Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-12-20
Report Of The Commissioner Of tie James and Jackson,
itirer Canal.

Rirer Carul
To THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA
The Commissioned and Engineer the James and ack
sons river canal, respectfully REroRTs:
That the cona from the city Richmond to the Mai
denS Adventure Fails, is far completed to admit of
being III full operation throughout its whole extent Its
banks however in u;nbrr places, have become so
much depressed by settling aud abraded by showers of
ram, ms to require considerable abuur expense in
pairing them There also, several contracts fem
cling upon the towingpath which in progress of
ton aud yet completed; and farm-brAse to be
built for Mr. Richard SIMPSONS accommodation, winch
has been lately awarded him by the Superior Court
! Law for Goochand county.
This improvements in addition a very large proportion
of heavy stone wang, comprises the following works
art:Cpou the first level, extending distance of three
miles and twenty chains from the basnin Richmond there
are three wers, culverts food gates
one armbridge, two foot bridges, guard-gate. and
dam across the river Upon the second level extending the
distance uf two miles and chains. there are two
-locks two wastes. guardlock, farm bridges
one euar,l-pa,c and dam ncr,ss an arm NJ rho -
Upon the third level extending the distance aud
half niles to the western mouth Of TuekahG Geek
are three lift-loch guardlocks guard gate,
wastes two cuvcr nine farm iges, mud dam
The river Upon the fourth level extending the distance
hve and half miles, there three -uckS. aoue.
duct two cuvets three wastes, road bridge. six
tarn-bridges Upon the 9th avpl extending distance
o miles, the Maiens Adventure Falls, there arc
two gnard-lock two itlocks, four aqucducts. Gull
verts five wastes, road-bdge, fifteen ridges
ami dam ACROSS the river making in all, dams "a
cross the river, t-ocks, including those dams
i've Suad-ocks, three guardgates five aqueducis nine
cuiverts fifteen wcrs flood gates excu-
sve of those in several of wers
two rodd-brIses, and thirty -four m-brdges. To which
may De added fencing upon The greater part of the line,
tnw-hfid2cs all the wastes and hand-rang upon
veral Of the walls
rcshet in the river which happened in January Ia st,
ate the tnrmcr Commissioned had made his report,
sionrd considerable injury Two high walls
were thrown down, with their embankmens nd waste
wier attached of them chamhcr-walls of
the gn'rd-ock in Mr. WickhamS farm with tho embark
ment which it supporcd prosrated, canal fl
led two eet deep with the ruins for considerable ds'a
below it. The emhankmrnt about pal: of flood gates
which had been constructed in the lower mouth OF ruCka
hu reek was swept away and the cana much filled in
several other places These injuries together breach
III the old canal which t'k place ahou tine time,
o other breaches upon the second level which happened
during the summer, several additional farm bridges, and
some extra damages obtained by legal process hpve pro-
duccd an accession the of the work, beyond what
was f0resecn and estimated.
The improvement fo passing Beaverdam Creek, which
mad been devised aud contracted for by the former ena-
neer to consist OF two guard gates placed sixty feet apart
and connected by dam, which, aud between
the gates, the Greek to PASS in times Of oh
water, and he received other times
was deemed very Objectionable in many respects and Of
coUs rejected. In lieu of it. aqucuct hundred
feet in eusth has been thrown the Creek and
Dectcd with guard for the protection of the canal
below In this aqueduct, cast-iron cu.veIts nSe
ted Tor the passage of the Creek its ordinary
Gegh but, when 1t rises considerably, Tie aqueduci VIII
be inundated without injury the canal impciirnent to
its navigation.
lower mouth of TucEahn Geek nnd found to answer
the purpose for which they inpnded) pefmanent
Ste-dam has been substituted. The dam }aden'
Adventure from its Importance that part OF the canal
which is dependant upon for supply water claimed
the most prompt attention. and accordingly, as the
water of tho river bad sufficiently subsidized were
commenced upon by the public the 30lh day of
May and it was completed on the Bis; day of August,
an expense not exceeding the original estimate.
part only, Of the paving which thought be adj
visnbe ny the former Conn sianer has been executed
GVnffal
sary, and if found be hcrcat,e may cleaply
eXected with the advantage Of transportation Go
the materials upon the camalGrayeing the ow-path has
been omitted for the reasons.
There has been expended aud paid upon the whole
work. from the first day December 1924 TO the first dav
of December, 1895 the sum Of SI5,S01 60, which viii
appear ID de'a by the table which accompanies this Re
port
There will be wanted to pay balances due upon COT
tracts, damages ascertaucd and be asccgtaned for
raising and repairing the bauh, build bridge for
' house at the lower arch, aud the fencing nine
thousand dollars.
The wooden locks which form communication by wa
ter between the basin in his city dock are in bad
order, aud too much dccayed admit being otherwise
repaired than by thorough rccnnstructon They are
considered however, very useless appendage to the ca
mai; and The propriey of their being discontinued by law
IS respectfully suggested.
The ground which they occupy with use Of as much
water as IS necessary for their operation, applied to
otner purposes, would sell for considerable sum- applicable
to other works Of much greater public utility.
BY the dam Maidrns Adventure the fall of the river
mas been completely for about miles above it,
ahordng excellent river vigation that distance; and
the same result has been produced by the completion the
dam Fore5 These facts exhibit remarkable and very
interesting contrast between the expense improving the
navigation Of the river upon own bed v means Of dams
aud locks and that Of making the independent canal In
Inc one case, two dams with lock in each erected al an
xpence Of about forty thousand dollars, furnish the most
perfect rtrer navigation for twenty miles; the other
twenty miles Of independent has been fot,d to cost
ten tunes that amount!
Some enactment by the Legislature seems 10 be neces4-
~ tor lie purpose OF establishing proper regulations upon
Inc canal aud preventing injury TO the works nv
persons employed IN its navigation. The locks especially
whose floors Of plank will he perforated and de-
oycd by their spike poles, unless measures are adopted
To prevent il.
JNO. STAPLES. Commissioner
CfJameS and Juctsols Rircrs
From me " T. .4'5iou Of Dcc. g. /
Mr.. kcau has played during the week CHteVo AIgebeH
SIR Edrard Mortimer in tine Iron CHEST and last npht took