Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-11
IMPROVING NATURE.
Something About the work Being
Done ON the Tennessee and Cumber
land Rivers.

Something About the work Being
Done ON the Tennessee and Cumber-
land Rivers.
Capt. l.. c. Overman, an efficient officer
Of the corps of United States engineers
conducting the improvement of the Ten
nessee, Cumberland and TOmbigbee rivers,
sends us the annual report for 1874 of the
Chief Of Engineers, in which is a report
from Maj. Mcfarland, the officer in charge,
who says:
''Work under the contract for improving
this river below Nashville, has not pro-
guessed during the past year with a salts
factory degree Of vigOr. The cholera in the
summer of 1873 hinderel, and some delay
has been caused by the inadequacy of the
Outtit and the want Of experience in the
contractor.
''The contract was entered into on the
5th Of October, 1872, and was to be COM
pleted on the lst of January, 1873. Tee
ope atoms, consisting of the construction
Of ripIap dams, and the renewal of rock,
etc, from the channel, were to be con-
Quoted \, Harpeth Shoals, between Syca-
more Creek and Reeds Reef, and the total
cost was not to exceed $500.
son the 9th Of October, 1873, relieved
Capt. L. 9. OvermaD, Corps Of Engineers,
from duty Oh the improvement of the Ten
nessee river, and sent him to Nashville to
take local charge Of the improvement ofthe
Cumberland river, with instructions to
urge the work on as much as possible. A
force of men was set TO work getting out
stone for the construction Of the additional
dams required in this part of the river, and
not provided for in the contract. BY
the close Of the fiscal year, about
1900 cubic yards of stone had been
quarried for this purpose and mOsed
10 the bank Of the river, in readi-
ness for boating TO the points where the dams
were TO be constructed. NOwOrk ofexcava-
tion in the channel had been done, because
the height Of the water prevented this; but
preparations were made 10 begin il as soon
after the close Of the fiscal year as the
stage Of water in the river would permit,
and it is expected that At the close Of the
present calendar year the whole amount of
rOck-excayatiOn in channel and construc-
tion of dams required at present at this
point (Harpeth shOalS) will be completed.
This work has been pushed by Capt. Over
man with his usual energy, aud the results
attained by the use of hired labor appear to
have been as satisfactory on the Cumber-
land, as they have proved TO be for the past
two years on the Tennessee.
NO appropriation has eyeTyet been made
for the improvement OF the Cumberland
River above Nashville. The improvement
is a matter Of great importance to the peO-
pie Of Nashville and Of Middle Tennes-
see, and think it should be undertaken at
once.
The estimated cost OF this improvement,
as given in the report referred TO, is $685.
81, and l would recommend that at least
One-half of this amount be asked for
for application during the next fiscal year.
The amounts Of money which can be
proftably expended in the improvement of
the Cumberland verduring the next fiscal
year are as follows, viz:
For improving the Cumberland
River above Nashville. .. 100000
For improving the Cumberland
River below Nashville. ... $4,000
Total. S275,OOO
The improvement of the Cumberland
River throughout its whole extent would
be of the utmost benefit to the States of
Tennessee and Kentucky, in aiding the de-
velOpment of the coal mines to be found in
the vicinity of the head waters Of the river,
and is, therefore, a question which deserves
the attention Of the General Government"