Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-12-17


other way to the lakes. So. that, in great and
| extensive rains, and melting SHOWS upon tina,
| river, the water III the lower section, running
| more rapidly than that next above, is discliarG-
ed before any accumulation can take place: Ia
like manner each successive section rs rciicv cd
| from the torrent Which desccnsis in its neigh,
! borhood, before that which is coming from
| above can unite with it.
! On James river, tl.e circumstances are exact.
~ reversed. lnthe first section from tie old locks
| t;be head of the fas.1 10 Maidcn's Adven
% miles, the isli is loot six inches per mild
average, and ior the next thirty. eieht miles, {.
Newt anton foot ~ inches per mile. After
that, 1t gradually increases, TIL IN the mountain.
IT amounts in some sections, To an average of
| feet per mile. The whole distance, from III,
old locks to Dunlo,'s creek, being 2l5 miles,
Beyond This, the sources of the river extend IL
many directions TO great distance IN noun
taiipus country Thus, in great and extensive
rains and melting SHOWS, while the water is NOV.
| ing with comparatively slow race, in the frs
section and for thity-cght miles above, It's We
iocity beyond that, increases more and more a.
we approach the mountains, whilst the dilatory
| motion below gives time for the increasing ac-
cumulation irom above TO ovcrakc il, and &c
| produce torrent which mandates the valley
from hill To hill, and sweeps every thing before
it that is not firmly fixed, wherever the current
prevails, This will enable us to account for the
extraordinary fresh of l771, which rose forty
feet above common tide; and 1875, 10 twenty
eight fcct this last Is marked upon the door os
the ferrykeeper's house at Gainesville; that OF
l77i is said by all who old enough to notice
II, TO have been twelve feet higher than that OF
1888. Those which have occurred since t.s
have varied from common high water mark To
twenty-five feet above ordinary tide.
This remar kable difference in the character
of the two streams, cannot fail To show, that no
Al. s,
on the Mohawk, can he ofany value teus, in esti
mailing their consequences upon James river and
must warn us of the danger to be unprecedented
To our canal; where the want of fall in the river
from whence our supply of water must come,
must ofnecessity leave it anon comparative
ly low level for some number of miles below the
feeder. How farIt may be necessary 10 guard
against this evil by pavement, will depend upon
the opinion of tie agent WHO may be employed
to execute it Your commissioner is under the
belief, that will at least he necessary where the
river impinges the banks in the farms of the
Governor and DIR. Trent, which he supposes
cannot cost less than twelve thousand dollars,
which SUMS included III the estimates for finish
ing this section.
The annexed tables will shew that
there reported last year, to has -
been expended tie canal, be-
tween the old locks nd the western
mouth of Tuckaboe cresk, s88,649 81
There has been expended this
section, IN addition to- what was re-,
ported las, year, 10000 20
There will be wanted 10 fence and
gravel the towing path of this section,
IL rinish the dam, nj for valuation of
land, 1900 90
/ Making an aggregate sum for the
cost of nine miles aud fifty six chains
OF canal, of :. SI47,15O 81
Or, AN average sum per mile, of $l5,20O 90
Seven miles and fifty three chains
of this being the main line of the ca
nal and mile forty-ihr chains
being the length of the feeder above
the guard lock, reported last year.
There was reported last year. to
have been expended. between Wick
hams bridge and Maidcms Adven-
tu.c, SIo5i3 dl
There has been expended on this
section, in addition to what was re-
ported last year, oo5,775 &c
There will be wanting to finish
this section, to fence and gravel the
towing PATH and for damages Of
land, 85yOOO OC
Making aggregate for complet-
ing fifteen miles and J6j chains of
canal, of $339,Gl3 CT
Or' an average sum, per mile, Of $21,306 40
The dam which fills the old canal
at tic lower arch is gone to decay,
that il must be renewed next sum-
mer, since patching and mending
will do no longer 1t is difficult 10
estimate its cost with pr. ision, be-
cause of its crooked direction and va
rious height at different places; but,
1t is tls'ught unsafe 10 put it at less
than 10000 on
As it is important, that this section of tle
canal should be brought into operation as soon
as possible, and the work al Beaverdam. and the
dams across James river, cannot be attcinptcd
until The spring or summer, when the creek is
not liable to frequent frcshes, and the river SD
fall to low water mark, and become warm
enough for the hands employed to po into il,
IT Is respectfully suggested to the Legislature
that IL may be proper to instruct the James river
company, TO reserve much money rs will
serve for tins purpose, in case there shonld be
prospect of deficiency in the appropriations for
this and tbe mountain section.
Ii VIII be seen reference TO the amount |
expended on the section to Tuckahoe, that the !
sum reported last year, as necessary To flush it,
independent of gravellng and fencing, for |
winch no estimate was made, will not be mate |
rally deficient. On that, however, from Wick
hams Bridge to Maiden's Adventure, a much
larger sum is required than was then deemed |
necessary. The estimates have generally !
proved adequate to those items Of expenditure |
which were ascertained; but il has been found ne !
cessary to resort to many expedients which were
not anticipated; and it was thought, that good
economy required the execution of some of the |
work, in a. more expensive style than was in
tended.
In addition to- this, the estimates for damages |
to land were too low, in consequence of the as
sess'uPnis since fine last REPORT b,,iur HIGHER |