1837.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



605 



from the casual removal of the stakes, indicating 

 the preliminary location. From Columbia to 

 Blaiden's Adventure, the line recjuired almost en- 

 tire re-location. These parts ot the seventy-three 

 miles adver'p Ril for contract, in the month ol' De- 

 cember, 1835, and not let, required frequent renew- 

 als of the Staines; thus giving rise to much labor 

 and loss of time to the engineers. From these 

 causes, the work of location was much protracted. - 

 On the 22nd July, the chief engineer announced 

 that the line was in readiness tor reception, and af- 

 ter examination by a committee of the directors, it 

 was approved at the August meeting ot the board. 



In the location of the canal, a leading object 

 with the board of directors was, to have it raised 

 beyond the reach of danger from floods in the 

 rivers; and with this view theireshetof 1814, the 

 greatest since 1795, was selected as furnishing a 

 proper standard lor the elevation of the line. The 

 freshet in June last, afforded satisfactory proof of 

 the skill exhibited by the engineers in this part of 

 the work. At Lynchburg and Warmuister, and 

 for sonae distance above and below those places, 

 the freshet of June was somewhat higher than 

 that of 1814; but at no point on this part of the 

 line did the water of the river come within two 

 feet of the top of the embankment. From Scotts- 

 ville to Uichmond, the June freshet was relatively 

 lower; insomuch, that at Columbia and Carters- 

 ville, it was four leet below that of 1814 ; but the 

 chief engineer has ascertained, that in this part of 

 the line also, such a flood as that of 1814, would 

 not have reached the level of the tow-path called 

 for by the location, except at a point on the estate 

 of Wm. Gait, in Fluvanna, and there the em- 

 bankment will be raised so as to guard against the 

 overflow of the waters in future time. 



III. yjfsscssment of darnagt's. — The preparation 

 of the line lor assessment of damages, necessarily 

 awaited the action of the legislature on the bdl to 

 allow an increased breadth of ground for the canal, 

 and a chanjre in the mode of assessment. This 

 bill passed on the 19th of March, and measures 

 were immediately adopted, with a view to the 

 speedy execution of the law. Surveys were im- 

 mediately commenced to prepare for assessment 

 the seventy-three miles advertised lor contract in 

 December, and to complete the location, and pre- 

 pare the remaining forty -seven miles of the first 

 division of the line. To make the surveys, maps, 

 and annexed descriptions, necessary lor this pur- 

 pose, required much time. On the 2nd of May, 

 the Board of Public Works were informed that 

 the part of the line, under contract, would be ready 

 for assessment in June. That board having com- 

 pleted the appointment of assessors, were, on the 

 29th of May, notified that the necessary prepara- 

 tions for the assessment would be made by the 

 middle of June, and were requested to communi- 

 cate that fact to the assessors, and invite them to 

 assemble at Lynchburg, on the 22d of that month. 

 A full meeting of the assessors was defeated by 

 several resignations in that body. Three of the 

 assessors met at Lynchburg on the 22d of June, 

 and being unwilling to enter on the discharge of 

 their duties, in the absence of their colleagues, ad- 

 journed to meet at New Market, on the 6th of 

 July. On the 7th of July, they formed a board, 

 and commenced the performance of their duties. 

 They proceeded as far as the mouth of Rockfish — 

 and finding their view of the lands obstructed b}' 



the crops, and the season unfavorable to the dis- 

 charge of their duties, they adjourned to meet in 

 Lynchburg, on the 1st of" October. During the 

 recess of the board of assessors, the whole line 

 was prepared for assessment. On the 4th of Oc- 

 tober,' a lull board having been formed, the asses- 

 sors commenced their examination of the landa at 

 the water-works above Lynchburg, and continuing- 

 it through the estates lor one hundred and twenty 

 miles, reached the end of the line at Maiden's Ad- 

 venture, on the 1st of November. They then 

 adjourned to Richmond, and completed their 

 assessments on the 25th of November. The de- 

 cision of the number of bridges to be allowed, was 

 reserved to the committee of the board of direc- 

 tors ; and they have allowed on the line from 

 Lynchburg to Maiden's Adventure. 15 road bridg- 

 es, 83 farm bridges, and 4 pivot boats. 



The whole amount of assessments, including- 

 costs of serving notices, counsel fees, pay of asses- 

 sors, &c. &c., is it^l62,488 48; which makes the 

 cost per mile, iB1354 05. In this sum, the cost of 

 additional fences rendered necessar}^ by the canal, 

 is embraced, and it constitutes a heavy item of the 

 account. 



IV. Amount of contracts, and progress of con- 

 struction. — The line from Maiden's Adventure to 

 Lynchburg, was divided into 201 sections, each 

 forming the subject of a separate contract — each 

 contractor to take one or more contracts, as the 

 parties might agree. The contracts on these sec- 

 lions, embrace the grubbing, excavation, embank- 

 ment, puddling and external walling. The result 

 of the whole lettings is, that of the 201 sections, 

 IGl, embracinor all of the most heavy and difficult 

 parts of the line, are at this time under contract, 

 and that 40 sections, consisting of light and easy 

 work, are still to be disposed of. 



Of the masonry, 10 locks, 21 culverts, the Ri- 

 vanna aqueduct, two lock houses, and the water- 

 works' dam at Lynchburg, are under contract. 

 Except the dam at Lynchburg, the dams are re- 

 served to as late a day as possible, to lessen the 

 period of interruption to the existing navigation 

 upon the river. 



The force employed upon the line of new canal, 

 in the month of October, was 985 men, and 286 

 horses. In the month of November, it was 1,356 

 men, and 381 horses. 



The work ol excavation, &c. has been retarded 

 by the great rise in the price of labor, the inade- 

 quate supply of contractors and other causes. 

 Some of these cause.? have ceased to exist, and the 

 effect of others is diminished. From present ap- 

 pearances, it is believed, that by the 1st of April, 

 the whole of the remaining 40 sections will be un- 

 der contract. Contracts for the masonr}' have been 

 delated, in part, by the same causes that delayed 

 the execution of the excavation; but principally 

 by the insufficient supply of stone-cutters and ma- 

 sons. These causes, it is believed, will, in great 

 measure, be removed, and all the masonry be got 

 under contract in the spring. 



V. Preparations for the works of art, and 

 discovery of hydraulic cement on the line of the 

 canal. — Since the last report, the agent employed 

 to examine quarries, has completed his exploration 

 of the country, in the vicinity of the canal. The 

 result is, the discovery of about 30 quarries of 

 suitable stone, and conveniently located, between 

 Maiden's Adventure and the Seven Islands. Be- 



