The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-13
The River.


We give place with pleasure to the fol-
lowing communication. o. course it was
only incidentally that we mentioned dou-
bic TIC last appropriation to james river rs
the amount which could we'll be spent upon
that stream next year. We would be glad
to get five hundred thousand year, and
agree with our correspondent that Virginia
ought 10 have that sum annually until her
principal river running into the interior
rhall have been dccpened 10 the extent de-
manded BY the wants OF commerce:
For the Dispaich.l
Mr.. Edltor.-Refcrring 90 your leading
article on Rivers and ilarhors in Sunday
mornings paper, beg leave TO express
nv surprise at the very small annual
amount you demand from the Federal
Government for the Improvement OF James
river; and this whether you consider ed
the question directly or relatively. You
say: eve need for James river twice rs
much money r. Congress appropriated AT
H., last session 10 our river. We could adj
santageously eXpend upon the improve
ment this year q hundred thousand dol
lars 10 be appropriated at the present ses-
sion" ! think. Mr.. Editor, il you had
looked into the subject by the light of the
report OF The SVrrey OF James RiCer,
transmitted to Congress by Colonel Craig
hill, United States Engineer, and IN charge
OF the work, you would have seen that we
need, aud shall need Tor several years, an
annual.appropriation Of more nearly seven
times the amount that Congress appro-
prlated at It's last session 10 our river
The amount thus appropriated was only
AYn s-
Hut the estimates given by Colonel Craig.
hill-reslly made by o,T educated and ac
complished hydraulic engineer, Mr.. c. l.
T.. Burgcyyn, but youched by Iolone
Caighill--show that 10 deepen the river tI
the ship-locks twenty-five feet at high
tide-the minimum demanded by the ne
cesslties OF the case--Hill cost -, SIS, PSI. 40
say, In round numbers, $1,000, 900; or, e
bring the same depth 20 Richmond bar, the
commencement OF the rocky lodges three
miles only below Tie sbip-locks, viii cost
Si,S6o, 4I3.3g; say. In round numbers,
Sl,500,0o0. Then to bring up this depth to
the ship-locks at an annual expenditure OF
fl50,000 will take twenty-six wears: or 10
The Richmond bar will take ten years. Nv
which time Baltimore with her depth OF
water will have left Us out OF sight. n.
However, we have an appropriation of
Ybo, 900 per annum, ii viii take 70 bring
me depth TO tae ship-locks eight years, and
to Richmond bar only three wears which
VIII give Richmond a show in the race.
What are our chances for getting that
much money! The la-t River and Harbor
n'ii gaze Baltimore $3.50, 200, and will pro-
badly give her as much for a year or two
more, ~ They are now deepening her chan.
ne' up 70 the mouth OF the barbor to TWEEN.
ty-six ieet. by the same bin philadclnbia
got soc4, 900. The length of channel
aredged TO the mouth Of Baltimore harbor
y nearly nineteen miles; and the Federal
Government has spent Oh 1t not less than
N,ol9,ooo-l think 1851, S3O--and is still
spending. The actual length OF channel
70 be dredged on James river, up to a point
Us near the ship-locks a. the United States
Work 10 Baltimore IL to their basin, Il
eighteen miles. The sum demanded i