Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-01-16

md Deem De- Rivers and have the honor transmit
herewith report from him on the subject Which ap was this
uaf ET HTnrTT DEPARTMENT Jan. IL, 1857,
RALEIGH, January 10th, 1857.
TO his Exccicncy ThoS. Bragg, Gore"or .
Of The State Of North Cq'o L.ns
In compliance with the resolution of the Leglsla-
ture in accordance with your wishes have VISITED the
works the Cape Fear and Deep River ana have now
the in conformity to the instructions embraced IN the
resolution comforting the honorable ana responsible
duty to report the present cond ion o. salu ana @
ccabty of completing the same at an garry uaS anu
in conformity ao to your Views to the full intention and
import of the resolution Of the ene
The works on the Cage Fear mprso thirteen dams and
fourteen locks, and on Deep Ge ed b Dams
thus constructed considered permanent and durable
their duration however is dependent upon constant
and inform condition of humidity around the timbers-
There is in good repair Haw river at Buffers
ford known Rufns ford, which was built by Judge
Murphy 1906; this dam the crib plan and IS built
of hickory logs barkcd But the best practical evidence
have of the permanenoy OF uch Wolk Is RECORDED ny
Capt Crozet chief engineer Of the State OF Virginia IN his
report the board of public works made in 1872 on the
condition Of the Appemattox improvement IL lS lhercn
stated ee 9th annual report of the board OF public works
e4lsted Gu years without being ever rebuilt stony Point
dam 20 years, and ClementOwn dam lOo years We may
consider therefore the dams which chiefly constitute the
works Cape Fear and Deep river as permanent works
The locks guard walls and abutment however, which
built of timber cribs filed with stone are much exposed
to decay and will last than six years. If
these built of the Improvement would be equal
in durability and pcrmanency to any work of similar
now proceed to present the condition of the works on
he
the Cape Fear and at the lower end of the Improvement
l. The Cross Creek Dam ant Lsck.-Ths work
completed November last; the foundation is soft sand
stone but the dam constructed with lower slope which
breaks fall and carries the water of from the base and
efecuay secures against Inc danger OF Undermining
the work drawing to csse the sheet ping on the
back was omitted for distance Of about 10 feet in length
The dam needs additional grayelng and the material with
which the cribs filed not of description to all
oil S a nr Welded % to 6e econ Of s
water it will be necessary to it, The wall of the lock
on the land side has somewhat settled. The wickes
worked on an imperfect Plan by chains winding around
wndasses When visited the work one of the chains at
tached of the leaves of the head gate broken
RATS of timber were passing through but the working of
the lock attended with delay This is rfing diff
fsbu record of the present condition Of the work
passed steamboat safely and expediticusly through
ali the other locks from Lockvie to Fayetteville, and from
Fayetteville back to Lockvle
In order provide for the passage of boats in ordinary
the other DAMS it will be necessary to increase the height
of the locks and also to raise the guard walls adjoining the
locks.
For repacking, graveng and sheet png this dam, and
for raising lock and guard WALL and building pierh
2 Jones' Falls H1trcr Run and Rcd Rock Dams and
LocksThese dams constructed with perpendicular
fall the comb and the rock being SOFT the consequence
has been displacement CT the bottom in front below
Them depth of from twenty thirty feet leaving the
BILE to enguphed though have known dams thus
stand many years. do not consider them they
may stand however until replaced by dams The locks
much decayed and will require extensive repairs in the
course of this and the ensuing year Fuess attempts hav
chasms formed by the falling them before
toned believing that expedent would succeed which
did involve very large expenditure would
that they be abandoned and that dams be built
in their stead, with slope on the lower de they will then
be as if founded solid rock my estimate, how
ever the items will show is based upon the superstition of
their repair as they now stand
For re-packng and gaveng the DAMS for the repairs of
the locks increasing their height building per-hadS and
g. EalO krcr Dam ard foctshoud the plan above
suggested be adopted the localities OF the dams will
admit of height sufficient to pond the water to the required
of fnetO of he
dam would therefore recommend an dam be-
this dam and the erected in lieu of Red Rock dam
be built somewhere in the vicinity of Avcrasborough,
sufficient lift to submerge Eaw Ridge dam, and pond the
nevertheless estimate for the work in its present locality
For graveng the DAM the renewal of the lock- building
4 Green Rock Dam and L0ck.-Ths dam is founded on
hard solid rock capable of resisting the of the
dow and to avoid repetition would here observe that the
same may be said Of all the works above it, with the excp
around the north end will be advisab extend
about seventy feet and run guard wall in the river bank
The lock very much decayed and will require extensive
repairs in the course of the present year.
For graveiug them dam, and extending it seventy feet
s sP5 lock- building P''7h''' and running guard walls
5. Narrow Gar Dam aud Lock-This dam is in good or
DER but the lock much dccayed and requires renewal
For gravellng the dam, rebuilding the lock, and raising
the guard walls and picrhead, $4,000.
6. SharPfeLd Dam and LOckIhjs dam is also in gooG
ORDER and requires mott ing than gravelng the ocl
smuch and the entrance from dangerous
For gravelng the DAM repairing the lock, raising The
l. NIcAhSer's For Istand North1ngt,ns BqttLes ana
Buckhorm Dams and LocksThe dams are all in good or
der, the locks less in of decay some
with slight REPAIRS will last four FIVE others viii
require heavy repairs during the present year These work.
extend the Improvement sixty miles Lockvile, Deel
river about two miles above its confluence with Haw river
For graveing the dam, repairing the locks, raising thu
guard walls building guard banks and constructing pier
heads, $64 000
We come to the works on Deep river.
l. The Dam and Lock at LOnkVAe.-The dam and guar
lock at this place in good order beW the guard an
outlet lock there canal about half mile in length Tn
outlet lock designed to have lift of 23 feet to be built
rubbe masonry lined with timber IN recent report to tn
company 1t Srepresented being about OnetOurth done
The work is badly executed will be necessary to take
down. would cut-sons locks this place
with the lift divided between them.
For graveng the DAM increasing the height of tho lock
lock and guard walls completing the canal building
locks of cut stone slope WALL and rprap, and per-head
$500 O.
For graveng the DAM rebuilding the lock, raising thu
guard walls and building pier-head, $4,000.
3. Ckegg's Dam and Lock. .Are IN good repair Wou(
advise the raising this dam feet to submerg
Farishs DAM which is bad location very difficult o
entrance both above and below and with banks tna
be difficult 1t is obviously the cheapest plan
both in first and annual expenses, that assuming 1t
adoption shall omit FariSh dam altogether IN the estl
mate. The dam raised as is proposed, will make ponC
sixteen miles in length extending to the guilt dam nearly
through the coalfelds . -
For raising the DAM the locks and guard walls, and build
ing pierhead $4,000.
l. The Gull Dan, and Lock.-This is the only dam above
Red Rock dam which based solid rock the founda
on In front was originally protected by which ha
been washed away and the bottom is cut out below the dan
by the falling to depth of from ten twenty feet
The projections the ends insecure and the lock
the whole body of which projects into the pond
of decay and collapse The cost making the dam
and rebuilding the lock would be SO great that would re
sommend its abandonment, and the building of dam
and make estimate accordingly, VIZ For building the
DAM pier-head and lock, $4,000
g.. Exams Dam and LOcE.--Ihe original design was tt
the mill dam this place, nd lock was built
dance Herewith. 1t is much decayed that it cannot bt
brought into use without extensive repairs; the mil
hain0 m