The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-24
House Committee Au-
thOriZeS FavOrdbleiRe-
port on Small Bill.
DRAINAGE OF GRE AT
TFACTA I'm VIRGINIA
The Measure Not Likely to Get
Through at Present Session, but but
Stands a Good Chance
Next Year-HoW
Work May Be
Done. 5
N ~
5tFrom, our Regular correspondent.)

iF'rom Our Regular Correspondent) sfa
1vAsEI1NGTON,33 D. G.. JUMP q. The
House Committee on Public Lands has
reported tayorably, or, rather, has or
. d4rcd that q favorable report be nadG.l
upon the bill introduced BY Representa-
& tive Small, OF North Carolina, providing
for: the appropriation OF three million
"a dollars for the drainage OF the Dismal
Swamp. The bill Is amended SO as 10
provide for the appropriation OF one
million, and In this form there is prospect
n OF Its passage. II #
@ senator Hansbrou gil has secured the.
4 massage BY the Senate OF a bill precisely
slmiiar#gto Mr. Small's bill, providing
for The drainage BY the government OF
certain Awalnp-ands in North ii Dako
Represen tative Steenerson has Introduced
a a bill for tho drainage OF a great s vpi mp
III Minnesota. All these Dill are SIM
liar In character. providing that the GOV
Il eminent drain the swamps and charge
the cost against the lands drained. In
q This way It is Impossible for the govern
nent to lose money. This feature Is
"a expected ITO make members vote Tor the the
4 pending inca sure. i5 III
\, There Is really very good chance o.
the Dismal Swamps becoming dry ana
devoted to the cultiva ton OF those tru tst
crops which have made the adjacent
TIA nds famous MI. Small was extremely
doubtful al first concerning the chances .
~ Ills measure. but he said to-day he
was now very hopeful OF Its paais.ssa. ge.l
not at the present session. to be sure sure,
but next year.
Report Made by Small.
The following is the report, drawn BY
IL nir. Small, to accompany the bill Tor the
drainage Of the swamp n IS S. . Z, s. j. s,
5S:.Tha lands soul ht TO 4 20 oIaln 81 s, are
"a Sx.n
IA alma and partly in the State Of irginla:
This swamp is OF historic Interest. II
N ,ras / nown. 81 and the drama Sc q LIS Us
4 rar,i,e lands discussed in colonial times
and in the early days Of our county county;
THE famous Irish poet. Tom Moore WINE me
On a visit to the city Of \ rio1K. =. y, =,
in 1858, wrote his famous nanaa e :. u
..1hea Lake OF the Dismal Swamp.
sS This swamp may generally De described
i,vin 2 tween the James River on TIE
north. and the Alhemarle SOUND on tlls
a5.3 e.on, ~ aud ia located about midway pc.
tween these waters. but embraces embraces only l
q small part OF the area between !. mess ls,
Il limits. The present area OF the D ,sl,
cr.an,p which is susceptible OF beins
san1a I1,ed n ~ drainage amounts to q
1nir,inum OF about 800 square niles, q
~ as0 az, acres. The original area was about
q 4one. & bird larger, but a part Thereon Y on
e +hos edges OF the swamp has been re-
Ia claimed by damage. most OF "iAcn o. an an
ed PARTON lies on the cas- tern .ease ~, ~
the swamp, which was mace p I2ssIai
largely by the constr lct'o'i = ~
4, ~ nav DO stated here that this canal
was originally constructed more IMAM
on hundred years ago ana feStends TON 'tis
ISeep Greek, Va, on the southern pransh
Il Elizabeth River, above Norlolk. SOUTH
Yardly into the upper part 81 Faiseluo 9ti
r, In
ar,,,,nalI,, constructed for the purposes
~ navigation and had several locks
,,.h,ch raised the level OF the water o.
i.he0canal ataits highest elevat! lon almost
twenty feet above Elizabeth River. mere y,
q now only one lock at cachIend OF the
cnual.s making the$eleva ton. o rtne Wa.sIy
n the canal about ten feet. ms canai
IL fiji operatedt BY private corpora
+Ion FOR the purpo ses Of fnavigatlon anu
maintains 4 q minimum depth OF nine
u feet. q <, 4 =, =, /. I, !, I
An interesting feature OF the Dismal
Swamp is the location OF Lake B loru UNI
mond, comparatively In the centre Il
NE swamp. This lake is about four
miles hy three miles In area. and has an
average depth probably not exceeding
-FOUR or five feet, TIL Dismal SWAMI ca 4
nal is fed from this lake. besides VIM
4 there are several large bitches orscana!s
Il constructed for the purpose o. hoatl "
timber out OF the swamp.
In the 10th annual report OF INC Untc'
states Geological Survey for 1855 81, ap-
MARS n report entitled, !" Geology OF the
h DISMAL swamp by Professor n. -
shaler. This will repay,a careful Iea y
Ing. and we shall incorporate. a rev nrlei
extracts from this report. no dlrec'nf
III OF the survey In his Introductory report,
and referring to the work OF Professor
shaler, expressed himself as follows,
l5'.Already5 a considerable part Of Inc once
M Uncomfortable morass Is under 3 icu!-
tural control, while all parts promise 70
be soon transformed into leehllng sal
den of vegetables and small fruits. re
declares that this swamp, when ~ alnea,
twill assuredly become practicul'y iaeA-
haustible sources of wealth.,
Dismal Swamp Can Be Drained.
* 1t is probable that there Is nowhere
else in the United States located a large
body of swamp-lands which IS more sus-
4 centible OF drainage ana which can %
accomplished with less expenditure. ~
90 also probable that there are no swamp
lands Of such marvellous fertility, and
nartninly none which can excel these
f lands in the quantity OF humus and vege-
fable matter which has been accumT
mulating for centuries The ELEVATION
y Of the water In Lake Drummond and on
the surrounding swamp Is more thah
ten feet above the level OF elizabeth
,3,ver. Which passes by the city Of Nor-
FOLK, ya.;5 and the lands Of the Dismal
c,omn ara higher than these upon which
sha city Of Norfolk Ia located. II ap-
,,aars that the edge Of this swamp con-
\ s,sts Of periphery or rim, and that
the swamp Itself may be termed generT
ally has,n, When the lands nave been
II reclaimed by drainage on the cages g
n this swamp and subj to Scp1tlY al9lsoR,
i