
OF citizens east of the AHeghnnv mountain,
but to many other citizens OF Tue west, The
state 1T large, ard may say, 10 me united
STATES pariicuiarly (as il relates 10 the iaiter)
under such circumstances Us have recently
occurred. land which may again occsr. But
the most pleasing part OF tlc consideration is
10 discover with what facility the trade itself,
after the expenditure of a considerable sum at
the commencement, will produce the meaus
for effeetuating any thing that can lac desired
relative To the Improvement OF the navigation.
In every calculation have made on the sub
ject, the result has exceeded, and i believe on
any fair calculation that can be made, the
result viii exceed in amount, any ani;cipations
which have made, or Others may have made,
without resoItng tosuch sources tor informa.
rion. therefore very mnch regret that time
did not admit Of my taxing The necessary notes
toenabe me TO make "A correct estimate OF the
expence of a continued canal along the ravine
of the river. We have, however, some data for
such Il calculation, and also Tor estimating the
amount ofrevenue from the trade that viii be
Carried on through that chabnei. Let ns then
if we err at all, 10 let il he on the safe side
that is, to allow rather more tor the improve
ment of the nav eation than we believe it will
actually cost, and rather less amount of reve-
nue. than we believe il will probably produce.
Suppose, then, we Try the first nineteen miles
from Richmond, which Will incinde the whole
OF the coal trade, unless there should be fur
Their discoveries of coal llis her up the country:
For canal from Sabbois Island down.
wards, niles, at 81, 600 per mile, $4,000
mile OF ditto, 10 the upper arch, 5000
Extension of the upper canal 10 the
lower, Esay) miles, at S6,0OO,' IL 600
locks, at 81 900, ~ 900
do. aud one dam, 20 afford the means
OF getting into the canal from the
river side, 10000
Improving the lower canal, 1000
Bridges and culverts, 5000
For contingencies, engineer, Sc. 10per
cent. 900
So goo
On this navigation, a stout horse, man and
a boy viii make trip with 900 bushels of
coal in two days. Composing the dock te be
6uished, so as TO admit of n convenient me hod
OF nnioading,) the expence will be about six
dollars, or six mills per bushel at present, |
believe il Is certainly more than three cents
perhushel, exclusive of the boat, which might
be considered The same in both cases, though
abe calculation would be in favor of one large
one instead offive small ones
Ii, then, an additional toll of two cents per
bushei was paid, the owner would still be a
gamer OF oHe and a half cents per bushel on
the upper navigation, save the whole OF the
transportation to Rockets and the coa-i be de-
llyered into the vessels, worth several cents
pes bushel more than at present.
10 is said that more than 500 600 bushels
have been delivered from one establishment,
IN one year, and that there is no doubt but
that all the others collectively will deliver
more Than donble that quantity, say, in the
whole, 250OIOoG0~ bushels, which, at cents,
Is $4,000
The present toll for that quantity would
be about 10 900
, The sum, 10000
Which is six per cent. on one million of dol
lars.
Let us now see what the expense will be of
continuing the Improvement 10 Lynchbprg on
the same plan. This distance by the river is
$50 pllies, but would be less by "a canal: we
viii. however, call il the same three fourths of
which, at least, will he good digging.
Say " miles OF canal, al 1000, SI94 900
~ 10. 1000, OS 900
10 40: 5000, II, 900
20 'Set oI iocSage, al S025 per loot. xSl $50
For extra locks tor getting into the
canal, so non
Cuverts, 1. ana
Bridges across canai 10 OOO
Dams across creeks, &c. 25 600
--
- 1890
Contingencies, sngineer, &c. 10 per ct. n ,025
79i ,I75
wv OF the IFst ~ miles, S0 900
49,, SIS, 075
James River Stock, 100000
I.I7S O75
From whence it appears that the coal trade
alone VIII ncariy pay the irterest on the whole
S sum buI II we add the present tolls which
WIZ pfohably be this year 5 600, deductipg