From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12/26/1939, p. 3, c. 3

City Council May Act to Close James River-Kanawha Canal
By Overton Jones

When City Council Committee on Streets meets Thursday night it is expected to take initial steps leading to the closing of the old James River and Kanawha Canal, a transportation factor to which the industrial Richmond of today owes much of its greatness.

Before the committee for approval will be an ordinance to authorize Mayor Bright to enter into an agreement with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company and the Virginia Electric and Power Company, consenting to the closing of the waterway.

Both the railway and the power company are desirous of closing the old canal, and if it is done, the city will be enabled to widen Canal Street.

Calls for $100,000 Outlay

The pending ordinance, which is sponsored by Alderman Joseph E. Powers and Jack L. Epps, if passed, would call for an outlay estimated at around $100,000, to be paid by the railway, the power company and the city.

Under a recent agreement, the Virginia Electric and Power Company acquired the rights to all the water in the canal, except that which the city, the Tredegar Iron Works and the Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company already had authority to use, VEPCO has begun construction of a generating plant on the canal about a quarter of a mile west of Lee Bridge, to be used to supplement the company’s present plants. VEPCO President J. G. Holtzclaw said the new plant will provide power of about 2,000 horsepower and and that the power generated there will be about one per cent of the company’s entire output.

If the city agrees to closing the canal, the C. & O. plans to petition the State Corporation Commission for its permission to carry out the project. It is expected that the canal would be filled in the from the city dock possibly to a spot just east of another VEPCO plant at Twelfth Street.

Would Install Pipe Line

If the project goes through, the railway and power company would install a 41-inch pipe line, leading from the VEPCO plant at Twelfth Street to connect with a similar line put down by the city for the delivery of necessary water to the city dock.

The ordinance provides that the Chesapeake and Ohio would convey to the city for street purposes a strip of land 12 feet wide, between Ninth and Eleventh Streets, which could be used for the improvement of Canal Street. Further, the city would convey to the C. & O. a quitclaim deed to all its rights in several parcels of land embraced within projections of Tenth and Elevent Streets, across railroad property between the Basin Bank and Canal Streets.

Story Began In 1784

The story of the James River and Kanawha Canal began in 1784 when the Virginia General Assembly passed an act “for Clearing and Improving the Navigation of the James River.” Passage of this act came after Virginians of this section realized they needed better contact with the fast-developing West. The act provided for the opening of subscription books and incorporation of the James River Company to cut canals, erect locks and perform such other works “as may be necessary for improving and extending the navigation of the James River above tidewater to the highest part thereof to which navigation can be extended.” George Washington was president of the company until 1789 but he never participated in the management. He was more interested in the Potomac River improvement.

The company immediately began construction of the Richmond level of the canal, a section extending from the basin in the city to a connection with the river about a half-mile west of what is now the Byrd Park Pumping Station. From that point the boats used the river for about three and a half miles to Westham, near the present location of Bosher’s Dam, where the first locks were constructed. Boats passed around the rapids in the river through use of the locks and a canal a few hundred yards long.

Within five years, the Richmond level was opened from the river to a point then known as “Broad Rock,” about one and a half miles west of the present Seventh Street. By 1795 the canal was completed to the head of the proposed Richmond basin, but water was not let into the basin, which extended from Eighth to Twelfth Streets between Canal Street and a line about 100 feet south of Cary Street – until 1800.

By an act dated February 17, 1820, the State purchased all of the rights of the James River Company, paying nothing to the company but assuming its obligations and contracting to pay annual dividends to the stockholders at the rate of 12 per cent for a period of 10 years and “forever thereafter” at the rate of 15 per cent per annum.

By 1828, expenditures of the State on improvements on the canal and on connecting links in the path to the west had totaled $1,274,583. Of this sum, $638,884 had been spent on the lower James River Canal, $365,207 on the Blue Ridge Canal, $87,390 on the Kanawha River and $171,982 on turnpikes and bridges between Covington and the Kanawha.

State Ownership Ceased in 1832

State ownership of the project ceased in 1932 when the General Assembly incorporated the James River and Kanawha Company. The Richmond level was enlarged and in December, 1838, was opened for navigation. In 1840, the canal to Lynchburg was completed, the first boat to arrive there from Richmond being the General Harrison. During November, 1851, the canal was opened for navigation between Lynchburg and Buchanan, which was as far West as the canal ever was complete. Construction was started on a link between Buchanan and Covington, but this was abandoned because of lack of funds.

In 1841 the James River and Kanawha Company bought the city dock and constructed the tidewater connection of the canal, linking the eastern section with the western part of the State.

The canal’s biggest success was during the period from 1844 to 1854. After 1854 railroad competition became too strong. The year 1852 produced the greatest net revenue for operation - $182,190.

3 Days From Lynchburg

It took a freight boat three and a half days to go from Richmond to Lynchburg and three days to make the return trip. During the 1844-1854 period there were about 75 deck boats, 66 open boats and 54 batteaux hauling freight with about 425 horses and employing between 850 and 900 men. The canal boats averaged about 70 tons.

Except for the decade mentioned above, passenger travel on the canal was slight. At one time there were six packet boats making regular runs from Richmond to as far as Buchanan. The packets required 120 horses and took about 32 hours to go from Lynchburg to Richmond The fare between Richmond and Lynchburg, including meals, berths and tolls, was $7.05 for white people and half-fare for children under 12 and for Negroes.

A steam packet boat made its appearance on the canal in 1945, but it was taken out of service because, the canal company claimed, the speed contests between the horse and steam packets damaged the canal walls.

Federals Destroyed Section

The old canal served valiantly during the War Between the States, raw materials being sent over it to Richmond and Lynchburg for manufacturing. On March 6, 1865, however, the Federals destroyed a section at Scottsville and later at other spots. When the war ended, Government troops furnished labor and materials for repairing the canal, and navigation was resumed in 1866. But the canal became increasingly unimportant in the State’s economic life.

In 1880 the canal was sold to the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad, which built a track along the tow-path. Later, it was acquired by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company.

• Prev
• Next