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

made in the valley of James River n an nvcr,, GO, &c
rom /? TO SSoOCJ per mile This opinion coming from
IN engineer wto has executed successfully the pri,cpa
annals IN America, and has heretofore been distin,ush
Gu Tor INC accuracy Of his calculations was not
ccd until after he had made Reconnaissance of The Ri
" ~ e year 1874, nor without careful examination
OF all The various charts and surveys executed unon n
me PRIOR TO the year le3l At that period there had been
no less tin eight separate and elaborate surveys coyern
some OF hsm the whole and all of them the most dis
cur portions Of the contemplated line namely: The
survey and Report of Chief Justice Marshall and MA as
eociato Commissioners in the vcnr 1919 , a.,,,
Baldwin in lSl7. g. OfThonas Moore in ISIS 4 OF
mos Moore and Isaac Briggs in 1919 g. orc Crozct
ana ms associate Commissioners in 1SoI g. orc Gro,
get IN Icy T. OF Crozct on the connection of tho
waters OF Roanoke and James River and the comparative
merits OF the various routes to the west in the wear ls27
G VI Capt VIM. c. McNcill and his brigade n ,,no,,r,
pnca Engineers, the connection of the heal IvaIcr
N 'a'nes River and Roanoke River with the waters of
wv RIVER, IN The years 1896 and 1897 AS n specimen
OF ,e unparalleled extent and mnu;eness of die topo
eraphca information possessed upon the subject of this
ne reference may be had the charts OF the James
ana Jacksons Rvcrsby c. Crozct Esq and tbcs. of Tho
country from Covington to the Falls of Kanawhn bv
~, ricNeuiaii projected on large scale the former
outhg TO ~, and the latter, inclusive Of the proiles
TO about thirty in number The whole Of these charts
.ahen together constitute mastery deneaon of the
ch,e inc OF country from Maidcns Adventure to the
loot OF the Falls of Kanayha with the cxcention Of the
81 miles situated between the mouth of I've R;vcr and
uulii Nreek on James River; interval produced by
INC suspension OF the location in the autumn of S2i
ana the subsequent repeal ohe act authorship the su
vey nut happily supplied by the charts upon the same
part OF uie Inc, resulting from the antecetlnt snrvc. f
Thomas Moore. With the execution nerbops az a.,
Grand Junction Canal in England. no line Of ;nOrorn.
limnary examination. - P'
taxing $4,000 as the average cost of the canal per
S, furnished by the estimate Of Judge Wright il ex
cost by the sum of 81 5iS. But Judge WRIGHT contcm
piated continuous canal; whereas BY the charter
w. was subsequently enacted the company is allowed
W troaucc sack-watcr navigation, with towing path
on e shore in order TO avoid great expense AZ dcu
PiaGes. inns provision in the charter unknown TO this
distinguished Engineer al the time of his letter 10 tbc
1overnor together with the discovery recently made OF
more economical method of fortying the banks of ca
nails from the abrasion of rivers will fully ncconnt G
e sHaH REDUCTION OF his estimate, the satisfaction of
every candid and impartial mind.
roo ne Provision giving authority TO the Company to
break te Inc of the canal at the points of greatest d;i
cuily was introduced into the original char,er with eco
h9mca views, by the advice Of an eminent Enoinccr
VINO stated, as evidence of the utility of tho Droyiso
p Ut cefuh point ON the line of the State canals of
Iennsy lvana, about 100000 had been exnendcd in
% INC Instance OF one mile the greater part of which
'ist nave been avoided but for Observation-Disclosures IN
Keep up the continuity of the canal The obcco, b1t
e he would be exposed at the points of intersection
TO the occasional floods of the river was tbouoht 10 L.
