The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-30
OHIO RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

suits. A large meeting composed OIL
the most prominent business men in
the city was held on Tuesday evening.
Speeches were made by several steam
boatmen, coal merchants, and others,
and the following resolutions were
adopted:
Rss2lcel, That it is the sense Of this
meeting that our commerce and general
trade are suffering from the neglect OF
our general Government to either I'M
prove or assist in improving IN an Ell,
ieclual manner our great NATIONAL
highway, the Ohio river.
Rssolrsd, That we as citizens pledge
ourselves TO use our best efforts to have
this long neglected public highway SO
improved "a to accomplish the great end
designed by Providence in it's creation.
Resolysd, That under the oppressive
measures embodied in the present
steamboat law the interests oil our
commerce are likely to be embarrassed
aud our citizens taxed to an amount IN
the way OF additional freight charges,
Jar beyond what the Government should
impose upon any community, and that
the Laws as il now stands will fail to in
sure the preservation OF life as 1t pro-
poses to DO therefore,
Resoircl. That We, as citizens, call
upon TIE Hon. J. S. Negley, ). X.
Moorhead and j. S. Graham, through
committee appointed by the chair, to
procure the necessary aid from Congress
TO improve the Ohio river, and also to
aid in getting the repeal of the present
obnoxious steamboat laws, passed IN
haste by the late Congress, and to use
their united efforts to prevail on Con-
gress to throw open free 10 aHthe Louis
vile canal, request that cannot justly
I've viewed as unreasonable.
The interests of the CITY Of Wheeling
and indeed OF all the citi,s and towns
on the banks of the Ohio are identical
with those OF Pittsburgh in this matter.
Only few years ago the steamboat
interest in this city was second to that
Of no other department Of trade. Our
boat builders were kept busy and our
machine shops did annually large
amount of steamboat work. Every
branch OF trade felt the Influence Of the
river business and many thousands Of
dollars were earned in river commerce.
Now, the river trade has dwindled to
comparative insignificance, boat build
ing has almost ceased, and the machine
shops have been compelled 10 abandon
the building OF steamboat engines and
machinery. This change is not all,
nor indeed to any great extent, attribu-
table to the greater prevalence OF
railroad transportation now than a
few years ago. There are many towns
along the Ohio river that have no rail-
road connection whatever and whose
only avenue OF trade is the same it was
twenty years ago, that have made no
progress whatever in growth and com
mercial importance and some Of them
have actually refrigerated. The un.
wise and unnecessary restrictions that
have been put upon steamboat building
and river navigation have driven many
capitalists from the business. A steam
boat can scarcely be built nowadays
without some violation OF law, and by
the time the Loaf is loaded down with
all the patent 'jimcracks required by
act of Congress she can carry very
little else. Beside which, the stage OF
water in the river has been less
reliable during the past ten
years than at any former period. Men
cannot afford to invest capital in boats
that are liable to remain idle during
seven or eight months in year, and
the rates they are compelled to charge
for this spasmodic trade, are such as to
destroy the trade itself. But, an i'm
provement in the channel Of the Ohio
that will furnish a reliable stage Of
water at all seasons Of the year would
put new life and activity into these
towns and largely increase the business
OF the cities from which they draw
their supplies, and would encourage
bodybuilding and all its attendant in
dustries. With such an improvement,
river transportation CT heavy articles
to long distances may be furnished at a
much cheaper rate than the railroads
are compelled to charge, and there can
be no doubt that an abundance Of pro-
ftatle business would be found for all
the boats that would be built, equipped,
and put into the trade.
Now will not our people join hands
with their Pittsburgh brethren in urg-
ing this matter upon the attention Of
Congress, and persevere in the effort
until a sufficient appropriation be OBJ
tanned? The work should be done at
national expense. This great national
highway has been neglected while less
msritorious claimants have been the