Year: 1876

Ine cOmWlttee, IN referring 10 Lne annual
statement of the engineer, say:


The report is worthy Of your careful con.
sideratiop, and OF the attention Of every cit.
izen in our community who is interested in
the welfare and material prosperity Of the
city. From the inception Of these improve.
ments there has been want of faith, if not
of interest, in them, even by the most intel.
lgenr of our business community, which
should now cease. Such results have now
been obtained, and such possibilities for the
future demonstrated, os to demand that
thoughtful consideration Of the whole sub.
ject which can only be given from thorough
knowledge and appreciation Of the facts.


From this report you will learn that the
feasibility of bringing any desired depth oil
water to our city has now been practically
demonstrated. You will learn that six years
ago this great highway Of our commerce was
filled with sunken wrecks and distractions
and had only ten and half feet Of water
available for use, while to-day we have an
uuobstructed passage that will carry vessels
of fourteen feet draught from our docks to
the sea.


The difference between ten and half and
fourteen feet means cheap freights, increased
commerce, and larger profits. 1t enables our
merchants and manufacturers to compete
with those Of any other city on the Atlantic
coast. IL is one of the causes Of the present
exceptional prosperity Of our city, and OF
our partial relief from the depression of
business that has so seriously affected most
cities.


If you have given to the previous reports
of this committee proper attention, 1t Is I'm.
necessary for US to review the progress OF
the river improvements. Wesimply submit
to your consideration


THE POLICY THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY TUE


CITY,


and in forming your Judgment on that the
questions that will naturally arise are:


First. Is the James river susceptible OF
permanent improvement


Second. Is it to the interest OF the city OF
Richmond that it should be improved


Third. Has 1t been mpr0yed9


Fourth. Shall the improvements continue,
and are they of sufficient value to the city to
warrant the further expenditure of money
on her partI


The answers to these questions are 80 ap.
parent as to require but little argument to
support them.


First. That the river is susceptible Of i'm
provement has been amply demonstrated
That such improvement will prove perma.
nent is the opinion of all engineers who have
examined if, which opinion Is confirmed by
all the facts and experience we have thus fal
gathered. In the assertion that the improve
ments will prove permanent we do not near
that no expense will be necessary to main
tain them. A road, . railway, or a cana
has to be kept in repair; and in the same
way an annual expenditure would be requ
site on the river, though it would be but 6
trjie compared with the cost of maintaining
any other kind of highway of the same
length.


Second. 1t scarcely requires an argument
to support the answer TO the second ques
tion-that the interests Of the city would be
greatly promoted by the improvement Of the
river. Situated on the line of the great cen
trail highway of the continent, Richmond has
only to develop the advantages Of her situa
tion to gather and control the com
merce of States. The tendency OF al
freights from the interior Is TO seek
water transportation at the farthest inland
point. Already movements are on foot to
take the Goals from West Virginia of the
railway at the head of our canal. The James
river Is noble canal given by nature, and
capable OF carrying the largest vessels en-
gagged in our coastwise trade. The interest
ing comparison made in the report by our
engineer between the cost and capacity ol
railway from Richmond to the
sea and the cost and capacity OF
the river Improvement suggests view that
seems hitherto to have been overlooked.
Third. That the river has been improved
does not admit ola doubt. The daily passages
of vessels of double the tonnage and three
| feet more draught than YVES ever before pos
sible is sufficient demonstration OF the fact
Fourth. If the people Of Richmond are
| fully convinced of


| THE NECESSITY AND FEASIBILITY OF THE IN
PRovEMENT OF TIE RIVER


the city is warranted in expending any


amount of money necessary to accomplish it
The matter of its cost is OF secondary I'm
nortanae. for every dollar expended will b'
returned ten.fold.
| In considering The future policy of the cit!
Il is proper that we should call your atten
ton to the small amount OF expenditure ina


has been required 10 produce the satlsiactor.
results we have now obtained. W tne ap
preparations tbus fur made by the city ant
the National Government large amount ha
been expended in removing the artificial OF
structions that were placed In the rive
during the. war and in providing complet


outfit OF nachinery. 1t is safe to estinlat


that the incre ased depth OF water we hav


thus far obtained beyond the patural dept


of the river has not cost over $3.50, ,009.
| The annual appropriations OF the Govern


ment to aid in this work are sufficient ev
dence of the importance attached 10 il. w


have no reason 10 doubt that the recon
mendations of the Government engineer
| will be followed and those appropriation
continued. It is probable that the presen
Congress will be disposed to reduce all aI
| preparations to the lowest possible limit, bu
we may also feel satisfied that By the aid Q
our present representatives In Congress W
shall obtain all that we can properly demand
1t remains with you to consider


WHAT THE CITY SHALL DO ON ITS PART.
It certainly rests with as to maintain ant
keep in condition for use the improvement
that are made, and to expend whatever
amounts of money may be necessary 70 dt
so. We are further aware OF the fact tha
previous appropriations OF. the Government
have been exhausted, and that whatever ap,
preparation may be made this year Will moi
be available until July. We are therefore oI
the opinion that In addition TO the amoual
required to maintain repairs during the
wear. that the city should also appropriate
sufficient to continue the Improvements be-
gun until next July. An appropriation oi
s25, 900 will accomplish both these pur.
poses. fzEE


We have no personal views or objects TO
ovatifv in fh;s matter hus aa citiZenS and
taxpayers ourselves, and as your representa-