The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-27
THE ME " RIvER.
,osnrsrosprscs or fns nlcaxosp DAILY prsrArcH.l
Mosrooxssr wHrrs SULPHUR,

coRRRsroSpENcE or THE RICHMOND DAILY pisfA'sn.1
Mosrooxsar wmrs sulrnua,l
August 23d. ! |
I observe that the Enqayer has noticed some OF |
my communications, touching New River, ANA
observe that Mr. De Bow, the intelligens and In |
dustrioua correspondent Of that paper, has been |
taking notes concerning the New River above the
town OF Central--thc name given to the place
where tho Virginia and Tennessee Railroad crosses
the river, and where 10 has established its depot,
called tho Central Depot am pleased to sec thar,
according, suppose, TO information furnished BY
him, the Knqaasr pronounces the Improvement OF
New River from Central to the lead mines, for bat
teaux navigation, ~ practicable at an expense OF
not moro than $4,000 consider the improve
ment Of New River, from Central to the mouth Of
6reenbrier, also practicable. Below that point,
the James River aud Kauawha Cumpauy's i'm
provement occupies the whole length of the river
to the Ohio. We have tho best reasons for believ-
ing that the Kanawha will soon be improved to
Loup Creek shcMls and that will leave 90 little to
do to finish the line to the mouth of Greenbrier,
that nothing can defeat its continuation to that
point-nay, to the highest point next to the Sum.
nit Level, on the james River aud Kanawha line
where water will have to be provided by artificial
ghany to Covington. The Covington and Ohio
Railroad will furnish portage, however, for the
short interval of that Summit Level until it is
completed, should It ever be.
Therefore, there is every inducement for the
Improvement Of New River between the mouth Of
Greenbrier and the lead mines There will be
connections with the east through both the Wiz
sinia and Tennessee Railroad and the James River
Ia nd al with the Ohm river
through the improvement Of the New aud Kanawha
rivers below.
/ think the Enquirer ver-estimates the cost Of
improving the river for small steamers between
Central and the mouth Of Greeubrier, in stating
it At million Of dollars. lam sure that not more
than Eve locks and dame and perhaps less than that
lumber, will be necessary in that distance OF
eighty miles. These will involve the chief ex-
penditure. Now what will a lock and dam cost!
have recently coDversed with very Intelligent
and reliable gentleman, who, as contractor, did
much of the work on the James river improve
ment. lie informed me that be built dam
across James River, near Jefferson, believe, for
$4,000; and he thought a lock and dam would not
cost more than 5000. A dam could be built,
believe, across New River at less cost than
across James River about the point indicated. The
bed of New River is more solid than the James,
and as especially In the falls it passes generally
through solid stone walls, the abutments of the
dam would be already built and Of the most per-
manent character. Not so with the James, where
the sbutments have to penetrate earthly embank-
meuts The falls, too, short Very little canal
ling would be necessary, and that might be gen.
orally made with single wall OF masonry built on
| the solid rocky bed. Put the locks and dams at
0Oo0 and 900 10 the cost of the five locks and
dams.
| What would be the expense of cleaning ont
sluices through the. 'rfaps' and lodges, am IN.
| able tn conjecture; but do not believe it will
eSHa, the cost OF the locks and dams. When these
| sluices are opened they will remain open longer
| than if made in any other river with which am
| acquainted. The New River flows through rocky
shores and is generally confined to narrow bed.
| The waters both above and below the rapids is
| deep water sluces may be opened and the
| water concentrated in them without difficulty
| The depth above the fall will admit of reduction
| by cutting down the ledge, without making the
| water too low. Thus the current will be made
deeper and the falls, will be lessened by being to
some extent distributed over longer space. save
the rifles and falls New River consists of beau
tiful aud extensive sddies that very much resen-
| BILE Lakes.
cannot see why this beautiful river cannot and
| should not be improved. The cost will be small
and, although, did it run northeastwerdly instead
of enthusiastically, the Inducements to improve
| it would be much greater-still there are enough,
turned and circUmstanced as it is, to justify its I'M
| provement. With the locks and dams allude to,
the small steamers used on western and California
streams will readily run up the New River. They
| draw from ten inches to two feet. very intelli
| gent gentleman, who has had practical sense
| enough to make very large fortune in California
| told me that he owned a stern wheel steamer
| there, drawing ten inches water, which readily
| ran up rapids Of almost incredible violence. Ii
seemed to him that all it wanted, was water
enough. He thought the falls of New River could
be easily assembled by such, at all the places where
L speak of-locks and dams-if straight sluices oil
sufficient depth were cut.
| Now, what are the Inducements to open this no
BILE rveri If the New River we're opened it would
| become a medium of transportation for country
| varying from forty to fifty miles in width, OF
| which it would be the centre The great moan
tains of the Allegheny range all run at right An
| giles with the general current of the river. The
| Inhabitants cannot get to tho Virginia and Ten
nessee road without crossing these mountains, and
| they therefore locked up. Yet roads running
| parallel with the mountains would easily bring
them to the river; that from both sides, citizens
from the interior could easily communicate with the
| river-takiug to it their products, which could,
upon its BOSOM find safe and rapid conveyance to a
| railroad canal line that would take them to the
| best of markets. The variety and extent OF pro
| ducts of the country thus accommodated would be
greatly increased; and the improvement OF the
| lands. the enhancement of their value AMI the
general identifying Of the country, follow as mat
| ter of course. Commerce would be active upon
the river stores and villages would spring up along
its shores, aud its beautiful scenery would attract
| thousands who would add to the profits of the
passenger boats plying upon its waters Then, too,
| the water power upon it would be used to advan-
| tsge wherever dam was built, and be an impor-
tant source of revenue to the Company making the
| improvement. These are advantages enough. not
| to speak of the development of the mineral riches
of the New River, to justify the improvement-an
Improvement which would unlock fertile country.
and add greatly to the aggregate wealth and re-
sources of the State.
am no engineer; but know something about
water, and have tasted and tested New River
from Central to the mouth of Greenbrier. have
probed it's epth and tried the force Of its current,
and drawing what, 1 think, practical deductions
therefrom. I conclude that it can, and ought to
be improved certainly for batteaux, aud hope for
steamboats,, IL apiU PAY, A. B. G.