The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-05-20
obstruefIng 1he ionic.

OnlOs Inc committee Wa5 HPPS>%-r@
by meeting held on the list instr 10
assist in perfecting measures to pre-
vent the obstruction of navigation Of
the Ohio by the erection of short.span
bridges"
The committee, Impressed with the
Iincalculable importance TO the people
Of the valley of The Ohio, OF the free
navigation OF the river, earnestly urge
that prompt action be had In allthe
river cities and towns, to the end that
| such influence may be brought to bear
upon Congress, as will secure the pass
age of law that will prevent any
State OF States, bordering on the river,
from giving privileges to any man or
men, that will, for all time, interfere
materially with the use of this great
The circular is accompanied by a
statement signed by fifty-eight western
river pilots wherein they declare:
It would be difficult and dangerous
to navigate large and heavily laden
boats, and boats with lows of
barges, between the piers of a bridge
having span of only three hundred
feet between the piers over the channel,
even though the bridge was built at
right angles to the current, and the
piers in d line with the current. While
this danger and obstruction at low
stage of the river would be compare
tivelysm il would,b increased with
the rise of water in the river, until at a
stage of twenty feet and upwards,
when the heavy bushes, especially in
| in towing, is done, it would be very Sc
rious. We regard it as clear to the
mind of any sensible river man and
navigator, that the placing of i've or
six piers within the banks of our mar
1 f,,n. q q
at the piers, create "cross currents" anu
.'eddies" dangerous to navigation.
The water above the piers will be high
| er than below, and the force OF the cur
rent materially increased, varying oil
cOurs Sc with the stage OF water: 10 De
reasonably safe, the length OF the span
should be live hundred ieet.
We have also accompanying resolu-
lions OF the Board of Underwriters of
Cincinnati, declaring that;
a bridge built across the Ohio river
between the cities of Cincinnati and
Newport, KY, with piers in the river
three hundred feet apart, would prove u
serious and dangerous obstruction tothe
navigation of the river; and all Under
writers, in Justice 10 their stockholdersI
win be Obliged 10 charge increased
| rites Tor tho Insurance OF property pass
| ing these piers. IT is the judgment of
the members of this Board, that where
bridges are built over the Ohio river
in order TO leave the navigation of the
river reasonably safe, there should be
IL main span over the channel not less
than live hundred feet long"
This declaration OF the Board is con.
CURED in by all the local insurance
companies of Cincinnati, and by the
agents OF ten or dozen foreign compa-
Mes.
Touching the merits of this question,
as affecting the Upper Ohio, the Wells
burg Herald hns the following COM
ments:
The matter OF obslructing navigation
on the Ohio river by the numerous
bridges that are in process of construc-
ton, and especially by the construc-
ton OF one at Cincinnati, of 5000 feet
spun between the piers, is exciting
considerable discussion among parties
| Interested. a large public meeting
was held at Pittsburgh on Monday af-
ternoOn, on call of the Mayor; and at
tended by some of the principal BUSH
| ness men of the city, to demonstrate
against such distractions, and resOlu-
| lulions were adopted memorIalizing
| Congress to Interfere TO prevent them.
| a large meeting OF the river men at
| CluClunullH Snort llInB ago, uiSO duOpl-
| ed similar resolutions. They complain
that navigation Is seriously interlered
with already by the Steubenvllle
bridge, and that every additional one
will make it woIse. Five hun
dred feet span Is the closest possible
that they can approve OF, and then
they want the piers built with particu-
lar reference to the draft of the current.
There is no doubt about il, but that
this is Il matter of very grent impor-
| lance and well worthy of the attention
| OF all the Inhabitants of the Ohio Val
| ley. The Government is even now
| spending large sums to Improve nHvi-
cation by removing snags and sand
bars, and it seems folly TO allow rail-
road companies, for their own adYnn-
tage, to inilict new impediments. The
uninterrupted navigation of the river
is one of The public's natural rights,
| and II is the business of Congress TO
protect the public. This section OF
county between Wheeling and Pitts
burgh, owing 10 the coal which must
ind It's way TO market by the river, is
greatly interested in unimpeded navi-
CATION. The coal trade IS now inn
mense and annually increasing, and
some day will bo an oyersbadowiDg
interest. Our Congressman, If the
matter come up, will doubtless consid-
or the case, and vote against all
avoidable distractions TO free naviga-
| ton from this time ont, out and espe-
cially, against narrow spans at Gin
cinnati.
This is n subject in which all our Cit
liens, in whatever business, have a
deep interest. Their wishes respecting
4 it ought to be made known TO our rep
resentatives in Congress. Probably
the best way to do this would be by
some action of the Board of Trade. II
has been suggested that a meeting of
the Board be held and that an express
sion of its views, which will undoubt-
edly reflect the interests of the city, DO
forwarded 10 our Representative, Mr..
Hubbard, to be by Kim laid before the
appropriate committee of Congress.
We trust the suggestion will be at once
adopted and action taken accordingly.
IL ~S>--
THE Chicago correspondent OF the
Pittsburgh Gazette, to whom that pa
per refers as ~ gentleman who has
i access to the most confidential councils
a of the party, and whose judgment com
}. mands the confidence of his friends: -
has this TO say touching Fessenden and
Trumbun:
Residents of Illinois do not apnear IN
II have that exalted estimate OF Trnm.
bulls immaCulateness which oblains
9 in certain circles elsewhere. Nor do
: gentlemen who are here from Maine and
is Washington give such accounts of Fes.
IS sender as TO sustain the presumption
of Innocence sought to DO raised bN
Is his eXtennatorS from his reputation
Is The fact seems to ba that tbaSo ~,