Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-01-07

distance Of % miles. The greatest portion OF INT
damage sustained was confined 10 The emnank
mcnls. which were broken in as many as io' d't
terept places upon the line OF the DIVISION lh'
flood water rally coming in Immediately DC
low the locks, iunring down the levels and burst
ing oul al he weakest points, where the mound Q
the canal had no, been thoroughly settled ana wa
still unprotected By vegetable cover. ana II
reference 10 The fresh Of April, 1913, It IS stated
in tie 9th report, (atp. $685. that line hish wa
Ter mark OF April exceeded thai of Juiy py Nv
inches al the Town of Columbia, and oy leh iiicne
al the Maiucn's Adventure dam. In Inc lowe
section Of ihc division, the embankmen's OF ln'
canal were consequently more extensively SUP
merged in April than they were in July. ana &c
tually sustained twenty-five breaches averaeln;
seven feet ia dcr,h, which occurred at various
points upon The l,h, 7h, OH, llth, IAN ana loI!
levels"
Although il appears from The context OF !hcs'
reports. that the masonry itself sustained ioltu
nalcly but little comparative damage upon eUhe
of these occasions, vet it is certain, mat many
tie culverts were uncoveIed, and mai Inc pnn
ding of the cuIverls and aqucdncls was eSlen
svelv washed off and deranged by the destructive
current which swept down The levels. II IS alse
certain, that from the vast anxiety and hurry
the officers 10 restore The navigation and relleVt
The public distress there was no time 20 go 10 d
distance in quest Of materials of superior class
and that many Of these structures were hastlly
recovered, with only the best materials which Inc
immediate vicinit;es would respectively Afford
And it should also be borne in mind, that, al sun
dry places along the line where there IS Dui li.tie
fall between The canal and The river, me covering
OF the crown Of the culverts not only reaches 10
the bottom, but projects and swells up mo INC
cavity Of the canal.
From tie statements which have been made,
i! would seem reasonable TO expec maj Dredc.-
cs would occasionally take place al these weak
ard vulnerable points; and that such breaches
would be increased in frequency by The pre-
scnce Of any disturbing cause; and would con-
tinue 10 he 50 increased for some reasonable
time after such disturbing cause may have been
Withdrawn from the line. Failures in the en-
bankments, however, arising merely from Inc I'M
nerleclon of the work at these points .! debility,
woud no doub, occur most frequently during Inc
fross Of The Winter bur, in the present instance,
the reverse was most remarkably The iacI, al S1e
preceding statements abundanlly prove.
Although a few OF The cases may ne o.her-
wise explained. and other causes may nave CO,
oneraicd vet an inspection oil the evidence ID III
before The board, with the aid OF the lacls wfich
have been stated, can leave but little Golht as 10
the principal cause oil the greater par, OF 'hls
mischief The directory and officers 0! the Com
many. at least are Ifmly impressed with the be-
lief. that it was principally produced by the vlo-
lent agitation OF the water of the canal which
took place during The contest OF speed between
The horse packets and the steam packet IN Inc
course of The last season. The latter boat had
Withdrawn from the line on the 3Oth October, bu'
returned on The 27h April, and continued TO run
unit; the 10Th of August; and during her con-
iinuance upon the line tlc contest Tor ascendancy
between the rival boats was maintained, VIII
considerable heat and earnestness, accompanied
bv an extraordinary excrtion OF their respective
powers.
