Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-22
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OPTIONAL CAPITAL.
Having now laid before the stockholders. in obe
dence TO tue requirements OF the charter, detai.c
information OF tho operations OF the year, and OF mn
present state and condition OF the company, C's
leave 10 invite their carncN attention To sublect u
,,,os.,,5,,,, an interest any Of those embraced u
the view that has been presented. My object is {,
recommend the substitution, Tor the plan OF a rah
road portage across the mountains, the continuation
nj the western water line rs ttr east as Gretncrie
brid-e and n MADAM zed surface on tic company
turnnike tom the bridge 10 Covnsion, with a view
10 the ultimate union ut the eastern and western
waters and at the same time To suggest plan o
substitution for raising the additional capital neces
sarv for the completion Of the improvement
Under the provisions OF the charter and The reso
litions of the stockholders, the company is now re
CURED to construct a RAILROAD from the town q
Cnyinrton 10 some point on the Nauawha river he
low the Great fails thereof Although the company
has not committed itself 10 any particular route
for the railroad to any particular point OF ter
minaton fls the same on the hanawha TivCr, We
the SURVEYS and estimates made IN 1855, plainly m
d;cited that the most judiclous location and icrm
n,tio, would not reduce its length below lSS miles
and that IT'S cost would fall but little short OF ?. mil
lions.
when the companv's plan Of improvement was
ndonied by the stockholders m the year 1885, a
railroad portage across the mountains incorpo.
rated into IL, not from any abstract preference for
that mode OF transport, but because m the thn X
istinc state of information the subject cOnunu.
ols water line was not deemed practicable n any
admissible degree o. expense. According v, the
veys Of 1888 made under the Instructions OF the
directory, as preparatory measure with view TO
enllshen It's ultimate decision merely rs to the best
route and western termination for the railroad. The
question of the practice bitY and relative expense
OF extending the western part OF the water line
nearer to the base OF the Allegheny, with view TO
il ultimate extension and connection with the east
.en waters not submitted by the directory to
the engineers who superintendent the SURVEYS. nor
did they report upon that question:
Bur At no period of time has the well informed
portion of the community been iusensiole to the
vas; superiority Of complete connection OF the
waters over any mixed or broken line OF improve
mcnt and although the president and directors. IN
view OF the combined difficulties At the cliffs OF New
river, and AZ The pass OF the Allegheny, did not IN
1888 make this question ono of the objects Of the
SURVEYS vet bcius Impressed with the conviction
that the practclbitY Of comp citing the connection
a. future day, would recommend the line, they
called for information Tom the engineers in regard 10
two collateral questions, namely, the pCctlcabi'iiy
and hest mode Of Supplying with water the sum
NIT level of a canal across the Allegheny mountain,
and also the prac,iclbIIty OF ioc lung hereafter
water line along side OF the railroad without inter-
fsring with the same. And upon these special
points the engineers reported favourahly, as will I've
-een bv reference TO the fourth annual report. Sub.
sequent reflection, aided by the lights thToVn upon
the subject 10y the experience OF some OF the neigh
l.5urius Stn,cr led 20 the belief that the difficulties
Of this enterprise had been Overraed, and that IL
might be accomplished 10 our own time 10y judi
cious cooperation Of the company and the STATE.
To test the accuracy OF these new views, the board
OF directors deemed 1t proper TO have additional
surveys made OF the country between C1yins;on
and the great falls Of he Kanawha.
On Amusement with The chief engineer, Mr. Gil,
principal assistant engineer was charged with the
examination. This officer had formerly been en-
ployed on lines Of Improvement al the north afford
ing him unusual opportunities OF information IN
gard to the subject proposed to be Investigated and
had acquired additional titles 10 the confidence Of
the directory, by toe energy, Judgment and prRctca
skill which ne had displayed, os well in the conduct
of the surveys OF 1855 as IN the subsequent manage
fnent Of the second division Of the canal.
Proiilng OF the facts already established, and ard
ed by a small party drawn from the second division
of the canal, Mr. Gil. executed the Greenbrer and
New river survey in the course Of one month
Himself and his party embarked on the 4h OF Oc
tober at Greenhrier bridge IN three small boats pro
vded Tor the purpose and navigated by watermen
from the east of the ridge, and arrived al Loup
creek shoals on the 4th Of November, having pass
ed all the rapids on the route without the cid of
ropes except at Richmonds falls and the Great falls
Another survey at the pass OF the Allegheny, has
since been commenced and is now in progress under
his directions. Mr. ellis report OF the FRS Of these
surveys is herewith communicated. tSee APPENDIX
c. | embrace the occas on 10 express the very de
cidei appreciation eutert1ined by the president and
directors of the p5omp, AMI able manner IN vs. ich
himself add bis assistants have performed the I'M
portsnt duty with which they were charged.
