Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-08
RIVER IMPROV EMENT.
REPORT ON WORK BEING DONE ON
THE JAMES.
CHANNEL HAS NOT DETERIORATED.
The Importance of Continuing the
Work-ya1ue of the River as Nh
turaI Highway for Commerce.
Washington Personals.

/
Engineer Corps who is I'm charge of the
work for the Improvement OF the James
river and its tributaries, has made MS
report for the fiscal year ending june
30, 1892 Among other things, he says inc
| Improvement Of the river contempiateS
a depth of % feet at low tide from the
sea to Richmond. the channel widths To
| b.. 400 feet from the sea TO City Point, 800
feet thence to Drewry's Bluff, and 200 rect
thence TO Richmond. The estimated con-
nnuing cost Of this project is A,5ooCoo.
In regard to the progress made, Colo
mel Allen says: 1.-THE work for accom-
plishing the Improvement so far has been
excavation through shoals by dredSes'
| removal of rock, and construction or
dykes and jetties TO regulate the water
way in part. Solid-rock excavation has
constituted a large item of the work.
and much more Of the same remains 10
be done. It is necessarily costly"
The amount expended during the year
is SGG9l.s5. 1t is stated that the CHAM
mel has not deteriorated since the last
report. Major Allen dwells at some length
on the Importance of continuing the wolh,
OCO can be expended prohtably during the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, in the
furtherance Of the approved project Tor
Improvement Of this valuable am lmpor-
tant natural highway for commerce. 1t
is estimated that it will require the eX-
penditure Of SS.3l7,5O0 TO give Richmond a.
deep-water route to the open sea.
COTTON PRODUCTION ABROAD.
Commercial-Agent Atwell, at Roubaix,
France. sends somewhat Of a startling re-
port concerning the sale of American cot
ton In Europe According 10 him, the
south may expect in a very few years
TO sell but little cotton in European
markets. An official of the Agricultural
Department, speaking Of the matter to-
day. said that the sale Of raw cotton III
this country will in a short time be con-
fined to the limits Of this country II IS
his belief that the farmers Of the South
should turn their attention 10 other lines
Of agricultural production
As 10 the outlook In Europe, Com
mercial-Agent Atwelps report says:
Russia is about to become large pro-
Queer of raw cotton. The Trans-Cauca-
sian country has cotton lands in the val
ley OF Koura. near Elisabethpol, in the
high plain of Erivan, as we'll as in other
localities. and iudicious irrigation will eX-
tend these fields.
Russian Turkestan Is, however, de-
stined 10 become the greatest cotton-pro-
ducing section and will shortly be rival
OF Egypt. The Commercial Society OF |
Central Asia, through the aid of the Min
lister of Colonies. has introduced upland
cotton into Ferghana, Samarcand, the
Gases Of Syr-Daria and AmOu-Daria. II
is planted by the side of native cotton OF
inferior quality. and each year marks an
advance i'm surface sOwn, as well as yield. !
Irrigation viii reclaim from the steppes
Of Turkestan severa! hundred thousand !
hectares for agricultural purposes. The !
greatest drawback is the climate, which |
is exceedingly dry I'm summer, while the |
autumn is marked by early frosts.
In 1890 Russian Turkestan had 5000 |
hectares d4S,260 acres planted with 'uo- |
land cotton, Of which 5000 hectares CS6,iS5 |
acres were in Ferghana. This land yield |
ed l4.SS0OOO Kilograms G2,SOiH8 pounds |
OF cotton. There were planted with ma |
tive cotton 1850 hectares 0S,973 acres). |
which yielded $4,000 Kilograms Q212j,3OO |
pounds. In 1893, 1900 hectares G32, i23 |
acres were planted with upland and /
$500 hectares 6l77j acres with native !
cotton. In 1895. the production amounted !
to 100000 Kilograms Q76,36S0OO pounds /
of upland and 1886 900 Kilograms (2O5199u !
pounds of native cotton.
Russian Turkestan should produce |
more than 12O00,OUO Kilograms (26i5j2,OJO |
pounds OF textile growth To this may |
be added the production Of Bokhara and |
Khiva, which are under the control or !
Russia, and which export more than 40 |
100000 Kilograms G8,18iO0O pOunds) OF cot |
ton. Through the Trans-Siberian roai. |
Russia will inevitably drain the basin Of |
the Yangtse Kiang in China Of a part of |
its harvest Of 29OO0O,O00 kilograms C639,-
334 90 pounds, until the textile industry |
Of the Chinese is better organized than |
at present.
without counting the contribution |
from the latter source, Russian mills con-
sumo more than 100000 Kilograms |
600 $4,000 pounds Of raw material in 1891. |
Russia can already do without Egypt, |
India, and the United States. This is
not true Of Germany, France and Eng
land. In less than fifty years there will |
be a great cotton mart in Europe much |
more closely connected with the seats of |
production and better able TO contcol
them than any Of the markets OF the
present day"
RICHMONDERS SIGHTSEEING.
The city is full Of visiting Virginans
to-day They come mainly from Rich
mOnd. They have been roaming through
some Of the departments, the Capitol,
and the new library, and many descend
"a, Dy means OF the elevator 10 tue up
OF the Washington monument, from
whence there is an extended view of the
city and the surrounding country.
This evening large party of them
went down the river TO that beautiful
suburban resort Marshall Hall" on the
Maryland side of the Potomac and about
twelve miles from the city. The sail on
the steamer is a delightful one. the ira
weller passing Arlington, Alexandra,
Fort Washington, Fort Sheridan, River
View, and Mount Vernon. The party
spent pleasant evening, and returned
tonight, having greatly enjoyed the trip.
Personal.
Messrs. w. {. Saunders and s. 5. Blu
don, OF Roanoke, and c. W. Saunders, or
Richmond, are at the Metropolitan.
Other guests there are j. 3. Underwood
and wife North Carolina; IL. NJ. Hope,
Richmond; +. b. Shannon. Radford Va,
and IL. 7. Ham, Mount Olive. y. c.
Mr.. James ID. Payne and wife, OF Tue
son, Ariz. are here, stopping at the Ma
tiOnal. Mr. Payne Is the son OF General
William II. Payne. and is here on visit
to his father and his numerous other
relatives in Fauquier county.
A. G. Patterson, Asheville, y. C.; u. Z.
O'Flaherty, Front Royal. Na.-National.
}. W. Brown, c. c. walker Richmond;
Mrs. 5. Il. Parkinson. Richmond-St.
James