Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-03-13

of "inprnyng tie navigation Of the Shenan-
doah River" This act could of course.
apply only to that portion Of the river in
West Virginia The law regulated the tolls
q be collected. &c. 1t is supposed that the
rights of the old Shenandoah Navigation
/ Company still exis; over the part Of the riveTin
| Virginia, as granted by the laws OF that State.
I The question arises as to the pToprieiy Of
expenditure by the general government OF
/ fluids from the United States Treasury, until
\ the rights OF the companies incorporated uoder
/ State laws are formally surrendered.
The compaoy Incorporated in West Virgin
/ ia by the law of 1872, obtained the sum Of
! So 600 from she county Of Je!lefson, which
/ was spent on the river about 1874 4 small
amount was also raised by individuals and
applied Ia the same way. The work was
very poorly done, and was of very little value.
I Ii was rendered nearly useless 10y the severe
/ freshet Of 1877, one OF the highest Of which
/ we have any testimony, written or crsl.
! When tho question of an examination OF
survey was presented, 10 consequence Of the
indications Of ,hs law OF Congrcss Of March
3. 1879. search WAS made IN the office OF the
/ Board Of Public Works Of Virginia, at Rich
mond. for maps aud reports vi iofner surveys.
/ All available Information was courIsouSly
placed a, my disposAl by the officials of that
Board Governor Holiday being ox-cifcio
presideut, aud Mr.. Mayo tie custodian OF tho
records. Thanks are also due and hereby
rendered u Colonel McCrae, the State libra
risn, who assisted ne very kindly and fully IA
referring to the old laws conSefnins tae river.
Very orturaiely, the excellent. maps and
n, te- books OF the survey Of 1888. ol Mr..
James Heron were eXhumed Copies Of his
r, ports are herewith. 4 copy is also arpeHded
II report by Mr.. Charles Is. FisS, dated
February 20, lSl9.
The maps and note books of Mr.. Horton
were exceedingly useful 10 Mr.. y IL. Hutton
I in lis reconnaissance oil the river from fort
Republic 20 Harper Ferry, made IN August,
1919. The great rapdity Of his move9ent
was necessary because of the small amount Of
funds which could be allotted Tor tbs examna-
,iou Of the Shenandoah River. lie went over
abou, l50 miles 10 less than two weeks 20
was enabled, however, 10 verify the accuracy
II Mr. ferrous susyey aud maps.
\ copy Of Mr. dn',ons report Is forwarded
herewith.
All tl.ose reports indicate the very consider
able expense VI an attempt 10 slackwaser or
highly improve tue navigation u the Stehan-
aoah River. lts p'esehs Importance ~
route for moving ntigh' isrot sufficient TO
nssify The expenditure OF larss sum upon
~ This Is particularly true since, in addition
10 the c1istipg Valley Branch of tko Baltimore
and Ohio Railway, the construction Of She
Shenandoah Vdiley' Railway scetns sn as
.ured fact. In the iuiete, so.uevhM disssst.
| when the population Of th!s fnsshihcsot aaf
p,duetive valley becomes as dcnss 90 that Of
a..
!ot Instance. whore, notwithstanding She 1s.-
voSh u railroads with wkish itsi fse State
/. covered, almost every rives is n sco bayiga-
bic, if no, so naturally and nnny canals nfo
in use, aud many mOfe projected - NE Shen-
andoah may be iisslf hishlJ impfsvca, or
become the waier-sapply OF canal along "
Besr ii
Anintlnalion of mo sxiehi Of .hc improve
men. nov desired si the HANDS Of tic U.iled
States msy be dfaun ffom tho following cx-
irsc, from The letter Of May o. 1879. to The
Chief ef EugiUeefs, from the Dos. u. +. Mar
tin, Representative from We.: Virginia, OF the
Shenandoah district, in the lower house Of
Congress:
My information Is that iIs otjcc, Of the survey
Is 10 ASCERTAIN NhetheT, with small expenditure,
the Shenandoah cannot be made naYigsblc for
whats known ~ nat-bosb, upon which the epco-
pie along the river can transport their grain
and other products 10 market. II Is not expected
some rocks bo removed from the bed of he river
in certain places. Il IL believed IL can be done
With q small expenditure ~ money.
To make the stream nayigablo. as Nr. Mar
tin states, aud as The people wish. will require
the rcfitng OF the locks formerly existing on
the or miles next above Ilarpef's Ferry --
The estimate, which is the result of Mr. Hut
tons examination of tho river coHtemplaiis
an open river downsircam navigation, with
channels through al bars and lodges, Of a
width OF 20 feet anda depth of ~ inches a.
the low stages Of the water with only such
amelloratioD Of tue slope. &o., as con be gain
cd by an economical distribution 10 wing
daus. &c, of tic rock removed ffpm tLe
lodges; the portion ct the river below L,ile's
Falls 10 be restored 10 the condition existing
before the war
The estimate IL as follows
From Port Republic 70 L'ile, Falls ...... s52, ,2so
From Little's Fails % iiarper's Perry. 10000
s71.gso
The connection Of The shepsndoah
with that of The navigation e tho
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal OF llarpcr's Ferry
has been long bal 10 view. and with this OBJ
ect an outlet was made from the canal 81
the river, Just opposite that town. This out
let Is in bad coudilion and would need recon-
s,ruciion, ;he expense Of which would. il is
supposed, BE- borue by the canal company
WIKI the same object, am informed, rrovi-
ZION is made for a towiog-paih, II recded
on the DOWNSTREAM side Of the fnc bridge nf
the Baltimore ard Ohio Railroad at tho
junction Of the Potomac and Shenandoah
Rivers.
While the improvement. OF the Shenandoah
River has been under consideration, roy atien-
tion has been called By tho authorities and
other citizens Of Ilarpcr's Ferry 70 the impor-
lance of rebuilding a wall once existing tbero
on the ground pertaining TO the United StateI
and for its protection against the violence of
frcshets Tho ffesheis cf 1870 and 1877
greatly injured the United States property as
well as private property in IIarpcr's Ferry.
A separate estimate is herewith presented
for such works as would prevent further in
jury 10 such foods even as those just mention
ed. The sum needed for this purpose Is
$4,000.
desire 10 return my thanks % several
gentlemen Of Jefferson County, who have
furnished valuable information as % the Sben-
sndoah River. viz Mr. Thomas H. Willis, nr.
L. Tearney. Mr. J. O.. CoekrilI. hf. 5. Howell
n f.G~ u.