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

In obedience 10 the lOluncliOHS VI TUG enoi'Si /,
beg leave to lay before the stockholders tue usu-
al annual report Of The operations Of the pasl year.
aud oi the present stale and ccaditon OF The COM
pany. Inthe performance OF this duty, ask per-
mission also again to avail myself of the method
aGor,ed in The last annual report, by presenting
Isl. the STATE Of the Company's works. and 2dly,
n, state ofthe Companys funds; and, in The re-
vi.w Of the works again 10 speak OF them IN sue
cassive ordcc, commencing al The eastern lerini-
nation oi ihs line.
I.-SrATE OF THE Works.
|. The Riehaion Dock.
I, pursuance OF the plan OF operations which
was acopte,. iii Inc time OF restoring The water 10
the Dock in january, lSl3 the unfinished por-
tons os the work have continued during Inc past
year progress upan ii, borders whilst, WIN Inc
exception .! periods OF accidental ana unavoida-
bic nialrr. lien, The Dock it-eli has been IN ac-
tive uss for III. accommodation OF the trade
In cider 10 p,ace this establishment IN a con-
dtion 10 ford proper reception 10 vessels naviSa.
ting npcn II leel Of water in a medium state oil
high tides there remained al the time Of the last
annual report, suniry portions Of work either in
actual progress OF N .rked out Tor execution. |
was al that line expected lh;t these Jobs Would
be fiaiS,,sd in the course OF the following "lnler
aa spring; III: lbs expectation was disappoinled
bv various mex ascte< appointments occurring sue
ce>siYeiy III dif<ren; periods Of The present year
In consequence Of the severity or weineSs oil the
winter nearly all work was suspended until The
opening Of the spring. From the first OF April 10
the ifs; of July The works progressed with but
little interruption Blu; from the LIST oil July to the
last OF October, in consequence OF calling on Inc
principal c3ntractc 10 conduct the extraordinary
.eoairs at III. lower end OF the Dock, Got which
mere Particular mention will hereafter be inade)
Inc works Were great? retarded and almost entire
~ suspended. From these unexpected causes, il
happens that 4 small portion of the Improvements
referred 10 k, even al this time, diminished; al
though | ain happy 10 have il in my power nov
u announce the completion Of very nearly the en-
liz. amount.
The wing walls have been annexed 10 the
aqucJuct over Shockoe creek, and The contiguous
entertainments nave been raised, SO as 10 guard iiat
impotan! structure more efcclually against dan
sci from the abrasion ot high waters.
The s.on- wal. around the square basin has
been finished up 10 point within Two FEET OIL
It's ultimate height 50 as 10 be ready hereafter Tor
the rece:tion Of the coping stone The portion
OF this wall which borders on 18th street, alter
j, was first erected, gave indications OF detects IN
the foundation; IN consequence oil when II was
taken down and rebuilt upon foundation OF piles
The basin itself has been cleared by the dredging
machine of the imm.nse deposit which had ac-
cumulaed upcn its bottom before il came into the
possession OF The company, and thus has been
fitted for use tv The largest class oil vessels whch
Gao enter The Dock.
The new bridge upon the line OF 18th street
has been finished, and the entertainments around
ihesquare basin have been raised 10 ull height, ana
well graded at the approaches TO the oriu2e, SO
as 10 furnish good carriage way TO The properly
OF individuals on the South side OF The DOCK
tn. ;assasc from the lower part OF the Dock
into The square basin, has been improved ana
finished hy III. removal Of the abutments and
defective wa,ling connected with the old draw
bridge, and BY the erection OF new supporting
walls. harmonizng in plan and character with The
wh. r!iag above and below, with which They are
connected.
