Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-01-04
EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
co she Pr-six.ss % the sssekhslaer. Of the Has.


communicated TO the Stoekholdens
The line located by these Assistant Eneineeu
menees. by agreement with the corporation OF Lynch
burg at their works dam. Immediately above the
town After passing through the lower part Of the town,
pur.ues the Southern shore for miles, when with the
aid Of towing path bridge IL the river in the pond
Of dam 10 be- erected and three quarter miles lower
down. Joshua Falls. After crossing the river.
Times down the Northern Shore to the Maidens Ad,en-
ure dam. passing over Tye river, BY OF towing
bath bridge In the reuent Of the dam be thrown
across the main that point Rock6sh
nver, upon aquoduct, and the Rvanna nvcr by
the by the other those methods may be here
after indicated by the denitve location in that part OF
tho line. Generally the line 10 laid the base Of the
hills. In preference the margin OF the but where
" there two levels the low grounds, il generally
the line Of separation between those levch, and
iy In limited number Of and for peculiar
approxmaes more nearly to the river shore Except at
the points OF connection with the where Is To be
protected by cmbankment the canal will be raised
such elevation above the ordinary low water mark.
10 place IL beyond the reach of probable danger from
hsods and would have been still further raised but for
the formidable difficulty and expense OF higher loca-
" ton"
II will, doubt be rccollccted that the month Of
Iune 1885, extraordinary fresh occurred in James NV
err IL was in the month OF August subsequent that
event, that the denitivc location Of the a. miles last
made, was approved and confirmed. In the second
nual report, which communicated the end of that
year, after the usual annuncaton of the preceding facts
aud some minor corrections made in the line of - miles,
which had been sanctioned in the year. the general
subject OF the location resumed as follows:
In the location OF the new canal, it was a leading
object with the Board OF Directors, have raised be.
yond the reach OF probable danger from the floods OF the
rvo and with this view the fresh of 1874 the greatest
that had occurred since the year 1885, selected
Engineers furnishing proper standard for the eeva-
" ton OF the line. The fresh James River the 9th
and 9Th June last afforded satisfactory proof of the skill
exhibited by the Engineers Of the Company this part
OF the work. At Warnster and Lynchburg and for
distance above and below these places fresh
une, was somewhat higher than that of 1914; bu, at no
point On this part OF the line did the OF the river
" come within feet OF the top of the embankment-
From Seosvilc Richmond, the June fresh was rea-
lively lower nsomuch, that Columbia and Gainesville
" 1t was four feet below that OF 1914. Blu, the Chief I'm.
gineer has ascerained that this part the line also
such flood that Of 1914, would have reached the
level OF the tOwpah called for by the location except
point the estate OF VIM. Gait in the county Of Flu
wanna and there the enibankmeni will be raised,
guard IL equally with the the line against the
" overflow OF the waters In future time. I"
The old canal. between Madcn's Adventure and Rich.
mod, IN length about twenty eight miles, relocated
with view its enlargement the year one thousand
eight hundred and thirty seven-sc whole of the variations
OF the new from the old line, throwing upon different and
independent ground, for distance OF only three and
his miles Nearly the whole of this deviation consisted
OF hlhy beneficial change OF low location in the bed
OF Tuckahoe creek liable be frequently submerged to
ono upon the neishborng high grounds beyond the
OF extraordinary foods The details of the old and of the
locations, communicated much nj large i'm the
third annual repor(page 239 244)-and are unneces
sary 10 be recapllaied, upon the present occasion.
