Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-14

Report Of .e Commissioner on the Tunes and L,rk
sons Rirer Canal.
MIR. Speaker Of the House Of Representatives.
beg leave to pr esent through you, to the House
OF representatives., my tepori, as ComnIissoner OF
the James and 3ackssn,' K,rsr Ca, Ca".I,
December 4th, 1924.
TO The General Assembly Of Vnginia
In conformity w',h an act, making mole effeciua,
provision to carry into effect the act entitled an
To anne nd the act entitled, an act for clearing
and Improving the navigation OF James river, and iu
uniting the eastern and western waters by the James
and kanawha rivers, and for other pun poses,' The
: Commss OF the James and Iacksou's River
most respectfully reports
That the portion OF the canal which is TO receive
its supply Of from the river at the upper mouth
Of 'ruckahoe creek IS flushed, except the dam
about one hundred feet Of which is We, To be made
This is principally to be ascrbed to the uuparsled
stale Of the river, which it 10 believed has bee
above low water-maIk Tor the last Nv Give months
with the exception OF between twenty and thirty days
The mouths OF August and September. If iii,
xrate Of things could have been anticipated The con.
tractor might perhaps have provided larger force
nj The only time which was allowed by the tide bu',
having an GnpSoii,ablo job, consequence of this
evil, which has etarded his operations for two sea
sons, and having employed more hands than woud
work with advantage This short period was lost with
out the work being completed. The canal is pev.r
thress, filled from Tuckahoe creek and 30 tar an.
pears TO stand we'll, aud LILLE or no appr ehen,ion r.
entertained OF ito giving way. There is yet some
yShCtilB 10 oc NoRc ih Nis portion, ana
To be paid fet condemnation of land under oartir,
lar circuIasiaGces. The portion FROM, Wickham,s
N.idge TO h,aidsns Adventure, is very far advanced
upwards completion. The exca walton NAV he sxa IA
be done, except small blocks of earth. Icfi far
the convenience Of the farmers where their ri,...
fre rot Grade and except the bodies OF earth which
IN eome places, have slipped down from the hill sides
and left hssures IN the eath above The contrac,or,
were allowed TO leave them last spIing when ,hs
earth generally wet, ia the belief thai /, woiJ
cost less labor 10 take them out when it shocd he
Ana anna d -
tut, is be feared that they wi, continue 10 com
down, I'LL their weight reduced AZ 10 alio,v ,hs -
20 rest upon their foundations. The sand washed
tIoR the hills Iias-Seen more considerable than was
anticipated insorIuch, tiai, IN some instance, ws
have resored 10 che cxpedeBr of excava,ny eircu,ar
basins, 10 be separated from the canal at It's Margin
by wsfer-tigh wall 10 The surface, so that the sand
may be precipated 10 The bottom Of the basin willis
tie water will Cow over the w1I this sand 10 be oc
casonsy th'own over the wall into boats and CARR.
ed 10 the nost convenient place where IL can Ls
gotten rid Of. In some few places where In. LII,
through which the sand 10 conduc ed is so pr.cn;,on.
leave room for basins, we will make m. :,
pertinent OF cssi-iror cylinders, placed exactly op.
pose, The bottom Of the canal, through which b,
means Of gate which can be ho,sted ~ will. we
expect get rad oil great portion oft. This efec
will be occasionally aided by the use Of broad hoes
after reducing the water 10 the canal The culver,s
and aqueducts sif done, except the Darane, walls
Of the fuck.hoe aquyaci, which have be EN- arrested
ny frost, and cannot safely he laid till the ne q, String
The Two last day walls are far advanced, and viii he
flushed in The course OF The winter CONSIDERABLE.
progress IS made in the gHud.Iock at M.ideu's Adj.
venture but little is doDeGo the waste at Bcayefdau
creek.
The sans evil which prevented the complexion Of
the lower dam, viz the very unusual continuance Of
high water has also impeded the propres, Of the
Contractor for ihe dam at MAidens Adventure. The
abu'mens and lock done, as well ss w,l ~
connect the Rorth abDne1t with the guard lock and
The greater part Of the materials for the stone
amber part are prepared, and small portion of !,
put up Cadcr these circumstances consi,Iernc d.
every Thing else will he ready bsTnr
done, and chat the Commissioner next sesso" MI
have but few subjects 10 occapy his attention. ,o",
commissioner has Thought Il unddyissbie to leave !;
70 the isrdy operations Of "a contractor. He bas
therefore, declared tie coafrsct forfeued settled c
the Work done, and Haterias on land aud 81 90 I:
into me care and management OF the James Rver
Company, TO be finished by public hands F; by vh,ch
means, large force may 'be put upon n ma s,oa ~
The safe OF the liver viii admit Of IL, aud the cam.
puI 10 operation as soon as it can be faishsd.
HE paEehIent OF the banks above Pfes,,,,,, n.
land AZ reported isst year 10 be necessatv IN
stfasion from Creshes has not been commeuesJ III;
year Tor The same reason chat interrupted thc b,;lI
ins ., the cams, VIZ Tue continued swes IN the rive,
which could have caused much more froobIs 'aod |
difneulty N laying foundation 10 the margin af liz
RIVER 10 rest the paVerseat upon, Without which .,
would be always danger OF undermining, which woad
cause " 10 iGhbio down, anj indeed IL vas fbopsb,
sdyisable, that uls bank. should have time In ,r,,
aud become ccu,pact, before this nberaljon ,LoulT
1e performed. Ills also perceived ibA, n CONSIDER,
Ole portion Of se bank in DR.. Tfent's "a I'm, oil,
iheSiser 'mpingesoa u, ought to be psyedt a.,
ibst The sun eslimste3 for this object ic ne lac
per, W" TOO small, because IL was ooIy ipteoI A.
pave me slope next 10 fhe river, whereas nj 80
tnoOgni necessary TO pave both inside and cut a. a
80 on tie tow path, for reasons which UiJ :, . "e'
sent themselves ~ that time, and which fn ,,r,',
proper now torcomngnioats. "ouBn'
~ was always 40 object Of the usnost ,.oGc;,,d.
With the comesissioaet, 40 IL aust have r,., 70
who bass reflected with suficiest iin.es :, VIZ" s
sa9 oStg thst Whee the river n,vL9siien stslib. 49,
uoneo, the canal shsll be guarded ~ae al no ,.,,,.
CSC ags,ssl the eet 81 frssbes q was tA;s =. bicS
pfomp'eo hin 10 ORA " lIe suendoa Of Gen. r.. -
ibeir effect on The New York canal, rs soos, 10
gag 'sfns% +1'y'E. Aessey Aad se,sI Eai :bI