The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-16
Balance TO Improvement June l1:h....$7, ,064 20

Balance 10 Improvement June l l1:h....S7, ,064 20
of which Sl,201 so are to pay-rolls and
s, ,S5G.7 20 to carry on the work. This will
probably suffice until September 1st unless
some unforeseen accident should occur. 1t
is proper for me to say, however, that the
Auditor has paid out Of this years appropri.
alton the sum of 81, 1892, which was due
for accounts previous TO January 1st. was
not aware of this until very recently.
still! think, however, that the additional ap.
propriatiupS asked for in your report TO The
committee--i. G., Of $4,000 OF per cent.
bouds-wiIl DO sufficient to carry on opera
lions Oh the part of the city and maintain the
channel with fourteen feet OF wafer at mean
hlyh-tidc to the wharveS below Gillie's creek
until 1t February. 1876. AS soon as the
channel through Gillie's Creek shoal is made,
and it will be commenced very soon, this
depth will be carried TO the ship.lock.
The dredging during the month of May
| was in the channel near the lower end OF
Diewry's island, where the February freshet
had deposited sand to the depth of about
| three ,ept maximum depth. There have
been $500 cubic yards removed and put be-
| hind Randolph'S flat dyke-a haul of nearly
| two miles. The cos Of this dredging, &c, was
as follows GucudiDg cost OF coal and repairs
10 machinery actually in service, not inclu.
| ding the repairs for machinery laid up, or OF
| watching it, or the salary Of the engneer)
Cost of dredging, i cents: cost OF hauling
| 63 cents; cosr of depos'ting behinG dy kes, t
cents-total, 20 1.G cents.
| During the month OF May the Unlteo
Estates has completed 25O feet OF new dyke
and partly laid 400 feet at Randolph's 1at
and has driven the piles for further eXten'
sion of the dyke at Richmond BAR. Al
Goodies rock 81 6l0 cubic yards OF ROCK
have been removed and placed on shore
From this Dart of the river have also been
removed two wrecks, chain and anchor, q
propellor blade, and about 250 pounds OIL
copper sbeathing. The excavation OF such
horizons OF this rock as lie in the direct
channel will be of very great benefit, eSpe
cisllv 10 the larger class Of vessels coming to
this port.
The United States received bids on the 4th
of June. and work has since been allotted 10
contractors TOR completing the dyke ut the
head of Drewry'S island and for enlarglng
Dutch GAP cut-lff. The channel through
Gillie's Creek shoal will be made by United
States force, the city renting the dredge and
other appliances for cost OF repairs. Inc city
Will continue the dredging out bed channels
during the month Of June.
The United States vii! complete the dy kes
on the left bank of the river at Richmond bar
and Randoiph's fiat, and possibly build ex'
perimental dykes on the right bank to test
the pracllcablity of deepening the channel
by further contraction. The operations at
Goodies rock will be continued, and the wor K
allotted to contractors may be commenced.
There is now channel Il feet deep at
mean high-water from Rockets reef to the
sen. and within week vessel loaded With
coal drawing Is feet S inches has left the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad wharves and
gone TO sea without difficulty.
Vcsy respectfully, your obedient servant,
Ii. d. WHIrCoMB, Engineer.