Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-01
IMPROVEMENT OF JAMES RIVER


The funds for the improvement OF the
james river are furnished partly by the
United states Government and partly BY the
city OF Richmond, Colonel William 7. Craig
bill, Corps Of Engineers Unned States army.
having charge. Mr. G. Z. f. Burgwyn il the
assistant engineer IN local charge Of the Gov
ernment works. Captain Thomas Cunning
ham, Sr., is the Superintendent oi the city
work. The aim OF the United States engi-
neers is 20 obtain depth Of twenty-five feet
at low tide from Richmond to the sea.
AS the last river aud harbOr bill did not
become a law until August nOthing was done
on the river until that time. After the ap.
propriatons were made two dredges were
Immediately put to work on the SterDs
dyke cut, continuing the work OF the preyi.
Gus year. The operations proposed for 1888
were concentrated between Richmond and
Drewry's Bluff. and consisted In general
terms In narrowing the river IN order to
make the current deep, the channel clear, In
dredging the channel where the river had
been narrowed, and in blasting 'he solid rock
and in 7Xcayating IL so as 10 put upon the
ietiies, and thus make them permanent. The
operations OF narrowing the river were con.
fined 10 that section between the lower end
Of Warwick bar and Falling creek. Here
the irregular shore line has been rectlfed
and exact curves substituted. These curves
maintain The river at the exact width, which
long and careful study has shown TO be ne
cessary. They have, when put in the proper
positions, invariably proved successful, and
the deepening can be considered cer anty.
Wherever the river has been narrowed 4
scour Of the material takes place until the
current restores the area OF the cr0ss.sectiOn
to what it was at FIRST. Hence, 10 prevent a
sCoGr, and the accompanying deposit Of the
material at some point lower down, it is
often good practice TO dredge the chsnDel
simultaneously with narrowing the Viyer,
the amount OF dredging 10 be prOpo.t oncG
according TO the area. In carrying out this
system the following amount OF wOr
has been done from August UP to Decembsc
lst. l50,j3l $40 cubic yards sand and mua
eXcayated from Richmond bar TO Failing
creek; S1S 9.1O lineal feet OF new ietty have
been constructed, and an aggregate egten.
sion OF 2SI $40 llneal feet OF old jetty-work
together with J3l SO lineal feet Of longitu.
dinal trainug-walls 10 holes, sggrogstng
1j5 lIneal feet, have been drilled and blasted
at Goodies rock, although no effort has yet
been made 10 eXcaYate Il.
The following amount OF material was ex-
cayated from the Stearns dyke cut: 2,s47
cubic yards sand. 3,2lG 40 cubic yards
gravel, s, 1902 2-10 cubic yards disintegraied
rock. ami i,i5S3.l0 cubic yards OF solid
rock. The results expected for the years
work are: A channel II 'ent deep at high
tide through Stesrns dyke cut; a channel %
fee, deep and 50 feet wide and 600 feet long
al Goodies rock, and channel 2j feet deep
from the lower END OF Richmond bar to
Drewry's Bluff.
a nuvff. n a rraatlv fusnrnuo1 oap1fffap
OF the river (. was rendered practicable to
remove the IroDclad fleet that had remained
at City Point for many years TO an anchorage
in the vicinity OF Richmond. This change
was approved by the naval authorities on
account OF bringing the fleet within closer
mail communication and to larger markets
for supplies. The details OF the arrange
merts were left 10 Mr.. c. L. L. Burgwyu.
civil engineer, acting on behalf OF the city OK
Richmond. As soon as the materials could
be collected work was begun. and the trans
ference was made Gs soon as the preliminary
admitted. The irOnciads were
moved one at time. The time varied from
five hours 10 seven hours In the interval be-
tween leaving city Point and anchOring be-
ow Richmond. the variation being occasion.
I'd BY the varying state OF the tide. 80 ac-
nident or delay OF any kind occurred, nor
lid the monitors touch bottom at all. al
though some were brought up at low tide.
The pilot during the trauSierence was the
veteran Captain Thomas Cunningham, Sr.,
who on this occasion surpassed the many
previous successful exploits OF his life.
Report OF EHrbor- Master.
Whole number OF vessels arriving In the
port OF Richmond-R. II. Styll. harbor-mas-
er-ior 1858, 597, classed az follows. steam
'rs, 906; bsrks, 10; brlg'. Il, schooners,
,.0-total, J97. Whole amount OF tonnage,
$500. This does not include river tug
,oats or sail-vessels that trade in FifeniA
waters. The number OF arrivals Is less.
fhe tonnage Is more on account OF the depth !
4 the water gained by the JamesTiNef I'M |
lrOYemeut.