Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-08-26

To Dc Elitog n ~ 1irrl'.iril If.-.I<t
ID ikis commnnicaiion intenf d notice ne
p,an rfoposoj for Ne Improvement q The Shcnan-
d6lh rlfer. IL lr,bah!e cosI q he uork. the
anodn, 81 he receipts that may b e1pectei 10 b
rsceisst fpm toiIs, &c, 9he yearly tkpendll6re
q he l,ock, q the probable yearly dividends upon
The s3henlnioah river Il Il present nlvirabie
ashikhnp - P0t Republic for bztteaux carrying
i50 bpteIA " very Imperfect system of sluiee
na1ir1,'gl c6hnectsd with very ini1erfsct svs-
ten 81 lock AMI dam improvemen, around he
Little t1lIt beginning u point about eight miles
above lInpers ferty, AMI continuing % The mouth
of the riyer. These boats cost upile river shout
So; hley descend the river 70 lIarpsrs.Ferry,
where their carg0es are discharged and the boais
are sold or about IS or lunhsef. the b3at,en re-
farming hone On t1o,- Sarh i lhs state Of navi.
CATION q preseai. AMI 70 improve Il and nuke /,
equal % the wan.sof the bsa0tifnI and productive
Valley wafered b. thu noble river. was the ob;act
Of the Ffont Royal Convention, that met on Ire
"a Of this moatk.
Ieonrersei with several gentlemen, Delegates
% The Convention, anl bit one feeling seemed ID
be entertained BY them ID relation 70 this improve
iien,, ard thai WAS that the Improvement demand
ed 81 slle wants oIthe Valley and the nainrs OF
tie river. was siackwater navigation. the works
TO Be substantial. the locks 70 So of The size Of
those erected ppon the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, finished In q plain manner, without any
useless expense being Incurred. and the propelling
power % be steam Some seemed TO be in favor
Of combination Of lock and dam, with sluicc
navigation, advocating the opening and deepen.
Ing q te channel, and construction Of sluices BY
/ wing walls
Those persons Thai seemed 10 be in favor 9th
gluicd system seemed to doubt II 4 sufficient
L.
water systeIa throughout hence their preference
forthc sluice Improvement capital stock au-
thorized BY the new Shenandoah Company being
S5Q0.0o0, and sackwater system OF a size al
uniting Of steamboat navigation being known TO
require aiarger samto finish the same up 70 Port
Republic.
| have given some Of the views Of the friends
Of this improvement, and will now give my plan
toimprove this important river. ! would recon
mendAsystem Of slackwaier by dams, canals, and
lockss Tho daws should DO built Of stone, bed
ded IN hydraulic cement. raised upon solid fonn.
duien, of else the kind known as the crib dam,
the tinhers being hewed and boDled 10 the solid
rock and filed in with stone, the shntcing 70 be
plankor stone set on edge, the upper surface made
smooth by the hammer. Tho locks should Be or
he sise Of those used upon the Chesapeake and
: Ohio Canal, viz 100 feet bctweenthe oates, 3
icet vide, with ; feet water at lo,v water and 5
feet water a. ordinary stages OF the river Then
Tie baais OF one Improvement can navigate The
sstser without waste Of water or any inconye.
niemce The locks should be erected OF hammer
dressed masonry, laid in hydraulic cement. The
hoifaT qaaHs. tatre sils, fecesses for the gates,
DC, 70 be Of ashleror cut stone masonry. The
canal should be 80 feet wide at the bottom and SO
feet vide ri the surface of water, with 5 feet
depth II wster At ordinary stages Of the river.
al r9mc localities the locks may be placed in
the dasi near the siiore, and then the canals may
u oried ia the river, the sides being formed out
~ theatoa and heavy materiaiexcavated TO form
the canal,
An Improvement constructed upon this plan
wiilbe substantial and win admit OF the passage
: pt bxrges of 100 tons burden, or steamboats, Of
Too tass burden. The steamboats, may be used
az sleass tugs. freight or passenger boats.
i SHOULD jHtge that an Improvement upon this
TIah cbnld he Constructed for S6,6663 per mile,
ar Tor Che total distance from Harpers-Feuy 10
Port Republic, nf $50 miles, for the sum Of . y
olo90a. II the sluice system should be iatro-
daccd, 1lsh the cost may be reducedto S590,0oO,
being ssithin the means Or the crescent company,
II al t.cir sleek was Subscribed. But 4 think
will be able TO show, that an expenditure of=$l,
,q00,0us vail pay handsome dividend, and that
the Stock will be ~ valuable as thai Of any other
Improve ineiit I'D tie Union--yz IsbelieVe that
larger aiydends may be expected upon an ekpcn.
Iltafe s $1,000. 900 thanfrom an expenditure of
Gully As0O.oU5, because the improved navigation
wilIas r greater aciIiliesto transportation, which
win catse hcavy increase of tonnage upohtbe
river The work &ill be more solid. will require
lesa expenditure 81 money for repairs, and the
profit WI be ikore certain giving increased value
10 The ssock
ASSIGNING tfen thatthe proposed improvement
&ill cost 8 100000, Twill now stale the amount
ofreveaae that may be expected TO &C. yeary re-
seiyed from the tolls and show what the dividends
Z viii beg
lnmf former communication lsiated the amount
oftonnsge aud the number Of passengers that
may beA.xpeciea 10 pass over the Improvement.
tAssaniug that estimate. make my statement
rs foll6iss, viz: III
REVENUE.
$4,000 ions II produce and merchan-
dize, transported only IS miles, be- e
inn halfthe distance from Harper's Is
Ion, ssrnsilc, sso.ooe
ia.600 passengers. or 80 daily for nine A
4 YELLED. : 6o,75C
fransnprtatioti az tic mail, 4,a5C
Tic so,ai revenue being Si55,ooC
--z--
IS ExfEKDrTuRE.
Repailsog / 80 fiilrs Of slarkwafer hati.