Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-01-26
TnE MoNoNG AHELA ROUTE


What is called the "Mononslhah Route
may not b. known to some OF our readers as
route for trade AMI transportation. ant Nc
will therefore furnish them such Intelligence
upon the subject as will set IL ilihy before
them.
The Pennsylvania Canal was universally
admitted 10 De- unequal IA speed. scrtainty,
and price to The demands OF the West. as a
means oi transportation. II was opcu but a
bout seven mouths IN the year. When open
ii was obstructed by low water. breaches. by
the interruption OF the navigation of the Ohio
between rttsburgh and Wheeling, aud by the
very great detention, injuries. and expense OF
goods at the Columbia, liolidaysburg, and
Johnstown transhipmcnts to such an extent
that when the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad
was still at Frederick there was a great a
mount OF goods brought boy wagons to Wheel
Ing. To prevent this, Pittsburgh came be
fore the Pennsylvania legislature. aud pro-
cmcd an appropriation auj portion of the
bonus of the United States Bank OF Pcnnsyly,-
MIA, for the purpose ol erecting dams on the
Monongahela to make Slackwater navigation.
hh wv iaAi VI i1A-- AlN u ullA " hhltiNnll
was completed to Cumberland and the Penn
sylvania canal was proved tho least desirable
route OF the two for the ordinary trauspor,a-
ton OF goods Under the Impression that the
trade might bc diverted towards Pittsburgh. a
company in that city raised funds and com
pleted the Monongahcla improvement To-
Brownsville on the National road With view
Of taking passengers from the stages, aud
freight from the wagons at Brownsville, and
carrying them Ia Pittsburgh fifty five miles,
after which they would require to bc brought
by steamboat % miles, before they would
reach Wheeling. There is an adagc that says
1.-The larthest way round is the nearest way
home" but this did not prove so, for during
the best stages OF water, travellers west have
been one day longer than they would have
been to come on to Whceling-and the travel
on the Great Central Route" To Wheeling
has been greater than it was before the Mo
nongahela SlaCkwator dams were completed
1t was the same with freight. There was too
often low water in the river. too many tran
shipments, too slow a carriage, and the cons,-
qucncc - that the receipt aud shipment of
goods here has been greater than on formc,
ycass, before this slackwater was made al.
though the weather of 1911 > was warm and
favorable TO that improvement
This winter il rather AN anu ,uallv cold
one; though not more 50, than We might.
PcThapseNpcct every other year, and the water
above the dams on the Monohgahela being
without CurTent, irolc sooner than il woulJ
had 1t been ic.i irce--scyeral partial brcakagcs
OF the ice have followed and il has been
thrown by thousands OF tons on the dams and
INTO the locks, to such an extent as to rrnd,
II probable that the navigation viii not b.
opened until about the middle of May next
We are confirmed ~ ,his opinion 10y the fol
lowing adyestlso msnt which we find I'm the
Pittsburgh Commercial Journal, of the 10Th
inst. IN which il i, stated that tie steamboats,
IN that river will commence running on the
TWELFTH OFMAY.
SPEED AND COMFORT,