The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-03-03

plu per cuDic yard. Arrangements mutually
advantageous have been concluded by the
committee aud the United States officer, by
which
THE COST OF THIS HARD WORK
will be greatly reduced to the city, and with
the certainty that the greatest amount of
work possible will be accomplished by The
portion Of the appropriation applicable to
| dredging.
"Solne points in the chatincl were so hard
that the drcdgcs could make no suppression
on them. To secure the full depth of eigh-
teen feet at high tide it will be necessary to-
use explosives to loosen material before it
can be dredged. These points are not nu.
merous or extensive.
/ THE DREDGING MACHINES.
| "fou will observe that tile repairs have been
very heavy. The frequent inspections: you
nave made OF the operations, and the work
required Of our machines, have satisfied you
that If the work was to be accomplished by
dredging machines. heavy expense was un-
avoidable. The advance in the price of hire
has also added largely 10 the cost of repairs.
The 'Greenwich,' an old machine, was "a
vored rs much as possible. The Newport
delivered from Philadelphia in the spring of
| 1911, was supposed to be peculiarly adapted
TO The heavy work. l soon found it necess;-
~ to discard its dipper OF two yards capacity
ana substitute one of bali the capacity. With
that il was at last 80 disabled us to require
thorough overhauling, making the expense
for its repairs Si,097.S1, nearly one-third of
its original cost. With the improvements
introduced and general repairs made con.
slider it q thorough and more efficient mt
chine than it was when it was first delivered
| here.
THE new drcdge 'City of Richmond
constructed under my supervision, com
nenccd work on the 18th of September, and
excepting one day lost in replacing broken
spud she has lost no time for repairs. This
machine has operated steadily in the hard
material with depth of two cubic yards ca
pacty. 1t is very powerful and admirably
built machine, rejecting much credit OH tie
mechanical skill of Mr.. G. j. Fox, the
builder, rs well rs that OF the other Richmond
mechanics employed in its construction.
TIE MATERIAL DREDGED
has all been placed behind the dykes, there
being no deep water in this vicinity That
could he used for its deposition.
1.-THE necessity for these dykes enhanced the
cost Of the work, though their construction
permanently improves the river, and we
know that material placed behind them will
not again have to be dredged from the chan.
mel. The hard dredging continues some
distance below the brIck-yard wharf. Alter
passing the mouth of Almond creek the char
acter of the material to be removed changes,
being sand, gravel, and the ordinary river
silt Such material can he rapidly and
chcaply removed. 1t h;,s not heretofore been
deemed advisable to operate on these lower
reaches until the hard one just below the
city was opened, this being the key to the
llarbor Of Richmond 1t has now been sue
crSsiully demonstrated that this can be ac-
comp!ishcd by dredging, and i'll short time
will afford easy access TO the harbor and
dock.
~ have no doubt that the United States en-
ginecr officer in Charge Of the Department
will apply such portion of the next appro-
priatiUn made by Congress to opening the
channel through Randolph flats "a continll-
ton of Richmcnd barr; so that during the
coming year hope to see
VESSELS DRAWING FIFTEEN FEET or WATER
REACH THE CITY.
The ShoalcSt reach now OH the river is from
opposite the mouth of Almond creek to the
lower point Of Drewry's island, atiOrding at
ordinary tides from 123 to Is feet of water.
The mean rise and fall OF the tide at Rockets
is three feet eight and quarter inches
The result is arrived at after eighteen months
Of hll.-hnur observations on all days when
the river was in its normal condition.
"Atmcan high-tidc, vessels drawing twelve
and half feet wafer cln reach Richmond
without difficulty. Satisfactory arrangements
have been concluded with the owners of the
property, ,lnd dyke is under construction that
will closet the channel passing between Drew
ry and Coal island aud the Chesterfield shore
Space will thus be obtained for depositing Il
large amount of drcdged material and the
necessity of rehandiing avoided. The waste
Of II large amount of water will also be pre-
vented by this Improvement. The improve
ments already made are cNcrting 4 salutary
effect on the tides, as observe that the dul-
ration OF the flood-ide is increasing. The
thorough removal of the distractions ut
| Warwick bar and Drcwry's blur barc re-
stored the river to its natural condition. The
river at Drcwry's bluff was
PRAcTIC LILY DAMNED,
and while the obstruction remained we never
had Iow-tidc above them. Since their re-
moval the tides have resumed their regular
ebb and flow. 1t has been inferred by many
persons that the opening of Dutch Gap ca
NIL was the cause Of the low tides. Dutch
gap is eighteen miles from Richmond.
When it is ebb-tde ut Rockets the tide
has been food nearly an hour at Dutch
gap. Below Rockets the velocity OF the
water is but little over two miles per hour.
and the difference between the duration of
the ebb and dood-tdc is about two hours.
Hence water passing Rockets at the begin
ming of the ebb will meet the flood-tidc be-
| tunnp Warwick and DraWry'S btJlff
"My observations make the mean rise and
fall of the tide greater than the observation
of the Coast Survey, and Il little less than
Mir. Gill, as find he uses four feet rs the
mean rise and fall in his survey. | believe
the difference is caused by the great waste
of water between Richmond and City Point.
During the war no attempt was made by
the farmers to keep up these dykes. Others
were destroyed in the aid of military opera
tions. So that now nearly seven thousand
acres of land are submerged from one and a
half to three feet twice each day. The
amount of water in that surface would make
a depth of nearly thirteen inches from Rich
mond to City Point. Closing these dykes
once more would make the flood-lides
stronger in their flow and cf longer dura-
ton, consequently they would rise higher.
81 would suggest that the Council be asked
to have some improvement made to prevent
WASTE EARTH DEPOSITED IN THE VALLEY OF
| SHoCKOE CREEK
from washing into the river. Especially be-
tween Broad aud Franklin streets is this i'm
movement needed. In that short distance
the course of the creek is very tortuous, at
points turning almost at right angles. The
valley of GiIIie's creek needs provisions look
ing to the same end. The natural wash from