Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-10-10

Of the Senate Of the U. s.,
to whom was referred the memorial
Of Charles Ellet, asking an approPri-
atioE Of funds to be applied to the
of the navigation Of the
Ohio river. The plan proposed
BY Mr.. EIIet is thus stated by the
Committee:
He alleges, truly, that the naviga-
ton of the Ohio. and that of many
other rivers flowing into the Missis-
sippi, is always good when the chan
mel is well supplied with water; and
that it is often interrupted, and some
times for very long periods, by a
greater or less deficiency ol the natu-
raj supply of water. He proposes.
therefore, to correct the faults OF
the navigation simply by furnishing
water to the river in times OF drouth;
and this he maintains can be easily
and cheaply accomplished, by con-
structine extensive reservoirs on the
tributary streams, in which an am
pie store may be collected at times
of food, and from which it may be
discharged by appropriate sluices
and valves whenever it is needed TO
renlenish the falling channel.
The questions which the report
discusses are, the quantity oi water
which is necessary to be supplied 10
maintain it at height required for
navigation during he ordinary
drouths of summer for a given
length of time; and where this water
can be collected and stored in suffi-
cient quantities to supply the de-
mand. On the first Of these points
the committee referred to facts pre-
sented by Mr.. Ellet, obtained by ac'
tual survey and measurement of the
water at Wheeling. The report
says:
The facts obtained from these
measurements he has carefully ap'
piled to authentic records Of the dai-
iy height OF the water in the channel
at Wheeling, so as to determine the
number Of cubic feet which flowed
past that point. day by day. through
a period of six consecutive years.
The result Of this inquiry demon
strate that the volume Of water
which is annually discharged by the
river would be sufficient, if it passed
off uniformly, to maintain constant
depth of nine feet on the Wheeling
bar. The fact is thus established,
that there is abundance OF water sup
piled by nature TO secure perma-
nent navigation on this river, if il be
in the power of man TO control, or
only partially to control, and regu-
late its discharge. But a depth OF
nine feet is not at all necessary for
the present wants Of the navigation.
II depth of only three feet can be
permanently secured by this pro-
cess, it will in the opinion of your
committee, dilfiuse wider and greater
benefits over a large portion Of the
west than any other work of pub
lie improvement which has ever been
suggested. The attention Of the
committee was therefore earnestly
directed to that point. A depth Of
three feet is sufficint for the move
ment of boats of 100, or even $50
tons; and that depth, constantly
maintained in the Ohio, would effec.
tually protect the country against
exorbitant freights, and any serious
obstruction of travel.
The committee learn, from the
observations made by Mr.. Ellet at
Wheeling, that when there is depth
of three feet on the bar at that place,
the river discharges daily volume
of four hundred millions of cubic feet.
But they also fihd, on the authority
of the same measurements, that
about one half of this quantity is ac-
tually supplied by the natural flow
of the river during the ordinary low
water of summer, tor it very rarely
happens that the depth falls below
% inches at Wheeling: and when
there are % inches on the bar, there
are, in round numbers, 200,000,000
OF cubic ieet flowing over the bar in
every twenty-four hours.
The difference between the dis
charge OF the river when the depth
is % inches and the discharge when
it is Sc inches, is thus found, by care
ful gauging on the spot, TO be 200,-
600, 900 cubic feet per diem. This
is, therefore, the volume which must
be drawn from the artificial store in
order to main tain the navigation for
one day so as TO permit the passage
Of boats three feet draught; and 10 up
hold this depth for one Deek, there
must be provided not less than l.