To the statements made in the three first annual reports
Ie'auve TO the location of the canal both general
line and in its particular Details will subioin that il was
the decided opinion Of Judge Wright, and his abcsr ass
d, that TO place the line the sides of the hills
citi OF the river, above the reach of all DANGER watso
from floods would have added probably not less than
million TO the cost OF the first DIVISION sum, the
erest OF which, would, have no doubt gene
rally exceed the amount of extraordinary repairs which
the actual location possibly be exposed once in every
term OF nifty years The result of such heavy and
eessary expenditure would doubtless have been an abor
hVe enterprze in the form OF finished line of canal 10
some point far above the of Scottsye or line of
unfinished works from Richmond to Lynchburg strong
Df tho
BY the Companys Engineers regard this subject is to
be found in the consequences of the adoption an oppo
slie policy IN the administration OF great work
In the 1885, when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
had progressed comparatively low level for upwards
OF one hundred miles up the valley OF the Potomac il was
decided, with view To make 1t perfect work TO
elevate the line 10 Is feet rs 10 place il above
the reach of all possible floods in the Potomac river The
result was that the estimates made the which
assembled at Baltimore IN the Fall of 1884 of the amount
necessary extend the canal up Cumberland upon the
line of its original location fell short by millions Of the
amount afterwards called for and that noble and magnit
cent york has been arrested in its course without accom-
ishing its first great object which was TO reach the coal
mines at the head of the river
The limited elevation of line was, moreover sane
oned by thecxample OF the Erie Canal, the Eastern y
OF which, under the superintendent of DE Witt Gin
ton, placed within the range of highest floods i'm the
Mohawk nVer without having sustained very material
damage or inconvenience IN consequence Of low
non.
The catastrophe with which has pleased the Almighty
visit canal, when properly examined furnishes but
slight grounds OF distust the character location of
the work. The whole OF damage inclusive of that
yet TO be spoken of in the second DIVISION not exceed
the cost OF single mile Of some OF the difficult sections
on the line; and the fact that this damage chiefly con-
hned to entertainments either unfinished yet settled or
protected authorizes the belief that such injuries will M
minish with the progress o time Out of the extent and
III aqueducts l9l cuverts and 1873 and road bridge.
only single obect-the Culyer Beaver Creek-receved
injury rom ,he severe shock to which large proportion
was exposed.
In closing the subject of the irst grand DIVISION will only
further add IN vndcaon of the Companys late veneatcd
thief Engineer, that his views the most expedient
manner OF locating the Canal have found favor with
the Stockholders, well the Directory although these
views, as has been shewn, fully communicated in
the Annual Reports yet at OF the Annual Meetings u
- the present tme has the slightest indication Of dsappro
baton ever appeared
?. Second Grand Dipision Of the Canal
From tic passage OF the Loan Act of the 25h Of March
last until the meeting OF the Stockholders the month of
May, the Directory ayaicd themselves of ali offers from
tractors IN the second division enqush their contracts
upon condition OF payment being for the work nea
dy done After the latter period, deemed essential
with view TO lessen the engagements the Company To
invite compromises upon reasonable with remain
nag contactor by which all the contracts for the
construction OF the work in the second division have
successiyey been gotten rid Of with exception of five
upon the line OF the old Blue Ridge Canal and two upon
the line below. And with respect To these seven
arrangements will probably be made in consequence
o which they will be dissolved suspended by the end of
the year 50 ia At the commencement Of the year.
none Of the works of construction will be in progress in this
dNson and ihe employment OF the engineers will for the
present be discontinued.
IN consequence Of this suspension Of operations very ill.,
Tie has been added in the of the present year %
what already done in the second division nj the pe
OF the last annual meeing at which time very detailed
statement OF th, works. both finished and unfinished WA
presented to the Stockholders at page II 49, in the 7t
Annual Report.
much greater change has unfortunately been produced
produced by the ayagos Of the fresh the month Of Jul,
last the injury here IN consequence the unfinished stat
of the works having been much greater proportion to dis
tincc than upon the first grand division.
BY estimate made by the Chief Engineer the d1mng,
10 the works IN the second division amounts TO 500 500:
which about $500 sustained upon the line Of i,
old Blue Ridge Canal and about S2O,OO0 upon the line be
tween Lynchburg and the Ridge about thrcoourts Of in,
latter amount huyng fallen upon the Of
canal and only an inconsidersblc part upon the towing
path sections.
Throughout large portion Of the second DIVISION the
STOP 4 the towing path bordering the river as well upon
VIC SECTION Of independent canal upon the margin Of tine
SohemPafd pools lined with facing Of stOne IN the
l''" ~ 'ast common placid rprap, which to he
o"s'Ieu ua 1aned TO considerable extent by the rohu.
tt wafer OF The PopOsod dams The works however be.