The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-27
The Wheeling Bridge.
10 Me Elitor of he Republic:

To he Eiitor Of The Republic:
My attention has been called TO a communica ton
in your paper of the oath instant, headed ''Thc
Wheeling Bridge" bearing date at Wheeling
April 10Th, and signed by Jacob G.. Metcalf, John
l.. Newly, and Others. The publication Of this
card in several of the newspapers Of this city, at
this particular time, while proposition is pending
before a committee of Congress 10 legali=e the
bridge at it's present elevation after it has been ad
judged by the Supreme Court Of the United States
TO be an obstruction TO navigation, and therefore
nuisance, seems to impose upon me, as one of the
Representatives Of State deeply interested, the
necessity Of brief reply
Your correspondents say chat there is now
great flood in tho Ohio river, and the greatest that
has occurred for twenty years; and that they have
this moment Witnessed the passage under the
Wheeling bridge Of the tallest boat on The Ohio
river - the Cincinnati the boat solcctod by
Chancellor Walworth TO guide the court in adjust.
ing the height Of the bridge. That the boat stopped
at the Wheeling wharf, and during the few min
ucs she remained there GrreiD back h,r chimneys
and then pAstcd under The bridge, having space
still to spnrc Of eleven feet" They therefore con.
cludc that "tbe bridge is no nuisance" and chat
the court must have been in some way mised."
wish to say briefly, in reply, that IL was main
ly because oil the Necessity imposed on steamers Of
Iuoioing back oiDaing their chimneys, involving
serious Diet niion, expense and great hazard Of life
that Cbaucel or Walworth, after n most laborious
examination, running through period Of several
months rep 'rted the bridge to be an obstruction TO
navigation aud that his report after argument by
counsel OF eminent ability on both sidcs, wss sus-
tanned by the court-six judges ooncurring and
only two desc ntpg
"Chancclor Walworth says great nun bcr of
witnesses were examined on both sides in reference
TO the question whether the prOctfs Of lotcng such
ChimnCys nrc carried upon the Pittsburgh and
Cincinnati packets and others OF the largest class of
boats which naygatc the Water Of the Ohio s
not attended with injury To the chifnncye delay
to the boats and danger TO the limits and lives Of
passengers OF Of the officers and crew. 50 far as
the quest on dopend- upon opinion merely, there IL
very great conflict in the testimony of the wit.
NOSES Bot wncn examine the facts testified
60 by .hcm think there j. a decided prcpoI,dc-
rance Of tcetimoUy in favor of The aliirma.
tive Of Tho question. Even with the smaller
aud shorter Chimncys the boats which pass
through the Louisville and Portland Canal
who're Tie boats proceed very slowly, and lower
ana raise their chimneys at leisure, accidents
frequently occur 20 the cb,mncys, though from
the nature Of the navigation through the canal, the
process 81 raising ana lowering docs not produce
90 much delay there in ordinary cases. ~ is easy
20 perceive that II the four, five, six rings let
doHn upon boats that pass the canal should fall
and break IRON their hinges, heg sometimes DO,
the lives OF The passengers and crow, or some of
them, would necessarily bc cndan gcrcd
The very elevated we'll as large chinncys
us'd upon the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati packets
and other boats Of that class (aud which in an
other place he says the teachings Of experience as
well ne tue deductions OF science have shown TO be
ncccssary) cannot certainly, with any facility or
safety, be lowered by hinges at the tops. They
arc, therefore, obliged TO lower them at the hurrf
cane deck, by the means Of u derrick. The weight
of the parts If the two chnneys which rnust be- lei
down upon these large boats, is cstimBtcd 10y the
witnesses 10 be from hrce 20 Jur tons. This cnor.
NOUS weight hanging over the cabin or rather
over tho bcrtis OF passengers in the procrs5 of
lowering, would probably prove disastrous in tle
extreme, IT, by any accident. the chimucys should
come down by the ron; which s very likely to &C.
cur, from the carclcfsness or stupidity " tha green
hands that the owners and officers Of western boats
arc 30 often obliged 10 employ.
"The danger OF lowering chimucys 70 pass the
Wheeling bridge, in passing down The ryor, is
very much increased by the velocity OF the current