Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-20
DECE.yzsEks 20, fs34. :


which from description alone, scarcely b. appre.
caied (Mcrccr's Rep p. 2i)
In Ina Report of ls26 &. Crozet, ESQ.,, the late Civil
Engneer OF the State, in defending the superior ad
'ah'ages OF ,e l.cute through Virginia. speaks thus
Oh me entire nc Of Canal from the city of Washington
to the town of littsbur4:--
AS to the ground over which the Ohio and Chcsa-
pcaAe lanai must pass from what have Of il and
from The documents which the public has been nut i'm
possession OF It is doubtful whether il could De worse
any where difficulties of the FIRST magnitude would have
20 ne encountered on the route described in the Report of
M >usr,oefs' Ir"Zet Report of le2U, Tenth An.
5. The James River and Kanawha Comn,nv b,v.
the night to make dams the river and to in,s.r
ter me 10 The bed OF tine stream, with path alons
''c sefc SO as to avoid gre. expense in passing the
most aiicuIt pieces tic James and Jacksons Rivers;
whereas The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is intended to
be continuous and the 40 miles next above Iarpers Fer
ry, furnishing the standard of comparison OF, the nrc
vigation. ~
Alter what has been said under another head in regard
70 ue saving 10 result from the exercise OF this privilege
IL wh certainly justify no uncomfortable deduction i'm
estimating the relative meage'of the James and jack
son 3 river canal
In letter to friend in regard this privilege Judre
wright says; With the permission that yon have I'm
your charter of going into the river at such places m
you think advisable and economical Won he We an a,lv,u
tage which ought enter into the mind of iI Fnine
anu he ought TO plan his work TO permit ccntinn
GUS canal at future day, when business shall require
ana permit to be doncat least there is no harm IN SO
DONG Dieter to Gen. Cooke. March - IS33l
q The substitution of Rip Rapping for dry-walling
as protection OF the banks of Canals against the ara
sion oi hyers, was not discovered till alter the execu-
uon OF the 40 miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
next above arpcrs Ferry whereas il NAV be practscd
throughout the line of tie James and Jacksons River
canal and promises considerable reduction in the ex
pense of the work.
:, In his detailed estimates for the 90 I-2 miles of the
fotomac Canal immediately above the DO miles 60
whcn the present comparative view more particular
iy refers the Engineer (r Cruger) speaks of this dis
coyery IN the following tcrmsThe section of % I-2
mics is intended to be similar, in every respect to
the canal between IIarpcrs Ferry and Dam No :
with this exception that il is proposed to dispense with
the exterior wang, and substitute in its place CO.
verng OF broken stone, is obtained from the rock
excavation judicousy and carefully thsowri over the
bank as protection against the abrasion of the River
ormer experience, fortified by the experience of the
last several years, of the effect of the current and ice of
lle Potomac upon stone thrown bank in the form
OF hp-itappmg, where surplus rock excavation made il
necessary to dispose of the material by roino il over
inc walls already constructed by which they were com,
petey covered and every stone of which, after thrca
years exposure retains the position in which was
originally lrownias satisfied that external wano
Is, IN ordinary cases, useless expenditure Of aonr and
money: MeEcers Rep App ?. 2G0)
In hs report to tie House of Representatives Mr.
Mercer also says Experience having now shown tina.
except IN very peculiar situations external va,r
be safely dispensed with, where sufficient quantity Of
loose stone Is furnished from the excavation To su1ni
an cecual the exterior bank Of In. caoI XXX
item OF expense, which, the eastern section alone m
lnlies3 was by the Board of Internal Inproven,ent
computed NJ S-|3I OOO, and tic entire cannL at as
c a. S'D2i 49, wal rarely, 1t Is presumed, occur
d. IN iue AZ mics o, The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
next above arpers Ferry the Aqucducs are 100 feet I'm
length rs 30 preserve tie full width of the canal M
cut the locks being intended for boats al leo tons are
100 feet by 10 feet in sie chamber aud are ,rc,er
haht OF cut stone the Aqucducts Gas on the residue Of
the ine) are constructed of stone; and the water yyav
except at The locks and aqueducs is never even at The
most dihcnt and expensive passes reduced to breadth
oil less Than so feet single aquedact i'm another nrt
Oh the line OF this canal that the Monocacy built Of
stone IN most durable and mastery style Of work
nianship, cost as much as $i25.0U0
In All these items constituting considerable sources Of
eAPhGi'nc' much may he saved in the original OUTLAY
upon the James aud Jacksons River canal without o.
