The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-07

Dr. |Pannill:i Well, I; agree with Mr.. ME-
q Dir. Turner II think the witness oueh
!, to answer the question. -,
In view of the fact that the majority de
cidedto allow the witness time to srlsWe
the question, the committee arose, to NEE
this afternoon at 4 O'Clock. as !
y JAMES RIVER IunRoyEnENT. !
Interesting Export Of the work o,
Three Winter Months.
Il arf;aillG - - r. -. l..itt s~Iig
f. The Committee on james River I'm
Il provemenE, through Col Albert Ordway
chairman, submitted to Che CITY Counci
| last evening q lengthy and Interesting re
port or their operations and progress Since
the flst Of December. Atethat time they
were engaged In dredging out the deposit.
maze In Irents Reach during the great
| mood, which bad 80 filed up the bar there
Inat Snere was only depth OF ten feet
Inns Work was completed about the mid,
entire length Of the bar (ahnut 1857 feetl n
| feet wide; and with IL RssG Of Water Of or. !:
dinary high tide To accomplish this there
mas been dredged and removed during the
| last three months 14,200 cubic yards OF
sand, and the ,cbannel-way thus secured
has been marked by spar-buoys courteously
supplied by Commodore Stanley, United
states Navy, lighthouse inspector of the
9th district. : .,lg.y-rs d. .,y<,r1 y. :,
During the very cold weather of Decem.
Der trade was facilitated by keeping the
| channei clear OF ice. On one occasion tug
F! boat was chartered to assist in the work.
and by this means several vessels were en-,
| abled to leave. and enter port that would
otherwise have been delayed. The city tug
was also useful, and after the ice had broken
up 1t was employed in replacing and relnir-
ing buoys that had been cut loose. -
1t iS further stated in the report that the
| committee is now preparing to begin
dredging at Warwick's bar, and while en-
gagged in these preparations the dredpe IS
| domgy such work as may be desired by
private owners for the Improvement of
| their wharVes along the river front and
dredglng out the slip at the opening of the
The new dredge-boat was completed
within the specified time, and on the 10Th
Of January a subcommittee, Consisting of
Messrs. Wynne and Isaacs, went to PbiIa-
delphia to inspect it. Being found satisfac.
tory, it was accepted, and IS now daily ex-
pected here. .-.. a.. -, . -
The committee also report that power
tul steam plle.driYer and Two lighters, or
| scows, are now building, and nearly ready
for use, and that they have contracted for
/ the dumping cars to run on the scows, and
accepted proposals for furnishing the piles
and timber for building the dikes, within
which 1t Is proposed to deposit the material
dredged from the river. = ".@ , -
In compliance with the order of the Coun.
| Gil, granite columns have been erected to
marx the height of the water during the
great freshet OF October, 1870, on Main
street, near the st. Charles Hotel, at the
corner OF Ash and Poplar streets, and at
the corner Of Lester and Nicholson streets.
through the courtesy of Colonel Forsberg.
City Engineer Of Lynchburg, arrangements
| nave been made to advise our engineer by
telegram of any important risinp IN tbe
river at That point, thereby affor1ino lis
ample time to notify the vessels in mort.
ana the citizens in time to make such pren.
aratlon as may be necessary.
Inc committee suggest the importance of
the; Improvement of Shockoe and Gillie;s
creeks, which bring down immense onanti.
ties OF earth from the ravines thromsh
Whlch they pass, and deposit it in the har-
Dor TO such an extent as in many places TO
completely change its eonfguration. ~.tThe
report OF the. Engineer embodying prscti.
cal Recommendation accompanies the re.
port OF the committee. They also suggest
the vital Importance Of providing ample
wharf and dock facilities as near the heart
OF the city as possible. Reference is made
to report on this subject made by Thos
W. McCance, Esq, in 1853, to which tht
attention of the Council is called. That re
port suggests the propriety of the city ac
quiring the right to all the property be
tween the canal, dock, and the river from
from or near Mayo's bridge to the ship
locks, and intimates that the city already
possesses the right to about half the rive
front! on the property in question. It il
asked that the City Attorney investigate ant
report what are the rights of the city as t.
that property.
The report then gives some account 0
the condition and progress of the work un
dertaken by the General Government fo
the Improvement of the river. The reno
val OF obstructions under the contract be
tween the United States engineers and Prof
MailIefert has progressed Steadily and salts
factorily. "A few more days will fully com
plete the work, and give US at Drewry>
Bluff an unobstructed channel 225 feet Wids
and l8 feet deep. Thus rapidly and tho
roughly have these formidable distractions
which have been regarded as almost insur
mountable difficulties IN the improvement
OF the James, disappeared before the ap
pllances OF science and skill. It Is but al
intirnation, continues the report, of how
successfully we may carry out all our plan.
Of Improvement if we are but determined
and energetic and keep in view the great
results to be obtained. .s...' .
AL the preparations for the beginning Of
the work OF opening the Dutch Gap canal are
lcempleted, and the contractors are about
to commence operations. Within ninety
days the work may be- 50 Far completed as
to allow the passage of vessels, and demon
strate the feasibility Of this great improve
ment. The appropriation Of s5O, 600 by the
United States Government to continue tht
work undertaken by it is spoken of as an
other proof of the importance OF these
improvements to the general commerce
the country.
i In conclusion, the report says the thank
of the city are due to Colonel Craighil ant
This assistant, Captain Hutton, United State
, engineers, for the great interest they hav'
manifested In the work, for their enlarged
and liberal views to promote our welfare
| and their efforts to procure the furthe
assistance Of Congress. Commentator
also due to our own engineer, Captain X
Id. Minor; to Captain Thomas Cunning
ham, in charge of the dredge, and to all tn
employes, for their steady application +
, their duties and their earnest efforts IN tn
work. ......-.--.---.-.,., 49,. ),
Books FOR THE PUBLIC SoHooLs.-W
failed to notice in our announcement ye!
terday that Starke & Ryland, Of this city
, are also agents for the University Publish