Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-05-25
The
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the locations of the dams were only as
summed as basis upon which an obstinate
Iof the cost Of the work might be founded.
a more careful survey would DO doubt
result in many changes in tile locations,
lengths aud heights Of The dams. and in
an equalization Of their lengths. Any
speculation therefore on the length and
heights Of the dams is premature But
we are told that the great preliminary
question is, is there person to be found
Sufficiently experienced and independent.
i to assure the permanently Of dams erect
ed upon such friable foundations as the
bed of the New River affords? 1t isex-
teemely doubtful. II Is 10 BE believed
thatItbe accumulated force lot tile wafer
descending from such elevations would
tear up the foundations Of any dams
erected upon such material"
The answer to this 9 grand preliminary
question: IS this: Mr.. E. H. Gill would
hardly hayerecommended or Mr. Charles
B. Fisk have endorsed The improvement
ola river upon a plan, the permanency Of
which they could not assure and it is
believed that there is not an experienced
hydraulic engineer in the United States
who would hesitate one moment to build
locks and dams on New River. The bed
lof N@W River is Of solid sand stone,
Witch is not considered q very friAbla
4 material. and even If II were, tie dams
-Ecould be constructed with such q
slope on their face as. 20 throw tile water
SO far off from the base Of the dam as not
i to disturb the foundations in the least.
Another serious objection to the wa
teraline is. that the mountain section DUR
ling the winter would be locked up with
ice"
| This serious objection. when properly
STATED, is one of the great advantages that
The friends Of, the water4line have always
claimed for sit, namely that during the
greater part Of the foaraor FIVE months
that the Northern canals are booked up by
lice. the Val water-line viii be open; and
that, too, at the very season when tho
great articles Of export Of the West arc
READY for 81 Eastern market, and would
Iof course seek the cheapest aud shortest,
and in fact, the only direct water-lins
That would be open. Judging the future
10y tile pas. the average interruption to
1tle waterline by ice would not be moro
than thirty days in the year There
would then be al least three mouths of
every year during which the Virginia
water-line would have no competition,
and would be crowded with freight.
The writer in tho Wing concludes his
objections 10 the water-line with the
statement, that .sthesupply 3 fWater for
The summit level is based onlY-on conjec.
lture.p vsifs
So far from that being = fact. tits doubt
full whether there ever was public work
projected in the United States on which
there was more pains taken to eliet the
truth, and 70 satisfy the public mind,
4 than on the subject of the practicability
tof the watef-iiae, and the suficieney Of
1.-The supply of waleron the summit level.
Not content with the surveys and reports
of Capt: Mcneil in le27, and OF Mr.. E.
H. Gill in l842, both ofwhom pronounce
led the passage Of the Allegheny practica-
Eble and the supply.of water sufficient, the
\ James River and Kanawha Company, In
difference to the doubts that still existed
in the minds of many on the subject, d.
rected another survey 10 be made in the
4 year 1850, and in order to have the mat
tier fully invested, they employed dis
ftinguished geologist (the late Professor
j NJ. Tuorney Of the University Of Alaba-
ma, 10 make a careful examination ofthc
il geology of the summit level, and give
This opinion 10 regard to the adaptability
Of the country to the formation Of water
tight reservoirs. The snrYeyswe made
in 1850. and the reports upon them are
i now before the public, and the practiea-
bility of the water-line and the snper-
abundant supply Of water on the summit.
Il level are therein as clearly demonstrated
as any propositionin Euclid.
j Antllony's Greek was guagsd every
Il day for whole yeara year Of unusnal
i drought--and the discharge Of water was
found to be 2l01 naalioaas e15iic CARDS
The statement Of Anthony,s Creek, beins.
a dry stream. has got to be rather dry
joke,swhich has ceased to be amusing.
and will only be believed by those, who
il find il easier to doubt than 70 inys stigats.
CANAL.