seal INJURY TO the work cheap and efficient line o
transport between the east and the west OPERATING
wth commencing capital of ST 100000 of money The
ue pocy oil inc company will be, 70 husband it's limited
resources, aud by diminishing postpoing all unneces-
sary expenditures in the beginning TO stretch fer into
uie interior thereby securing abundant tonnao and
AN Overlooking income. AT q future div and In do
time the connection having been formed thrnr "a
the trade Of the west secured tc State the coroon
might return and perfect the line by replacing tenbori
ry structures, by permanent works In pursuance of
tns prudent pohcy rcgardNl at of the dictates of
economy, OF TIE fitness Of the work and the uli,no
Ucs5 d Ic scrne, le cuvcrts might be reduced below
ue chgh oil LOU tee the locks might be brought Tho
dimensions OF those the Chesapeake and Ohio Camel
ana hunt OF hammered instead Of stone; the trans
verse section OF Canal "a advised bv the Fn;ic1
states commissioners, IN regard TO The Chcsapcaa and
Ohio Canal, might be 'ncdied where local circ,,osan
Ges nigh; require it, and especially in tho cases f
deep cutting, steep side cutting embankno and olsn
where inc Canal 10 to be supported by walls and the
afneduciS, as well the main rivers as the triba
ny streams might in The first instance as on tue line of
the New York Canal, be built Of wood and so adeeJ
IN their location 10 admit without inicrrnuaion 10 tho
line OF trade, of their SUBSEQUENT replacement m r,oro
costly and durable structures looking o distant fines
D. The organization of the James River and Knna,bo
Company, placing its government efcctualIv IN fbc
hands Of the private Stockholders will diAuse spirt of
economy throughout the administration of its affairs
whereas the chesapeake and Ohio Canal Conpnny beu
essentially Government work, under the exterior form
OIL private Company prtakes necessarily Of the ex.
Pen5iyehess incident to public institutions.
between the great works in question be duly and candid
" weighed cttnc deductions which they would Justify
be added together; and the conclusion seems inevitable
uat the estimate Of $7 f52 per mile for the construction
Of cur line IS fully sustained by the experience of the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
The remaining item in the estimate of cosfs-nomel,
500 OC0 for new line Of Locks to connect the Canal
with tide water, and To- enlarge he old Canals is pro,
bly, full and sufficient allowance The fall To- h. over
come from the Canal u the tide being only 20 fcef
SlVOOOO would dcrny that part Of the cxpcnsc: and i'm
order to widen and deeper tie old Canal il Leine only
requisite 20 odd % the height Of the dams and the banks
OF Che Canal $2JOCO0, would doubtless accomplish the
residue of the work
From The review here presented Of the estimate OIL
costs, the conclusion would seem 10 10 well warranted
That the proposed connection between the head Of The
tide and the River Ohio, may be completed with CAPT
tal SUM % 800 Goo inclusive Of the million subscr
ed by The State in her worksupon the live
The next enquiry viii be as 70
TnE EsriNArE ToSN.cr ASH IScoME uros THE
LiSE.
I. Let il be supposed that the work viii commence in
the cast and progress 70 the wost and that the year 1885
being mainly year of preparation. the canal will be
executed us far as Lynehhufg, by thc 10 jan, 1899
The amount Of produce ana TONNAGE exclusive al ro,l
and plaster Which paid toll on the lower canal in The
year 10 was - 22f tons
(Sce Cfozcts Report Of ls2G. PIP 487-aG0}
The amount Of similar tonnage IN 1881 was 81 500 tons
(ee Crozet's Report oil fGtlI Doe Ie3l--1Gtb Annual
H. fcgf tho Hood ffb t,f1 q