The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-11
IMPROVING THE JAMES.
ANNUAL REPORT OF COLONEL
WILLIAM p. CRAIGHlLL.

Statement OF the Work Done And to BE
Done Expenditures So Far and Amount
Estimated as Necessary to Completior
Other Capital News.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July Special.l
Colonel Craighill, in charge of the James
River Improvement, has submitted his an
nual report. In substance it is as follows:'
The improvement was regularly under
taken by the government in 1870. A small
sum had been previously expended, and bad
produced some benefits 10 navigation. 1he
appropriation of 1870 was $4,000. Subse-
quent appropriations were regularly made.
the last being S22J.0O0 in 1888.
| Up to July 1st, 1890, the total
amount appropriated was sI.16S, ,G7T.3i.
| I'm addition 10 this the city of RichmO nd
| had expended nearly 100000. When u ..
work was taken charge of by the Goyern
| ment navigation was Obstructed by sunken
| vessels, by the remains OF military
bridges, and by other distractions put 10
during the war TO prevent the United states
fleets approaching too near Richmond.
Rockets reef and Richmond have had only
seven feet of water at low tide. From War
wick bar. where the depth was thirteen
| feet, to Richmond, the channel was crooked
and Obstructed by dangerous rocks and
| edgcs. The Dutch Gap cutoff. which n0v
saves five and half miles Of difficult nayl
CATION, was not then open.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
The original project was to secure depth
Of Is feet at full tide, corresponding to lj.5
feet at low tide. 10 Richmond; with a chan
/ krfI IIarFiann's har A
| Richmond docks. The excavation in rock
10 be lSl5 feet at full tide. This plan was
well advanced when Congress in 1881 i,adopt-
ed the project Of - feet at mean low tide
! from Richmond TO the sea. Operations
during the past year have been conducted
/ i'm accordance herewith In carrying II
out further, "A large amount OF excavation
| in solid rock Will he necessary, and the
cost must necessarig be great. The width
Of the channel is TO be four hundred feet
from the sea to City Point, three hundred
feet from City Point to Drewry's Bluff, and
| two hundred feet thence TO Richmond. The
methods employed consist Of dredging, rock
excavations. and the construction OF the
waterway by means Of dykes or jetties.
| &. T.. j. Burgwyn continues as resident ell
| gineer i'm charge.
On application to the Secretary Of Wa
as TO the need Of harbor lines, action was
| taken OH the NlUlttl tDi liit lbiAlDl VI iht
river between MayO's bridge at Richmond
and Drewry's Bluff.
AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR COMPLETION.
At the beginning Of the year there was
available 0.I23.35, of which S69, .4S was
expended. The estimated amount neces-
sary for completion is $685. ,O1O.iJ, of which
| $iO1,O0 is asked for the ensuing fiscal year.
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS AND FORCE BILL.
The Democrats Of the Senate do not care
% be put i'm the attitude Of antag0nlzing or
DELAYING silver legislation, even for the sake
of pXerting pressure to defeat the Election |
bill. The Democrats are also anxious To |
procure the passage of the River and Har-
Dor bill; hence they are proceeding with
caution in manWuyreing TO defeat the II |
ton bill. Several Republican Senators have |
acted in bad faith with regard 10 that
bin. The Oyertures for combination
of forces i'm behalf Of free silver came from |
Republicans. They were afraid that the |
anti-s.lVer influences would prevail, and 1
gladly sought Democratic aid. prOtlering to 1
oppose the Election bill for Democratic as |
sStance for silver. In accepting the propO- /
-itiOn, the Democrats made no sacrifice oi
principle. as they believed in silver, ana /
honestly intended TO support it. Now that |
the Republicans have agreed To accept the |
conference report. some of the senators /
who were the first 10 seek Democratic aid
against - Eastern influence" seem TO feel
that they are absOlyed from all obligations
in regard to the Election bill.
4 VERY PRACTICAL JOKE.
On the hottest day Of the season, last |
Tuesday. Representative Kerr of Pennsyl= |
vania playei trick on a number OF MEM
ber- which had the effect Of alarming |
them. \ call OF the House had been.
ordered. as there was no quorum pres
ent, and under the rules the doors
were closed. The members were Struggling /
about the floor complaining OF the excessive |
heat. Kerr leaned negligently against the |
wall lust where the thermometer hung, and /
denly held a lighted cigar at the base OF
the tube. The mercury climbed rapidly |
nation. called attention to it. Instantly /
and when il reached llj, Kerr, with an eXcla- /
there was crowd about the termOmeter |
and with expressions OF apprehensions as
tn the danger Of remaining in the hall with |
closed doors. the alarmed congressman /
decided TO move to dispense with the call, |
which was done. Kerr concealed the trick |
by which he had caused the panic.
THE VIRGINIA REPUBLICANS.
The virginia Republicans, at the meeting
Of their state Committee, were disposed to
handle the question Of Federal election
| law very gingerly. Some OF them openly
declared that the endorsement OF
such law would operate lulurl.
au.lr 10 the Republicans; that II
would arouse feeling oi lnllghalloh
and resentment which would drive men
| from the Republican party. Reed and his
| lieutenants urged the committee TO endorse
! the Election bill. sayipg IL was absolutely
! necessary to work MP sentiment in support
/ OF the measure in order 10 get II through the
| senate.
THE COLORED HOTEL AT FORT MONROE.
The President has approved the act au-
| thOTizing the secretary OF war 10 grant per-
mission 10 J. {. Asbury 10 build a hotel on
government lands at Fortress Monroe. This
! Is the hotel which the projectors assert Is
intended for the accommodation OF colOred
guests exclusively, and II il understood thai
| il is to be located remote from the Hygeia
hotel. though there is nothing in the act 10
restrict the location.
CAPITAL NOTES.
Eyidenee aociliauiaies 20 sb0w that the
criticism of Speaker Reeds rulings ~ the
North American Review was written by
secretary Blaine. In fact. some OF Mr.
! Blaine's closest friends tacitly admit that
| he wrote the article.
The Senate Committee o. Claims to-day.
reported fayorably the House bill, to pay the
Methodist Episcopal Church, OF Martins
burg. w. Va, Tor damages to the property
caused by the occupancy of federal soldiers
i during the war, with an amendment reduc-
ing the damages from $3.50 10 $l.Op
The name of the postoflice at Old Hickory,
Botetourt county, has been changed 10
/ SpfingwOOd
Rosa A. lreyalt l.ss today appointed
postmaster at Gray Creek, Cumberland
county. y. c.
The President, late this afternoon, pa
proved lie Get for the admission OF Wyo-
ming.
SENATE,
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Morgan spoke,
for three hours on the silver question, and
closed with an appeal to senators not 10
allow the senator from Ohio (Mr. Shermao)
10 thrust his stileitO again into silver.
He was followed by Mr.. Call, who also
argued against the Conference bill.
Mr.. vance, Il Is admitted the bill is not
what II ought 10 lie. Common sense souiu
dictate, then, that we try TO make 1t what
il ought to be- Mr.. Vance went on 10 argue