Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-05-25
The Stan0at0.

Fur the Standard.
CAPE FEAR AND DEEP RIVER NAvIGA-
TON WORKS.
REPORT ON A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
Cane Fear and Deep River Navigation Works.
BY ELLwooD MoRRIs,-Chier Engineer.
REPORT,
10 his Erce1lency JonS W. ELLIS, Gorernoref North
Carolina, and President of the Board Of Mama
qers Of the Cape Fsar and Deep Rirer Navigation
Works:
SIR: In conformity to the first article of your in
structions of April 3Oth, 1852 directing me to as
certain whether the present works can be placed in
condition to admit of a speedy navigation of the
river with steamboats, and barges, and what will be
the probable cost of the repairs necessary to accom-
plish this object" have the honor to report:
That in company with James Cassidy, Esq, "a
member of your board) left Fayetteville, May 9Th,
and proceeded in batteau up the Cape Fear and
Deep Rivers to point upon the latter in the pool OF
Evanss mill dam, 95 miles above Fayetteville, and
miles above the uppermost lock included IN the
Deep River Works
In this voyage which occupied five days, we made
from Is to 25 miles day. and examined briefly ev-
cry work upon both rivers as we'll as the slackwa-
ter pools and short canals connecting the dams and
locks.
This examination being of general nature and
merely preliminary to the action of your Board was
not pushed into details or carried further than SEEM
cd necessary TO fulfil the instructions OF your Ex-
ceency.
The works under examination are usually consid-
cred in two sections, and may be comprehensively
described, as follows
l. TIE WORKS ON CAPE FEAR RIVER.
These works overcome lift stated to be about
1875 feet vertical, and extend from Fayetteville to
the junction of the Haw and Deep rivers, distance
of about So miles, along Cape Fear river.
They consist of 10 dams with locks connected,
Independent lift locks, with small basin between
making in all Is locks-and one short canal Buck
horny half mile long and so feet wide, which has
also the small basin between its two lift locks above
mentioned.
These dams form Is commodious slackwater pools,
varying in length from to 10 miles, and in breadth
from 800 to 1000 feet the upper pool (Buckhorn,)
extending two miles up Deep river and also short
distance into lIaw river.
Of the LOCKS are situated along the right bank
of the river, and along the left bank.
g. THE WORKS ON DEEP RIVER
These works were designed to overcome lift sta
ted at about so feet vertical and to extend gable
water from the junction of the Haw and Deep riv-
to Iancock's mill upon the latter, distance Of
about 40 miles along Deep river, on the lower two
miles of which Cup to Lockville) the pool of Buck
horn dam flows back
They consist of dams with locks connected, 2 in
dependent lift locks making in all locks and two
short canals Lockvie and Ceggs, with lift lock at
the outlet of each canal-both these canals have
length of half mile EACH and width at water line
of from 70 to 100 feet.
Of the locks, are along the left bank of the riv
er, and one Farish's) along the right bank
The dams form slackwater pools, varying in
length from to II miles, and in width from 200 to
1000 feet but being chiefly from 200 to 300 feet
wide
The upper or 10Th dam from Fayetteville, called
Evans's is mill dam, said to be 30 years DID, and
neither designed nor built for the use of these
works.
REHABILITATION OF ALL THE WORKS.
In all, upon both rivers, there are 10 dams, Zone
an ordinary mill dam.) forming 10 fine slackwater
pools, % locks, being Independent lift locks in Ca
nals) and short canals, each about half mile in
length-one the Buckhorn canal,) including very
short basin between two lift locks thus making al
'gether % distinct levels of pool and canal. There
also some accessory works. the chief of which is
wing bridge at Lockville The two upper locks,
.af and Evans's,) have never been entirely finish
~ nor connected with the dams, nor had their gates
IL LACE; and no steamboat or barge has passed
the Gulf which place, 81 miles above Fayette
lie, has heretofore and may still be regarded tenn
porarily as the head of navigation.
Both locks and dams are built of wooden crib
works filled with stone-a kind of work very dura-
ble and appropriate for dams, or works under water
but not at all so for locks On rivers like these
For the information of those members of the
Board who are not personally familiar with these
works, l annex (Appendix Az schedule giving the
names of the dams, &C., and the estimated distance
of each above Fayetteville.
OF TIE PRESENT CONDITION OF TIE WORKS.
l. Cape Fear Rirer Worka-The dam at Cross
creek appears to be in fair condition, but will need
some hard stone filling and some slight repairs and
the same may be said of the lock at this place
These being the latest works constructed are less de-
cayed and IN better condition than the Others
The 8 dams next above Cross creek (Jones' Sill
yer Run, and Red Rock,) standing upon soft rock
bottom, their cribs filled with perishabe stone and
already partially undermined, must be regarded as
standing in rather precarous condition; but they
may, and l hope will, stand for some years, or
until they can be secured. The other dams, on
Cape Fear river, standing as they do on hard rock
foundations, seem to be good works they promise
extended durabity-the immediate repairs needed
by them will not be serious and with moderate ad-
ditons to some of them in the future, when proper
ly secured by cementcd stone abutments, solidy
connected with the land they may fairly be regard
ed as permanent works.
The IA wooden cribwork locks on Cape Fear river,
above Cross Creek dam, (some of them filled with
perishable stone, and all fastened with tree-nails
only) are all more or less dapidated by decay and
weakness-the side walls never were of adequate
strength in many cases they were badly founded
and as necessary consequence they have Welded ir
every drection-some lean inwards, narrowing thu
lock too much; some lean unnecessarily outwards
and some have partaken of motions, presenting
now curiously curved appearance between thu
gates, which themselves are rarely vertical and al
ways poorly secured. Very few of these locks ar,
water-tght, and in many it is almost impossible I,
move the gates; while leaks under the locks ant
around them, are quite frequent; and in addt:o,
many of the ties and range tmbcrs in these crib
works, especially near the top, arc entirely rotten
1t would neither be interesting nor profitable t.
enter specifically into further details of the defect
OF these locks-let it suffice that these defects ar