Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1843-01-09
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
EIGHTH ANNUAL. REPORT
Of The Presisai 10 he Stockholders Of ite james Rirr,
aai hHu,rta COnipd,,Y

leareto present 10 the Stockholders Tho usual report
The operations o the past year and OF the actual state
and condition oi The Company. In executing tins duty
Will present. iirs, the state of the tompany's works
aud secondly the state Of the Companv's funds and IN
the review OF the works, will speak of them as they
present themselves IN successive ordrr commencing III
the Fast, and terminating in the West
Estate OF TIE WORKS.
lst. TIE Richmond Dock.-'rhc greater portion OF
the Improvements necessary 10 restore this work to an
active and useful state. put under contract Sep
temhef, III but very tlc progress had bcon made IN
the execution al the period of the las annual meeting
the Stockholders. About the beginning Of the present
year, the contractors authorized and invited 10 pr,
coed through the winter upon very reduced scale OF
operations, moi 10 exceed the means nj the dspo-
sal OF the Company, and ~ wait the result Of the egs.
lavc action upon It's memorials. Upon the passage of
the loan act oithe 2jh Of March last. containing unex
peced restrictions on the powers of Company il WIS
with difficulty lhat these contractors could be induced
10 remain until the called meeting of the Shareholders
on the ID May. The order which given nj that
meeting the Board of Directors to apply the arrcar
ages OF subscription 10 the prosecution of thus worn
we'd the previous impedmont 10 IFS progress and since
that period II has advanced steadily aud with as much
rapldy the great difficulty of collecting these ar
rears and OF rendering Them available. would permit In
consequence of hr unfinished state Of the emhankmcnls
the dock was submerged by the river in the month Of
July last, which caused some delay 10 the PROGRESS of
the contractors, bu; happily the overflow produced lit
lie Other INJURY 10 this portion oi the Company S works.
To form Just conception Of the character and eNicn
of the mprov made upon the work it is ncc,ssa
~ take into vew It's original plan and the state aud
dillon III which II stood at the period at which it dc,
ll1ercd over 10 the possession Of the James River and
kanawha Company
The Richuond Dock according ia i,s orioin,l dcson
extended along the North bank Of The river from 2Glh
street. up to Aiayos bridge, the line OF lh street be
ing distance oi3,I 90 feet 1t consisted II principal
divisions, frming originally AN uninterrupted water
communication for the whole distance the first or low
er dvsIon, being IN the form o pafaIlonram or broad
canal, lo) feel wide, and 300 feet long aud stretch
M from 2uth street, mp 10 the dra"brlge, the line
OF lSth street.-the second middle division. being
luadrananlar BASIN aycrging $50 feet square, aud cA
tending iron the dr"brdge, up Ia 1th sirectaid the
third or upper division being ohlun9 hasn-and the
100 feet hong, with average breadth Of 50 feet reach
ing from l street, up to Aayus bridge. with Shockac
creek rroSsnI II u! right angles, al point, about
third fits ,Halh from the lower extremity of the d-
vision. The original dcs2a contemplated depth OF
water Of rti from the outlet l,cL at 2G,h street
To Shockuc creek and Of U feet from the creek M Ia
Aayo's hrdge-hut the depth being speedily essulcd
by the deposit brought III by the Waters OF the creek an
aboruve attempt WAS subsequently made In give scpa-
rate vent 10 these waters, by Of two parallel walls
connected together by stop gates AT their outer cnts
next the river and having side gales admit the pas
sage OF boats up and down the d,ek-the whoe being
erected on frame work of iluhcr, resting on lounda
ton Of earth For the first 900 feet at tle lower end
OF the first div sion Of the dock there was no wha rfnp
on either SIDE Of The work. the rctaniEg bank on the
side next the rirrr being ordinary canal bank With
the outer slope protected by raugpo trees near base
whilst The natural bank on the opposite side, WAS So
low 10 permit the spread on, 10 the neiubor
ing cliffs, aud 1ooverilw several lois belonging to the
cooperation ul Richmond, which were contiguous 10 thai
part OF the dock The whole Of the residue Of the first
DIVISION and also, the middle division were lined on
The sides with Wharllng II Timber generally from 10
totwclvc logs IN height The upper division was sur
rounded with stone waIlng, partly sunk beneath the or
dn'ry water surface OF the dock but rising in the form
of strong wharf wall ; feel above the surface for a
distance Of O)D feet the side next the river The out
LET lock. at the lower extremity of the dock which was
constructed Of wood with a chamber 1873 feet long and
% feet IN breadth, placed upon timber foundation
resting upon earth, and located in reference I
the neighborng channel as 10 expose the entrance 10
frequent obstruction, from the unccasnp dcpost form
ed by the waters OF tie river. The whole dock being
projected on low level with cmbankmens raised to
only ordinary height above It's water surface il was OK
posed to the land wash from the rising ground ON the
one side and on the ether To the direct access Of the
river. upon the occurrence Of evCry extraordinary flood
In consequence Of the unayorabc features of original
plan aud construction, which apparent upon the face
OF the preceding statement, the work by the time il,
reached the hands of the present company had fallen IN
| 10 most runpuS and dillpldatcd condition.
The foundation OF the parallel walls Shocloe creek
having sunk the side gates had been deragcd and the
waters OF the creek had forced passage the dock
bringing INTO II the drainage of considerable portion of
the city OF Richmond, and large quantities of earth aud
sand from the hills In lis rear. The combined results Of
the lnruads from the creek from the land wash and from
the river vast mass OF accumulated deposit which
averaged about feet in depth in tho upper divisions
and about feet III the lower division. From exmslre
10 the atmosphere by the absence ol the wafer consd
cradle portion of the timber wharlng had docayed and
called for renewaI.-At tho cenro of the outlet lock
the upper part Of the sides had collapsed about feet Sc
that passage through the lock mpracticabc for the
largest class OF vessels that could enter at the ends
The eXcavatIng machine boat also. lay wreck on The
booIh oi the dock; and the approach the lock from
the river below. was obStrucie by deposit as to leave
only depth OF feet of water at the height Of the tide
In the selection and settlement Of the amendments and
changes necessary 10 rery and restore this work and t
make II suitable termination Of the company's line 0
Improvement the directory not only proflcd of the plan.
and Suggestions of the resident Engineer Nr &. San
ford. but were also aided by the experience and skill
their late Chief Engineer, (Judgo Wnghi,) who. a
mong the last labors OF his long and useful life devotct
to this subject very careful and deliberate nvesga
lion.
In adjusting the plan Of aqneduct over Shocko
Creek with view 10 give 10 the creek outlet under
meath the dock the most important of The changes en-
grated the old work )-it was discovered that ilu
requisite elevation of The of the arch would not adj
Of greater depth than five feet IN the water the aque
duct above IL, consequently followed that no boat ex
ceodng the daught OF canal boats would be able to pas
the of the arch, and that the range Of vessel
Of larger dimensions must be limited by the aqueduc
some point below the same.
A part of the plan OF improvement which was first
doptcd 20 lock down just below the aqucduc, by
lock Of four feet lift from upper a lower level; bu
it was finally decided to raise up the work below thi