Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-07


have been denounced by the Grand Jues Of the country
as public nuisance and the inhabitants condemned
to pay toll exceeding five thousand dollars year.
and annually increasing, for the of navigation WELD
lng diminished advantages.
locks and dams, means OF improving the navigation
Of the James river have had more advocates and have
received some encouragement from the opinions of the
public Engineer, 10 whose Judgment much consideration
Is certainly due yet in discussing questions of such deep
interest TO the people of Virginia the utmost freedom of
opinion ought TO be nduged. The preference which that
gentleman has seemed give locks and dams, over
caaS' rests mainly upon what he conceivcs to be the
greater economy with which they be constructed and
used and that s species Of Improvement will extend its
benefits alike both sides of the river Each of these
consde ations certainly entitled TO due weight but
they the only important elements hch must find plac.
in the correct decision of this question.
His reports OF 1926 and 1923 in humble Judgment,
DO not place before the public all the hazards which
this species Observation-Disclosures liable TO minds
omit some strong grounds Of objection it's adoption
James river II will be borne mind "iha particles ofso-
M matter put IN notion and propelled by current in
fluid oil less specific gravity than ITSELF will move
and settle TO the bottom that point where the power
gravaon operates with greater force than that which is
cxered upon by the current in consequence of dmi-
mutton velocity having taken place in the latter Under
the influence OF this law of nature will no, The solid matter
put IN motion by the velocity Of the below each
DAM form deposits at and the succeeding DAM by
which the current is controlled, and its velocity reduced:
VIII not the DRIFT wood and floating brought into the
river by its tributary streams and from its upper branch
c., from the causes become cntanglcd with the
eary and other solid matter in notion aud be rendered
stationary when that shall be deposited forming snag and
sawyers throughout the ponds, dangerous boats of all
descriptions, and particularly pcrlous those propelled by
steam Again where the stream is liable TO great atero
mons In the volume of its water viii locks placed in
ITS bed be unapproachabe periods and incapable
oil use at othcrs' Tho canal commissioners Ohio were
charged by law of that State with opening communica-
ton between the town Of Coshocon and the Ohio Canal
by erecting locks and dams in the Walhondng branch of
the Aluskingum after the most careful examinations aud
fullest consideration, those practical aud experienced men
declined carrying the law into effect and assigned to the
Legislature tho following strong and cogcnt the
course which they adopted.
In order 10 allow way The
OF floods, the length of the dams will be considerably
greater than the breadth of the river; the abumens
ing placed at some distance from the margin of the water
at its ordinary stage. If the lock he contiguous
TO either abument of the DAM il will not therefore, COM
municatc directly with the channel of the river without
the all OF an artificial cut and if placed in the
some distance from the abumcn il will be impossible TO
reach 1t in high water for the purpose of managing the
gates, except by the erection Of costly bridge, which
will be exposed to great risk
IL will also be hazardous for boat or raft DESCENDING
inc river IN high water TO attempt entering lock placed
any whcrc between tie abutmcns The water at the
foot oil lock thus located be subject violent ag
aiion In consequence of its proximity the tumble
cd TO prevent this effect.
In order TO atoin the end proposed, WILL in the OPT
mon OF the Board be necessary 10 make short ste cut
communicating with the river at point where the violent
agitation oil the water after passing over the dam will
have subsidized, and below the bar which WILL in all cases
be thrown up at some distance below dams built gravel
or sand foundations"
If this mode Improvement was nodmssibe ON this in
considerable stream and inadequate the limited purpose
q
poan that of the James river which ought TO be one
OF the leading thoroughfaes of the Western trade The
opinions OF that distinguished Engineer, Benjamin Wright
oil New or 1t may, however, be hoped has put this
question at rest as prospects the James river His views
have been given by the Engineer in the following terms
'N understood, he cntcrains doubt that canal is
best adapted TO the James river Its simple in its usc
adapted 10 all kinds OF commodities and will reduce trans
poaon lower than any other mode suited the ply
seal power OF Virginia. and does require mechanical
skill He thp'5 all these arguments in favor of canal
give 1t preference over steam tow-boats locks and
cams Or TO locomotive engines rail- roads canal
from NlaJens Adventure he termination of the present
canalO nifty feet tside and fec feet deep locks not lar
ger than the present locks the canal be
permanent manner for the OF Is 1000 dollars per
mile as maximum, under good management Should
the Legislature think fit TO make ii of smaller
less permanent construction il WILL of less hut
Judge Wright does not recommend such work The
enlargement OF the canal from width of thirty and depth
OF three feet TO fifty and 10 five feet, will pro-
portion TO tho enlargement Boats 10 feet long and ii
wide and drawing four feet water, will carry seventy five
tons but he considers boats Of fifty best general
tonnage"
Whatever contraety Of opinion may exist as to the alb
stract question of superiority between railroads and ca
mails, as lines oil Commercial intercourse the public interest
mas unquesonably been consulted in the opinion thus
given Upwards OF six hundred and forty thousand dol
lars have been expended between Richmond and Maid
ems Adventure, and three hundred and seventy
thousand dollars the Blue Ridge canal; TO abandon
those costly improvements for entire line of Ra-road
instead OF deepening and widening the sections in
use, and uniting them by intervening work of the
character recommended could only be justified by great
disparity in the value of the two species of improve
lncnt, IMAM Is DchcVcd 10 exist.
From Covngton, westward choice between rail roads
and canals still offered the careful and aborous
vcys of Capt McNie demonstrate the practicabIity of
using the Grccnbrcr river feeder, and of conducting
supply from That stream, the summit of the Al
cghnny RIDGE "a to require but short tunnel by which
its waters would amply for canal leading East to
Covngton, and Vest TO the mouth of Towards Creek
The elevation Of the summit level and its corresponding
rgor during the winter months, with the peculiar forma-
ton of the ravinc OF New River however believed
to be such prepondcrating considerations in favor of
Railroad, 10 be decisive of the question of preference
In looking TO this species of Improvement, the following
facts authorize the confident anticipation of the prac
ucahity and utility of the linc and that its will be
less than the expenditure for conducting inn
Povcmcnt OF that Kind over the dividing any
other point however favorable, which has yet been
med From Coyngton the summit of The mountain on
the line proposed by Captain McNcl, for the canal the
distance aSccraimcd by him. is 10 miles ~ yarlsthe
ascent 692 feet, distance the summit miles $50 wards
70 Grccnbricr river, distance miles wards descent
2lb icct thence descending ts valics of that
OF New River, continued inclined plane is presented
the Great Falls of Kanawha. Along the valley of the
Grccnbrcr the distance is reported at miles Isl yards
and the descent 297 feet and although the line may
times encounter cliffs which infringe upon the stream
these occurrences will probably be and form excep
ions to the Otherwise generally favorable nature of the
grouud.
The valley Of New River, above Bowers ferry diff
iers but slightly in its character from that of the Green
bicr and oilers trace of the waters having risen
more than thirteen feet above the ordinary channel Be-
tween Bowyers ferry and the Great Falls, distance of
near twenty miles, the rcshcts attain greater glt but
il was found that between those points there was
generally enough for canal between low water
mark and the cli' and that the intervals subject
flowing occupied by Of rocks, easily convert
ed into bench, ON which canal might be sustained be-
yon the reach OF the ireshcts From this description it
will be readily perceived that although this valley
sol nj