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


am happy to have it in my power 10 s.a,e'
thai such is now the improved condition oil me
line that Tie business OF completing The era
Yelling OF The dams may lie actively resumed IN
the Spring. and form prominent obIect OF q
len,ion for the next and future years.
The remark is due TO The directory OF The com,
many that until recent period il was expected
Ina, any deficiency Of feeding water resulting
from the leakage OF the old State dams, "ouiu DC
obyialed in another and different manner, oy tne
early execution Of plan of addition ard I'M
movement recommended By the late chief engi-
ncer. This plan consisted Of a new stone dam OF
morared masonry. 10 be placed below and in
support of each OF these cd dams, with small
intervening space between the old and new struc-
lures. filled with compact mass OF concrete com
nosed of fragments Of stone and hydraulic &C.
,,nenr. Eul in The early part OF the year,
threatening indications Of weakness having
been disclosed at several points IN boSlei
dam, and the time Indispensable 10 the exc
cu!ion Of the proposed improvement, oe!hs
represented as Incompatible win lne safety
Of The work. The plan OF supporting s'one
dam al that place was relinqulshed IN favor Oh
tho immediate commencement oil the range OF
sloping crib work, 10 be more particularly no
! ticcd at a more advanced stage OF the report
| The plan of a stone dam, in connection win mat
al Maiden's Adventure has subsequently been
/ also reinQuishe,i at least Tor the present, ana
probably, permanently in The end, in favor vi
similar substitution. The very low Stage OF me
river. produced by the late extraordinary arouSn',
afforded the best opportunity that has existed lot
lone cousre OF years for careful ana accn-
rate examination of this dam. II was found,
when thus examined, 10 be in less decayed ana
unsafe condition, than had been previously ap-
nrehended and The bed oithc river was also iound
| 10 be unfavorahe for the preparation OF good
! foundation for the contemplated stone dam
The subject was therefore, postponed for The time
heine: and some stone which had been previously
prepared forthis purpose al the company's quarry
was found useful at other points and Tor other OBJ
jects upon the line Of the canal.
II is. perhaps, perfectly needless for me TO in
vile the attention OF The stockholders 10 the unta
vorable influences upon the general revenue OF
the canal, which must have been produced by
The train of disasters already reciied; or 10
note particularly the probable injurious effect
upon The course and direction Of The Southwest
crn trade, which must have resulted from The in
tcrrnp;ions which occurred in the latter part of
Tie Summer. To diminish The number OF such
| Interruptions for The future, whether produced
| bv causes from without or from within the
canal, is policy which must be Obvious 10 all
bnt BY none can it be felt with more powerful
force than BY every member of the Board of Di-
| rccioIs.
In consequence Of the very great diversion Of
labor arising from the caus,s which have been
stated the plan of raising The entertainments of the
canal SO as 10 protect il from future overflow
from the floods Of the river, has fallen somewhat
short of the point of advancement which was
anticipated al the last ANIMAL meeting. The ad.
diliona height however, supposed 10 be necessa-
nv for this object, has been given at most OF The
points indicated as requiring II in the last annual
| report An increased elevation varying in
/ amour, from one and half to three feet, and for
different distances, varying from % u 100 yards
has been given at eleven different places situated
on the 81, 7lh, 18th, 18th, 18th, lGih, 18th, Goth
and 23d levels. Some additional height has re-
Gently been discovered TO be necessary on The III
level; and is now in progress, and will be tnlsi-
ed by the end of the year. II Is The present IN
derstanding Of the superintendent Of the canal,
each spe akng Tor his respective section, that al
Ter the first of January next, the only points upon
The Iipe where the top OF The entertainments could
he reached BIZ fresh from James river, not high
or than anv which has occurred since The year
l1o5. are the tow-palh embankmenls along the
margins of the Mai,.en's Adventure, I've river
and Joshua'S fan, ponds. and the tow-path en-
b,nkInent q the 5lst level 81 Lynchbnrg Some
! addition is now making 10 the height OF The
banks alon. The last mentioned level, but mol
| to the extent of n total exclusion of the overflow
is necessary that sufficient quantity should
flow in 10 keep the wafer in the canal upon le-
vel with Tie water in the river; Otherwise the up
| ward pressure would raise the trunk OF the Black
water aqueduct one end OF which was partially
uplilled in this manner, previous TO the entrance
| OF the water at the time of The Jnly fresh. But
The injurious effects of an overflow al this point
will be mitigale il not entirely prevented, by
| large waste Immediately below the town, b.
