The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-29

Il -
EFFECT OF THE FRESHET on TIE RIVER
IMPROVEMENT - HOW BUILDINGS WE'RE
DEMOLISHED At DUTCH GAP INJURY
ANDREPAIRSTOT TIE ECANAL-TIE LOSSES
At SCOTTSVlLLE REPORT FROM THE
GREAT FLOOD IN JACkSoN'S RIVER
FROM TIL: SIIENANDOAH VALLEY, &C., &C.
The late high wafer has pretty nearly sub
sided, and business in the flooded district
has been resumed with its usual activity.
Mr.. II. -. Whitcomb engineer OF the
.Jamcs-Rivcr Improvement, went down the
river again Yesterday 10 inspect the wing
dams, which We're found to be in good con-
diiion. and the result gives great satiSfac-
ton. II is too early 10 express al opinion
;,> 80 the benefit or injury to the improve
u.rtlt from the fresh, but the extent OF the
scour or Shoaling viii be mentioned hereaf-
ter. Itmay be stated, however, that in 1870,
after the ircShct, when Soundings We're
made upon Richmond bar at high tide, the
greatest depth obtained was ten feet. Yes
1crdny when soundlngS were taken the
least obtained was fifteen and half feet 1T
HIGH tide. This would indicate q certain
deepening OF t!vc and Il half feet. To-mor-
row the Committee on the Improvement Of
James River will go down upon the Craig
hill to make IN inspection.
The railroad lines have all resumed the
transportation OF passengers.
The steamer John Sylvester will leave
here ut Gt O'clock Tomorrow morning for
Norfolk and intermediate points.
Mr.. BrcmonG, general shipping agent OF
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Compa-
ny, was Yesterday prepared at O'Clock in
Il ,.ytN,
freiehts at the JamcS-rvcr wharves. The
western shippers will doubtless be gratified
al this information.
the steamship Isaac Bell discharged and
received her cargo yesterday, and will sail
this morning.
NaYO'S BRIDGE-ESr1aATE OF DAMAGE.
Yesterday representative of this paper
called upon Mr. Mayo, at his warehouse on
Fourteenth street, for the purpose Of aScer-
tanning the loss be sustained in the damage
done to Mayo's bridge, and learned from
him the following: That the food Of 1870
swept away the entire bridge from Rich
mOnd 10 Manchester, and that it cost $780,
900 to rebuild it. At that time the bridge
was constructed upon different plan from
the bridge that has just been damaged. He
believes the principal cause OF its having
been washed away in 1870 was owing to the
hracing attached to each section, which en-
tended seven or eight feet beneath the
bridge. making under it dam with
out Il foundation, causing it to be swept
of the piers and abutments, which re-
mancd intact. After it was rebuilt
all OF this was done away with, and the sec
tions were connected together with large
iron cords extending the whole length Of
the structure, and it was really higher by
seven or eight feet, so far rs the water was
concerned, although the floor remained at
the same level. The principal cause OF the
two spans (Which are one hundred and Sc
vcnty feet in length on this side OF the
river being washed away at this time was
the collection OF brush, limbs OF trees, old
barrels, pieces OF timber, together with the
current making q dead set against it and
forming hammock, giving such pressure
in the centre OF each section against
the iron cords that ii caused them
10 spring upward in the centre, and they
were then washed from of the nepiers.
He believes that the FIVE sections on the
Manchester side, which were shorter than
those on this side, were raised OIL of the
piers and fioatcd away because there was
not weight enough on them. One section
is ashore III Babcock'S $ ice-house; another
.
below Rockets, and tied to a tree. and the
five sections On the Manchester side driftcd
10 Dunlop s McCance's mills and Walker
X Saurdcrs's wharf. He does not think it
will cost more than $1,000 to repair the
bridge and put it in as good order as it was
before the food, as material and labor are
much cheaper than in 1870. The damage,
therefore, is not as serious as was ut first
&pprchcnded.
~ THE VICINITY Of HAXALL'S MILLS.
Il more careful examination OF she effect
Of the food in the vicinity OF the HaXalI-
Crenshaw mills properly reveals the fact
that while the damage has been coesidera-
bic some benefits have resulted from it.
The stable-yard, which is on the e2Gt side
oi the unused granite Foundation, seems to
have been an eddy during the high water.
and the whole lot has been covered ayith
lnanv tons Of valuable sand to the depth
Sf more shan two feet. In the stalls in
tl'e stable the sand is in some cases ttrse
feet deep. In and about sihe mills tlts
work OF cleaning ZIP and clearing out the
rubbish is progressing rapidly, and in few
daysexerythirg wilt ltave assumed Its won't
ed aspect. Some funny things might be writ
Ten OF what has been seen floating by the
mll In the riyerand milLracc, but not being
paYl0r Jokes are BOT printed.
FAe only feeder TO the dock at s,resent,
Owing 10 the breaks in the canal above the
city, IL from the HaXaii mii-race, and at
ihc request OF the James River and Ia
hawba Company the gutcs were opened yes
serday and the dock Tiled, or partly flied,
with water IN this way. There are now one
or Two vessels loading with -four for foreign
ports. and as soon as loaded they win be Ell
aoied to go out OF the dock.
BUILDINGS DEh0LIsHEQ IN a WHIRLPOOL.
From Mr.. Whitcomb we received the first
Information of the fearful velocity With
Wtteh the water rushed through Dutch
GaD when fhe f1ood <yaa at i!s Yn5xtrnIm