H 15. IMPROVEMENT OF DAN RIVER, VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA. HISTORY OF THE IMPROVEMENT. A survey of the portion of Dan River between Danbury, N. C., and Danville, Va., a distance of about 773 miles, was made in 1879, and the report, with estimates for its improvement for bateau navigation and also for steam navigation by means of locks and dams, may be found in Appendix G 19, Report of Chief of Engineers for 1879; and in Appendix H 15 of the Report of 1880 a modification will be found of the estimate for steam navigation, based upon a depth of 3 feet of water, for six months of the year. The river and harbor act of June 14, 1880, appropriated $10,000 for improving Dan River between Danville, Va., and Madison, N. Ć. The project for the work was in accordance with the estimate above referred to, and contemplated a channel 35 feet wide through ledges, with a depth of excavation of 14 feet in pools and 2 feet on rapids, and a maximum slope on rapids of 10 feet to the mile. When the slope exceeds this grade it may be overcome by the use of cables anchored at the head of the incline-a method employed on European rivers, such as the Meuse, Seine, Saône, Volga, Rhine, Elbe, and others, and which has been introduced into the United States upon the Erie Canal. This method, it is believed, will give 3 feet of water for six months of the year 1880. The project was approved July 13, 1880, and proposals were invited for supplying materials and tools for the work. These having been purchased, work was commenced on the derricks and boats on September 21. One derrick-boat and one scow were completed October 16, and work was begun in excavating rock from the channel October 21. The second derrick-boat and scow were completed November 3, 1880. Only 50 cubic yards of rock had been blasted, when the low temperature of the water prevented the continuance of rock excavation after the 30th of October, and the work was suspended for the winter. Work was resumed on the 20th of May, 1881, and continued to the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 1881, with only moderate progress, on account of the hardness of the rock and the unfavorable direction of its seams, which prevented effective blasts. WORK OF THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. At the commencement of the fiscal year, July 1, 1881, the excavation of rock for the improvement of the channel was in progress near Danville, above the dam which deflects the water of the river into the canal. The rock removed at this point was deposited on this dam so as to extend it to within a short distance of the left bank of the river. The drilling and blasting operations were carried up the river from Danville to Lynch's Shoal (about 2 miles above Danville), where a considerable amount of work was found to be necessary. The channel between Lynch's Shoal and Dean's Shoal (3 miles above Danville) was completed in the early part of September, and operations commenced at Dean's Shoal. On the 10th of September the excavation of the channel at Lynch's Shoal was completed. A cut was made through a gravel bar at the lower end of the shoal, and the banks riprapped with stone to prevent washing. Several dams were necessary at this point. Some difficulty was experienced in hiring a sufficient number of men for the work. On September 24 the channel at Dean's Shoal was completed. The work at Old House Ledge (about 3 miles above Danville) was commenced October 17, 1881. At this date the water was so cold that the men were unable to work in it, and the channel could not, therefore, be entirely completed. On November 11 the operations were closed for the winter. The work accomplished from the commencement of operations, on May 23, 1881, to the close of work, November 11, 1881, was as follows: Three miles of channel were completed, and the work on 1 mile in addition was well advanced. The larger part of the rock removed was solid, so that one-half of the force were engaged in drilling all the time. A part of the blasted rock was used in building dams, and the remainder was thrown on the side of the channel, at least 3 feet from the edge, and was placed so that it would not be carried back into the channel by high-water or other means. The top was kept as nearly as practicable at the low-water mark, in order to prevent any drift from collecting at the time of high-water. The following is a summary of the operations of the season: Average depth, feet. 6,855 Giant powder used, pounds.... Average depth of holes per cubic yard of rock blasted, feet. 1.36 2.79 1.65 Exploders used per cubic yard of rock blasted.. Drill steel used per 100 feet of rock drilled, pounds.. or, 1.41 feet of 1-inch drill steel. Giant powder used per cubic yard of rock blasted, pounds. 1,105 .427 4,482 1.73 4. 15 DAMS WERE BUILT AS FOLLOWS: Part of dam at head of canal, Danville, the timber being furnished by parties controlling the water-power, and the stone placed in position by the United States.... Cub. yds. of rock. 300 67 170 17 220 The estimated cost of blasting and removing the rock (2,776 cubic yards) per cubic yard, not including office work, traveling expenses, or wear and tear of plant and tools, is as follows: Superintendence, including overseers and sub-overseers.. Exploders.. Labor, including quarrymen, drillers, blacksmiths, watchmen, and laborers... $0.34 198 Drill steel. Blacksmiths' coal.. Total cost per cubic yard..... 271 Average price paid per day for labor, overseers included.. During the winter of 1881-'82 the derrick-boats and property were placed in charge of a watchman. Operations for the season of 1882 were commenced on April 24, a small force being at first employed to remove the boats to the point of operations and to make the necessary repairs. Rock excavation was begun on May 1, 1882. Owing to high-water and to cool weather, only moderate progress was made with the work. From May 1, 