Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-12-16
Improvement Of the ohio.

of immense value as agents for the promo 4
ton of material improvement, cannot be n
denied--it is certainthat to the people Of IA
the valleys of the navigable rivers Of the
continent, no railway or system Of railways Z
can approach, in the number and impor-
lance of the benefits which it confers, TO I
those that accrue from the use ofthe streams
themselves, as the avenues of commerce.
With fair means to try the experiment the
people of Cinncinnati are convinced that the .
Iriver is thing with which they cannot af-
ford to dispense. An unusual or protrac-
ted stoppage to its navigation, is. a period
of almost universal suffering. All kinds
[of business droop, and a general languor
peryades all tsbranches. Industry is sus-
pended; the poor. ARE thrown out Of en-
lployment; business men fail OF the means
Ito meet their obligations; bankruptcies
multiply, and general paral, sis prevails.
Itappears to be the general opinion that
as the country is more fully opened, and
1.-THE valleys of the Ohio and its tributaries
are divested Of their forests, the river will
become less and less reliable for purposes
of navigation ywhile, with the increase of
agricultural and manufacturing production.
incidentto Tie opening Of the country, and
the consequent enlargement Of its popula-
ton, the necessity for its services win be
! growing annually greater. If this is true.
/, there is presented state Of facts for our
e contemplation not a little discouraging;
and at such time, when the pressure
growing out of want Of sufficient water
T for safe navigation is severely felt, tits not
improperto attract a little attention to the
8 inquiry: Are there any means by which
Q a remedy against such serious disadvanta-
's ges may be provided? Can the Ohio river
d be SO improved as to increase its reliability
le for navigable purposes?
!, Various schemes have been devised by
:, different persons, for the improvement Of
:. the Ohio. One of these, which has not
Il been wanting in friends, is the plano LOCKS
y AND DAMs-the advocates Of which pro-
!. pose to construct about fifty dams across
: the river, to increase the depth of the wa.
:. ter, and to place two locks in each dam, tc
II II overcome the distractions created by the
- dams themselves.
~ y, The difficulties, delays and expenses in
!. !. cident to the use Of such lockage as, for |
g g. part Of the year. those navigating the Ohi'
~ are obliged now to employ, would seen
~ y, to admonish the public to avoid, as far a
ns possible, the multiplication Of this species
w. Of construction. And when it is remem
-. 49, bered that, unlike the case at Louisville
=, ~. the creation Of the dams and locks woul,
nS render it necessary to use them at all sta
of |ges ofthe river, and that they would almoa
~, inevitably limit the navigable capacity q
~ ~, point less than the public requirement
" it becomes quite doubtful whether tn
of adoption of plan laid down above woul
,Ui ~ not result in a loss instead Of gain.
III The other plan, and one which, we cor
nD u fess, looks to us the most feasible by far
20 ~. the TWO, is to form reservoirs on the trib,
nad ~, taries OF the river, in which water will |
'0o M collected when the drainage Of the coul
w u, try is in excess, and from which the char
"aO NV mel will be supplied when the navigate
;.a .' fails, in times Of drought. Mr.. Charl,
s..s, E. s..s.:s. .as s@issH: @ Gsl SAS {,
~ ~ the following terms:
r, "Instead Of building dams to obstru
''eu 81 the navigation of the Ohio, and locks
e a. overcome the artificial distractions occ
,ar1 nse stoned by the dams, and reservoirs in t
ny mountains, from which to o-supply the poe
!. ~ ~ with water, propose to form the reservoi
Ds ~ in the first instance, and to supply the riv
: itself from them, at once, and dispense Q
l.. - tirely with locks and dams. 1t will requi
,4La hs0 much less water to supply the river in
:lei natural condition, than will be needed
I'M supply it after its chaunel has been Q
structed by leaky dams, and a wider s,
NM face has been exposed to the sun and q
= ~ and the evaporation thereby increased"
ds q Having gone somewhat extensively il
+ n comparative review of the Two years,
tohla Ellet sums up the case as follows:
a;ral I High dams in the mountains will 70
IN deep lakes in the rock-bound gorg
Guy These lakes will be filed with cold wa
in the winter and spring. This water ,
90 retain its coolness until it is needed for
80 navigation, and then gush forth in refre
IS ing torrents, which will temper the he
80 of midsummer on the immediate bord
70 of the river.
44 The locks and dams will destroy
34 navigation of the river when it is in the |
'3q condition, and impair the healthfulness
,m u. its shores when they are the least salu
700 Gus. @
~ The reservoirs in the mountains will
.ao .no prove the navigation when it most ne
200 200 improvement, give motion to the r
suo when its waters are stagnant supply
3oo cities on its banks with more wholes
700 beverage, and wash out. as far as Fl
'oI water can do that work, the causes Of
aol leria. .l.
50S / object, therefore, to locks and dam
votes the Ohio. ! object to them because
New river can be improved BY plan than
New leave its channel unimpaired and unobst
otes as ted; which will improve the navigatic
COM its tributaries, while it improves that Of
lepen- river itself; which will tend to diminish
. third height and destruction produced by
lation. foods, while It increases the depth Of
n that channel in seasons Of drought. W
Louis will create immense water power in
more mountains, without destroying the v
IT than power near the river. Which will DC
popu- healthful current Of cool water into
(, Gin channel from the reservoirs in the m
num- tains, instead Of converting its Il
much sireann into nutrid pools. Which cal