The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-17
4 T,he s. RI,anawl1a Iintsgpyemsnt.,

zette, puDllsncu az auatte5tVH, x 1nt '
date the 14tl, instsnt. twill be considered
by them, we doubt not, OF very great Inn
portance "a bearing upon the question nov
raised ia the General AsseRbly OF abandon
inpthe canal alsogetiief. How can Wethint
OF giving up aiiaewbUsc western division 'iN1a 10
is prosecuted with evident earnestness ant
energye What will our western f 1.len'
think Of usii wefiet go Just as they are get
ting the Kaaawha, limo systematszed ane
under tile liberal aid Of the Federal GOV
ernment2 It.would be an untimely ana un'
fortunate desertion OF a mutual undertaking,
which would do us neither credit nor eood
We should Join our western friends and
steadily diminish che gap that separates us,
assured that the prospect Of ultimate sue.
cess in the great work y rapidly increased crea
as this gap is diminished. ,,t,.s,, .,aas 4.,,ts
In the Gasette'S remarks Will be found an
interesting reference to the ENJOYABLE
dams" not. before tried in this country,
which are about to be put in the KanaWha
river. The purpose they are intended to
answer makes them very interesting. II
they prove successful they will be invalua'
BILE to river navigation in this country.
We again invite attention to this article,
feeling assured that it has, strong bearing
upon the question before the Legislature.
EASAwHA RIVER IMPROVEMENT
The appropriations by Congress for the
Improvement of the kanawha navigation
are as follows: $25,000 on the Sd OF March,
1873; S25, 1000 on the 23d OF June, 1874;
100000 on the Sd Of March, 1915; and
S270, 900 in August, 1S76-total, 1920, 600.
The plan for improving the kanawha
river is by slack-water navigation, so rs To
furnish at least seven feet Of water nc all
times. - i, ~
Ten locks and dams will furnish slack.
water navigation from the Ohio river to
Cannelton, distance OF eiShty-fyc miles,
the cost of which will be about two and a
half million dollars-that is, S250,000 for
each dam with lock. OF these ten, there
will be three above aud seven below Charles
ton, and there will be five above and five
below St. Adams. - E~ :. '~
Their locations and lifts will be as fol
lows: ~
~ At or near the mouth of the Kanawha,
feet lift; (2} at, or: near Debby's ripple, !
feet lift; 81 at or near Gillespie's ripple, 6
feet lift; "a ut or near Red House shoals,
g. feet lift 90 at or near johnson shoals, 2
feet lift; (G ut or near Newcomers shoals,
6s feet lift; ca at or near Island shoals, I
feet lift; (Sl at BroWnstown, feet lift; %,
at Cabin creek, feet lift; Q0) at or near
Paint creek, Is feet lift--total lift" II
feet, in distance Of eighty.fiye miles. -''
These locks and dams are being con.
structed OF hewn stone and in the most
workmanlike manner. In nine OF the dams,
however, there Is to be an "open pass
two hundred and fifty feet in length. In
this "open pass"' there is to be wooden
and iron structure, 50 arranged that it can
be elevated in low water, and thereby fur
nish seven feet OF water in the shallowest
places in the river, and can be lowered
during high water, and thereby furnish free
and unobstructed navigation during the
rises in the river. Hence these dams are
called ENJOYABLE dams" The first nine
dams from the Ohio river are to be movable
dams, which will furnish seven feet of water
from Paint creek to the Ohio river during
low water and an open river during high
1ater. ".'t
These are the first movable dams ever
constructed in America. In France they
have been constructed and proved a sue
cess. The engineering profession in this
country are watching with much interest
the progress OF these dams, and are anxious
TO see what will be the practical working OF
this new feature in sfack-water navigation.
BY the movable dams all delay in trans.
portation during high rises in the river will
be obyiated. SO also all delay in passing
through the locks during high water will
be avoided; for by throwing down the
wooden part Of the dams an open and free
navigation through the open passes is the
result during high water. AT all other
times the dams operate as fixed dams, and
furnish at least seven feet Of water in the
shoals of the river. li.' .-':|,
Besides these ten dams two others will
have to be constructed above the Paint
Creek dam, in order to furnish seven feet
Of water up to the Kanawha Falls. These
two dams, like the one at Paint creek, will
not lie mouable but f1ed dams.
Tie lock-chambers are to be so feet wide
by $50 feet long in the clear, sufficiently
large to pass four coal-boats or barges at q
time, or to pass steamboat with three coal
barges.
At present, contractors are engaged in
constructing lock and dam at Br0wnstoWn
and lock at Cabin creek. Proposals fol-
erecting dam at Cabin Creek are now ad.
vertised for by Major W. P. Craighill, OF
Baltimore, who has in charge the improve.
ment Of the Kanawha navigation.
On the Cabin Greek dam it is thought
work will begin in May next. Steps are
now being taken to procure site for the
location Of the lock and dam to be erected
at or near Paint creek. h.
Lieutenant Thomas Turtle, of the United
States engineers, is the officer here having
in charge this navigation improvement
He is assisted by A. n. Scott, who has been
at Charleston In the employ OF the Govern
ment since the first was made
High water and other causes have here
toiore retarded the contractors in pushing
ahead their work on these locks and dams
and though the work has 30 far moved
slowly, yet all concede that the Government
is having these locks and dams built Of the
best material and in the most durable ant
substantial manner. ga
We are grati6ed at the progress now being
made in the erection OF these works, bu
will be much more so il the entire appro
priations $500, 000) are expended this year
and thereby expedite the day when tue Goa
trade of this valley will surpass that Of TIT
Monongahela Valley, in Pennsylyania.-Ke
na,oha Gazette, March 14th.
~ np,, VI,