Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-20
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT.
JAMES RIVER Il KANAwnA COMPANY
NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT.
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8 Second Grand Dieision Of tie Canal.


NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT.
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g. Second Grand DiriSioR of tie Canal
In the last annual report, statement was furnished
of the progress made by the directory IN dismsslng
the contractors from the second grand division oil the
canal agreeably tn the requirement OF the loan act OF
The 25th March. 1912, and the statement showed that
contracts still renamed to be compromised,
which expected to be gotten rid Of by the end OF
the year. TINS object having been effected shortly
after the period of that meeting, the engineers were
also dismissed, and the works abandoned-to remain
unfinished STATE until the condition OF The com
pany aud the will of the Legislature should admit OF
their resumption.
By referring 10 The report OF the committee oil III"
Senate in regard TO the affairs of the company [eghth
annual report p 2iG 10 2l9,1 detailed descriptive
statement will be found relative the condition of the
works above Lynchburg and of the amount expended
upon them at the time OF the report 1t will be seen,
that the expenditure Inclusive OF the cost of The Blue
Ridge turnpike, for which the SOM of S9,2'3 60 was
given 10 the StalcD amounted to Sio4,6il III. The
statement also shows tla, the sum then estimated 10
be requisite for the completion OF the Blue Ridge
canal which extends for the distance of about 10 miles
from the mouth of the North river down 10 lock No
1.-THE out-fall locks Of that canal below the ridge
amounted TO SIP l00 and that for the completion OF
the works from lock No 7 to Lyuchburg, being a DIS
lance of III miles, the further sum of S26l 200 was
estimated 10 be necessary; the two lines making an ag
gregate distance of 2 miles, and the tao es.imles
aggregate expenditure OF ;:373,o00
THIS line of unfinished works has, doubtless, again
suffered njury I'm the manner pointed out in the eth
annual report p 2S) from the high waters which pre-
vailed in April and September, but probably 10 an
amount much less than that OF the damage sustained
in July 1912: and though executed in most faithful
aud durable style of workmanship, doubt WILL
Ill completed, continue I, receive additional INJURY
from like in future, w. from the gradual
waste and dapidation To which all works lying IN an
unfinished state must necessarily be exposed; so that
ho octim 10 nTf ha M nj
year 10 year, and the longer the resumption IS post
poned, the greater will be the expenditure.
The company having the righ. by the act of ncor-
poraon to levy tolls upon this part OF the line as soon
rs the work shall have been completed 10 The mouth
of North River win also be lesser in its
during the period OF its suspension am unable to
furnish the data for exact computation OF the amount
of this loss but ii doubt considerable. 1t s at
the mouth Of the North river, that the canal will tap
the great iron and limestone district, and preparations
are making, by means Of tributary Improvement by
the local population upon the banks OF that r'ver 10
open speedy connection with the town OF Lexington,
in Rockbrrdge county thus securing the extension
of line of improved navigation for nearly two hun
dred miles OF Richmond into the very heart OF the
Valley
The course pursued by the directory, in regard to
this line of unfinished works, having been impaired IN
the fullest The successive annual reports al
the end OF the respective years. and the whole oil the
documentary evidence relative thereto having been
submitted i'll combined form, during the last WINTER
the legislative committees os investigations and Co
py Of their report having been presented 10 the meet
ing AZ The period Of the last annual election oil The oi
GERS Of the company and with the documents referred
to- subsequently printed along with Inc eish'h annual
report, deem it unnecessary, upon TINS occasion 10
trouble the stockholders with any further vIndca'ion
upon the subject.
II will be reelected that in The plan Of reconsruc
ton of the Blue Ridge Canal, which was adopted by
the Company, the old State dams at the head OF the
canal, and at the Cushaw Falls, retained, and IN
corporated parts of the plan to serve as ieedng
dams for the canal, and that the upper dam gus
tanned considerable damage by the fresh, when occur
red in July, lS42-at which tune, IN odd'tion u q
heavy breach around its Northern tbutment, IL was
broken it's centre, where the tmbers, Tor about
one hundred feet in length, carried away. Upon
the fall of the river, the water having been removed
by of a bay dam constructed in the pond above
the latter breach, 1t appeared that the wood materials,
IN the interior of the dam, had suffered mach from de-
but, with view 10 restore the navigation with
much dispatch possible, The breach vas hastily
repaired By the insertion Of range Of cribs filled
in with stone, and carefully connected with The re-
maning portions of the cid work
This breach renewed by the high waters IN
April last, when the greater portion of the new work
swep off but the bay dam OF the last year having
remained in its position, The necessary level IN the
water Of the pond maintained, and the navigation
continued without interruption for the time. In the
month Of August, the water Of the river having fallen
the low Summer stage and the more pressing oi The
extraordinary repairs in the first division being flushed,
party of carpenters and laborers, under ss''u su
perintendent placed upon the dam, and THIS party
had nearly closed the breach, when the September
fresh carried the whole of their work, and at the
same ,me took off portion of The bny dam, and, by
thus reducing the level of The pond, caused for short
time some interruption to The passage OF boats through
the companys works. oil that point on the line EaIly
in October, and practicable, alter inte!-
gence of this interruption received, committee
Of the directory visited the place, and contormty
TO instruction then given, the bay dam speedily
..Sad In thr0uuh the
guard lock- and the breach in the dam 0as subsequent
ly repaired -.
In closing my remarks the subject Of the unliDeh
ed line of works in the second division OF The canal,
beg leave, with view to guard agains, possible mis-
construction, 10 add brief explanation of the refer
ence made in former part OF The report 10 advanta-
gss which might rebound 10 the company from The sue
cessfu Introduction Of steam vessels operating win the
Erickson propeers The advantages referred to- on
sisted in the supposed aptitude Of this ogcn, 10
form more intimate union between the canal and the
tide water section Of the State TO dispense with tnc ne
cessy Of transshipnehts at the mouths OF tributary
streams and TO secure, as well IN regard 10 Inc power
used as to the vessel and cargo propelled, The coninn
~ of voyages throughout The line of improvement and
10 the most distant regions OF The west.
Candor, however, requires me to state, hat no anti
cipaon was Indulged N the event even OF inc Host
successful result the experiment, OF SAVING OF ex
pense the further construction OF the line, by means
of change in the plan OF the Improvement dispensing
with the towing path and substituting continuous l'ne
of locks and dams in the bed Of Ike river place OF The
mixed system Of navigation prescribed IN The 23d Sec
ton Of the charter.
However expedient necessary the adoption of
dff1ren, policy may be found upon tributary lines, or
within the limits Of the cliffs Of New river, where Qor
reasons stated ia the 9TH annual report page "a horse
power improvement deemed to be mpracncable,
should regard such exclusive adoption upon the rest OF
this line either heretofore one founded IN
false views of economy and calculated 10 mar The sue
cess Of the scheme.
From it, simplicity, dvisiblliy and adaptation to m
skilled labor and The ordinary agency in the land,
the use of horse power admirably adapted t. the pur
poses of work. where the way trade is destined Tor
ever TO form go large proportion relatively Of the