In the course Of his period, The embellishments
Of The canal were materially injured and weaken
ed by The flashing of The wave upon their interior
slopes, especially in the portions OF Tie lint
where they are composed Of light alluvial SOIL
Il was believed also, although the case was les
susceptible Of positive proof, That the current anc
agitation created By the action and speed nf Tie
boats reached and cxertcd adeleterous influence
on the bottom Of the canal. producing hrst small
leaks. and afterwards formidable breaks, al INC
wc.k noin,s 10 which the report has had refer
encc
This opinion will not appear unreasonable
when il is recollected that The form OF one o.
these boats was such, that when moving al the
usu;.l speed OF five miles an hour, she carriet
throughout the whole extent of the canal wave
~ her bow of about nine inches in height. lht
wafer along her sides being thrown into an m
clined plane Of equal elevation, and sweeping
along The slopes OF the entertainments with cor
responding velocity. Nor will this opinion appear
less probably correct, when il is also recollecseo
that This boat was furthermore propelled by a
power which was not in the contemplation o.
hose who planned and constructed the cana "a
noycr which finds its fucrum mol upon the hrn
embankments. but upon the water iiseli, ana ACT
upon with such force, that the boat was loliow'
cd in its wake By a long line OF discoioration
produced by the disturbance OF the deposit al tht
bottom ct thc canal.
During The period Of this contest the subject o
the injury accruing TO The WORKS o! tne COMPANY
was rcpeatcLly brought TO my attention by tht
..urer,n,endenis OF nc canal and by myself, Il
that OF The board OF directors. Instructions Wer'
accordingly given 10 the superinendcnis 10 re-
ouirc sfict observance Of the regulations OF in'
company relative 10 the speed OF boits, Inc risn
oi passing each ntEer, and the manner OF en'er
in, the locks; and communications were hei'
with the prorrielors OF The Two lines, having 10
their OBJ, Ct 10 procure their cooperation, ana I'll
recting the particular attention TO The owners o
the steam packe. 10 her alledged injurious &C
ton, with the view Of ba ing ner Objectionable
points corrected, if practicable, in the new model
which we're I'M e!s.ood To De in contemplation 10
he line.
The subject was brou-h; 10 The particular al
,aulion Of the board a. the meeting aeid al Lyhch
burg in the early part of August, at Which timr
due consideration was given tc The cohiiiclinsopi
Mons Of the agents OF the company ana The own
ers OF he steamboat, as 10 the character and tx
.,,,. ktIf n
shortly thereafter an improved boat would be sub
situted for the one then navigating the canal,
was deemed most advisable 10 await the result
the new experiment and unnecessary for the tim
being 10 proceed with the investigation. hi
cyr.rinent took place about The first OF Novem
her with new boat constructed al The North, an
differing widely from the old one in point of lorr
and propelling power; bni the result IS under
stood 10 have been unsatisfactory 10 the parlic
immediately interested: and this boat likewise
after a single trial trip 10 Lynchburs and back
has been Withdrawn from the line; but whc'hc
permanently or temporarily only, am rot adj
20 state. In The preparation OF The new boat, itaT
pears that the principle oil the Erickson propeile
has been abandoned in favor CT that OF the old pad
dle-whee under amodiied form; but whether I'M
substitution is calculated 10 render the action
the new boat more or less prendic!al TO The side
and bottom Of the canal than that OF me old boa
is a question which remains 10 be decided.
In the course the present year, the line OF IN
canal has not been visited by destructive iiooc
as i, was in the Two preceding years; but, on N
contrary. il has sustained no inconslderable u
convenience from visitation OF an opposite oh;
rac,er. The whole of the bordering country an
especially The Scu,hern portion, became the The;
ire OF very extraordinary drought, in cons
ouence oi which the river fell to point OF Dc
preston lower than any which il had reached
anv period since the memorable droush, OF ISL,
The result was, that The ordinary leakage OF u
four dams across The river upon the line of Ii
first division, did not leave supply OF walter su
fcient for feeding the canal al the four princiip;
feeders, and The navigation was incommoded
early as the latter part of July, and was suspend
ed for abou, a couple Of weeks in the course
August and September. ltappears from The pu'
lie prints that several Northern lines OF can;
were from the same cause harassed with simiii
Inconvenience.
As far as am informed, the Two lower dan
had never been gravelled during the time th'
they were The property OF the State, and since II
opering Of the canal they had been suffered
re,noin IN this resnect in the condition in whiC