/ u1cI,,. n n
would pass of into the river, after running very
snort distance upon The level. The ow-pa!hs
| along the ponds are for The most part, formed
upon The sides of precipllous and rocky cliffs
and, although in some parts they have been con
siderable; washed ana in lred in no case hitherto
| has The damage been such as 10 interrupt the ma
viga,ion. From the absence oil suitable materi-
als along these bluffs, and the great consequent
expense of Inc improvement, il has heen decided
10 prelernil, for the present. the raising OF ihes"
portions uf the embankments, and 10 protect them
from the effects OF occasional overflow, by paving
The towing path, and by riprapping the banks at
he most ex 'osed points next the river. Its p $
Sible that al The time Of Simultaneous and extra
ordinary rises in the secondary ard the principal
streams the line NAV be overopped about the
mouths If The tributaries; but it is believed, upon
| the whole, ,c BE- now well guarded and protected;
and in raising the cnhankncnlS, care also has
been AIKEN So 10 lalSt oU! ~ til'i'
should an overflow hereafter take place, The flood
waters will make their first entrance i some dis
lance from the locks, and thereby prevent testluc-
tive currents in the levels The liae however
will continue 70 be revised and examined win
view To this object, and Successive additions and
amendments will be made as further experience
and observation shall suggest them 10 BE- heces-
sary. until The improvement shall be perfected.
To lessen the frequency Of breaches in The en-
bankmenis and the various works OF ait. another
precautionary measure has been adopted by the
establishment of regular system OF patrols
throughout the whole cxlcn, Of the canal. The
line, for this purpose, has been divided into len
subdivisions. having each length oil about ID
miles-and an ablebodicd man has been placed
upon each of these subdivisions. whose duv II y
10 pass over the space assigned la him once Ill
every day to search the line with view 10 leaks:
to stop them, il in his power, or olherwseto give
prompt notice, and call in the company forces;
and TO report violations Of the regulations rela-
live 10 the faithful keeping Of the lamps at The
locks, and the proper maintenance OF The water
in the levels. The annual cost OF this establish
i. ment NAV amount 10 as much as I2,OUO; but II IS
believed that il will he the means OF lessenlnS Inc
other annual charges by much larger amount.
The whole OF tic annual repairs, ordinary ana
extraordinary, have now been finished. 80 lar
a they could be executed with the water remain
ing in the canal For the four years that The
work has been in operation oar season OF navl@a-
ton has embraced the entire year, with The ex-
cepion OF briet and casual interruptions IRON ice
in lie winter season; and during this period, nc
. stated time has ever been fixed upon for drawing
off The water from the canal, with a view to lis
. more thorough examination and repair. On The
lines at the North the season OF ice lasts for seve
raj months; and on some for as muchas one third
of the year, during which time The navigation j.
f unavoidably suspended; and an ample opporiu-
nifty is thus afforded 10 make all necessary I'm
provements and repairs. Hitherto the Directory
has been unwilling, BY a voluntary suspension
even a, the least busy PERIOD 10 add 10 The inter
5 ruptions which are the nseparabe concomi!ant'
OF all new works Of The Sort but experience ha'
now demonstrated the necessity of departing from
) this course and OF devoting small fraction Q
, the winter 10 such examinations and improve