The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-19
The River Improvemen..

The following Is Colonel William II.
CraigbilPs interesting report Of ihe opera.
lions on James river, which has Just been
presented and distributed:
In the summer OF 1870 the first examine
ton OF the James river was made after the
war, with view TO its Improvement by the
United Siares. The first appropriation was
In July, 1870 $4,000. At that time but
8 feet OF water could be carried TO the
city OF Richmond at low water, which was
equivalent TO liz feet at high water. The
great freshet OF 1870 reduced the depths to
I and 101 feet. Besides the natural Cbs'a-
cles 10 navigation, others quite formidable
existed, which had been placed in the river
by the Confederate authorities, or were
otherwise the result OF the war. These
consisted Of sunken vessels, cribs OF timber
tiled with stones. and remains Of the sup
ports Of military bridges. Previous to that
time vesy little n oney had been apprOpri-
ated by the United States for the James
river. What bad been available from that
source had been chiefly expended in dredg-
ing, generally in cooperation with the au-
ihorities Of the city OF Richmond who .sad
from time to time spent considerable sums
in the purchase OF dredges and other ma-
cbnery, and in operating IL. Many large
and small powders bad been removed from
the upper part OF the river near the city.
and n small portion OF the rocky ledge at
Rockets had been eXcavated. A very inn
portant defect in the dredging operations
had been the deposition OF the material re-
moved from the river in places where it
could eventually lind its way back into tie
channel again.
The very high freshet Of the autumn of
1870 led to the opening TO navigation CT the
Dutch Gap cutoff. The opening Of this
cutoff had been suggested by Captain
Stansbury, United States engineer, many
years before.
The first operations undertaken were the
removal OF sunken vessels and the remains
Of bridges. Work was also begun on the
Dutch Gap cutoff and the reef al Rockets.
Dredging or the worst shoals was resumed,
and the construction OF dikes begun, their
double object being to afford place behind
which the dredgeG material could be safely
placed, while beng also beginning OF the
needed rectlicatiOn OF the natural banks
and the contraction OF the waterway.
From 1870 up 10 the present time the
operations have been very much the same
in kind. Those OF previous years will be
found described in detail IN previous an
nual reports, and those OF the fiscal year
Just closed are particularzed in the append
ed report Il Mr.. ii. ID. Wh;comb, the resi-
dent engineer.
During these years the authorities OF the
city OF Richmond have cc0perated cordially
with those Of the United States. The city
Of Richmond has spent her own money
freely, thus supplementing the approprla-
tions made by Congress. There has never,
however, been ~ much money available as
true economy required IN the judiclous
prosecution OF the work, according 10 Il
weIl-settled plan. Operations have often
been necessarily suspended for months al
the best seasons for active work. Losses
have also occurred during several freshcts
OF unusual violence. These things have
increased the cost OF the improvement; but
there has AZ the time been 4 steady gain IN
depth OF water and facility Of navigation.
Very much Of this is to be attributed TO The
kill and good judgment Of Mr.. Wbitcomb
Thanks are also due to Captain Thomas
Cunningham for bis zeal and Taithfulness,
which, combined with his thorough know
Lodge OF the river, have made his services
almost indispensable TO those directing the
work.
In contrast with the condition OF The
river in 1870, as stated above, nayiea'or'
can now safely calculate upon Ills feet o
water. at low water. up 10 the city, Whlci
is equivalent to 1873 at high water.
Rockets reef has been lowered so tha
there is channel 90 feet wide, with liz
feet at low water Q5.3 feet at high tlde)
The removal OF perhaps 80 cubic yard
from points OF the ledge will increase tbli
depth TO Is feet at low water. The channe
is now | foot deeper than was reported !a,
year.
A gain of foot in depth in solid rock i
q great one.
BY the action Of the dams in contracting
the waterway. Richmond bar has beer
lowered foot during the year, and now hai
l24 feet at low tide-an Improvement Of a
least ) feet since 1870"
Dutch Gap cutoff has been greatly I'm
proved by widening at the entrances, thu'
allowing better direction to vessels pass
ing through. The least width at low tide L
about the middle, and is 300 feet; al the en-
frances the width is over 800 feet. Th'
least depth in the farway is 10 feet, anC
the removal OF 5000 cubic yards wonl(
make a channel OF lS feet at low tide, Will
1870 feet bottom width.
In 1870 no vessel could rass through tht
cutoff. Now large vessels can do 80, ant
save, at the same time, 50 miles in distance
besides avoiding the bar in Trent's Reach
formerly one of the worst in the river.
The total excavation OF material from lh'
river during the year amounted to SS'o.4
cubic yards, OF which 1924 was solid rock
The material excavated was deposited on
the wing-dams, giving them additlona
strength, and thus becoming a usffui IN
stead OF huriul element in the river.
The original estimates contemplated very
little work below the Dutch Gap cut-oll
and no greater depth in any part OF th'
river than Is feet at high lodter. 1t Is now
proposed to make the depth Of the cbanne
about Is feet at ton lcdter below Outer
iiap. FOR the reason given by Mr. Whlt
comb in the following extract:
The examination OF the shoals below va
riLa, made iu MAY, 1879, shows that tll'
channels have not leSsened IN depth lei
twenty-five years past, and the cost OF de p
eping them is a comparatively small matter
The rise and fall in the lower part OF the
river is much les, than It Is at Richmond
AT the mouth OF the Chickahominy The rise
and fall is 8 feet, while 1t is 1860 feet on
Rockets reef and for several miles below
The mean high tide at Richmond is 3.iGS
feet above our assumed zero, and the chan
mel is to be - feet below this zero. II the
depth below zero i, made the same on the
lower part Of the river, deeper draft can
be carried from the city at high tide than
can be carried over the shoals below at hlgh
tide; and so moderate is the cost OF deep
ening the channel through the lower shoals
that il seems advisable to make the depit
below Dutch Gap at lOt1 tide the same thai
Il is above at high tide. In that case vessel,
loaded for the full depth at high tide al
Richmond could approach within l5 mile
OF the city at any stage. and at high tid'
proceed to the city. In the other case
vessels will be limited 10 the low-tld'
- or,n q faet over and must stop q