The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-17

| NACHINERY-siXTEEN FEET OF WATER NOW
| ~ THE CHANNEL AND TWENTY 10 BE ST.
CURED BY TIE IsT OF AUGUST NEXT-AN
ENCoURAGISG CONDITION on APYAIRs-
WHAT MAY BE EXPECTED PROM ADDITIONAL
APPROPRIATIONS DY The GENERAL GOVERN
MENT, &C., &C.
Mr. Lewis ID. CreDshaw. Jr., chairman OF
the Committee on the Improvement OF
James River, has forwarded, with his own
report, 10 MAYOR Carrington, the report OF
Mr.. II. ID. Wniicomb. engineer in charge.
The committee say, truly, that the report
will be found especially interesting on ac-
count Of the deepening OF The three shoals
below City Point, on wbich there was less
than twenty feet Of water at mean bigh
tide-viZ., Harrison bar, Swan Point,
and Goose Hill flats. In September last
the United States Engineer contracted to
have these shoals deepened to at least Is
feet at law tide. The committee say that
the appropriation OF S25, 900 by the city for
1880 will enable the committee TO make a
channel 100 feet wide end Is feet deep at
low tide from Warwick bar TO City Point,
and repair and keep in epair the machinery
belonging to the city. The channel the
committee hope to have completed not later
than August II, ard then vessels Of 30 feet
draught can load full within sight OF the
city. and proceed TO sea without difficulty.
We quote from Mr.. Wbitcomb's report:
THE WORK II PROGRESS.
The only work in progress at the date OF
the last annual report was the enlargement
OF Dutch Gap cutoff, carried on by The
General Government; and this was COM
peied in June. The waterway OF this pas
| l.. ha
wide at the surface at mean low tide, and
about 10 feet wide at bottom. The depth
AT low tide is 15 feet, or about Is feet at high
| tide. The entrances are about 300 feet
wide. In the enlargement 1886 cubic
yards Of material were removed, at an ave-
rage cost Of 23 cents.
| In March the wrecks OF schooners, part
| OF a Confederate Stltes war vessel, and
several large logs and stumps were removed
from the shoal in KingSland's reach. The
schooners were sunk Us distractions during
the civil war.
The city began work June 18th cleaning
the channel below the shlp-l0ck and through
Randoph's fat. ard worked two drcdges
until August 4th and one dredge until Att
gust DIST, when work was completely re-
sumed by the United States.
The Ge0cral Government has carried on
the work for the remainder OF the year,
employing the dredges, sieam-tugs, pie
driver. and 8 scOwS, belonging 10 the city
The Government rock-drlling and hoist
ling machinery has also been employed, al
most exclusively on Rockets reef.
In September Colonel Crai2hill contract
ed with Mr. Jane, Caller for dredging chan
ne.s through HarrisOn's bar, Swan's-Poln
shoal, and G0O>e-Hill flats-thc only shoal'
below CITY Point having less than eightcCr
feet depth of water at low tide. Inc con
trac or began with one dredgc on Goose
Hill flats in November, aud worked untl
December 17sh, when he removed TO llarrl
sons bar. she reason for the removal wa
that the latter point was less exposed ant
more suitable for winter WORK. a secOO'
and more powerful dredge is expected II
be at work at Goose Hill February I'd. IN
, contract for this work expires June ~
1880, and there is not much doubt that al
these shoals will have Il channel 200 lee
) wide through them by that time.
COMPTON OF THE MACHINERY.
The CITY owns three dredgeS, two steam
tugs, two dumpibg-machines, pile-drIver
floating smithery, and seven PLATFORM ant
two dumpin.-scows.
Dredge No. Hull needs some repairs
. new dipper-poIe Is needed' ne" snioA'
/. stack, and some repairs TO engine al
' boiler. The drcdge is at work.
. Dredgp No. 2-Needs n new hull; ma
: chinery and boiler i'll fair order; l. III Ill
= working order.
;. aud some repairs 10 hu'l, turn-taOle' crdL'
> and machinery; is in working order.
/ Tug CraighiII is in good order; VIII 500
,, need repaiutng. r.
> Tue Somers has recently been supple
O with new prope Her, and VIII soon nee
:. some repairs TO hull and machinery; IS
0 fair working order.
a The pile-drvcr is in good order; has +
4 Gently had new fues put in boiler.
p The dumping-machnes have not bee
I. uscd for some time, but may be needed
!. the future. Extensive repairs to bulls al
.. machinery will then be needed. The hul
n OF b,th were repaired last summer SUI
n ciea,ly TO keep them afoat. They are no
i. used as workshops and storehOuses.
{. The seven platform-scows are IN serve
and five Of them in excellent condition
!. two require considerable repairs. The tv
!. 0umpiug-scows have been thoroughly !
} naired. and are in good order and consta
use. ,.., :,
The smithery is in fair condition, u
2. needs new bellows.
}. The boxes used with the dumping II
* chimes are worth only the value OF the l'o
/ work on them.
,o WORK DONE IL 1879.
le The main results accomplished durl
the wear are a. follOws-ylZ.
* The channel has been made The iuii WA
~ end depth from just below the Blitimo
steamship whalf 10 Rocket 5 ree', ana
- owners Of wharf property on The k''
OF mond side, for large part OF ms uistah'
er have dredged from their wharves outwa
te to the channel TO at least the same depth'
D; bope that the remainder OF tbis cnahi
rs above can be widened OFT during the c'
rent year: for in that case all the NV.
front below the ship-lcck viii be aVaiial
VI. 10 the largest class OF vessels coming 10 u
lie mort il the owners OF wharf property viii
UT their part Of the work. This shoal !, OF w
q hard material, with some reefs of gram
In rock in il, and is not made by depoSlts ir'
ur GiliIs creek, aS some nave tnougHt.
n. once removed, very little work VIII De
n oured afterWard, ana lis lemoVai VIII W
ne decided improvement.
Il About so feet in width through Rocke
is reef 10 the left or eastward OF the Old ch'
ed mol have bcen removed, and will be open
nr TO navigation in the present moh'n.
id additional width is contlguou, 10 tne pi
D. ent channel, and Will have Is feet depln
n high tide. After this addition Is open
70. the present channel will be made tne n, 81
ne depth--a work OF no great ia3or; ne
in dition will Give clear channel OF ABOUT
ic- feet width through ibis very trouDie'o
on reef when this is done the crili'hg
rn chinery will be taken to Good rochs
widen and deepen the channel through