Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-03-16
No. In3.--vOLUME XXXyII.

and full set Of canal forms and canal books has been
prepared by the secretary with a 10 prompt, uni
torn and eihcent execution oftle regulations of the
nal With vew also, to fae33jhue the introduction Of
the new system, the toseasercr at Richmond, by
request Of the Board of Directors proceeded To the line
of the Erie canal, in order witness lis practical ap-
plcaon; and during his visit received from the en-
lghtened officers in charge Of that grea; work. every
possible attention, tuci,y and accommodation. Like
wise, to assist the inspector in the ready and
admcasurcment of The tonnage Of beats and their
goes, well constructed gaugingdoca erected ina
convenient position acent 10 the lille BASIN al the
Western entrance into the CITY Of Richmond.
| Soon after the general introduction of the water,
boats began to upon different parts Of the line.
On the 9TH October, one of the light and beautiful IRON
packets, belonging to Messrs. Boyd and Edmonds Of
Richmond returned with passengers from the Town OF
Columbia 10 the City of Richmond. On the 3lsi De-
tober, The General Harrison, frcish, boat of large
class belonging TO aiessrs. Doan, knnier IL Co. ii
Lynchburg, and another boat OF smila. description.
the property OF the same company, arrived at joshua
falls dam, and tonk On loads Of Aour, wit, which the:
descended the canal. On the 18th November freight
boat belonging hlessrs. Shepherson * Co Of Scott
vile, arrived Richmond with cargo Of 800 barrels
of flour, from the town If ScotsvHe.
On the near approach Of the period for opening The
navigation Of the whole line Tie directory considered
it proper make p rsonll inspection of the work,
previous to the Of the timely notice required by
resolution of the stockholders On the lth of Nov,
they left Richmond in tine before mentioned iron acket,
but the Ouall locks AZ Joshuas falls pond, being
then sufficiently advanced 10 ADM, the passage oboa,s,
they awaited themselves above this point, Of another
boat and continuing their voyage along the canal upon
the Campbell shore, reached the town of Lynchburg,
on the 18th Of November.
Tie condition If the work being found satisfactory,
and the impairment al the comb;red locks below
Lyme hhu.r being nearly removed the public forth
with notified that lst Of December the cation Of
the whole Of the first grand division ithe canal would
Be thrown open, and the new regulations carried INTO
effect with The exception, however Of the tariff Of
tolls, the commencement OF which was deferred until
the first of January next.
| On the Sd day of December, in consequence Of The
notification given the freight boat Gen Harrison,
compancd by similar boat both laden with mcrcfam-
dze from the city Of Richmond, entered the BASIN at
Lynchburg and received with cheers and acclG-
nations by the inhabitants of the town, who had
sc nibled 10 witness their arrival.
For some weeks previous to the regular PERIOD tie
ordinary river boats batteaux permitted 10
the canal upon condition Of being moved by towing
line drawn By hand by horses and, beng enabled Il
carry full loads, both ascending and descending, Of
from : 10 tons, without any augmentation Of tos,
nearly the whole class, consisting, perhaps, upwards
of thousand in number, have already abandoned 49,
river and are navigating the canal. Iher VII spetG
IL disappear from the line, after the imposition 81 Tie
new toa an, The admission Of i.l. depth Of water
The water upon lie levels this time beng only three
feet deep The boats carry only half loads OF from
- 10 30 tons As the stability OF the embank-
ments will permit the supply VII! behngmented to four
feet; and afterwards, To the MAXIMUM Grpih Of five feet
and as The water dcppens he loads VIII bc enlarged
until they will finally reach 10 % or on tons
The opening of the Navigation Of the first grand d.
vision OF the canal, has been greatly Retarded and de-
erred TO period Of the year considerably later '.ah
that which ante paieG at the last annual meeting
othc stockholders and tins expected delay has been
produced nv causes, some oi winch originated
in the early movements Of the Company.
By the provisions of the charter, portion Of the
new tolls cout be levied until the work should be
finished up Lnchbnry, and various considerations OF
pubc policy cooperating with these provisions line
of nenrly one hundred and fifty miles OF canal Of
arsrd dime nsions, decided by the company to lie
put under course Of construction at The same time
TIE signal advantages which accompanied ts bold and
vigorous commencement, were, nevertheless, destined
to be followed b. disadvantages IN tie rear. The
lirt sections Of which much the greater portion OF
the line consisted finished rapidly and consiGera-
biz in advance Of the residue Of the work; and beng
delivered up by the contractors upon the completion Of
their Jobs the entertainments lay exposed, and became
greatly washed and damaged IN the intermediate time.
From this, and from other sources, large amount 81
deposit formed i'll the bottom OF the canal. The
removal Of this deposit and the dressing and raising
the banks constituted very large amount Of work,
difficult 10 be estimated in advance: and being much
augmented hy the heavy rains Of june Jnly and The
early part of August, greatly exceeded IN the end
the anticipation Of the officers at the period Of The last
annual meeting of the stockholders.
upon the introduction of the water upon the linc from
The necessity Of frequently drawing II away order 10
republic many Of the culverts and aqneducts The
masonry If these structures, Of winch there are up
wards Of 300 the first grand division, very many
cases did not keep pace it'll the excavation OF the
nal; in consequence Of which, the enbankmcnt and
pudding of the culvcrs and aqueducs were necessari-
Is detached from the contracts for the sections upon
which they were situated, and transferred 10 set
Of contractors and thus executed at irregular
Logo do clqd pncl OtI
ing The irregular periods OF completion OF the me
chanca works with which they were connected The
late execution and dispersed situation OF these hume
Jobs of earth work. causing them 10 DC brought
less frequently under the eyes OF The experimenting
engineers many Of them we're not faithfully executed,
and upon the introduction of the water, had TO be re-
pared or renewed By The company hands.
The amount of earth work 10 be performed by the
force in the immediate service OF the company, wa4,
likewise, very much increased as well a very much
delayed in lis execution by the unavoidable withdrawal
from the line Of many Of the officers and agents, III con-
sequence of the extraordinary unheailu!ncss OF lie
past About the lst Of August after an unln-
trrrupted service Of about eighteen months, Tor Tie
whole of which period he was absent from his family,
the health Of the chief engineer became 50 seriously m
paired by Southern climate to make II 'ndspcn-
sable that he should the State OF New ork, on
leave of absence until the lst Of October For several
months Of the summer and autumn, Mr. Lake, one
of the principal engineers, was Likewise DIS
qualified by III health for the performance OF active
duty At the Time Of introducing the water, IN the
months of August and September, when superln,end-
ing attention, care and skill were peculiarly important,
the superintendent Of repairs, and three out oil iou oi
the assistant superin,endens, Withdrawn from
their posts by disease, two Of them continuing III IN
an advanced period Of the year. The adjustment Of
the levels this critical jnncture, often fell eAcln,
svey into the hands of the lock keepers, VINO nau
just come upon The Inc, ignorant Of the business to
which they called. Frequent breaches m NE
entertainments consequently took place. WHICH, although
INJURIOUS at the time the character OF the work,
were in fact, due in, probably at least three cases out
Of four not to any defect Of construction but to the
inesperenee Of the agents unav0'da' charged with
I, the absence of Judge Wright from the line, Mr..
F. H. Gill, by request Of The Board Of Directors, took
charge Of the first grand division of the canal, the
character Of acting chief engineer, in addition to Tie
discharge of his regular duties principal assistant
engineer the second grand division. In the perform
ance Of his arduous duties, Mr. Gill rode fort
night, and returned through ms combined line ofworhs