Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-20
The Ohio River, and it's Capacity for I'M
provemsnt by Reservoirs.
MEMOIR OF CHARLES E1.LEr, CIVIL ENGINEER

MEMOIR OF CHARLES ELtET, CIVIL ENGINEER.
The unequal distribution of its volume of water
in different seasons the year is the only efficient
obstruction to the complete and absolute superior
lily of the Ohio river, as a channel of commerce,
over all Others in the world either natural or arti
fetal The Nile, the Ganges, the Danube, and
even the Missouri, the Mississippi, and Amazon,
have in other respects greater obstacles to their
uniform navigation than has the Ohio. But it
must be admitted that in large part of the year
the Ohio reduced so low that its numerous sand
shoals nearly destroy its navigation. Could we
equalize It's waters, so that we could always have
at least SIX feet in depth, we should have natu-
raj cana! which no known river can surpass, and
Whose capacity would far exceed that of any rail-
roads which can be constructed; for steam, the
great locomotive energy, can be used a rlver of
such magnitude with hundred fold the effect
that it can be on railroad. Nor would such in
creased power of the Ohio river at all diminish the
value and utility of railroads; but, on the con-
trary, would greatly augment their business. 1t is
the Ohio river which, by the creation of alluvial
lands, and by its great axial channel of commerce,
increases the magnitude of the valley cities, and
this furnishes the movement and the transit lines
of those cities. The question then arises, wheth-
er the equalization of alter can be accomplished?
If so, can it be done at n moderate cost? Both
these questions must be answered in the affrna-
tive; and so cheaply can this great work be done,
that if it is not done posterity will be stonished
at the stupidity of their ancestors. The demon
stration of this has been made by Mr.. ELLEr, in
his report, complete that if the work be never
done this memoir nj least will remain n monument
to the genious and labors of its author, and to the
skill of American engineers. We have not seen
from the pen of the many accomplished engineers
and we have many-n our country anything
which better illustrates our superiority in this de-
pattment of science. Our readers may perhaps
be interested in brief sketch OF the principal fea-
lures of the Ohio river, and analysis of Mr. Ell
let's plan for reservoirs.
The length of the Ohio is stated by Mr.. Ellet TO
be 975 miles. We have in our possession calcu-
lation of its length made from the original SURVEYS
by which lis length appears To be not over 900
miles; and we feel assured that many of the dis
tances from point 10 point put down i'll the ordl-
nary pllo; charts are by M means long as they
are represented. The distance from Louisville TO
Cincinnati, and the distance from Pittsburgh to
Marietta, are, we believe, commonly called much
greater than they really are, However, the OHIO
may safely be called more than 900 miles in length
Its course IS nearly southweSt the plane of its de-
scent lncllning toward the ocean, well as toward
the Mississippi.
The sources of the Ohio, near Chatauque LAX,
CN.Y are 1900 feet above tiGewater, and 100
feet above Lake Erie. a very short canal would
there turn the waters of the Ohio into Lake Erie.
If the bottom OF the lake were continued to the
Ohio horizontally, it would inersect the river be-
low Marietta, that all the Ohio above that point
is above the level Of Lake Erie
AT Condesport (Penn.) the highest springs OF the
Ohio are 1,649 feet above tide water. At the
same point the summit level of the Allegheny
ridge is 1899 feet, or $50 feet higher.
MIR. Ellet has furnished complete profile OF the
slopes of the Ohio and its principal tributaries. 1t
may be interesting to some OF our readers 10 know
the levels and deScents Of the Ohio river at differ
cnt points. The following are the levels of the
Ohio above tidewater at the principal places: