Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-03

nal boud be openedu 10 Colu'aba 10 provide At '"'
c. side locks and lateral canal together WIN Va
IN md n shelter OF lis margin, Tor the accommodation
~ ,,e trade of the Rrdnna river, nh!ess III lhe eo
r ,c twelve months, and previous 10 the provision
II such BASIN and side locks, the s'vanna
comuany should determine 10 connect " cana, w
ma viratinn with the canal oi the James h'e
/ and Konawha Company; in which event, lie James
p ,nJ K,nowI,a Company would be released from
IN. l,,y If constructing such basin and side LOCKS,
ana instead thereof, would be- required to apply
snn equivalent to the prime cost and keeping
M of those works, IN ana oil me cohs., w" -
snch connecting canal by the R'vanna Navigation
comnauv II will also be recoeced that the lulh sec
non here referred TO- inserted III the act on me mo
ton Of the delegates from the county OF aoemafe, anu
Thai the alternative provision which It contains was
intended 10 aid the people living on the waters 81 we
Riyanna IN contemplated Improvements - ~.
navigation of that stream
I basin al Columbia entered INTO the oliIinat
nlan Of The canal and has been provided IN si'ua'
/ inn convenient 10 the town But The sue iochs
h,,a moi vet been constructed because, although no
do,e-n,o,ion on the part Of the Riyanna naviga-
| ,;ou company 10 construct connecting canal be-
tween their line and that of the james Rverand hanaw
IN Comuanv has vet been announced, the expectation
nevertheless has been constantly kept up that silch de-
termination would ultimately be adopted As the pc.
Rod for opening the canal drew near and alter repeated
informal communications upon the subject earnest ap-
nl,ca,ion was made behalf Of the Rivanna Nav'gn
ion Company aud its friends, Tor survey oil Inc ~
nawha Company. This application was acccded 10 by
the board OF directors upon the ground that whilst the
proposed survey would require but little time, ana DC
attended with bet lttlc expense II lis execution, IL might
he productive Of great benefits to both the companies
TO The Riyannu Company b. demonstrating The pracu
cab.y, a reasonable expense, OF tie introduction Of
horse power boats upon the Rvanna river, and OF con
tinuons voyages between Charlottesville and Richmond;
10 the James River and kanawha Company by The adj
don of valuable feeder 1t Columbia, BY securing
and aurnpn,ng very important branch o trade, aEd
~ exhibiting an instructive example Of successful
tributary Improvement II other Tributary streams on
The linz, c the canal. This survey, WHICH was ar.
ranged f,r execution early tie Summer Of -,
but consequence Of the preparatory labors connected
with the opening Of the canal was unav odably post
poned until the present year, made i'll the month OF
july last, by Mr. Gill, Principal Assistant Engineer,
with tie aid Of small party drawn from The line OF
the second division Of the canal II has been only re-
Gently revised by the com panys Chief Engineer. The
services Of tie engineers boil: these occasions were
a. the charge Of this company, and tie boats and other
equipments tie charge u the patt!os by whom tie
original application made The result oi the sur
vey upon the final action Of these parties, well i'll
grid 10 the Of improving the navigation Of the
Riyanna river, 10 the mode Of connecting with the
canal at Columbia, is vet 10 be disclosed.
Whilst these proceedings in regard TO the Rivanna
vraon haze been in progress, the Board OF Directors
witt, view u present accommodation 10 the trade have
u:en authority for the erection Q! crane aud shelter
upon one Ct tie abutmen,s Of tie Riyanna aqGeGuct
so as facilitate The transfer Of carn.s between the
river boats and boats navigating the canal.
=. Connection riM T,de Hater.
The subject of the connection between the first diy
sion of lie Canal and The head of tide water has been
under the examination Of the Board Of Directors and
its officers for several years past, and has received
degree OF consideration poPoonae TO rs Importance
to all the great interests connected with the line To
enable the Board 10 make ndicons selection, and 10
avoid excessive damages for property be condemned
or purchased, 10 proper location for the work.
various routes have been surveyed and have been as
ccrtained 10 be practicable; OF all which routes,
larred plts and detailed estimates Of cost have been
prepared and placed on file in the Office Of the compa
NJ. OF these various locations, the two which pre-
scented the strongest caims to attention. the old
route the hill, by which the james River Company
connected the basin with Tie head of the tide; and
route descending the Armory lot 5r the
rin of the river into laxls mil race and through
that race 10 point below the mills where the two
routes n.ersec each other, and from which they might
have common outlet into tide water.
The question Of preference between these two loca-
tons own the hill, Icing materially dependent upon
the Of damages 10 be pad upon them respect
lively, and the negotiations with The individual pr"pre
TOR, which hay. long been in progress having not yet
bcen entirely closed dcnitIvc choice has yet been
made b. the board 1t is their expectation, however,
that these obstacles 10 selection will be very shortly
removed.
From The point oil intersection Of The old and new
locations at the foot Of the HILL there outside Of
with tide water, which surveyed and estimated
by The company engineers, III connection with the
routes descending the hill, and embraced IN the
pats relative those routes already referred 10
file in the company Office. The execution Of either
Of these would amount literal fufment of the OBJ
legations Of tie charter. But when considered as
suitable termination for great line Of improvement,
r as convenient medium Of communication between
the upland boats and tide water vessels,
judcIaus Investment OF capital none Of them seemed
/ to merit attention in comparison with the line through
The Richmond deck, provided it should be purchased
moderate price and should lie judiciously altered
and improved.
Upon investigation of the past revenue of the dock
ii appeared that for each Of the two last years Of its ope
rations under the charge OF the late company il
amounted 10 the sum OF about $4,000; and It is rea
sonab!c 10 conclude that there will be gradual future
increase corresponding with the gradual augmentation
of the tonnage and Of the canal The accruing
revenue Of lhis establishment, If repaired and aaalh
put into operation and united with the canal, would IN
all probability furnish abundant means, not only To de-
fray tie expenses Of annual repairs and superntcnd
ence and 10 meet the interest Of sufficient 10
pay for IL, and TO improve and connect II with the
nal, but 10 provide sinking fund OF two and half
per ccuum for The gradual extinction Of loan 10 that
, amount
When, therefore, in the month of February last, il
appeared that the dock would shortly be sold under
decree Of the Superior Court Of Law and Chancery for
the county OF Ienrico, the Board of Directors applied
to the Legislature Tor permission to purchase II, with
The right Of taking such tolls thereon now al
lowed by law together with all lis other rights end pr
veces; except only, that instead Of the government Of
tie dock for the time being, should be under the 70
vernmen of tie James River and kanawha Company,
and might be used also for connecting the navigation
OF tlirir cana with the navigation Of tide water This
application appeared 10 meet with universal approba
ton and the bill unanimously sustained in both
branches r. the Legislature
On tie 9TH July las the whole Of The property Of
the dock company sold at public auction, IN The
city Of Richmond, when j; bough, for The James
RIVER ard kanaw!a Company at the price Of 100000:
with the exception Of cash payment Of S2,0l-,
which required 70 the expenses Of the sale.
This purchase made credit Of one, two, three,
and four years, and bonds dHly executed under the
j corporate seal Of The company gwen Tor the
: puMclua payment Il the purchase money.
IL reference tho provisions ii tie act authorizing
the purchase cory Of winch is herewith commmncc