The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-04-01

part of the 4vsrIshoss % one Of IL Rttshurr
packets, built aimee the erection Of the bridge
and finds that headway OF 40 feet would be- ne
ccssnry TO let her pass freely on such flood. On
the other hand tho builders Of the bridge took into
consideration the height Of 4chmneys usual upon
that part OF the river when they began their work.
As among two three hundred boat, they found
only one or two with chimnoys exceeding 60 feet
in height, and those not 60 requiring moro than so
feet OF vertical space If they were right in that
conclusion, tho views Of the commissioner in other
Particular would lead decision that this "beau-
tiful and beneficial structure should stand without
alteration.
But the people OF Pittsburg. having recently set
anoat few boats with chimncys about SO feet high;
have undertaken 70 prove that such chiifineys are
necessary for successful navigation, and that Whist
sance. The various prstences on which they were
alleged TO be ncccssary, all silently discarded
by the commissioners. Gas they were by the COM
relates to the draft II chimneys. on tSis subject
tho testimony IL very voluminolu and elAbosats,
The commissioner appears to w to have shrunk
from its careful examination. or TO have boon pre-
vented by his restricted time" and the want of
the aid of counsel. He does not touch the main
points of thequestion clearly. Hearriyes, however.
at the conclusion, that the higher chimneys sford
have need Of all the DRAFT they now possess. We
find nothing in his report that avoids the force Of
the view thus summarily presented BY tho CON-
mittee: tt.e
- ACCORDING 10 the IOtmula already hAuO0O VOs
one Of the scientific witnesses for the eomplaiaonfs
has calculated that by adding 20 feet 70 the height
OF chimney already 80 feet high, Tor rather less
than 90 feet, measuring ffomthe water its draught
would be augmented BY six per cent. ss
But il this gain be actually six per cent and could
be obtained by no other means. tits clearly demon
strated, by another Of the comYsGinantS scientific
witnesses, that the addition thereby made 70 the
power Of the boat will be In les ratio, and that
this again would augment her speed at compare
tive rate extremely slow that II could scarcely
journey in one of the Ohio river steamboats,
that makes no allowance for the additional resist
ance occasioned by higher chimneys"
4 This imperccptible advantage 70 q few boats,
be hereafter built, the hin partition which 'di.
vidcs the conclusion Of the commiasiOncs, that the
bridge il construction" from tho opposite con-
structure should BE- taken down and another erect
ed % feet higher, with inconvcnicpt approaches,
and with some doubt, apparently entertained BY
the commissioner himself, whether such work
would Withstand "the action of violent gales of
wind" The alteration would cost, according to
the official engineers estimates, $208 697; or, by
modification Of the plan, $l56,243, without incud-
to pass over a bridge hung in the air higher than
the houses in the city, and so feet higher than
the island on which one end Oft rests; and to i'm
pose perpetual tax on the trade and travel equal
in addition TO the former expenditure Of over
$500, 900 In bridging the Ohio at that place. these
are the remedies for the construction" already de-
scribed. ft2i4 ~ n
To this sketch Of the report we shall only add
that il 10 quite apparent that the alteration suggest
ed would never be made, and that either the pre-
sent structure must stand or there will be no
bridge. Whether tho authority Of Virginia, al tho
sovereign of the Ohio, will avail to protect H. or
whether the simple statement Of the facts will not
be deemed ample protection, will be known only
when the Supreme Court shall have rendered its
decision. The commissioners report il but part Of
the information which the court itself IL TO de-
tcrmne the cause f2; At 81
Leaving, without further remark, the merits Of
the case as one for judicial cogniz,nce, cannot
refrain from observing that the defendants have
been subjected to peculiar hardship They had ex
pended their entire capital, and nearly completed
their splendid work, before any complaint was
made to them, though their plan was publicly
known, and especially to the Pttsburg boatmen.
They had engaged in novel undertaking, and So
lected the first plan for bridging the Ohio at their
peril. They erected It at elevation Of fifty feet
greater than that OF several bridges the mouths
Of tho Allegheny and Monongahela, at Pittsburg.
They constructed single arch Of 900 feet span,
without pier in the channcl-a feature which tho
cornmssi0ner regards MS giving this the advantage
all other plans for bridging the Ohio. IT, after
such extraordinary efforts relieve the navigation,
their property should be destroyed and their hopes
blasted, they will suffer tndeserved calamity 10
crafty, we doubt not, more malice than honest
gard for the rights Of navigation.