The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-05-03
Improvement of the Western Rivers.

"
Mr.. Charles Elicit, Jr., has written an interest
ing letter to the Philadelphia North American on
the subject Of improving the Western rivers, and
has suggested several new and original ideas. He
thinks little good has been done as yet, except by
the removal OF snags and stones:
The navigation of the great rivers of the West is
not 10 be perfected by any system that has yet been
pracfised either by the separate States or by the
General Government. The wing dams that have
been used to contract the channels can rarely add
more than a few inches to their natural depth,
while that advantage is often compensated by the
greater Inconvenience which these works involve
when the river rises above its summer height.
Locks and dams occasion delay at all times, and
are found by experience TO be exceedingly perni-
ciOus in a fair stage of water.
He says that in order to make the Western rivers
permanently available it is necessary to have
steady and plentiful supply Of mater. To effect
this he proposes the construction of artificial lakes
These rivers generally dry up in summer, to
such an extent that navigation is almost entirely
suspended. But an ample supply is furnished dur
ing the winter and spring, and annually discharged
in destructive floods.
To improve the navigation properly, we must
collect this wasted water in the mountain valleys,
during the seasons Of over abundance, and dis
charge it into the streams in the summer, when
their sources begin to fall. We must dam up the
mountain gorges and form lakes during the melt
ing of the SHOWS, and drain them oil again when
the summer drought prevails. As we harvest in
the summer and store away the crops for winters
consumption, We must collect the rains in the win
ter and use the surplus water in the summer.
Just supply the deficiency of our naviga-
BILE canals, must we supply that of our naviga-
BILE rivers-by the provision of ample reservoirs.
Mr.. Elicit then proceeds to illustrate his general
views by some remarks on the proper method of
improving the navigation Of the Ohio
The character of the Ohio and the topography of
its sources, present the means of providing an am
pie depth of water for the movement OF steamers of
any desirable draught, and the constant transpor
tation of commerce of any magnitude, that the
necessities of society can create For this purpose
considerable lakes must be formed on streams bav-.
ing moderate descent, running through wide val
leys where dams of reasonable height will flood
an of some miles in length and breadth, and
collect the waters of a district.
The Ohio, throughout its course, is subject to
frequent and sudden changes of the depth of its
channel; ranging from less than one foot in the
dryest months of summer, to thirty, and sometimes
sixty feet in height during the winter and spring
treshes.
The Ohio in the upper part of its course will not
average at low water more than eight hundred or
one thousand feet in width. Its length, from Pitts
burg to its confluence with the Mississippi, is nearly
1000 miles, or about 100000 of feet To raise
the surface of the water foot throughout .ffe
whole course of this river, will, then, require a
volume equal to one thousand times five millions
that is, five thousand millions-of cuDic feet
A reservoir capable of holding and furnishing
supply sufficient for this purpose-that is, for rails
ing the whole surface of the river at mid summer
one toot-would be about two miles long, one mile
wide and one hundred feet deep-which is Ger.
tainly a very nconsiderable lake.
depth of fue feet ought 10 be furnished-sufh-
Gent to permit the great steamers OF the lower Mis-
sissipp to bring their passengers and freight at all
seasons, without breaking bulk, from New Orleans
to Pittsburg. And this is the improvement, and
nothing less than this, which is demanded by the
existing commerce of the country. In course OF
time still greater depth will be advisable and will
be provided. But five feet is needed now.
When there is depth of five feet in the channel
of the Ohio, the surface velocity of its current is
about three miles per hour. 1t will probably ave-
rage TO- 600 feet per hour for uniform depth of five
feet and uniform width of 1000 feet.
These elements-which are not obtained from
extensive surveys, but from some measurements
and much observation-give for the discharge OF
the river at that stage about 5000O000 cubic feet
per hour.
To keep up the depth of five feet in the channel
we must then obtain the means of supplying very
nearly this quantity of water-say fifty millions of
cubic feet per hour.
reservoir two miles long and one mile wide
will contain more than fifty millions OF cubic feet
for each foot in depth. Therefore, to supply the
quantity of water which is required to maintain
constant depth of five feet, such a reservoir must
be drawn down at the rate of twelve inches per
hour, "a feet per diem; and If 1t be l2o feet deep,
must be exhausted in fUe days.
Reservoirs have been formed and used for many
years in the canals of Europe, more than 10 feet
deep; and there are points on the affluens OF the
Allegheny, Monongahela and kanawha, where
dams of that height could be constructed for two
or three hundred thousand dollars that would flood
anEpIu tan
water enough to maintain the navigation oil the
Ohio for period of several weeks.
Blu, if we assume that these reservoirs are formed
on smaller streams and cover areas OF but two or
three square miles each, there will be needed about
twenty in all to maintain the navigation one Hmm
dred DAYS at the assumed height of five feet. This
is rather more than the usual period OF extreme
drought and the creation of twenty such reser-
voirs may therefore represent the work OF procuring
such navigation.
As 10 the cost, he says:
The cost of reservoir in mountainous districts,
where land is of little value, is but the cost OF the
dam for retaining the water and that OF pipes for
drawing it off. The cost of the dam depends al
most entirely on the formation of the site. But it
will be often practicable TO select points where
short dam may close mp narrow gorge and flood
valley and tributary valleys of great extent. Ii
these positions be well chosen such dams may
often be built for S200, 900 each, some four mil
lions of dollars for the twenty that would be needed
I for the permanent supply of the river.
The plan, however, would include the improve
ment of all the affluens of the large rivers:
But it is not only for the improvement of the
Ohio itself that this plan is recommended. The
bordering Sates or Incorporated companies acting
under their authority, have already expended large
| sums on the great tributaries and secondary
branches of this noble river. These local improve
will all participate iii the benefits OF the gem
eral Man. The reservoirs will be placed on the
aflluents of the Allegheny and Monongahela., in
Pennsylvania; on those of the Kanawha in FIr-
| GINA, the Muskingnm in Ohio, and perhaps the
| Wabash in Indiana. The water drawn from the
artificial lakes will supply the branches before it
reaches their stem. Steamers will be able 10 ira
verse the Allegheny perhaps even into New York,
ascend the Nlonongahela with full freight at all
seasons, and the Great Kanawlia almost to the
| mouth of the Gauley.
In conclusion, he glances at the general benefits,
independent of navigation, which would accrue
| from such a system of improvements: