The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-02

From the Cincinnati Gazette, April 70.
The Ohio Rvsr-Ih nagaisuas, Csrrsas, and ipfu-
ssce.
The late rapid rise in the Ohio, and its sweeping cur
rent. hurrying on 10 the gulf below, suggests some
thoughts upon the magnitude and influence OF this pow
erful stream. We have dwelt much OF late upon rail-
ways, steamships. and the really wonderful machinery
which man has made TO improve the facilities and increase
the power OF society Let us turn for moment to one
OF the great machines OF Naturea canal made BY Ma
lures God. The Ohio river 49, in round numbers. 900
miles in length. AT low water il is $50 yards broad
Cincinnati At high water il will average 100 wards The
difference in level between high and low water will ayer
age about 40 feet To ascertain them the INCREASE
WATER between high and low water, we have tube 900
miles long, whose section is els yards average breadth,
by 40 feet 10 height Reducing the measures TO feet
have $50 900 900 cubic feet OF one rise
To form accurate Idea OF what this bulk
s take the Miami canal as unit OF comparison. This
incna1 OF water on the Ohio would Gil the Miami canal
fourier, hundred hmesi But the Miami canal is three
hundred miles in length and the canal made by this food
n the Ohio would therefore be four hundred and penfy
thousand miles an kngh or nearly twice the distance TO
the moon Again. the circumference OF the earth being
IS 900 miles, this new canal would 20 round sixteen
planets like earth But this does not
express The velocity and force OF the cuRREsT-one Of
the most important features in the great rivers OF the
West AT high water the Ohio out with current
al least four miles hour In one hour them four miles
OF the tube Of water contained in the Ohio passes Main
street, Cincinnati Taking the same standard Of compar
son, amount OF water equal TO what is contained in
500 miles OF the Miami casal (sx times It's whole
lengthy passes Cincinnati, at each hour OF high waier
Such comparisons as these enable TO zee how far
beyond the mghtest works OF man is the common
est and simplest machinery in the hydraulics OF creation
The effects oil this machinery the OF the
people who live in the Ohio valley almost remark
able. II 10 supposed by masy that the artificial rivers
las railways are very properly caed) may divert trade
from the natural canals, and carry routes This
10 mistake. Railways simply afford facilities TO carry
persons and produce TO and from the OF the great
rivers and seas OF the earth They have no power to
do more.
The numerous canals Of Holland never did more than
act as highways OF the people to the natural seats
Of commerce The coasts OF the great western rivers
like the coasts OF the ocean. steamboat at Cincinnati
has thirty thousand miles Of coast within her reach with
out touching the On she may 20 till empires
have passed within her viewtl she has gathered, in
turn, the ice of the arccs and the fruits OF the tropics
The State OF Ohio Ia raversed, north and south, by
prices s towards the north and the lake Yet these
uhcia works have been 80 lar from dverng any trade
from the Ohio valley and the Ohio rver that has con-
tnuay increased the trade OF the valley by increasing
the facilities In some articessuch "a The produce OF
Lousiana-he trade has extended from the Ohio valley
10 the very shores OF the lakes st - s5
When we add to these commercial advantages the nm
mense and almost incacuable amount OF vegetable de-
poses carried down by the stream, and ferlzinG oil the
bottom lands, shall have OF comprehend
ing the influence Of the Ohio river in enrichog and magn
Tying the country through which passes Iis annual
to the jewellers in the valley which ARTIFICIAL machin.
cry can equal, and II lost no art could saPply.
Great cities may be, and often are, built FAR from the
in The interior OF continents but they cannot exist
far from navieabe The Ohio river Of those
mighty channels for the ougo Of the land products,
whose duty and destiny wss hxed in the dawn OF
ton, and will survive the nohlest and most enduring
works Of man, which. last ere in comparison bat fa
and Perishabls E 2 e ne'lq ,se.s iaaio g6.af go