The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-02
Total Iuncis available MAY Ii .i........s

i full aud detailed report to january }st
! was rendered hv this Committee 10 his Honor
| the MaSpr. and transmitted by lin To the
Council with his annual message. In that
report mentun was made of arrangements
completed and in contemplation. between
the Committee and the United States Er-
gincer authorities, un !cr Tbich the improve
ment of TIE river would not ouly be hasten
ei bat the city relieved cfa large portion o!
the expense involved. Those arrangements
having been satisfactorily completed and put
in operation il is proper should hc known
To- the Council. that their hcncllclil RESULTS
| aay be fully appreciated.
1t will be rem. III Dcrcd in the early reports
! of this Committee, and in the memorials sub
mitted to Congress to aid us in the improve
mcnt of the river, it was expected and ar
rngeu that the Government would rcmor"
all the sunken wrecks and artificial obstrnc-
! tion> ia the river. and undertakcthc removal
of the rocky ledgcs i'll the Mrbor and just
below the city. while the city OF lis part
would undertake and provide Tor dredging
| the channel of the river 10 such depth aud
| width as they might Geem proper. TIE cX-
| rndi;,i,e Cf Tie Government appropriation
and direction OF the work on their part has
been under Colonel Williat, Z: Cralghll,
| United states engineer, to whose kind i'll
trlest in the work are owe so mich HAT your
| COMMITTEE cannot fail 70 recognize it Oh al
| possiblc occasions. Under his skillIu! manage
| ment all the slInken wrecks and artificial
ob.tructious were thoroughly removed
| from the river, aS appears from ''li
| prcyuu, reports. lie further provided II
complete hnd efficient aEimrati!- 'or WORK
uu the rocks with diamond drills. steam
| hoists. and all neceSs.r! Appliances, me"
| hive been steadily at ~Ork. aud already 4
urge portion of the formidable ard GrrnJcd
| j." Rockets rect =" has l. zen removed. Ii adj
dtion 10 these improvements which had
! been expected, unrXr ected balances Of The
Government apWoprl alionS were applied to
successfully opening the Dutch Gap canal
which, with the future improvements now
q o,ntenipiated or it, will hccolnc of pcrma
n. ut and incalcuabl e benefit TO the com.
niece of the city. Y our Committee, during
thr. prooress Of these. improvements by The
Cove !umrnt, carried out faithfully The rr,i-
misses OF the city; and hy, tarr believe, the
pruderi expenditure of nearly S2oo.ou0 have
NOW pIared the woik in such condition that
its continuation and succe>s!u! complctlou
are beyuud the slightest question. We have
endpavored 10 ncat the Go,erhlnen. cnsl
u,cr otf rrs in ii IiiDdr. spirit "f devotion
to the interests of the work. hhu II WORK
m;itl,vl!v with theAi u accomplish com.
mon end. Our best reward has been then
ann e, iatlon OF thitt desire on our part, the
result of which wa, Llli> further approplEl-
t,,n ty Couau ess of 10000 TO extend the
i;uproyeu. ents OIL their Recommendation.
Your Comlrittee early adopted the policy
of n,ovidiuc a complete outfit Of all ma
rIiuery necessary in the operation for lbt
imrroyemcnt of the river. They were led
- tI,c cnnrI,,si ~ t.y4t this was tao wiScst
nossible exre!dlitiie Of III" appropriation
committed to their charge, from the fact of
having proved that we could do the WORK
orr.e,yts with our own machinery Ill 4 1llich
less cost than by contract. and from the
further fact that the policy OF me lilleo
STATES Euwinecr Department was opposed 10
their investing Government appropriations
IN machinery, and that if they should 80 Use
nm approprIation made for our river, tue
machinery could ut any moment lie removed
Ly them 10 ether Joints, To the detrlmtht Oh
our Interests. Whereas, on the other hanl'
with full and complete nutft OF every
thing necessary to curry on tue improvement
owned b, the citv. we should always pave
in our own hands the strongest possible
ar.1!mcn. 10 cause Congress 10 continue lts
appropriations until the permanent improve
meut OF Tie river should he completed
Ard we believe that we have lit this time tht
most complete and efficient outfit owned b!
any city iu the United States.
The efforts and policy of the Committee
baye been fully vindicated by the result II
the arrangement alluded to us having beer
entered into between Us and the Govern
ment officers for the continuance OF the
work. That arrangement Is, simply Gnis
That we shan furnish On the part oil the. CRY
all of the machinery aud ou'ht we no" pos
seas, and such further appliances as we ma, M,
choose TO extend the work, ana Keep th'