The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-17
MONTAGUE WILL FIGHT
ENGINEERS REPORT
Third District Congressman VIII
Stand Firm for 22-Foot Channel
Fo~ James River.
DOESN'T AFFECT CURRENT ITEM.
Present Rivers and Harbor7s' Bill Has
$4,000 Appropriation TO Garry On
Work For Current Year.

( Washington. ID. c.. May 16.--The
! efec. Of the reDSrt of the chief OF
engineers. transmitted to Congress,
/ rec.omm ending the abandonment of
/ the 22-foot channel project from Rich
mond TO Hampton Roads, may be to
( block any efforts the Virginia delega-
/ tion may make in the future TO have
+ however, have no effect on the item
now before Congress for an appro-
( priation OF $3.50. 600 TO carry on the
work >.the next fiscal year.
There is an appropriation of $780,
! 900 to be spent on the James River
during the next fiscal year in the
pending river and harbor bill. The
bill has passed the House and Is now
before the Senate. where 1t is being
yon. of Iowa 1t Is quite probable the
item will remain in the bill.
One hundred thousand dollars was
spent on ehe James River last year
and $4,000 the year previous.
Montague to Fight
Congressman Montague stated to-
day that he will resent any action by
Congress abandoning the original
plan for a 22-foot channel,
Senators Martin and Swanson and
the other Virginia congressman also
said they will do their utmost to have
the 22-foot channel plan with the
widths already agreed upon, carried
out
The principal points IN Chief OF
Engineers Blacks report ara as fol-
lows:
l. Urges abandonment of plan for
22-foot channel from Richmond to
mouth OF James River.
2. Declares present depth OF efgh-
{~t to ~
and twenty feet from City Point to
mouth of River is sufficient for COM
merce OF stream.
! 3. Urges that balance available Of
I $3.50, 600 be not spent. hut that $780,
900 ba appropriated IN two yearly in
stallments TO complete the work and
cover cost of maintenance for next
two years.
! q. Says present widths in river are
sufficient except for the halfmile cut
off at Richmond, where the width
should be 200 feet In the channel and
( 400 feet In the turning basin. and
width OF 400 feet below city Point
5. Recommends that plan for a
proposed cutoff at Rock Landing
shoal be held In allegiance pending
further experience.
The board OF engineers makes the
following terse statement 20 the chief
Of engineers:
/ !. At the rate appropriations have
/ been made In the past II will require
twenty years to complete the work.
2. The present depths and widths in
the river appear to meet all reasonable
requirements OF navigation.
3 The commerce on James sRAver
seems TO have decreased IN the past
twenty-five years, an average of s7b,-
900 tons TO about 10000 tons
FyN1- IT. &C.
that the law be changed 50 that the
original project be abandoned and the
river be maintained in about Its pres
ent state.
The Original Plans
| The plan for the improvement OF
the James River under act of Congress
of July 3. 1884. provides for securing
a channel from its mouth to Rich
mond % feet deep at mean low tide.
! Point, ~ miles, thence 800 feet wild e
at Drewrys Bluff. 20 miles. thence
200 feet wide to Richmond. seven
miles, a total of lo3 miles
Subsequently, by the act of June IS.
1902. the channel was extended $500
feet up stream to the head of naviga-
ton at the docks. where a. turninE;
basin was authorized by the act OF
March 3. 1905. The total estimated
FcSL vi tiiS Improvement WIS $C,S a.
943. TO June 3, 1915, there has been
expended on original work on THE
project s2,33J,Sol. 80 that 5000 42
would he required to complete the
project according to the ord ginal esti-
mate,
The district Office the chief of en-
gfneers Guys, now estimates that the
project can be completed for $685.
636. and that the cost of maintenance
would be ss3.S0o per year.
The full project widths have not
been secured. but the district officer
believes that the existing widths be-
tween Richmond and City Point are
sufficient for the present and immedr-
atsly prospective commerce, except In
the fralf-rntle reach at Richmond
where the full project widths OF 400
feet in the channel and 400 feet in
the turning basin are required.
In conclusion. the district engineer
expresses the opinion that provision
should now he made for a channel be-
tween Richmond and City Point, hav-
ing a depth OF eighteen feet at mean
low water. with the present widths
except in the vicinity OF Richmond
and for a channel 400 feet wide be-
low City Point having a depth OF
twenty feet at mean low water, In.
GLIDING a straight cutoff at Rooi
Landing Ehoal north OF Burwell Bay
at an estimated COST of $75o,o00, and
at an annual naint enance cost of $40.
600.