1882, to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, the following work was done: One thousand five hundred linear feet of channel, 16 feet wide and 2 feet deep, was completed, and 1 dam at Old House Ledge was finished by the addition of 50 cubic yards of stone. Seventeen days were lost from freshets, the highest point reached by the river being 3.7 feet above low-water. At the close of the fiscal year work was still in progress near the foot of Long Shoals, about 4 miles above Danville, only sufficient funds remaining to continue operations until the 15th of July, 1882. Appropriations have been made as follows: June 14, 1880. March 3, 1881 $10,000 8,000 The amount needed for the completion of the work, June 30, 1882, is $34,000. I would respectfully recommend an appropriation of $15,000 for the year ending June 30, 1884. The following statistics of trade have been collected by Mr. R. P. Henry, Danville, Va.: The bateaux trading on the river above Danville draw 18 inches of water, and the number of arrivals during 1881 is reported as 250. Valuable water-power on this river, and its tributaries, would probably be improved, on condition that facilities for transporting the material for manufacturing to and from them were made good, which can only be effected via the river. It is proposed to erect at once 2 cotton factories. The one now running has lately been erected, and has proved a success. A woolen mill will also soon be started. There is a strong and steady increase in the culture and manufacture of tobacco, which is the principal staple of this section. Shipping logs via the river was first tried during the year, but did not prove profitable for want of a channel, so it is for the present abandoned. By a continued improvement of this river the principal part of the wood and lumber consumed in Danville, which is now furnished by rail, could be furnished by water at a much less cost, and thus give a sale for vast amounts of each, now comparatively valueless for want of shipping facilities. One-half of the tobacco now marketed in Danville, which is transported by rail or wagon at a heavy cost to the planters along the river, could be transported by boats at half the present cost. There are fine granite quarries on the river which cannot be worked unless transportation by water is obtained. Many square miles of fertile land on the river would be made valuable by its improvement, by giving cheap transportation for its products. Money statement. R. P. HENRY. July 1, 1882, amount available..... July 1, 1881, amount available.. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881..... Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882. $13, 009 89 12, 223 84 786 05 7,500 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883..... 8,286 05 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 15, 000 00 26,500 00 Н 16. IMPROVEMENT OF FRENCH BROAD RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA. HISTORY OF THE IMPROVEMENT. The river and harbor act of August 14, 1876, contained the first appropriation for improving French Broad River, the amount being $10,000. Under this appropriation a survey was made in July, August, and September, 1877, the report of which, with estimates, may be found in the Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1878, Part I, page 525. The estimated cost of improving the 32 miles of river from Brevard to Big Buck Shoal, so as to secure a channel 23 feet deep at low-water and 35 feet wide, was $45,500. The improvement was begun in October, 1877, by hired labor, the work, owing to the advance of the working season, being restricted to the removal of snags, drift, and overhanging trees. In the spring of 1878 this work was resumed and rock also quarried for the construction of dams to graduate the slope of water-surface at Davidson's River Shoal, and 16 dams were built for that purpose. The required dimensions of channel were secured as far down as Patton's Shoal, where dredging (gravel) was begun, and rock excavation at Cherokee Shoal, also in progress, when the approach of cold weather caused a suspension of the work for the season. The quarrying of stone, however, for the improvement of the shoals last mentioned was continued through the winter. Work at Patton's Shoal was resumed May 5, 1879, where eight wingdams were built, and the improvement completed June 7. Excavation at Allison's Shoal was begun May 23, and completed June 18, 1879. Excavation of rocks at Cherokee Shoal was continued, 19 wing-dams built, and the improvement completed September 13, 1879. Rock excavation at Little Buck Shoal was commenced July 7, and the improvement, including the construction of 14 wing-dams, was completed October 15, 1879. Three wing-dams were built at Allison's Shoal, several small shoals between Brevard and Davidson's River were dredged and some rock removed therefrom; a channel at Wilson's Fish-trap excavated through rock; a channel dredged at Old Ford, near Shuford's Bridge, and some rock excavation effected at Clayton's Reef. The banks at various points were protected by means of stone and brush. On November 15 operations were suspended for the winter, 10 miles of the river having been made navigable and the most important obstructions removed. In 1880 stone was quarried at Nelson's and at Sitton's Bluff for the construction of dams at Spann's Shoal; new scows built, old scows, boats, and derricks repaired; at the close of the fiscal year work was in prog ress in dredging and rock excavation at Spann's Shoal, Henry's Fishtrap, Bowman's Bluff, County Line, and Clayton's Reef. The gravel excavation at Willow Creek and rock excavations at Henry's Fish-trap, Bowman's Bluff, Sitton's Bluff, Spann's Shoal, and at five other points of less importance had been completed and work was in progress at the shoal below Mud Creek and at Long Shoal below Cain Creek, when, the funds being exhausted, work was suspended |