Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-24
Local Intelligence, City News, &c,
CITY COUNCIL.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE NAVIGATION OF
JAMES RIVER.

JAMES RIVER.
THE following report was taken up and adopted
at the last meeting OF the Councill
The committee to which was referred the memorial
of large number OF citizens in relation the moor
lance of the Improvement of the navigation of James
river, respec fully submit the following report:
On the 9Th of May 1886, the council the motion
OF Mr.. K. G. Scott, requested John Robertson, Esq
then the representative in Congress from this district,
to obtain an adsq appropriation by Congress Tor
removing the distractions in James river below the
city.
Within two months after this resolution, Congress
passed the OF the Attn of July 1886. whereby there
was placed the disposition of the President of
money for various objects, among which five hun
bred dollars for survey OF James river with the view
of improving the harbor of Richmond
Under this act Mr.. Howard Stansbury, a civil en-
gineer ofthe United States made survey of James
river in the fall OF 1885. When he was in Richmond
that fail the council appointed committed to confer
with him and engage person familiar with the nav-
cation of the river to accompany him. and ufurm him
in regard the situation and character of the obstruc
ton in it,
After conference with the committee, Mr. Stans-
bury with the aid of an old and experienced pilot
proceeded to examine James river from Richmond to
its mouth.
In the latter part OF January 1897 he made his
to Col Albert "a typographical engineer OF the United
States Army wherein he pointed out the nature and
extent of the distractions, together with the means
(which he deemed proper to be applied tor their
mova.
Commencing at the mouth Of The river, Mr.. Stansbu-
nv mentions, |. The White shoals, and the necessity oil
buoy to POI ut out their position. 2. About five miles
above the white sbaos, reef projecting from Days
point the South requiring only to oe denoted in like
manner to be easily avoided g. Afer the channel from
DAYS point is nearly east and west tor about four
miles, spot (where it turns directly to the norh> de-
nominated the Point OF Shoals where there will be
necessity for small light directly upon the point of
the reef to indicate its position, and tor four buoys to
mark two narrow passages. A. Eight miles above
the Point OF Shoals two reefs, termed Lyons creek
shoals and Deep shoals approaching from oppo
site sides of the river to within 800 yards OF each other,
and the necessity for buoy OIL the point OF each OF
these and off the point of Hog Island shoals, and off
Swans point opposite jamestown, and at each end
oil the shoal termed the Goose hill flats"
These are all the obstrucons pointed out by Mr..
Stansbury below Hlrrlsons bar. They required an
expenditure comparatively small and for OF them
congress has made provision in its acts approprating
money for light houses, light boats, beacon lights
buoys, &c. Thus by an act of the 7th of July 1888
appropriated $4,000 Tor placing spar buoys in James
river between Days point and Richmond city; and by
an act OF the 2Sth CT September 1850 So 500 tor four
beacons in James river viz one on White shoai one
on Blavess bluff shoal, on Point shoal, and one
Deep water shoai.
We come now to The most important obstruction
that at Harrisons bar five miles below City Point
an obstruction the removal OF which is a mater of
great interest to Petersburg well as Rishmond.
this bar Mr.. Stans5ury proposed to dredge
channel 200 yards wide to depth of IL feet at high
water to have two buoys each end to mark the
the shoa making out from Harrsons point The
strengthening the channel thus, Mr.. ansbury was
confident, would prove valuable and permanent i'm
provement for in his opinion the bar not me re
deposit ot.sedmeut made by the river, but portion
OF its original bed, which the current owing to its
protected situation and the nature of the earth of which
it is formed, has been unable to corode and carry
away but which, once removed, would not not be
likely to form again.
