Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-13

~
miie ut Richmond. where the width
should be- 200 feet In the channel and
! 400 feet In the t0rning basin and a
/ width OF 100 feet below CITY Poirt
AZ professional engineers We fail
! r. understand the rcnsors which
I prompted tho chief OF engineers
/ United States Army TO recommend
The reduction Of the present James
| RIVER Improvement project of 20 tect
depth, ~ authorized by Congress. to
one OF only Is feet, unless he shoulh
rharc been misIud by the present lin.
! itcd tonnage hauled on the river, NJ
somewhat OF an index to It's futur Z,
use with a deep drausht chanel with
! present Objectionable bonds ell,ni-
| rated.
| Recommendations.
! Our own opinion is that greatly
, ihcroused tonnage would follow tho
completion OF 81 22-foct channel which
uld more than justify the expense
the work. as has been the case
Z" other localities where rivers hare
J ,ccn canalizcd anu Strengthened.
: We. therefore. recommend that the
p * OF providing the 22-foot chan
be commenced at once and com
ted with the least possible delay.
nd that the Federal authorities oe
{, lu"stei to take the proptr step
= wards strengthening the chann,l
! set out In this report.
In this connection. We direct youi
ention to the following facts, ns
basis .or our conclusions:
Richmond. located at the head OF
. dewater OIL the banks OF James
liver. also head OF navigation. is
! confronted with this fact: that the
-! present channel below Richmond is
for n distance OF SO miles to civ
: Point comparatively shallow. marrow
and tortous. the existing bend
around Athens swamp just on the
| upper side of Dutch Gap. tho bend
around Jones Neck ut Mcadowrill-,
ard tho bend around Turkey marsh
ut Prcsquil!c each have an angie Of
| o.cr $50 degrees. and these long
meandcring bends, together with the
condition of the existing channel
greatly retards the flow and dis
Charge of high water.
The James River IS formed by the
| junction of the Cowpasturc aud Jack.
! son Rivers in Botctourt County. Nir
! Einia. 2l6 miles above Richmond. and
! drains above Richmond G.ST0 GQuarc
miles. which gives some Idea of the
causes OF high water at Richmond
during frcshcts. This enormous vol
| umc OF water ut the 2S.6 foot high
water level. with increased velocity
! due To the fails between Roshens
! Dam and Mayo's Brio &c gives q max
!mum discharge of 100000 feet per
second into II tidal level at Mayos
! l;ridgg with a narrow and tortuous
channel below Richmond for n dis
tsncc OF 30 miles. and has in the past
caused the high water to rise m high
US ESQ feet above mean low tide.
cooling the banks and in the lowe
business section OF the city cnusin !:
untold loss In property and trade u
the City of Richmond, which I'm our
opinion can be greatly reduced and
navigation seldom. IL ever, intertcred
With.
! Tho ordinary fluctuation OF the
high water stage at Richmond, du.
t. floods. are to - feet above mean
low water.
II is interesting to note that during
the extreme highest water OF 2S.G
feet NJ Richmond. according to avail
able inf )rmation. tho water was only
iiS feet at Dutch Gap. "a miles be-.
low.and only IL feet high et Curle's
Neck 81 l-2 miles below. which clear
IS shows the congestion In James
River below Richmond largely due II
high water, which not only intcrferes
with navigation. but causes great
F.. 0nmage to property in our main
Wholesale, Misunderstanding md shin
ping section. AS we'll. as the property
. along tho banks OF the various creeks
and drains in tho lower section of
| the city.
How to Improve tho Jnmrs.
III order to fully improve James
River for port terminal at Rich
nond. after considering the govern
| ment charts and reports of existing;
conditions. We arc prepared to make
the following recommendation rs 20
| alignment In tho river channel in ud-
d;,hon 10 the improvements specified
IN the acts of Congress. which has
| fixed the future channel at varying
widths from roo to 400 feet and -
NJ form dcrth OF not less than 80 feet
below mean low tide:
First. StraiGhten the present chan.
mel by eScavating Il canal through
A!Hen's swamp for 4 distance of nm
proNinateiy 1850 feet. so MS to cut
out the bend in the river M this
noint. saving Ii miles In river
channel. and provide n direct approach
l. Dutch Gap. The present approach
1" Dutch Gap is very dangerous 10
navigation. especially at Glib tide.
1 Second. Widen Dutch Cap on III.
| Forth side in the direction of TIL.
channel east.
Third Cut canal through
Meadowvilie. n distance of approXi.
mately 3.3o0 feet. so rs to cut off TIM
! long bend around Jones Neck, snv.
.nE distance OF IA miles in river
channel
Fourth. Cut n canal through Pres
duille approximately 2.lOO feet so as
To cut on tho second Ions, bend
around Turkey Bend. saving dis
! tanceNpf miles.
The cutting of these three canals
At Aiken's Marsh. MeaGowvillc and
iresqullie would shorten the distance
from Richmond To any landing bc-
low CITY lcint by 10 m:iex and. in
stead OF widening. deepening AMI
maintaining lI.I miles as Il now
mcandcrs around the bends above
mentioned. construct 1893 miles Of
new canal and widen, deepen md
maintain S57 miles OF present chan
mel in two stretches between canals
above mentioned
The distance ct 10 miles saved IN
each trip up OF down tho james Riv.,r
~ very essential consideration. hut
! more important feature il that tn.
Strengthening of the channel enables
n most any tramp steamer TO enter
the city limits for domestic or for