Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-01-01
REPORT.
~ fAs Sfsekksiius Of fAs Js~ss Rissr sod Rsaaaha


sss report q the operation. Of the pas, year. and Of
- prsssas and condition Of the company In the
svsIi .yssT Of the method adopted the last annu.
pspert By prescribing frat. the state Of the company
wo<ks; and secondly the state OF the companys iunos'
sst IN sks rsvsw Of works, again speak Of them
In sscceve order. commencing the eastern 'ernna
I-srArE or THE WORKS
80 4. TAe Richmond Dock.
10 Of the plan Of operations which was adoP.
q the Of restoring the to the dock m ia
,usry ls43. the unfinished portions OF the work have
, aa ~ S. Of psod Of accidental
and unavoidable Interruption the dock itself has been IN
active for the accommodation OF the trade.
in ordcr place this cstablshmentin condition to al
fd reception vessels navigating twelve feet
Of in q medium Of high tides, tterc remained.
- ths time OF the last annual report sundy portions OF
WORK either In actual progress, marked out for exeen-
ton Il tina, time expected that these jobs would be
finished In the OF the following winter and spring.
but this expectation disappointed by various
ed mPedimsnt occurring successfully different periods
OF the present year. In consequence of the severity
wcness OF the winter nearly all work suspended I'M
- Oh, r of Jay tho WORK. soyrrd with but i,,ia inter
rupiion. Bat Rom first % July the last Of October
cond Jcr INC sx...sT-.ry repairs the lower
DOCK of which particular mention will hereafter be
made the orks greatly retarded and almost entire
ly suspended. From these unexpected causes, happens
small portion Of the improvements referred TO,
this time unfinished; although am happy have
nearly the entire
Shockoe creek, and the contiguous entertainments have
been raised guard that Important structure more
The wall around square basin has been finish
ed up point within feet of its ultimate height
to be ready hereafter for the reception of the coping
The portion Of thi, wall which borders l7ih
street, after il hrt erected indications Of de-
fleets in the foundation consequence Of which it
taken down and rebuilt, foundation OF piles The
basin itself has been cleared by the dredging machine OF
the Immense deposit which had accumulated upon its bot
tom before the possession OF the company,
and thus has been ted for by the largest class OF
sells which the dock
-. The bridge upon line Of 18th has been
finished. and the embankmens around the square basin
have been raised full height, and well graded the
poaches the bridge. furnish good carriage
the property OF individuals the south side OF the
dock
The passage from the lower part of the dock the
basin, has been improved and finished by the
iaova Of the abumens and defective walng connected
with the old draw bridge and by the erection Of
porting walls harnonizng plan and character with the
wharnR above and below with which they connected
The grading of the bordering the northern side OF
the dock has been completed and extended down 22nd
in consequence OF which the of the and
OF the neshbourng hills instead OF entering and filing
up the dock as formerly did, finds outlet by the
drain ditch skirtng the into the channel of
hockoe creek and under the arch OF the aquednct into
the river below.
The three slips and the quays connected with them
the lower end the work. have been finished far
deemed essential to the convenient accommodation OF the
present trade: but with modification of the clan for
the present elevation OF the supporting wall which
contemplated the period of the last annual
that the intention of the board of directors
raise this wall to the height Of five feet the sides
the slips Immediately in front oil the hills, and only half
that height the sides running transvcrse the gsne
al course of the dock But, subsequently, with view
the hill Sides and to put the quays into fit state for the
erection Of warehouses; and for the of
decided TO give the walng elevation of feet
the sides the hills and likewise for five sxths
the length Of the sides, and height
OF and feet the residue OF the latter Sides and also
the sides bordering the fronts of the qusys.
The general breadth Of the dock being only 100 feet
the construction of these slips and has made
valuable addition capacity, by enlsrgng III.
" water surface, and by engthenins the line oil It's con-
tguous wharves.
has beeh accompanied by an extension of the
lu1np dlnav In in of
from 22nd street the lower end of the dock The
cavadon and grading connected with this extension OF the
yet compee but will be finished off
with grade descending toward the to give to
the land wash from the adjacent hills outlet around the
extremity Of the work, and in direction opposite
10 that given to the drainage above 22nd street,
The embankRent the river between Mayo's bridge
md Haxalls mills which repaired after the double
breach which il sustained during the frcshes of April and
September ls43 has raised full height and strength
ened but still requires be rpappd Tor about 400 feet
length. in order give it cectual protection against
simor nroads from the ocd OF the in future.
lregret TO state that, whilst these various Improvements
several disasters at the outlet
Jock Of The dock took place. which have caused consider
nble addition the annual charges OF the work, and
proPoronste reduction in the amount oil Its annual Teve
IL may be proper to remind the stockholders
that they fully apprised III the eighth annual
lpa ia to ll7 Of the embarressments in which the
directory placed by the unfortunate location defective
plan, and diapidated condition Of his lock- and tina.
alterations OF alone induce them to trust ii
OF connection between the eastern ter
minus Of the canal and the tide navigation below
may be there that they found this lock situated 500
of wood and resting upon umbers placed upon founda
of clay; with chamber unnecessarily deep by several
Feet originally for the largest class of vessels
the and still further reduced by collapse Of
three feet the top the sides its timbefs
much decayed and the whole structure in ruinoUs aud
dlapidaed condition.
To proceed a radical remedy. by the
ton the ste OF stone lock Of larger d.
ineniOns. and by Of the dock down this
point, forbidden by the of the companys
funds that period and by the comparative claims of 9th
ers interests upon the line
To the old structure. and rebuild lock
OF timber upon the Site would have been less objec
tionabe on the score OF immediate COST but the exPend
would still have boon Of sufficient amount commit
tie company for long Of years all the evils Of
defective location. and subject the trade of the dock
- Inconvenience in a correspondent propoton.
BY reference to the Of the report referred to- 1t
will be that after careful examination, the late chief
engineer Of the company Judge Wright Of New York.,
coneurred with the resden! engineer MIR sanOrd.l in
the opinion that the old lock might be repaired
thed, TO be continued in use for some years TO
Reposng the highest confidence in the wisdom and
pcenco Of that able and excellent the directory adop
ted the iemporzng policy recommended, with the hope,
nevertheless that the period would not be long before the
financial condition Of the company would be such
admit Of the substitution Of perfect work. which
ducveness of which IL susceptible The sides Of the
old lock were accordingly taken down to low mpk,
keyed back by tie beams of 20 feet
length into tie adjacent banks.
Subsequent experience has shewn that deciding upon
the alterations be made in this structure, spirit Of
economy too literally INDUCED and that considera-
probably have by the lower
pair lock and substituting Them by Of
lighter construction These old gates were of eEaord
nry height. and very simply constructed, being
posed altogether Of beams Of timber Of ~ by
IL inches resting each other and bound together by
three perpendicular rods of iron passing through them from
top TO bottom. The continued action of such immense
weights upon quoin and walls Of such height and style
Of construction, contributed TO derange their pefpendcu
lariiy and to produce that dragging Of the the
rough bottom OF the lock, which finally eyenUated in their
overthrow by the successive disasters embraced ia the
following briefreciial.
On the 9ls Of May last, of ibc.e lower gates gave