Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-13

of the neghbors than by rendering stagnant the
water in the creek, for mile and half, we deter
mined let it 90 to its completion, under the
contract made by the James River Company, with
Thomas b. Conway, and thus have living stream
flowing through the whole channel Of the creek, and
the ravine. The entrance at the middle mouth is
guarded by guard gate, instead Of guard lock,
wa. contemplated, because it is much cheaper and
near the dam that the river will seldom rise high
enough to produce such pressure to prevent its
being opened, and If necessary, the water can be
raised high within, it is without, and not
danger the natural banks of the rayine. guard
lock was placed at Furgusons fish-pond, pro-
lection to the artificial banks in Ferguson's and
Shepherds farms, in at any time by fresh in
the river, the water should find its way the
TuckahOc island, into the ravine when it might not
be sufficiently high, to invade them from below the
dam. And here too guard gate might have an
swercd the purpose, except at particular times,
when 1t could not be opened, and the passage of
boats in the principal line might be arrested in
convenience, which we wish to guard against at all
times except when there is considerable fresh, and
then il cannot be avoided.
As to the comparative expense of the two plans,
the commissioner his seen no estimate of the eX-
pense of continuing the high level through the farms
of Mcssrs. Wickham, Curry, Wickham again, AM
bier, and part OF Fergusons. For himself, he has
thought the reaso for declining to adopt it, sufci-
ent, without making the estimate. From the view,
however, which he has taken of the ground to be
excavated and the culverts which would be required
he is under the belief that would very far exceed
the cost of the low level.
Our next object was to locate the line to Plea
SAINTS island in that way which would be most con-
ducive to the advantage of the navigation having
due regard 10 the expense which would be encoun-
tered. 1t would have been very desirable to pursue
one level through the whole distance, but the same
level which required high entertainments n various
parts of the lower portion of the section, particular
l.. n
OF the steep and rocky hill sides, the canal be
located at the foot of them, and the entertainments
raised to the proper height would occasion deep
cutting in the upper portion, particularly in the up
per part of DR.. Trents farm, and the Governors
We therefore determined to rise % feet inches, by
three locks begi ming Immediately below our grand
lock, which enabled us to leave safe passage for
Tuckahoe creek under an aqueduct and at the same
time afforded convenient and economical location
for the lateral canal 5 1-2 miles up Tuckhahoe
creek, TO accommodate the coal trade in that dis
trict, well to the principal line up the rivel
We pursued this level till it thought advisable
to lock up in SIMPSONS farm. We there took lie.
vel four feet higher, which enabled US to pass Dover
creek and Jento by aqueducts. This carried US to
the site designated by Moore s. Briggs, one foot
higher than their bench mark Upon trying the le-
vel as well the north side of the river in the farms
of Messrs. James Peasants, the Governor, Isaac W.
Peasants, and VIM. Henry Peasants, as on the
III,
by Mr.. John Gillian, found that the injury to
these farms and to the health of the neghbors would
be too great to be justified, if any other plan could
be devised. considerable portion of the broad and
fertile low ground at Maidens Adventure would be
covered with water from the bare surface of the
dam, according to Moore & Briggs bench mark
without making allowance for the thickness of the
sheet of water omit, and the gradual ascent which
1t would assume on every rise of the river, at the
distance of from one to two miles above. Indeed
no dam which would furnish toerable safe convev-
could be erected there, without producing hea-
Wy COMBINATIONS for land, and serious mischief to
| the health of the neighborhood. By extending the
section three miles fifteen chains farther all private
damage will be avoided At the Maiden's Adven-
ture falls, much lower dam will be sufficient to al.
vert the water OF the river into the canal while the
lands opposite and above it, are sufficiently hph IN
be out of the way of any damage whatever II
will be erected upon fine ledge of rocks extending
entirely across the river, and at the same time tina
the canal will be under the protection of the river
bank whichis iT, place less than 10 feet high for
upwards Of two miles down. the mouth of Bea-
Dam creek, 1t Will be located in the lowest part
OF the low ground, where the cutting will not ave-
rage feet in depth. Indeed il possesses adj
vantages which will rarely be met with on the river
In the mean time, having fixed upon a period for
drawing the water out of the old canal, when it
supposed the least injury would be done to the COM
munity, by suspendng the navigation /; when the
health of the people in Richmond, and those en-
gagged in the work, would be least exposed to dan
GER by the mud in the canal, and stagnant water in
| the basin; and when the mers who had a legal
claim to the OF the water, could best dispense
with it; and having made an agreement to furnish
a more liberal supply in time to manufacture the
crop OF wheat, as compensation for the period du-
ring which they would be deprived of it, the labour
OF boating Dirt and Strengthening the banks reInov-
ed by the James River Company for the purpose of
| giving greater width to the canal; blasting down
the promontory of rock opposite to Rutherfoord's
and ChevallieS mills, and all other blastings which
would be done before the water was drawn off :;
boating rock and building walls support the hiph-
est parts OF the new entertainments; and dcpositne
rock for building walls within the canal near the ba-
SIN, when ground was too to give the proper
width by slopes; and all other preparatory labour
was performed: These operations were carried on
under the direction OF the superintendent and as
many overseers as were competent to the manage
ment of $50 hands; this number was increased to
900, when the water drawn out on the 18th of
| May, according to notice in the Enquirer; at the
| same time that 80 10 90 hands were EMPLOYED bv
John P. Shields to accomplish his contract with the
James River Company, for the section above the
mills sufficient force was az the same time en-
gagged, to build dam in the channel where the wa
| ter was discharged in tn river at the old locks to
convert these ft-locks into guard lock, by raising
the walls of the upper chamber with the stone which
formed the lower one; and to take all other mea-
divert the channel into that portion of the
new canal, which was constructed by Briggs and
Gamble, under their contract with the James River
Company; so that this canal was filled, and
the water returned into the old one, the 18th day
of June. Since that time, a great deal was done
IN flushing the walls, which were raised to the in
tended surface of the water in the old canal while it
was OUT raising, widening, strengthening, and le-
1 -volI, 81