The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-03-23

wEpS sspAY MORNING MACH = y,
Frederic n sburr and tts
80 eflitiee.

ard hospitabie virginia
,cr $1,000. facilities Cor rnanu'aetuF'as
ses rarely ecuaiied 10 any part o. ~, ,sesiy.a
n 8osrs. ~ an ,arnrise for which ~ eas aes 49,,
IN. cr,c.r ,redit. ard with charaeser's''e "oe,~
ftv n Ia. brought the aid Of art 20 "s s'eA' a"'a
- ...a..... snd naw presents Inducements to
n..,c..,n,,as ;ntsrests. which, sooner or later,
mnst make 10 large manufacturing city. "eson-
f.sa thar ~ va ~srs c,tisea of Fredericksburg,
We should not desire that result 1t the 'ash'on
to call that place "nnished town. aud IN one
sense 1t is "huishsd," for any farther progress :"
the old Virginia virtues, Ia courtesy, hosp''"''s
and In all the best qualities Of human n"'u'e,
impossible. WIN il be happier, more "a ,sa
moro peaceful, more neral, when u a'si"s
size aud with IL the selfshness and vices '''ep"'"
bic from large populationsf
On late visit to this foe old Virginia 'o"h'"e
saw the great dam by which the vast water pow,
Of the Rappahannock is to be MADE a'Ai'"o'e "
Industrial uses This splendid work was eons"".'
Cd By An eminent New England engineer, on INV
same plan with that over the Connecticut river NJ
Holyoke From 9 description OF it now before us
IL appears that "the abutments are constructed
upon natural reck foundation. The dam, erected
upon base SO feet 10 width and secured firmly to
the solid rock foundation is Is feet in height, 81
feet Ia length between the abutments, aud COM
psctty built Of heart pine timber sawed one foot
square. The abutmenss are Of the beat granite,
laid In courses with hydraulic cement, aud are
erected upon q natural rock foundation.
'sThe canal, which is ia miles long from the
feed-gates to the basin at Fredericksburg, is 81
feet vide ct the water-surface, 80 feet wide at bot
tom and 69 feet Deep giving the area of its water
section Is 81 square feet; it is made perm anentiy
water tight, BY the most careful grubbing, pud'
ding and selection Of material for embankment
The available head and fall obtained 10 AZ feet.
"a wster-power is thus made ready for use with
ir the limits of the town, which, during the low
stages Of water In ordinary summer seasons, not
lsss than 1900 horsepower, aud which for the
greater part Of the year ranges up 900 and 600
horsepower. The low stages of water prevail or
diuarily for few days only of the year..
Reservoirs may be easily and cheaply construct
ed along the river, above the pr esent dam, which
would augment the power to any desired extent
The position of Fredericksburg is such, that ia
vorabls sites for using the power are presented
along q river-front of nearly mile in extent
to which the water may be conducted at little
cost, and at which a good navigation may be OBJ
tanned mp to the door OF the mills The price,
of admirable manufacturing sites are very low
in comparison with like property at any simila
point.
Fredericksburg has population of 5000, is stu
ated at the head OF tids-water, on the Rappahan
mock, and is distant sixty miles from Washington
and Richmond, and has communication twice
day with each by railroad and steamboat.
railroad, now in progress, will connect it, by tn
short link of thirty-eight miles, with the Contra
Railroad. BY Canal, Macadamizsd and Plan
Roads, 1t has communication with a large an
fertile agricultural region. The river ia naviga
bic to this point by vessels drawing eight feet
Large supplies of wheat and corn now seek thi
market; and timber, which ia found in grea
abundance and variety, is an article of proftabl
export from this region to ship yards and manu-
factories of the North. Iron, gold and cope
ores are found within q radius of ten to thirt
miles from the town. and the mixers have con
Quoted extensive and prof table operations i
them.
The scenery around fredericksburg is pic
turesque and beautiful, and this, with the re
markable healthiness of the town, must recon
mend 1t highly as q residence. Fredercksbur
has never been visited by the epidemics whic
have visited most of our American towns. 1t e.
capped the cholera which scourged other cite
North, Soutb, East aud West. The pure and de
lightful water with which the town is supple
from neighboring springs, and the bracng ali
ought to make it more attractive point in th
summer than the distant mountain resorts
The house formerly occupied by "Mary, th
mother Of Washington" plain and unambi.iou
little dwelling, is still standing in Fredercksbur:
and at q short distance from the town an unfn
ished monument marks her last resting place.