IN part couneYvaed by the increased efficacy or tho
power OF draft operating upon broad instead Of mar
TO" sheet Of water And whilst the privilege to pass the
% iorndaDc Promontorics by transferring the line to
'e pea OF Tie stream, would be considerable ADVANTAGE
90 tie Company in the carly stages of its progress bv
diminishing the first outlay, and ENABLING il with limit
ca capital To reach farther TO the west it was consider
ed that in future time, with the increase of lis business
au plohs .he canal might he made continuous and the
expense OF the dams reimbursed by the sale of water now
cT 10 crafty great and increasing demand for n;Il;n,
ana other manufacturing establishments
Inc estimate of $l7 152 per mile for the pronosed
od ooes not rest merely the authority OF an En-
gieer, who has every title the public confidence II
l1Ierore FULLY sustained by actual experience upon
tie chesapeake and Ohio Canal From the naserlv Re-
port laid before Congress Oh the l7 April las, ~ do
le able and accomplished President of the Conpo4v !,
appears That 40 miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
next above liarper's Ferry were actually mi un 80
tract Tor SO 600 per nle and guided bv the rnorcncc
u se ~ miles, the next succeeding 90 l2 miles after
oSt eaoorate survey and detailed estimate were com
Puteu 10 be less expensive and to only @ 600 nor
Ilie SSee Mr. MERGERS Report the House of Ron
April 18th, 1884 p. 33. Also appendix a. o0ON " ~
The following circumstances win reduce The relative
cost OF the James and Jacksons River Canal
e., nc Sales and Jacksons River Canal will be only
feet deep. ~ o OaAii ~
In the working location and estimates for the 4s niles
~ ana ONO Canal next below the Point
" prepared under the supcrnendence Of judge
wright as Engineer in chief the expense Of extenJig,
e dePh OF The loo miles in the eastern section Of ni
'a from TO 6fect, was computed at more than Sl11
oOO This estimate is at the rate of SO $50 per milo tn
canal being GO feet wide below taIpers Ferry aud so
ieet wide above that point the actual cost nc ~; d
uonal excavation in the latter part of te line youJ M
somewhat less than the preceding average; nevertheless
IT could no. fall much below the considerable snm -
STGoO per mile Qtep. Note G. p. 1879
Inc Delaware division of the PcnnsyIyan, Canal,
mas breadth at the surface of only 40 feet In the To-
cation and estimate for that work exca vaton in to e
TOUT eel OF It's DEPTH was computed at Il-i2 cents Der
cubical yard whereas, every cubca yard in The add
sono' h loot was estimated at 1G cents making abon
sou per mile for Canal having previously cross co.
ton OF only 1876 feet. The James and Jackson. Pr,
Canal viii have section of 2I2 IL feet. and .b
extension OF ITS depth to feet would obviously warrant
SUI ghcr estimate per cubic yard for tho excavation
OF the lowest foot which is not only to be carried IN
through the other five feet but will usually be found p
CONSIST OF harder materials than the superintendent
earth "-(Rep. p. 1872 ''''"'
x The country along the line Of the James and J,ct
son lyer Canal, is less rugged and difficult than The
county bordering upon the line of the Chcsapcake and
in reference to the forty miles of the Potomac canal
above Horpers Ferry, Mr. Mercer Gn the esd raoe Of
tle report above quocd says" This part Of he limo
VIII have been finished under many disadvantages cr
hDo inc price before mentioned although il conurisca
"VeieVated dams, at ient and the masonry alone of
us ochs queducs, and culycrts exclusive Of ts dry
walls makes up third Of the remaining e-tcns Of
us lot cost Among It's sections also are to he f,pnJ
Notwithstanding its reduced breadth (ron go to 80 fc0
sote Oh Tie most expensive the whole limo Of i06
es having their foundations in deep water and rase-
ns along me face OF perpendicular cliffs Of solid rock
il einoanknens formed Of earth, brought of necessity
Gh ,'e opposite shore Of tho river, over temporary
In the year 1893, Capt VIM G. Mcneil. oftbe II 6
corps Of Typographical Engineers. made an examine.
uon and report upon the entire line Of the Cbesaprnle
ana Oo Caial, completed under contract from Tho
mon oil the Fiber 10 the dam eight miles above VII
smSPort IL - soid upon high authority of Capt Me-
NciI tnt "to the scientific knowledre bclsu oiti, a. III;
profession as Military EnQaocr he adds'tc fruit Of an
experience enlarged BY several years employment in ci
VII engineering, for which, TIC better 10 prouolc HE
usefulness, ne visited, with the permission Of the ~
ocnhVe, ihr Canals as well Railroads of Enrland
'e country most distinguished for both these sDeces If
improvements" (Mcrccr's Rep D. 22O Ia speokipo
m his Report TO The Government Of the whole limo ~
ue canal, comprehcndng the 40 miles mex above FLAIR
PCT rory, Capt Mcneil says,aI In the words Of tl,o
iaie President Of ihcCompany IL may cmphatcalc he
tiot on no Canal in America and very few if