The survey was projected, so TAR ns respects the
Creenbricr river, with view 10 a navigation simi-
Irin character and dimensions TO that Of The James
river and Kanlwha canl cas-; Of the ridge and, as
respects tie y Tlvcr portion, with a view o. @
s.s.mboat navigation similar 10 character und dl-
rnsnsion5 to that already prescribed for The Kama
wha river. The Instructions called also for O depth
o, five feet Of water ~ the steamboat ch1nne', of
sufficient capacity 90 admit oi the towing of canal
boats and % the extension &C the same below Loup
creek shoals to the mouth OF klu1whl river, Do be-
Dug the ultimate design Of the directory that ite ca
ma boats of the cls- might on The one hand either
communicate wiki steamboats,, az or neartle mouth
Of Greenb lcr river, or be towed down 70 tine Ohio
without chlrge OF clrgc; and, on the Other hand
that they might communicate with 1Os's navigating
the New river sho Id that uver be hereafter suit
ally improved that ,ne cana boats might Likewise.
without change OF cargo, pass Up that river 20
wards the North Carolina line.
The line Of navigation rs located from tie Green
lrer bridge 90 q natural basin or steamboat land ne
u mile below the mouth ofGreenhrer river, max
inga total l5 8ucc Of i6 ~ miles, consists of p SO
miles of clnol and 27.U6 mics Of slick Te'cr. ln
tins distance there BE- total 90. 0i SIG feet ds,r tu-
ted among % Iit locks varying in iit from 20 .
feet. There nre also guard locks md - d1fns,
varying 10 height from to . feet. This po-lon
of the limo appears to he em'nenty '1Vourab'e nr
improvement. The engineer inform rs that 'hs
bed Of the river affords cheap rock 70 5stons Tor
OIL the dams, with large portion o. good natural
sbulncnis furnished by he vertical Gifts, whilst
Stone and timber OF The finest quality Iur Hu ding
IRE suprra bund int and the important article oi hy
dauc limestone is met with at intervals oi from 5
90 10 miles. IN consequence Of these c.rcumst8u
tcs so wc. adapted 20 The introduction of tho mTcl
system of improvement, the estimate for this por-
ton Of the line amounts % only 373G,2j5, or about
Sli. $50 per mile.
The New river portion Of the line from The cam
boat basin near the mouth of Grcenbrer 10 LOup
creek shoals .ttc below the Great falls "a dsancs
ofG927 miles. is an uninterrupted chain Of 'ocks snj
dams with view TO Steamboat nav CATION md The
towuge of canal boats, The locks being $50 feet n
length between thc gates sn1 80 st Boo wIdth tcross
Gle cbamucr, with o feet depth of water aud de-
teucd t1 uns7 Two canal boots abfrist. ofa.e.n.
boats siue.y OF rs tons burden. The aygrelte
$50 inthis distance s 1iG feet. md if De- broken tq
20 dams ord 81 locks The dims vary in heigl
f1m g CO. 60 feet, and tue locks in u't from 1 80
feet Only three Of tit dams. two 0f them below
Che Great l's and another OF moderate height oiYv,
the same. are 10 be- constructed OF timber end s'.rt
md will be- located on gravel or dc ochsd ro.l fI.
d5uons The other % dams 1re tl tc const. CO..
exclusively of stone ON solid rock foundations srt
in most Instances vii. have cool natural obutmont
o. rock.
on this part of Che line, hydraulic limestone occur
once comnon lime OCCASIONALLY, aud TIMBER is yer
nllodan.. Sindston, of sup,uorquli iy oi1u.d
iHr and boz detached blocks, which render b'lsrn
unnecessary. everywhere covers Che river ah1r'
sod tho base OF tne cliffs.
The diINru'uts of construction grow Ing out OF tf
vast upditY oi iho current boo the lower pItt OF lh
Great IA IIs, orc undoubtedly great Never ic.ss
,fs the dec ded opinion % thc chief .ncresr and
Gil, that with proper management, The locks af
u