606 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 10 



tween the Seven Islands and Tye River, the quan- 

 tity is deficient for ioci<s, except at the upper end. 

 Between Tye Kiver and Lynchburg, there is a 

 competent supply. The defective parts of" the 

 line, can be supplied from quarries on the river. 

 In no part of the line will the transportation be 

 more than 16 miles, and that by water. On the 

 Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, it is slated, that a 

 large part of the sione used in the construction of 

 locks was conveyed 32 miles. 



The search lor hydraulic lime was confided to 

 Judo-e Kinsey of New Jersey, who was well re- 

 commended to the board as possessing the neces- 

 sary skill and ex!)erience. He examined the 

 country on the margin of the river from Rockflsh, 

 to the town of Covinjrton. He Ibund no hydrau- 

 lic lime below the Blue Ridge; but above the 

 Blue Ridge, he met with it at three points, viz : in 

 the vicinity of the Natural Bridge, at Pattons- 

 burg, and on the fiirm of William Allen, in Bote- 

 tourt. It had been previously Ibund on Mr. Ed- 

 mondson's farm in Rockbridge, on the north 

 branch of the river, and about seven miles above 

 the head of the mountain canal. At Paltonsburg, 

 Allen's, and Edmondson's, the lime is situated on 

 the margin of the river. At the Natural Bridge, 

 it is two or three miles distant. In all four places, 

 it is abundant and of ijood quality. Its quality 

 has been tested by experiments made by the agent 

 and chief engineer; and the product of Edmond- 

 son's quarry has been subjected to chemical analy- 

 sis by Professor Rogers. 



The total cost of exploring the ston,e quarries 

 and searching for water-proof lime, amounted to 

 S2048 68. Tlie policy of this expenditure is well 

 justified by the tendency of the facts developed to 

 lessen the cost of the masonry on the line. 



In June, the board contracted with Messrs. Ed- 

 montlson and Graham, to deliver 50,000 bushels 

 of cement, at Edmondson's quarry, on the North 

 River, at 25 cents per bushel. To this must be 

 added the cost of the barrels, making the price 

 37^ cents at the landing, at the same time, the 

 board contracted for 10,000 bushels of Rosendale 

 cement, to be obtained from the State of New 

 York. This was delivered on the bank of the 

 basin, in Richmond, at 54 cents ; making a difii^r- 

 ence at the points of' delivery, of 17 cents in favor 

 of the home article. Assuming the upward and 

 downward freight to be the sauje, and the quantity 

 used between Lynchburg and Maiden's Adven- 

 ture to be 350,000, or 400,000 bushels, the saving 

 to the company would be about !tj;60,000. If the 

 calculation be extended to embrace the entire line 

 to Covino'ton, the saving would not be less than 

 i 180,000. 



With a view to hasten the works of art, and in- 

 crease the supply of mechanics, the board has 

 recently sent an agent to Scotland, to procure 

 stone-cutters and masons from thai country. 



VI. State and location of the old works. — 1st, 

 the Western Improvements and Kanawha River. — 

 These works were examined by the President and 

 Mr. Capciton as a committee of the board in Sep- 

 tember. The road li'om Covington to the mouth 

 of Big Sandy, too-other with the Guyandotte 

 Turnpike, is 208 miles long. It had been dressed 

 over in the course of the preceding season, and, as 

 to ordinary repairs, was in excellent condition. In 

 regard to extraiyrdinary renairs, none were neces- 

 sary from the lidls to Guyandotte, exce|)t the 



bridges over Witcher's Creek, Mud River, and at 

 Guyandotte, all of which required re-construction. 

 The road from Covington to the falls, and the 

 bridges l hereon, requijed extraordmary repairs to 

 a considerable extent. 



In order to sustain and improve the road, the 

 board at the commencement of the year, made 

 liberal appropriations lor the repair of bridges ; 

 and in addition thereto, authorized the annual ex- 

 penditure of 86,000 for repairs and improvements 

 tor three years. The road was divided into six 

 districts, and to each district was assigned a party 

 of hands with the necessary tools and teams. 

 The work has been vigorously prosecuted. The 

 western division has been put in excellent condi- 

 tion, and nuich work has been done on the eastern 

 division. The operations on this part of the line 

 have been much retarded by the heavy rains and 

 summer travel. 



The height oi' the waters in the Kanawha Ri- 

 ver, has prevented efiective operations there, du- 

 ring the past season. In the month of August, 

 the hands were employed in preparing buoys, 

 repairing the scraper-boats and cutting down tim- 

 ber, that hung over the stream ; but early in Sep- 

 tember, they were dischaiged; there being no 

 prospect of advantageous action for the residue of 

 the season. 



2nd. 'The Blue Ridge Turnpike, the Blue Ridge 

 Canal, and the dam and canal at Lynchburg. — By 

 the law authorizing the construction of the Blue 

 Ridge Turnpike, this company was authorized to 

 take the road when completed, by paying the 

 amount expended, or transferring stock therefor. 

 In January lust, the board was informed that the 

 road was completed, and had cost ,^'9,258 SO. 

 They determined to take the road, and paid in 

 scrip to the stale on its new slock. 92 shares, and 

 the residue of .^oS 80 in cash. A tariff of tolls 

 was prescribed for the road, and it was put under 

 the charge of the superintendent of the Blue Ridge 

 Canal. 



The Blue Ridge Canal was examined by the 

 engineers at an early period of the year. On their 

 report, the board concluded, that, with some in- 

 creased repairs, it might answer the purposes of 

 navigation, and its re-construction be delayed, un- 

 til the new canal should reach that part of the line. 



The' flood in June, did material injury to this 

 canal, and some damage to the works at Lynch- 

 burg. The daauiiie at the mountain consisted in 

 breaking the dums, sweeping away the bridge, 

 and desiroyintr between 700 and 800 yards of em- 

 bankuicnt. The loss at Lynchburg consisted in 

 breaking the dam. This dam was insulHcient, and 

 would have been replaced by a new one, in the 

 progress of the work. The board took immedi- 

 ate steps to repair the damage at Lynchburg and 

 at the mountain. The expense of the repairs at 

 the mountain was greatly increased, and the work 

 delayed by the wetness of the season. The canal 

 was opened for navigation within seven weeks 

 after the arrival of the force sent to repair it. 



The whole amount of expenditure in I he moun- 

 tain was .912,715 23, fi'om which should be de- 

 ducted .^3,000, expended to adapt the work to the 

 plan of the new improvement, leaving the real loss 

 at the mountain !§9,715 23. The real loss at 

 Lynchburg, is ^1,000, making in all §10,715 23. 

 "3rd. The lower canal front. Maiden''s jJdventure 

 to Richmond. — This portion of the canal was so 



