Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-04

the first grand division of the canal is proper
-, that although the navigation from Bosher dam 70
the ba sin in Richmond restored III Dccempei ia'
t in consequence of several breaches III the epahh
ments and OF good deal of work having been e 10 y.
finished at the time Of letting IN the water,
bic amount Of labor has been aPpiied s'''ee '''"'
upon this portion OF the line ,h :; tbo
In the month of January very heavy Dreach III .no
embankInent of the canal took place near 'Ae WV
works pond. ,.:, ,ol, which was
16 feet in thickness aI us Dase, suuueH5
fell into the pond. .h-oyn
hround this breach bay dam was promptly iiilo%
nv the extraordinary cxcrtons of the agent so .at w
nayration not interrupted lor more thaii '''
of tyvcnty-tcur hours. - NO wall N
I'm water works pond began to give way "Hc y WI
found necessary to draw OFT the water rom NV, I'll
and extend the bay-dam throughout TIC Wno'c -,
of the water works pond making an eNlen' ~. " nm;
cation was promptly restored Winot' ''"sA'"'
yenience 10 the commerce oil the linc ,;od
Il &c nroner here to remark that it is now ascefaneu
that bc;h these heavy and expensive injuries .
~, acIosad until that of January took place ana iaid
h,ro ,,o foundation of the original work IN INC eH-
larnemsnt of the first or slower level OF inc cn
was deemed advisable to retain ana 10 eAtc't o w
embaukments, and 10 make them component Pa,t y,
h new work wherever they appeared to be souiio anu
;,s,,nccs did not imperative!y call Tor their reno
val These conditions appeared to be tnlhliea IN re-
rara to the portion Of the enhanSinsh, a'ons ~. ~;
ri, of the water works pond Neverthcicss, upon tc
of the January breach, it appeared that te
od nnbantmcns at this point hadbcen originally bn!i'
mon sIon;n. rock covered with considerable
oran.;tv of loose rock which when the work Dega 20
Weld TO the heavy pressure OF the increased ne"e -
water actually assisted to carry Oft the materials from
their foundation and to break down tAe hea'y '
wall by which they were supported ;,
In i,nuorv contract was entered into VITA an e@-
pcrenccd contractor TO rebuild the wall at tins breach
and TO add an additional wall It. thick TO me lace VI
old wall FOR the whole length OF inc WAFER |ph
In Julv this plan of operations was moa'ed by 'uuse
WRIGHT r.ho deemed il cxpedcnt to take down anou
- feet Of the Top OF the wall which renamed stnas
and TO rebuild it with addition to IT'S preaat" o.
feet on the side next to the Pond thereby FORMING iu
the last u feet in the ascent one united wall resting
unon and connected with the old and new retaining
walls which had already been erected upon te foah
doon below. He also decided TO remove the remain
der of the e,bankmcnt order TO take out me ioose
roc. Of which the crbankment OF the OLD cahal wa
or,lv composed and to cause this portion OF the work
| To he conducted with the company own force. ne
situation and circumstances OF Tins WORK no' aa''
of the execution of but small portion al thie a'o
the contractor for the masonry al TINS point oels u
r.pc tmc larrc undertaken of masonry on the upper
r,-,s of rho line these important and heavy repairs is
manarcd with very limited forces, have prcgress'a 'c
w slnv.lv 60 rs 10 be even unfinished at the present
| time. p,ho.,s
1
nond has been altogether performed by the company
own force From January till the hrst OF July t'iis
force consisted of about 20 men, including ABOUT ~
yearly hands; and from July 70 the LIST OF Decenlpel
| Il was composed of only about 10 men. Up 10 July
Tho hands were employed in boating rock, IN compet-
nr the wall around the basin; in building the masonry
of the waste and gauge gates; IN repairing sundry
small breaches in the banks; ana IN making lhe low
! n,tb enbankment between locks No. ana :, which
had bcen raised only about three feet previous to letting
N tbe water into the canal Since July about . men
have been employed in removing the enbankment near
tho works pond the remainder OF the force beng
cnrared in repairing the embarrassment OF the cana
between Boshcr dam and lock No. :, and IN providing
materials for pudding the bottom OF the canal above
! lock No3 For the las. three weeks u of the mcr
have been employed in Fastening the execution OF lh'
canal at q difficult point upon ihe upper part OF th'
seventh level and the Immediate vicinity OF the aqus
| duct over Bcaverdam creek.
II is proper also here TO remark that the operations
the wear upon the first grand division, have been con
fined to the construction of the canal proper from Rich
mond to Lynchburc and the works immediately con
nected therewh: and that tie company has not ye
commenced the construction OF the line OF connection
between the canal and tide water or OF additional line
of communication between the canal and the Soutl
side of James river The necessary preliminary sur
vcys upon the different practicable routes leading dowI
from the basin and canal 70 the head OF the tide, have
been made and the requisite negotiations re
lavc The various private interests to be affected b'
the location can be brought to close, IS the wisl
and intention of the board put under contract this
mar, Of .hc Improvement. IN the of the las
Spring tho s-..ons between the cana! and the Scutf
slsf fhc river in addition to the six communication
within the limits of the first grand division which al
ready furnished by the rcuent water OF SIX OF The
feeding dams The subject, however, was soon there
after deferred in consequence of the supcrvening sca
emharrassmcnts of the company, which operated to
tard the progress of the work. and of tine pfoprety
not obsrucng the channel Of the river SO as 10 cut of
the existing navigation until some short time after the
opening of the canal
ITO be eoatirucd.)