Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-09-07
EanaWA River ImpreyemsntTlle Resi
pPrnfR NrSiRIl 49, Is.:8h Il -.

"A Z Z
| in making investigations as TO ths Prac-
ticability Of creating large reservoirs On
J those rivers: Phis Is part Of tha plan
i proposed BY CHAaLEs ELLErr, r.JEsq.i
Ifor improving Che Navigation Of tile IA,
!, nawha river, and these engineering par.
! ties ale engaged under tile direction o
! MI. Elicit! Who himself was appointed
| by the James River, 4. Kanawha CdmPa'
Inv to have such investigations made
Mr.. Elicit has sojoarning'ie thu
I, place (Charle ston) for several days anc
repofts that his investigations haze 8
Il far equaled Ills most saaguine sxIecta
tons. His plan Of improving the Aa g.
!, CATION Of the Kanawha, simply this llE
i to qrade lie rivsr al is bottom shat is ( t
cut channels 100 feet wide through the
l different shoals, and to such depth n th'
upper eudof the shoals as viii dimlpelsl
II the fall Of water in each shoal, and .EEheI
]. to build such wing dams as+may " W.
II essary to throw the entire water otF N
r;ver into the channels. This mannar 9
II grading the river at its bottom vii n n
II Tie bed Of the Kanawha from Loop IClpet
! shoals 70 Poinl Pleasant, approximate (
.laa i,aeliaeasplane+ Aud the cost1of sn9el
Improvement Of The navigation from L4loT
.tCreek to the Ohio, as estimated from STR
4 yeys already made, will be about. dInt
Hundred and twenty FIVE thousand 81 dspi
liars, (s125,ooo.D
Il After the Kanawhalis thus impfovad.tff
Ethe extent thai ii can be, by Stuice Nitgg3
fgqtion, lTr. Elicit proposes then TO III
..ffcFease the quantitypf water in the riyHai
EbY large reservoirs of water collected II
| the mountains. H reportsthat on Mead
\ ON river, a tributary Of Gauloy, be c&f
fbf the erection Of > dam SIXTY feet hig|I,
Ierect a basin of water tecenty miles ton91S
tdnd one mile aoiae upon an aterGgs. ThNI
Fiji fact. this dam viii merely make a TAXI
which once had existence Ut that very
Espot, but which discharged itself through
ravine cut, 10 the course Of time, in tba
mountains. The dam proposed to By
ereeted At this ravine, will be6o feet long
at Tie base and 700 feet long at the top
And what is remarkable, the surfSee Of
tthis lake Of reservoir will be twice as
great as The entire surface of the Kama
VIA river from Gauley Bridge to. Point
Pleasant, and the water Of this vast res.
4ervoir, for nearly its entire length and
breadtb, to the depth Of thirty tfeet, can be
used and made available Hence. on
| footofwater drawn off from The reservoir
VIII make a rise Of no feet iifthe whole
lengthof the Kanawhal And with this
lone reservoir alone fun Of water, q two
| foot rise can be created in the Kanawha,
once every week for several months.
/ sBesideS.t this Meadow River BASIN, Mr.
EHett bas found various other sites on
I.Gauley+ river. on New river and also on
/ Greetbrier river, vefvfayorahle for max.
Iinelarge reservoirs s. Ind lie speaks ii
perfect confidence Of tie ,practieability d
| his RESERVOIR system. and Of its. sdyan.
taress1Ifor improving the Kanawhsf Nayif,
| cation ii certainly Has this ADVANTAGE
| over alother plans fir improyin., tie
EKanaWba NAVIGATION \; which Is tbis,
tbot II !, hin, .be Al vocation Ioftbo X.
Il NIL batter. ;t,acasss ay;Iv ;n,n,dva. ia
Naxi3.t;on of,ba ob;o riyor heIow Il,
/ ! i. /, /,
a1 80 = se,l,e III, ). w. !"
80 :, IT. . :, !, 81 At, !. ! jig ="
pa"ha w TT Y'ieit r. Vpuqihna'i ah "
s 'i u,
4 ~ saouia reloice g see FMS grea
'asa q ol .Ea'f carried INTO practiea
o'ers'lp'i Ifzee - ~ q grand schemt
land its tributaries. aud ii would be wortl
millions Of dollars to Trans Alleghanv
Eyir,inia If i war i oarr;ad ina efs;aet :,
tbe 8 ot;ons ~ ~ I u !, I j ~
Enoaa, ,,sroN J il, - ..;.n i. III
IL 55Z . III IL &c .ss S4-SL