The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-25

browning Proposition OF the Manufactur.
ers who Draw Water from the Canal
Meeting or the Council; Appropriation OF
$4,000 In Five Per Cent. Bonds for Imme.
diass Erection OF stsam-Pumps OF 5000, ,o0O
capacisy-Meeting OF the Water Commit.
tee and Board OF Aldermen To-Day at
o'clock.
Richmond Is somewhat used 10 wars
alarms. There was the Pawnee Sunday.
How freely was the patriotism and perspi
ration OF the yeomanry shed on that never.
to-be-forgotten day. Then there was the
siege, when two hundred thousand men
wrestled before the city and the boom OF
great guns kept up an uncesslng din, and
as steadily as the fortunes Of the Confed.
erscy declined the price OF provisions ad-
vanced. There was the bFead.rlot, when
crowds OF unruly people tbronged the
streets crying for something to eat, aud
many OF them could not be mollided until
they got something TO drink. And after.
wards came Evacuation. Day, when the
Council ordered the wbiskey 10 be emptied
into the cutters, whence 1t seemed to flow
into the mouths OF the MOB, causing them
TO commit great sxcesses in the midst OF
burning buildings and wslling women and
| children. Later on was The mayoralty war,
when out OF the small confict.et-arms and
big litigation the city emerged into the GUS
tody OF the true people.
sPEcK OF WATER WAR.
/ Efnaa thosa fnpt,ifuons tfn,oe thor. Lo.o
been great fires, unprecedented freshets,
and unparalleled droughts, and many and
various excitsmsnts, but never till now ga
water war;"
| Though no blood has yet been shed, no
pistol yet fred, or Damascus blade drawn,
the posture OF affairs yesterday bad rather
serious look, and "what might have been "
would make an interesting chapter II
worked up by the hands Of a ready ro-
maneer.
IL came about-the threatening condition
OF affairs--in this way: The city, or the
greater portion OF it, being without water,
and various eXpedients having been tried
and having failed, 90 Tuesday night Mayor
Darlington directed James J.. Davis, Esq,
the Superintendent Of the Water Works, to
proceed up the canal to Rutherford's old
mill-site and open The gates and let the wa
ter flow from the canal into the city dam on
| the river.
The water OF "the noble James " being
at this season unusually lOw-lower than
remembered for the past fifty years-does
not furnish enough for the canal and for the
| city pump.works. IL was thought, how
ever, that IL the water which flows into the
canal at the Tbree-Mile locks could be
turned back into the river at Rutherford's
Il that thu sUUFa0afa xUoul1 10 nQarIy sniff.
cieDt to give motive.pOwer to the wheels
and supplies to the pumps.
The EMERGENCY.
The Richmond and Allegheny Railroad
Company Qhe successor OF the canal COM
pany) and the mills whose power is derived
from the canal were asked to consent 10 a
temporary withdrawal Of this canal water,
| but they did not give their assent Tuesday,
and it is understood delayed answer to con-
fer together.
Mayor Darlington, feeling that the emerg-
ency justified it, directed that without fur
iber delay the canal water be turned into the
river. The order was executed Tuesday
night, but not at Rutherford's, but at the
waste gates, a mile west OF Rutberford's.
It seems that only one Of the three gates
there was raised. The Others have not been
worked for a long time, and from their sp-
pesrauce yesterday could not have been
raised without trouble, though they might
have been easily knocked 10. The one gate
let out a quantity OF wster that was said 10
have been valuable to the city, but did not
reduce the canal stream so as to entirely
stop the Tredegar and the Gallego.
KUTHERYORD's.
The gates at Rutherford's old mill-sIte.
only two or three hundred yards west OF
the city dam, have been closed for years, and
the earth has been packed between them
and the canal stream. Probably II was for
this reason that Superintendent Dayis's
force did not attempt to open the Ruther-
ford gates, as directed, but went mile far
ther and gave the canal the partial outlet
referred TO.
After the gate was opened as aforesaid,
three or four policemen we're sent from the
city to see that it was not iuteriered with.
No attempt 10 interfere with ID was
made Tuesday night. The fact is that only
few people were aware that 1t was raised,
aud the dimuniton OF the canal stream was
so small az TO be imperceplible to the eye.
Yesterday morning the squad Of police
were Withdrawn. aud one (Mr. Charles Glib.
SOM left on duty there.
GENERAL WALKERS ORDERS.
General r. Lindsey Walker. division
superintendent OF the Richmond and ALE.
ehauy Railroad Company, coming 10
Richmond from LynoBburg yesterday morn
ing. noticed the water flowing out the canal
into the river. He had a mind to get of
the train and restore the gate TO its former
position, but being so near Richmond, con-
Guided 10 come on here and inquire into
the matter. There was no more 10 learn
than bad been published. After taking ad-
vice, General Walker resolved to close the
gate, aud therefore issued the following
order:
RICHMOND AND ALLEGHAHY Il. X. Co.,
OPPICa RICHMOND DIVISION,
August "A. 1891. }
ER. Poz, Esq., Section Master;
Dear Sir,-You will proceed with your
entire force TO the point OF the old Ruther-
ford mills and close the gates opened by the
city OF Ricbmond; and should you be In
terFered with ia the execution Of this order
you will proceed TO Mr.. Hopkins, magis-
trate OF the county, and get warrants for
the arrest OF any person or persons who
may interfere with the discharge OF your
duty. Respectfully,
II. l.. WALKER, superintendent.
THB AMOUNT OF The WAR.
In accordance with this order Mr.. Fox
went up to the gate and closed Ii.
Policeman Gibson was at the moment
some twenty-five yards distant, under the
shade OF tree; but as soon as be saw what
had been done he says he ordered Sir. FOX
TO raise the gate again-whicb Mr.. FOX DID,
and then left with the intention OF getting a
warrant from the county authorities
10 vCa