The grading Of The street bordering the North
ern side o! The Dock has been completed and ex-
tended down 10 -! street, in consequence o.
which. the wash OF the city and of the neighhor-
ing hills instead Of entering and filling up the
Dock. as i, formerly did, now finds an outlet by the
new drain ditch Sllirtng the street into The chan
mel of Shpckue creek, and uEder the arch oil the
aqueduct into The river below
The three slips AMI the quays connected with
them near the lower end OF the work. have been
finished as far as was deemed essential 10 the
convenient accommodation OIL Tue present lraue
bu, with some notification OF the plan Tor The
prcsen, elevation of the supporting stone wall
which was contemplated at the period OF The lasi
annual report II was al that time the intention
of the Board Of Directors 10 raise ms wal 10 inc
ha;gb, nj FIVE feet on the sides OF the slips imnie
dia.elv in from; Of the hills and 10 only halt thai
height on the siles running ransversely 10 Inc
general course oil the Dock. But, subsequently,
with a view more effectuay TO guard against the
influx If sa.d from The hill sides, and TO put the
ouays into a u state for the erection oi ware
houses. aul Tor the use OF tenants It was decided
10 Give the stone waiting IN elevation OF SIX leet
on the sides neareS, The hills and likewise Tor i've
siSts OF tn length Of the transverse sides ana 10
slop al the height CT 4, feet on the residue OF Tue
l. Ter sides, and also OH the sides bordering The
fronts Q! The quays
Tna general breadth OF The DOCK BENG only
one huni.ed tcel, the construction OF these slips
and uuars nas made a very "aiuable addition !"
lis csp4ci'r. by en;a. ging the area OF lis water
sus.acs ana hv lcny,h-ning the line OK rs conii-
g,on, wharves.
The progress Of the slips and luayst 10 this point
Of s::arcemsnI has been accompanied by an
extension o. tne street, Immediately contiguous
10 ana in from, OF them from 22nd street TO Inc
lowe. eni .! The DScs. The excavation and gra-
ding connected with this extension OF me streeI
ore 10; 70, { on?e;e; oul will soon be finished on
with : sra.l. Descending toward The East, so as
10 give 10 tic land wish from the adjacent hills
an Quiet arM7i the Eastern extremity OF The
WORK and il dirsc;ioa opposil: 10 that gwen
10 he drainage ahove q! street.
The c.aaanl,npn; next the river, between
Mavo's iriig. and Hax..lfs mills, which was
repaired after ne double breach which II ssta n
ca DARN, ne r,s.:s }; \ pri ami September, lsl3
has been raised 10 fli. hei.h, and stTengihened
hni sill requires 10 be rprapped Tor ahont 400
Zee, in icngtn, in or or 10 give i, etfsct;a pro-
tec.ion against sim:llr inroadS from The Hood va
terS oi II. river in :uGre.
regret 10 STATE. that, whilst these varlons i'm
prorement> were in pro ;reSs, several successive
disasters =; the Quiet lock ufthe Dock took place,
which have cau.ed a considerable addition 10 The
annual charges of The work, AMI = propor,iorate
reduction in the amount OF lis annual revenue.
I, may he proper 10 remind the Stockholders
that they were fully appri-ed in The eighth annual
rcpor, (pa III 70 pa. III of The embarras>menlS
in which tbs directory were placed by the nntor-
tuaats location, detective plan, and diiapiGa!ed
condition o ,h, l,cis, and that considerations Q!
economv alone induce them 10 trust Il as TEN
n,r,ry avenue ui connection between The Eastern
ie; minus OF the canal and The TIDE water hdviSd,
zion blow 1t may be there seen, that they iouha
,hs loo; siip.ied 500 feet above The proper point
iar is location: constructed oil WOOD, ana ieS,ihS
upon .iinoe.s placed upon q foundation oil clay;
VIII cnau,5sr unnecessarily deep BY several
feet originally TOO narrow for the largest class OF
vessels en,criag the port, and still further reduced
t.. collapse of three feet at the top OF the sideS
in the c.utre; lis timbers much decared, ana Tue
whole Structure in ruinous and dilapidated con-
Litioa.
To proceed a, once 10 a radical remedy, by The
consirnc,ion, unnn the proper site, OF new s. ne
lock Of larger dimensions, and by an extens' N
OF the dock down 10 his point was measnsc
forbidden BY the STATE OF the Company's fnnds al
thu, period, ana by The comparative claims OF
other Interests upon the llne
TO remove The old structure, and rebuild a new
lock 0. timber upon The same site, would have
been less Objectionable on the score OF immedl-
ate ccs,; but the expenditure would still have
been OF sufficient amount 10 commit me Compa-
ny for long course Of years to all lhe ev's 0!
Dock - inconvenience in correspondent pro-
portion.
By reference to The passage of the report re-
terrei to, ii will be seem tina. alter careful eN-