In this opinion Mr.. Stausbury is supported by MI
Edmund Rutfa This gentleman while residing at
Coggn's point having caused to be sunk two shafts,
OF them 40 feet below high tide, describes 10 his
essay calcareous the different exposed
by sinking these shafts, and makes these remarks:
'slhe whole bottom of the river to Berkeley,
(below the thin covering OF loose and soft mud ac
cording to its alton of depth, must be formed
one or another OF the layers shewn ia this dig
gng of 40 feet below the water eye and, of course,
Hdrrisons bar, which lies between the Coggin's and
Berkeley shores, must be so formed. No earth more
strongly ressts the washing action OF than the
gypseous earth, even when the least mixed with clay.
This pecuiarquaty must be the of the existence
Of this bar, which presents so serious obstacle to the
navigation of the river and it may be thence inferred
what would be the degree of difficulty OF its removal
and also that the removal, if effected would be perma-
nent.'
The quantity of earth necessary to be excavated at
Harrisons bar, Mr. Stansbury estimates will amount
TO $1,000 cubic yards. The removal of the obsruc.
ton at this bar would open uninterrupted navigation
Tor vessels requiring seventeen feet to Coxs BAR about
20 miles below Richmond. "Ths," SAYS Mr.. STAINS
bury, ICONS SITS OF a shoa in the channel, extending
for about two thirds of a mile, and will require an
average excavation of two feet for that distance,
amounting to $1,000 cub yards. This will open a
free passage for vessels requiring II feet up to War
wick bar, 5 miles below Richmond"
Alter mentioning the Richmond bar about two
miles above Warwick bar, and etating that for the
greater part OF the distance between these two bars
and for nearly half the distance between Richmond
bar and the city fifteen feets afforded ordna ry high
tides while owing to the obstacle presented BY the
Richmond bar, no vessel dra wing more than 10 feet
tor 90 naS, ahDun that Stone
posed to deepen the channel by ging al
low vessels that can come up as high as Warwick to
proceed 10 Richmond His plan was to have two
dredging machines Employed first, to dredge out a
channel entirely through the Richmond bar nine feet
deep at low water; and, secondly, to give uniform
depth OF nine feet at low water, Is feet at high
ter, to other parts OF the river.
Mr.. Siansbury tells Us he had no doubt the en-
tire pracc ability OF removing the distractions wi thin
areasonabe time and at mod rate expense; his only
fear was that the channel thus opened would soon
fill up or if il shogld not, that another bar would e
formed below The present one. He inclined, howev
er to the opinion that the improvement would be
much more perman ent and beneficial than might at
first be supposed. Having assigned for this opinion
very orclbe reasons he considered the praccablity
and proprety OF giving such depth TO the river above
Warwick, will allow draught OF II feet all the
way to Richmond. Altar stating that with the excep
ton of small portion OF the space where the depth is
sufficient alteady, the whole distance between these
points will require dredging depth OF two feet, he
made an estimate OF the probable expense of making
all the improvements upon the plan proposed Ac-
cordng his estimate, it would cost 10 remove all
the instructions from Richmond to Harrison's bar in
elusive, $l034 AGO. and those below that bar
Sill $780, making the aggregate cost OF all the improve
ments projected in James river $ll5 200, Of which
there would be required for the first year $63 200, and
for four years thereafter until the object effected
the annual sum OF $4,000
Fourteen years have elapsed since engineer in the
employment of the United States made this rep0rt-a
report which led the Council, ia the fall of iS43 to de-
clare that lit has been ascertaned as far as such facts
can be ascerained previous actual experiment, that
the navigation of James river below the city of Rich
mond, Cat an expense which may be regarded mo-
derate tor SO important obect may be improved
as to bring close to the city OF Richmond vessels en-
gagged in the trade of this river, thereby contributing
greatly to the econDmy and facility OF shipping, and
to the health OF the crews OF vessels who would be
removed from most unwholesome stations to the
he ATHEIST spot on the tide water of the ryer-the port
OF Ri chmOnd"
Nevertheless Congress has so far made no appro-
priation tor the Improvement Of this rlve at all ade
quate to the object.