The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-01-06

stitute between the Lehigh and Delaware
Slack Water improvements built, as the
committee say. by the same Engineer, MIR.
Douglass, being about the same as to dis
lance, or less, than the Cape Fear and Deep
River Works, and which they further say
cost about Eieuen Millions Of DoH0rs,-eN-
IDENTIFY preparing the mind ut the LegIsia-
ture for continued subscriptions, until the
cost will come up tn at least fourth of the
sum, that the same Engineer. MIR. d. has
expended on the Lehigh and Delaware i'm
pr0vements.
But the President says that 1.-The opera
tions # the company have been very much
embarrassed and retarded, iii consequence
If the many and continued treshets with
which we had To contend. and to Dhach our
improvements, unlike any other III the state
are erpOSed,'--that fre<hets occurred III
Nav, September and December, which did
the works great damage, and Mr.. Douglass
SAYS that several attempts have been made
to strengthen Red Rock Dam. but unfor-
! tunatrly, IN erery instance, before the CON
tractor could secure his work with packing,
"a freshet came and carried IL dlcdy.
Now. all who know the character of the
Cape Fear River, well knows, that every
spring and fall. and frequently through the
winter, it Is subject TO sudden and rapid
| rises; and the same causes alluded To by
the President and Engineer, will constant
| ly occur at those seasons and produce the
| same effect, to wit: The destruction Of hear
| uorkS.
see that the, Legislature has recently
| passed a resolution, authorship the Gov
ernor to employ Maj. Gwynn tn examine
and report to the present condition OF
| the Cape Fear and Deep River works, and
1 L. In MI q
| mount necessary to complete them. 1t IL
admitted that Maj. Gwynn is man of
| science, and fully capable, if he had the
| time, to give the Legislature the informa-
| ton they deSire--but in the examination he
i called upon to make, with the water over
ali the o-called improvements, at this in
| element season, it mast necessarily be su-
| pprficial-and when it is remembered that
| the report and data of Mr.. Thompson,
| which stated that the entire cost of con-
| ~tructimg this magnificent work. would only
| be SIS5 600, was endorsed by Maj. Gwynn,
| it should he all additional reason to- receive
any opinion he may give with much eau
ton. If Maj. Gwynn could visit the river
during any one of those sudden and rapid
! floods, and stand on the banks and witness
hundreds and thousands of feet ot cart
wash away III all lour, as has been witnessed
by Mr.. Douglass, lie would bc better pre-
pared to make an estimate of tie probable
amount necessary TO complete those works
than by rapid Reconnaissance.
But Mai. Gwy nm has been appointed to
look at the rivers, &c. Why has the Leg
i>lature not also appointed Committee II
look at the charter of the company-tht
several acts of Assembly granting them aid
and see if the conditions of those grant:
lave been complied with Why are they
solicitious on the one hand about the river
and not equally so about the funds OF th'
State.
But to conclude. Suppose the entire
work finished. Will it ever be profitable
] have seen what the committee of stock
holders have said on this score-but we al
know that to make any work at the klnt
profitable. the transportation over 1t mus
: be certain. Can this certainty he accom-
plishcd on the Cape Fear! Will there
F rather not be constant and unavoidable in
tcrruptions, caused by water too high, tt
admit of boats passing through the locks
and not sufficiently high to allow them t.
, 90 orcr? Will not the arrangement of {
, single gate. at any of the eight or ten locks
cause u suspension on the whole line-ant
NAV not other accidents, incident to waite
, navigation, occur which may delay thu
, hundreds of boats required to transport tin
coal and block them up for day, week
J or a month, thereby rendering the naviga
, ton uncertain, unreliable, and Improbable
The attention of tie Legislature is di
, rcctcd to ills subject. 1t becomes them
r as the peoples representatives, t" look wei
. to the matter, to Zee that no further ap
? preparations are made until rigid >crutin.
: into the affairs of this corporation is had
, The public demand it.
A TAX PAYER.