Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-11

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THE WHEELING BRIDGE.ruE Ono IT'S CoM-
.rScE:hc litigation b.t%rcr lie citizens Of Wheeling and
t:osc hostile ;hs suspension bridge across The OHIO has
,er the means ccitin5 much valuable information. E.-
Chancellor Wlwo.ln who appointed by the L. 5. SIT
p;u:ra Court commissioner 10 .akc Testimony on e Issue
whether hiide did dc not o5sruc: he navigation ~
I: has made long report Oh the suesc' and fo:n
;;a sparc4 with tnc account ri tie bridge published by I
E tho engineer c enabled gather all the facts
srnal /, proper understanding Of the question We find
sm embodied in an ar,i. i1 he Cncnrt Gazette which
rather nes against tho alteration IN the present Wheeling
bridge:
The length OF tho bridge from centre O! Ic sup
ru;s towers end i 0l0 feet. ADD the height Of the
10 bring elevation IS 81 feet above the low wa
Ter surface di The river.
ni- i mar the eastern shore from which th roadway &C.
scrut7 towards the wrscrn sh1re-whce !! Il o. taoc's
the s..nc suJiace-a IN angie of 2 degrees. Tie nshc=
.e+!e! known at this point on the river wa In !5y3
whe ii feet ABOVE its lowest level There SUN
height, therefore, to pesn;i! Steamboat "iti ius %
lee, above III. wa,s pass the top OF tc iioot ui 73
This, il all,ccd in :c' sufficient The testimony taken
bv the Inrg shows HAT increase in the height Of
c,ncs by increasing hr DRAFT, increases the speed aoI
modern bull: boats therefore, carry ehinnirs OF giyantir
propofti3,s Tie ica, heights OF some u the steamboat
cnimnics ray be sees, in the following examples
Buckeye State, (pacE.t,) -
Keystone State, do. ~
Cincinnati, do ca J.!
The passage way cf the Wheeling Suspension Bridge
Is
the Keystone State would strike her chmncs when the
water was above fifteen feet and the Cincinnati when the
above eight fret.
The average stage of water is stated In the following Ia
bic made up from twelve years observations at Wheeling
nsvs in which IN. water Is above Is feet AN
DAYS above 10 feet, ~
DAYS water above s feet, lJ3
DAYS in which water is at extreme height, 81
DAYS i'm which the is extreme low water, l.:
|! thus appears that The Ohio is in good naviga5Ie order
than thirds OF The yclr, and that II Is III lta sH
IRENE nj high and los only fire days in the veal
There ~ daysat Wheeling, in watch tho water is either
below frozen 1t ~ from these ilcs that Ihr
Gazette claims that the Ps5urs packets would toe incou-
nodrd but trips in the wear. Mr.. Wll%Urth however,
pronouncrs the project of lowering the cmneys when pass
ing under the bridge difficult, If not mpraccablc.
The flooring ut the bridge must therefore &c e:vac1
twenty eight feet ABOVE tn. highest point Of the present
bridge feet above the elevation Of the bridge AT
the abutuI-nl," eastern SIDE To give
eighty Roadway the usual high floods of the Onio
ESTIMATED Of sos g00 When this sum !s rs-
pended the aggregate cast vii exceed tine estimates
made by Capt Sajers &. engineer Tor the construction
of bridge In the SANE lo:,on for The national road.
The Gazette concludes lis artic!r ~ f.lo"s:
10 sec something ut trade Convenience which re-
cures fridge take the following statement o. the rat-
c which passed Wheeling bridge during Efteen days only
viz: 37 travellers horseback; 1886 travellers oot; iJs
one h-t 93l hors 90 three hosse 2li four horse -
tive horse ad six horse Wagons 5 horned cattle and oJS
hogs
Ii this average be continued f,f year, there would be
27O 600 pIrFcn!cs pass, 10000 Wagons, 70 900 cattle aud
$1,000 hogs. This immense traffic, nd exhibits the
great convenience commerce ITSELF Of bridge owe: the
Ohio al that poil. Al, least