The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-08
For the Southern Press.
wheeling Bridge.
WHEELING, May /, 1852.

MRssRs EpfTORs "A most abusive article
has been published in the Pittsburgh CONNER
cial Journal, charging US with having msst ated
the facts touching the passage OF the steamer
"Cincinnau" under the Wheeling bridge on
the 10Th of April AS the editor OF the Journal
asks the republication OF his defamatory charges
in the Washington newspapers, together with
the affidavit of Captain GRUcE OF the brilliant"
it is due to us, and it is due to the facts, to
make the following additional statements
What we asserte in our communication OF
the 10Th ultimo was precisely true. While the
water was higher than it had been for twenty
years before, the steamer Cincinnati, the tallest
boat on the Ohio, passed under the Wheeling
bridge, without detention, by merely lowering
its chimnies This is the essential fact, going
to prove that the bridge offers no substantial
obstruction to the navigation.
1t is true, however, as asserted by the JOurn
al, that after our letter was mailed, the water
rose still mOre--and obtained a level some eight
or ten feet higher than it has been since 1882.
On the evening of the Goth, when the river had
reached within few riches Of it's highest mark,
the steamer "Briant" came into port, ont Of
fuel, and lay by in place of comparative safe
ty, to avoid the dangers Of the flood. This boat
is not rugged for lowering its chimnies, except
ing six rings at the top. But she need not have
stopped on account of the bridge, even though
her chimnes could not be lowered There was
a most ample depth Of water entirely across
Wheeling Island, where any one of the packets
could have run in safety, with its chimnies
standing.
| The "Messenger" and the "Buck Eye" both
of which are as large, or larger, packets than
the brilliant" passed under the bridge in the
day time, while the Brilliant lay here pretend
| ing to be INSTRUCTED. The "Buck Eye" and the
messenger" both lowered their chimnies in
order to pass 1t is not pretended by US that any
of the scow Pittsburgh boats, which are known
to carry chmnes of immense height, can pass
under the bridge on such flood as this, with
out lowering them for the purpose
| But, neither the "Buck Eye" nor the "Mes-
senger" were detained one moment by the
bridge, although at the time Trey passed under
| it, the water was six or seven feet higher than
| it has been seen before for twenty years. 1t
was, in fact, three or four feet higher than when
the Cincinnati passed-though it was ever then
higher flood than had occurred for twenty
years.
| We will not engage further, in this unbecom-
| ing controversy, if we can avoid it. But we
will say, in conclusion, that il is strange com
mentary upon the perversty and malice OF hui
man nature, to see the Pittsburgh editors, Just
after witnessing a flood which has ruined the
crops all along tho valley of the Ohio; which
has swept away the homes Of many suffering
people which drove hundreds of the citizens of
Pittsburgh out oftheir houses, into the churches
and back to the hills for safety; which in some
instances carried entire families to watery
grave-to see these editors, forgetful Of all this
devasta ton, return at once to their cruel war
fare against an enterprising rival town, that
never did them any harm, but seeks by honora-
BILE effort to secure its own prosperity.
Your obedient servants,
JOHN L. NEWLY,
JACOB G. METCALF,
w. III. POWELL,
S. RICE.