The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-08-18

last evening indicated about the same
stage In the channel that they did tho
preceding evening, viz: three feet,
three inches. At Pittsburgh the river
commenced to rise Monday after the
report Of that day was sent, and yes
terday'there were twenty inches In the
channel and stationary:
The Arrowllne passed up for Steu-
benvllle. We believe she was the only
steamer visible here, yesterday, OUT
side the regular packets.
The Louisville Courier. Journal OF
Monday says:
Some time lu 1867, General Godfrey
WellEel was commissioned by the U.
8. Government TO make u survey
around the falls OF the Ohio at this
point, with q view 10 the improvement
OF navigation, either by constructing q
canal on the Indiana side OF the river,
or enlarging the old Louisville and
Portland canal. The survey was care
fully made, and In his report General
Weil2el recommended, 10 view Of the
enormous expense that u new canal
would neceSSilatO, the widening Of the
present canal, and the construction Of q
dam above the falls, as u deFnier resort
In securing depth Of water sufficient
to accommodate navigation here
~ all seasons OF the year. This
report was approved by General
Humphreys, the head 0fthe Englneers'
Department, and by him submitted to
Congress. II finally received the Sane.
ton OF that body also, and OF the g., 000,.
600 appropriated for the improvement
OF the Western rivers, The sum needed
to carry out Gen. Weitzeps plan was
set apart. The foregoing facts are well
known 10 our citizens and 10 the people
Of the whole country, and 1t ID equally
we'll known that Gen. WeiiZel has per.
severed In the work, from It's inception
down 10 the present moment, with u
jealous and unWeafled devotion to bis
high trust very rarely shown by the
men ofthls day, especially those In the
service OF the Government. But II IL
not, we believe, generally known that
the hRtbor improvements are now act.
ually In progress. On Thursday last
the work was inRugurated In earnest
by Shipley & Lawyer, the contractors
for building the crib or apron attach.
ment 10 the old canal and the dam ex.
tending across 10 the Indiana shore,
The point OF beginning the work 10 at
the old pler-head OF the canal, where
the present crib 10 10 be heightened 9
feet. From that point, A,crIb or apron
for the protection Of boats Ia the
harbor will be carried on straight
line up stream for q distance Of
! I'm fnEt nhAnN
street. The wall OF this crib IL to
be six feet high, above the river bed.
Between this crib and the landing the
rock Is 10 be removed to.a depth or six
feet below low water mark. This will
give the Intervening harbor an average
width OF $50 feet. AT q point $50 feet
from the pier-head the dam proper will
commence, and extend across TO the
Indiana shore, With an opening Of $50
feet In The Indiana chute Tor the passage
Of boats and other craft during low
water. The dam or crib work will be
constructed Ia two lines OF heavy tlm-
Der filled In with stone. It's average
height will be ieet-Sh at the highest,
and feet a. the shallowest point--Hf.
fordIDg u uniform depth OF 8 feet Of
water In the canal at the lowest stage
OF the river. The main dam will be
from s to 10 feet Wide, the front TO be
sheet-piled by u double row OF plank,
the top covered by heavy A.inch oak
plank, and the bottom strlngeEs bolted
10 the rOck,b bed with heavy Iron. In
word, the whole structure will be put
up In the most skillIul and durable
manner, the plans and specifications
having been designed by engineers or
the highest ability, under the eye OF
Gen. Weitzel himself, who Is without a
superior In this species Of engineering,
and the contractors being men OF thor
ough practice and unqnestionable in
tegrity. II IL estimated that the cost OF
the main dam will be $4,000, and
Of the connecting crib and re.
moval OF the river bed $4,000
The contractors are only required to
work 10 time OF low water, bnt they
have u large force OF men to push the
enterprise forward, and 1t Is expected
TO be fully completed during next sea.
son. When the proper estimates shall
have been made out, noe many days
hence, we are informed, the work upon
the canal will be commenced. The
contract for portion OF this work, at
the head OF the canal has been awards
ed TO Mr.. NJ. p. Wood, OF this city.
Under the plans adopted the canal will
be made ITO feet wide from the pier
head TO the new guard.gate, and thence
down to the new locks ninety feet wide,
This gives an additional width OF thirty
feet, the canal at present being sixty
feet Wide, and will afford easy passage
TO boats OF the largest class all the year
round, desideratum Ut once to be
coveted and appreciated. In the way
OF appropriations, all has been granted
that the magnitude Of these improve.
ments demands, and Gen. WeitZel has
received from Washington ample
means TO keep the work In active pro.
gress. Surely this should rejoice our
people. In another year or Two they
will have the finest harbor on the con-
tinent. When that lie secured, nothing
human can wrest from our grasp the
scepter OF commercial authority over
the entire valley Of the Ohio.
The Cincinnati Commercial of yester-
day says:
Capt. D. NJ. Dryden. started down the
river yesterday morning, with the Unl-
ted States snag boat Zebra, and will
commence the work Of removing snags
and other obstructions between here
and Louisville. Capt. Dryden's long
experience as q boatman and pllot-46
years-fully qualities him for the ardu.
Gus task before him. .T,. -
We have already mentioned the fact
OF the Helen Brooks, steamer OF only
10 tons burthen, leaving Baltimore for
voyage round the country. She goes
10 New York, up the river to ALBANY,
where she enters the canal, and takes
the lake at Buffalo. From thence she
proceeds to Lake Michigan, enters
Green Bay, and comes down the st,
Ctolx River TO the Mississippi, and will
pass 81. Louis on her way South.
Wetake the following from the Ca
settle. Of the same date:
A zanesville dispatch says The Mus.
kingum river Ia lower than at any time
this season. The Carrie Brooks has
been compelled to Law up Tor want OF
water. Tie steamer Julia No, els laid
up at Evansville. undergoing repairs
for the fall trade.
WAppAnr ppov,,,pn V.Ia