Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-01-12

iCoo, III IHc 1Ihe duQ TIE
and regulations are now prescribed and in force,
directing said bonds to be given, conditioned for his
appearance al the County Court.
SEC. IL. BE at further enacted, That the County
Attorney, appointed by the County Court shall attend
the Court of Common Pleas in like manner, and be
entitled 10 receive the fees for like services as
now allowed by law in the County Court.
SEC. IA. Be it further enacted, That nothing herein
contained shall be construed to prevent the
Judge of the said court from practicng attorn
ey in any other court
Engineers Report.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 18th, 1854.
To the President and Directors of the Cape Fear
and Deep River Navigation Co.:
GENTLEMEN In pursuance of resolution of the
Stockholders of your company authorizing you to
employ Engineer 10 examine their works on the
Cape Fear and Deep Rivers, the plan of improvement
heretofore adopted, present state of the works. and
to suggest what notifications if any should be made,
and submit an estimate of the cost of mpetng the
same, the present plans and also of such modified
plan may be suggested and in accordance with
your request communicated to me through the agency
of Mr.. VIM. McCIain, have performed that service
and submit the following report
The gentle declivity of the Cape Fear and Deep
Rivers averaging only about two feet per mile, ogeth
er with the high banks on both sides, extending
thrOug hout the whole distance from Fayetteville to
the head of your works, renders the improvement by
slack water navigation, adopted by your company
that could be devised. It's failure (f 1T be so
characteriZed) may be attributed to three causes
1st, defect III the plans of the different parts Of the
work I'd, careless and unfathfd execution of the
same 3, and the unfinished and unprotected state in
which the work has been left.
1t seems the plan adopted for the Dams was double
the height for the base, which is quite too small
proportion, it should have been from three 10 four
times the heighth for the base, with slope on the
lower down stream side of from three to four base
TO one perpendicular.
| There nearly if not quite materials enough in
the walls of the Locks TO have answered the purpose
if they had been put in the light shape; even with
the present shape they would probably have stood had
they been sufficiently protected, with cribbng the
river side to prevent them from being undermined,
and supported with buttresses and braces. Most of
the mechanical work has been passbly well executed,
but the packing in many cases has been badly done:
the stone appears to have been thrown in loose, with
out any regard TO packing them. If that had been
properly attended to, the Lock walls would have had
much more weight and frmness than they now have :;
and probably would have stood without much more
| expense.
| With these remarks proceed to give description
of the present state of the works, with such modfca
ton of the locations and plans suggest themselves
to The limited time in which | had to make
these examinations made necessary for me to pass
over the works more hastily than | could have de-
sired, and perhaps some important matters may have
| escaped my notice, and my plans for remedying the
defects crude than they would otherwise have
! been.
CROSS CREEK LOCK AND DAM.
Nothing has been done at this work excepting the
excavation of the foundation for the Lock | would
recommend that this Dam be built high enough to
flow the water back upon the mitre of the Lock at
Jones' Falls five feet in deplh and build the Lock
twenty -four feet IN width heretofore contemplated
From information derived from others, and from
my own observations, am induced to believe that it
would he much better for the shipping port of Fay
ettevlle if this ock and Dam located miles
lower down the River. In connection with this will
remark that am inclined to believe that the River
between Fayetteville and Wilmington can, at a mod
expense, be improved to admit of the pas
sage of crafts of at least 800 tons burden, all
yes of water If this be done without mourning
TOO much expense, it would be of vast Importance 10
Fayetteville and the country bordering on the River
above that place TO have it done.
/ The Dams at Jones' Falls, Silver Run, Red Rock,
and Gulf are built on rather reacherous foundations,
and have become good deal undermined from the
action of the water falling over them. To secure
these Dams it will be necessary to increase the base
about so or IS feet, and build the addition in deep
ter below the Dam, and give it slope down stream
of about four base to one rlse and covered with tim
Der six inches in thickness well secured with bolts
and treenaiIs All the other Dams are located on
good rock foundations, and may stand without any
further trouble, but in order TO place them beyond a
doubt, would recommend giving them all an addi-
tonal base, with lower or down stream slope OF
about three base to one rlse and covered with timber
six inches in thickness we'll secured with bolts and
treenas All the Dams should have gravel range
three feet in height placed on the slope so as to pre-
, vent the gravel from being washed off.
: Reeves Dam is located in short bend of the Riv-
err so that Boats entering the Lock from below will
have to lie nearly at right angles with the stream
which will make it difficult to enter during high Wa
ter AS there is but little done at the Dam and moth
ing at the Lock, would recommend raising the Dam
below about five feet and dispense with this Lock ant
Dam The additional cost will be only $500
Parishes Fish Trap Dam is located in the same
manner, only the Lock is the opposite side of the
bend, and will make it difficult TO enter the Loci
u either from above or below; and during high waite
= il will be impracticable to enter it at all The tmbe
II work of the Lock and Dam is nearly completed blu
- little has been done at the sheeng either of thu
;, Lock or Dam. The water has cut around the abut
ment on the opposite end from the Lock, and excava
ted place about 80 feet in length, and Is fee
) in depth below the bottom of the Dam. AS the cos
of repairing and completing this work will be abou
as much as rebuilding it at point about 400 fee
> lower down the stream, raising Clegg's Lock AM
q Dam, and dispensing with this Dam and Lock alto
: gether would recommend that of these plan
be adopted,-the latter | should prefer by adopt
o ing that plan the will flow back from Clegg'
l. Dam 10 the Gulf distance of Is 67-1OO miles
q The additional cost will only be about 5000.
e The old Mill Dam at Peter G. Evans mill, is no
considered sufficiently permanent to be depended up
on for nav cation another Dam ought to be bull
{ Immediately below and connected with the old Dam
The estimate is made accordingly. All the Dams re
e quire to be well graveled.
l. The Locks at Silver Run and Red Rock are S
+ much impaired that am apprehensive that it will b
difficult 10 make them stand len 9Th of time wltbou
&c mourning large expense and then they will be quit
'e imperfect. | would therefore recommend securin
them temporarily by braeing and cribblng, and pro
coed as soon as practicable to rebuild them in NOR