Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-05
IMPROVING VIRGINIA RIVERS.

that the improvement of the Potomac at Mt
Vernon has been at standstill during the
year.
The channel of Nebasco creek has beer
completed to width of fifty feet and deptt
of four or five feet at low water; 5000
have been expended in removing ,643 Gu
bic wards of material from the channel, al
the rate of 15I cents per cubic yard; $4,000
is asked to complete the improvement
which sum can be judiciously expended
during the next fiscal year.
On the improvement Of Nomini creek
S32, 500 have been expended in dredging
74,S74 cubic yards of sand and shells. This
has resulted in channel about 100 feet wide
and nine feet deep from the ninth foot curve
in Nomini bay to White Oak Point, dis
tance of 41,400 feet. Steamers now trade
where formerly only small vessels drawing
three feet of water could reach at high tide.
During next year the work will be complet-
ed. 1t is proposed to widen the cut to 200
feet for distance of $500 feet from the
ninth foot curve in Nomini Bay to Hickory
Point, for which $4,000 is asked.
The improvement of the Rappahannock
river was discontinued during the last fiscal
wear for want of funds. For this year $780,
900 has been appropriated. Two hundred
and fourteen thousand dollars is asked for
the completion of the project, $S4, 900 of
which can be profitably expended next year.
1t is proposed TO improve Mattaponi
river by the removal of snags and other OBJ
structions and by dredging for distance of
twenty-five miles further up the stream to
Lataine's, so as to have a channel 40 feet
in width and 81 feet in depth at low water.
To preserve the channel dykes will also be
necessary; S63, 300 is asked to complete the
work; S33, 900 can be proftaby expended
next year. The proposed Improvement of
Pamunky river is to removesnags and other
distractions to navigation between Han
overtown and Garlic's Mills, and to dredg.
ing from Hanovertown to Piping Tree. An
instrumental survey was made last fall and
the cost estimated at S2S,300. Only $500
has ever been appropriated for the work
and the balance on hand is too small for
economical work. Nothing will, therefore,
be done during the fiscal year ending June
80, 1885,
The Improvement of York river, was con-
tinued during the last fiscal year; 1857
cubic yards were removed at 81 cents per
cubic yard, and the work is still progressing
under the appropriation of July 5, 1884, of
$4,000. There is still due on estimate
S176000, and amount asked for to be ex-
pended during next fiscal year is $4,000.
Upon the improvement of Totusky river,
$4,000 has been expended in constructing a
dixie 2,ll7 feet in length. The depth in
Booker's bar is increased one-half foot from
the effect of the current, but it will be ne
cessary to dredge d channel in order to OBJ
tain the required depth at once. Twelve
thousand dollars is required to complete the
work.
For the improvement of Urbana creek,
it is proposed TO make cut through the bar
at its mouth, with width of $50 feet and
depth of 10 feet. 1t is also proposed to re-
move the bar in the harbor. Mr.. Albert says
that with $4,000 or Sc 900, which will com
| plete the work, the channel at the mouth
can have width of $50 feet, and the width
of the barbor can be extended to 400 feet
Since improvements have been made two OF
| the Weems steamer made regular trips into
| the creeks.
The work on the Staunton river, began
August 2S and closed October 3, 1884. Ope'
| rations were extended over FIVE miles of the
channel commencing at the head of Hawk
Mountain shoal, and extending nearly te
the head of the shoal at Wesley's Fish Dam
From the beginning Corporations the close
of the fiscal year, June 80, 1885, about Is
miles of the river between Randolph Station
and Wesley's Fish Dam have been made
navigable at low water for small steamers
This work covers the most dangerous shoal:
upon the river. Fourteen miles of the river
remains to be improved before reaching
the head of steam navigation at Brool
Neal. In this distance there is one danger
4 o,S ohut O ola known aa White Rock Falls
Forty.one thousand two hundred dollars il
asked to complete the project, $4,000 o
which can be judiciously expended nex'
year.
The channel in the Upper Staunton river
between Brook Neal and Peg river, at Glenn
ents falls, is now twenty feet wide and on
and a-half feet deep at low water. The to
tai number of yards of rock removed is 535
at cost of $3.50 per cubic yard. Thirty
two thousand dollars is asked to complet
this work and $50, 900 to be expended dur
ing next year.