New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-22
IMPROVING THE OHIO.

ago The general features OF MS pan arc W P'o'
vast reservoirs of water in the large aluens Vi Vno
river so as to hold in store the surplus waters Oh tue
raipv seasons to be used required during the dry
seasons or low stages of water in such quantities as
NAV he from time to time required to keep the river
In q Dayigable condition the year round
nv series of careful scientific observations, ex-
tS; tbronOb six years from 1S43 to 1S4S inclusive,
tbe volume of water discharged by the ONO at
TUbling was ascerained for every day of each year
Also the amount of water necessary to keep the river
in a payigable condition during the whole year.
These reservoirs were to be so constructed as not
only 70 supply the deficiency of water in the ONO
but also to make the tributaries themselves na"s"-
BILE. and thus subserve a double purpose
The correctness of Mr.. Ellets views founded upon
his long and patient investigation aud experiments
as detailed in his learned paper read DeIoIe tho
Smithsonian Institute in 1S49 entitled Coh'IIou-
tons TO knowledge" can scarcely be aouO'eu oy any
intelligent mind; nor is it doubtful IL ne nad hoI
fallen in his country's service during the late war;
that he would long before this time have secured at
least faithful experiment of his great plan Its
GREAT Importance deserves the most candid eXamina-
ton
Mature has prepared the Ohio river and exca-
waited for it a channel capacious enough for the
largest steamers. its bed has been admirably
adjusted that no locks are needed to overcome its
fall except at Louisville 1t is abundantly supplied
with water from the clouds to keep it of sufficient
depth the year round for all the purposes of COM
neroe. The only thing required is to equalize this
supply and keep in store the surplus to make up the
deficiencies of the volume of water in the dry sea-
sons 1t is truly wonderful careful analysis of
the tables accurately furnished by MIR. Ellet, to
notice the fact that, though the river falls
below the nayigable point many times during
the year. yet that scarcely for single month
during six years from 1S4S to 1SiS inclusive the
volume of water insufficient had it been distributed
equally during the month, to have kept up good
navigable condition of the river and to learn also
that the aggregate volume of water, necessary to
supply the deficit and keep the river up to the nayi-
gable stage, may be stored up by few dams, con-
structed at uncomfortable expense, in the noun
famous regions of tine upper tributaries without
damage to private interests; and that so far as the
Allegheny Rivers concerned the dams constructed
for this purpose would make this noble
stream navigable from Pittsburgh to Olean, for
steamboats, and barges throughout the year
The surplus waters Of this great tributary beyond
what would be required for its own slack-water
navigation. would suffice TO furnish the complement
necessary for the uninterrupted navigation OF the
Upper Ohio. The Cheat River seems TO have been
designed for this very object of furnishing vast
reservoirs for storing up its surplus waters. Above
ITS confluence with the Monongahela it is wild,
rapid stream having high PERCEPTIONS banks, between
which, by the construction of few DAMS an i'm
mense quantity of water would be accumulated, to
be drained Off as required, into the Ohio In the first
d miles, above the Monongahela the Cheat River
has fall of COO feet.
Reservoirs could be constructed in the Little
Kanawha, above BulltOwn; in the Sciota and Mus
kingum and other tributaries, for the same purpose
which could be filed and emptied the exIgencies
of the Ohio might from time to time require
The Great Kanawha alone would suffice, with its
surplus waters, for the uninterrupted navigation of
the Ohio, below Point Pleasant. This noble stream
tpours ont sometimes volume of water nearly equal
20 that of the Ohio itself. Above the mouth of
iGaulay River where il takes the name of the New
River it IS for many miles, 1t breaks through the
mountains one continued series of falls and rapids,
with high PERCEPTIONS banks ranging from 100 to 700
feet in hight Along this portion of the river few
locks and dams could be constructed at moderate
expense. which would store up vast quantities Of
water for the use Of the Ohio, and which would also
form part of the slack water navigation of the
great watcrline through Virginia, from the Chesa-
peake to the Ohio
N The whole quantity of water discharged by the
!, Ohio River in lS4S was sufficient to have maintained
upon the Wheeling bar a Uniform depth of $500
feet nearly feet more than necessary for steamers
drawing feet. The quantity discharged in 1917
would have given constant depth on the Wheeling
larof 10 $40 feet in 1876 in like manner depth of
g 221OO feet in 1915. like manner, depth of
800 feet in 1874, in like manner depth of
72jl 600 feet; in 1913, in like manner, depth of
o 73-1OO feet. This would give a constant depth OF
water on the Wheeling bar for six consecutive years,
from 1913 to 1913, inclusive could the water have
been equalized, of s 5000. nearly double the
volume needed to keep good steamboat navigation
during that whole period
This is a most important showing, drawn from
facts given by the careful daily experiments made
by Gen. Eet during that period, the correctness of
which, for all practical purposes, cannot be ques-
4ioned. With these facts in view, the Ohio River is
not that despieable stream which the cynical Ran
dOlph would have think il TO be- but it discharges
most abundant amount of water and requires only
the hand of man to make it subseIve the purposes of
q grand channel of commerce sufficient to float the
tunnage of the world.
The annual average discharge of water in the Ohio,
for the years above given, was in round numbers
S. 100000 cubic feet, and the average daily DIS
charge for the same time 2 900 cubic feet. This
daily discharge would have kept depth Of water,
The year round on the Wheeling bar Of S9lOO feet
Now, the difference between this daily discharge,
multiplied by the number OF days during which the
water too low for navigation, and the aggregate
quantity discharged during such low stages Of water
would give the quantity necessary TO be stored in
reservoirs in order to keep the in navigable
condition.
The capability Of the upper large afiuents Of the
Ohio TO furnish sites fortIe construction of capacious
reservoirs has already been alluded TO- Mr.. Ellet
saws 1T is sufficient to say here that the navigation
may be permanently upheld, free from all obstruc-
ton from ice or drouth 10y the construction of few
dams across its tributary streams, and
providing these dams with locks for the
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