Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-15

II OF keeping seventy-two locks and dams in repair
as well az the Fay OF seventy-two iock-keepers,
heavy emin the annual charges upon the esta
blishment.
Billy. II would threw the water back into
| every creek and rvuet which comes into the RI
yer, they being most generally low and sluggish
near their mouths, when il wonid become stag
nant, and produce deleterious effects upon the
health Of all who reside near the river; an
objection which ought 10 have much weight, be-
cause the health, indeed the lives of individuals
cannot be estimated in money. Add to this The
damages for injuries to the adjoining lands, and
haHasslng applications for compensation for incl
dental injuries to crops from ioodngs, since iron,
all reasonable calculation, the elevation of freshes
and the consequent frequency of overfowings ~ III
be Increased by cession of daIas from one end
OF the navigation 10 tbe other
Ind whereas il is deemed most expedient 10
clear out the bed OF these rivers in all parts where
their current is gentle; where sluces are found TO
graduate then, in all places where they can be
graduated consistently with true economy so as 10
give Eom two and bali to three feet depth Of
water IN the driest asons, and where The fall is
so great az not 10 admit Of such improy emepts,
ie' dams aud locks be introduced. taking care be-
lore any dam is erected, to designate the trace
winch ne boat Is 10 pursue, and 10 blast our such
ROCKS as are studded in that trace aid viii no, he
covered deep enough, when the water sbsJl he
raised, TO prevent the boats from striking them:
pTecauiion, which would be required under any
system OF lock and dam navigation And here i,
| may be remarked, that the mischief 10 the health
OF individuals. which is spprehended from the s,il,-
WAFER navigation before spoken OF, will rarely be
encountered upon this plan, because creek or
riyuie' iS seldom seen 10 fow into The river when
there Il !all OF much magnitude For. the la
| 'er"i streams, as they approach the river con-
stantiy seeking a low level, will make their wav
INTO i, Below the falls; or if they are forced into
opposite TO The tails, they precipitated over the
same bed ofrocks which causes the fall in the IL
ver,and consequently, there is seldom any danger
that the water will flow back into Them 10 an eY
tent sufficient to annoy the health of The jnhabi.
'ants OF The adjoining country. On the contrary
where they tall INTO the river between one ripple
and another, there being nothing impene;rable 10
divert their passage, tine soft low grounds WELD
10 the'r excavation, til their beds become slmos,
as low as the surface OF the wafer in the river In
aaoi'lon 10 which, accident commonly leads them
through meandering course, W ch would Increase
The amount OF .iagnan, water that would be fore
ed into them, by raising the river above s usual
height. The objections urged against sIuice navi
CATION are the difficulty OF overcoming the current
IN ascending, aud the danger in descending. But.
these objections cannot apply 10 the mode of i'm
provement now suggested For, the examine ci,.
ed by The Engineer, page 45t, suppo-es a steam
! boat siemmIng current of five miles an bonr:
and again in page 46l. four feet in quarter of
iniie or sixteen feet per mile is taken for an ex-
ample where u il stated that the current ia Z miles
an hour, from which il may be presumed. that
where The current is five miles an hour. the fall
is about ~ ieei in mile. Without undertaking.
10 calculate the difference between s,emni,o
curent produced BY fall of 90 feet 10 the r1,s
and one produced by fall of feet TO the mile /,
will be perceived that tie result would he xyidsl
different The fall in the river from Nader,
Adventure 10 LynchbuIs being three feet IN ib
mile, lei one third of that be overcome By loci.
and dams, and The balance would he reduced In an
average OF TWO feet 10 the mile. But as in max
ing this reduction, there would be IDany par,cul,,
places exceeding this average decliyity IL, ono
hundred and sixty feet be overcome by dams and
locks, and the balance OF Two hundred fee, be dis
iriou'ed upon all the gentle portions of The
stream. And these portions would far excesd in
distance the proportion of two hundred TO one
hundred and sixty, because the one hundred and
sixty ieet would be overcome at the rapids here
great deal OF fall 81 ould be inundated in sbo,,
distance. And again, these dams beine loc,, ed a,
the rapid where the fall is considerable, and In
tie, or no misctie! TO be apprehended from ,b.n
may be raised to height OF Sc, en- or eisb f.s
| average, 70 that in the whole distance ffo,,
Maiden's Adventure TO Lynchburg, there wouIl
MOI De hic'eW twenty-five dams, perhs "a not az
| many. by adopting this mode, we should avail
ourselves nj all ihs advantages Which the natural
stream affords, and we should apply our aid onI,
where II Is necessary; we should save the ex
pense OF Ely dams and locks, and OF hf,v loci,
Keepers; We should relieve the peopls on the rive,
from The appsiing apprehension Of losins their
health, and perhaps their lives And ., il no
supposed that the Improvement Of the slu;ces
and the bed OFT the river between one Fam ami am,
Their, would cost much as the additional nuo,-
Der OF dams and locks. Every unacceptable nm
Position,) yet the saving Of expenses in repairs
ana ioeA keepers, without adveTting to The ALI
'mPoit'h, consideration o spsring thehealth Of 70
many ind.Eiduais, saould decide the judgment in
iavoT "i tins mixed mode OF improvement
" ReSofred, therefore, bu the Gener0t ne
senbIy, That he Civil Engineer be instructed as
as practicable during The ENSUING season h.a'
ing regard 10 bis other duties, 10 employ the me-
cessary assistance, aud make an accurate survey
oil the James and Jackson's river, with view IN
me mode OF Improvement suggested above: be
ginning at Mahien's Adventure falls, and proeeed-
ing 70 Dunlaps creek, If practicable, or as far up
as The season will allow designating the site of
each dam That will be necessary, and it's heisbi
stating the length and fall OF the intermediate
spaces aud advising the best mode of improvinr
these spaces and whether in bis opinion. there is
any Place where shofl canal is Necessary Avid
ihsi he report IN detail 20 the next Legislature
The e-tima'ed cot Of be whole IN such s-r ali
sections IS he may deem most convenrent end adj
visi"bls, Nth aDy other matter that he NAV think
expejient. .
This mode Of Bringing Oh, p,oposi,ion b.fo,s
the II ne by preamble and resoutioo. ;os,esd
Of Incorporating It BY way Of amendment 10 The
bill, hes been preferred, because the preamble
contains he arguments 10 support the resolution,
ana describes particularly The mode in which the
| Engineer i TO proessJ The arguments are OF a
plata and pracnca Character, easily Understood nv