Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-11-05

Report the survey and examination of the Tumbhng
 Shoals and Boiling Pot, the Tennessee River within
 the limits of the State of Tennessee
 Tohis Ezcelcncy Wa. CarroH, Gorernor ot Tennessee
 SIR-ln conformity to your invitation oI the 8th June, and your final instructions of the 9th August, requesting me to make an examination and survey of the oHcK, ooiHHS Pot, and 7umbling Shoals, Ill ennessee River within the limits of the State ot len nessee." with view of ascertaning the pro bable expense of making those points naviga- ble. have the honor of submitting the fol- lowing report for your consideration. he Tennessee river during the summer, has not been at low water mark by several teet.- When I reached the Suck the river was at five feet above low water mark, and every creek was at high water mark, caused by the continued heavy rains ot several succeeding days. Under the above circumstances com menced the Examinations named, and when l had nearly completed the survey of the Suck, the river rose during the night twelve feet, which made its condition suitable for steam boat navigation. Under the above unfavora- ble circumstances l was compelled to make the examinations of the Boiling Pot and Tumbling Shoals. However, having had the aid of many intelligent gentlemen, added to that of the most experienced polots, am in hopes my data will be found sufficient to ena=- ble me to give a good description of the ob- structions.
 The Tumbling Shoals are two miles and half above the Suck, and the Suck four miles above the Boiling Pot. l will proceed to de- scribe them in the manner in which they stand, commencing with the Tumbling Shoals. This is an obstruction that vanishes during the boating seasons high stages of water, at which time the shoals is equal ill it's advan- tages to any part of the river. It therefore, may be called the low water obstruction. The shoals at low water has a length of about four hundred yards, in which it falls near three feet, with depth of three and half, and width of nearly one hundred feet; its left shore is within twenty yards of the main left bank of the Tennessee. The Instructions that exist in this channel are eight rocks of d large size, which are exposed from one to two feet in altitude during the dry season of the year. The removal of these stones be- comes indispensably necessary to the safe na- vigation of this point during the low stage of water, and from the best information l can obtain as to their size and general character, am induced to value their removal at $500. This improvement, when done, will be all that this point can at any time require to make it answer all the useful purposes of na- rigatiCn.
 The SucA-This obstruction is located in Hamilton county, and is bounded on the right by Waldon's Ridge, and on the left by Racoon Mountain; it is by far the most formidable of all the points examined. The Suck is oc- casioned by the sudden inclination or fall of the bottom, falling at the time of survey, four .teet sir inches and Ser'en fcnth8 Of an inch, on length of one hundred and fifty yards, and aided also by the pressure of water to- wards the channel, which at low water mark does not exceed one hundred feet in width The flow of the Tennessee is at all times ve- " great, its large body of water passing over the sudden inclination of the bottom through narrow channel, with depth of from if teen 70 fTcenty feet, cause it to pass with a broken surface, high waves, and current of six and three fourth miles per hour II is the action of those high waves on the exposed surface of the ascending boat that constitutes the obstruction. The current of water is not so great but that steam power would be able to ascend were it not for the broken sur face above spoken of. We may therefore call this water obstruction, presenting the greatest obstruction in the dry season of the year, and vanishing only at the highest freshets, so that it may be considered constant impe- diment to the navigation of the river find only six inches fall in the next five hundred and fifty-two yards, and indeed we may say the obstruction does not exceed one Hundred and ffty yards in length, and is located be- tween two eddies, one above, which has a depth of from fifteen to twenty feet at low water, and the one below of from six to eight. l think it reasonable that the fall at the dry season of the year may be from sepen 10 eight tcet. The width of the river at common high water is one hundred and siXty-fve yards.- From the above facts it becomes evident that the Suck has at all times a sufficient channel, well supplied with water, for purposes of na- vigation, and the only impeachment is the great weight of water beating on the exposed sur face of the ascending boats, and limited to length of one Hundred yards.
 From the foregoing data we are led to ex- anime how we are to aid the power of ascend ing boats, so as to overcome the resistance of the water, or secondly, how we are to soften the power of the water so as to leave the pow CT in favor of the ascending boats. The plan suggested in favor of the first proposition, which will be here recommended, is that pier be built and located at from one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards above the Suck, and placed in line with the center of the shoot, built forty feet high and Of the most massive stone, and closely bound with heavy ifon. The pier must be forty feet above low water mark on account Of the freshets that are not less than thirty-fve feet. and the height recommended will only keep it's top above high water mark. On the top 1.-the pier must be placed chain cable, attached to a capstan, to afford means by which the ascend- ing boats may be able to pass by the rapid point of the obstacle by using this stationary power in aid of the power of the ascending boats This pier, when completed, will af- ford power enough to help the navigation and cause but little delay to the boats after arriv- ing at the Suck. The second mode of making improvement leads us to inquire how we are