New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-20
THE OHIO RIVER.

GREAT CITIES ON ITS BANKS.
To the Ediior Of Thc Trfonme.
SIR: The credit Of the discovery OF the
Timer Ohio "a probably due La Sae There is an In.
terya in tho life of that intrepid explorer between tho
years 16c9 and l6n, In which his career ID
but obscurey traced but his admirers claim
that, during this interval, no visited the
region Of Onondaga, New-York, where, obtaining an
Indian guide passed to branch OF the Ohio ana
threading lis course to the main aluent he descended
ms far at least as the Falls Of tho Ohio below Louisville
when, his guide deserving hun, he was compelled "
retrace his alone. On the earliest maps inc ONO
Is called the uabOukgOu-corrupted into Ouabache
(Wabash)-the meaning Of which Is unknown but this
name is now applied to Of its principal tributaries
which traycrses, in south-westerly direction, nearly
the whole State OF Indiana. Tho early French
yoyageurs called tho Ohio "La Belle Riviere -
The Beautiful River. Tho name Ohio, accord
ing to Ueckewalder, tho Moravlan missionary
derived from the Indian word OhOpekbanne, sgniyns
q very white stream, In reference TO the whiIe cape
which diversity Its usually placid surface when rnhed
by strong Wind but subsequent explorers tound IL coh
yeneBt to drop the three ultimate syabes for ease OF
recommendations 1t Is, indeed, beautiful stream; not
that its waters are pure and crystake but the Hills
which border the intervals have rounded Outline ana
are covered with forest verdure diversified as NJ
once to arrest tho attention OF the tourist Ine area
of its basin less than square miles, ana the
first settlement of English extraction upoS this basin
was made within tho memory Of living men.
Since then there has been q development cs material
wealth In this region unsurpassed IN the previous
annals Of the human race. The great cities OF lts-
burgh, Cincinnati. and Louisville have been founded
upon its banks, and o restless, energetic people
have established homes upon its reinotest trio-
utaries In the early days of coloniAtionS inc
Ohio was the great artery OF COMMUNICATION
with tho outside world. During the Winter, fatosts
ato1 hn
principal tributaries and the 10y fecters
we're unIoosed they launched aud loased
and, svaiNng Themselves OF the Spring frosS-
cts, pursued thei. way to the dlst9nt
market Of Ntw-Oreanc. This, indeed, was She only
market In che Of time came railroads. which
have wrought an entire Change In the commerce Of the
country AID rendered Ito navigation Of the Ohio OF
secondary Importance least far relates to pas
sengsr movement and Of those articles which possess
concentrated value. Eighty years OK settlement haVe,
Also essentially changed the character OF the river ise
the it's feeders become dsrobed OF their
forests and drained fol- the purposes OF
cultivation, the Spring freshets carry or at once the
superabundant watesrs and there succeed long
intervals In which tho navigation OF the main
is practically suspended. Old residents upon ts
banks wonder why IL no longer moves with nearly
eQuable Gow mystic rous power is apparently operat
ing TO change me In fact trees with their leafy
canopy only oonden the floating vapors. causing
them descend in fert zing showers, but they rctard
circulation Of the lOsphere and consequently pre-
vent evaporation Swan ps nothing moro than great
sponges placed ut the he IDS OF streams and capable OF
absorbing largo bodies a water, slowly to be given off,
Now, whom you fell the and drain the swamps
river basin the river tse II will longer with
nearly equabls food. An such Is the with the
Ohio.
Tho hydraulics OF this lare given by Humphreys
and Abbot, in their graat work the Physics Of the
Valley; and that may not lay myself under
It's navigation, will oonhen their statements. Tho
Ohio formed by the Junction OF the Nonougsheia and
Ale shany miles III length With The exception Of
the Falls at Louisville where 1T desoends &c feet in
three miles, 1t flows throughout its. entire
with gentle current- Its bars, particularly in
81 dds; ard thi, fact Is memorable to eyery
who, like myself, has been "stI.ck" upon those
of French Island and Soufletown ,pids. Its range
between and high water IS about 80 feet Its least
depth on the bars, from tho mouth to Padu
cah is about SO feet thence to louisville, is feet
thence to Cincinnati 20feet and thcnoc TO- Wheeling
foot Nv early recolcotons of the navigation Of this
stream, before the days of the Telegraph, these
The captain of q steamer lifted to "heavy
dew" would moor his craft on the river bank and plant
slng at the shore line and watch the rising OF tho
waters determine whether 1t safe TO proceed.
This shngle formed in fact. barometer. and rise Of
two inches dased JOY among the passengers. prelude
OF what to come. The Nilometer Is not moro In
tenty watched by the dusky Egyptian, than that
shinge by US, o fair haired race
In February, the breaking up OF the Winter, tho
first rise usually occurs which 10 or Is feet greater
than any other The Spring about 25 feet
ut the mouth and high water continues for six weeks
e and ia due to the summer rains and lasts at Cairo
three four weeks, and one or two weeks NJ Louisville.
which, however. d not to be depended upon the river
Z always low IN October = at time when
gust September it is only nayigabis tor boats Of 10
times remains frozen for month TIE usual succession
OF stages Is ihis January, river frozen February,
falls somewhat June, rises again; july, falls aud is,
low August. is very low September. low; Octo-
Der, very low; November rises; pecember. well up.
These facts, compiled by the Typographical Bureau.
show that. between The Summers drouth and the Win
in which the Ohio 10 navgable for coalbarees drawing
feet of water To remedy these defects several
plans have been suggested Long ago. Mr. Elet. an
gneer Of considerable reputation proposed TO construct
streams, in which to collect the surplus water, and
dole 1t out as necessity might require but
this plan has never been seriously entertained. Tho
Government from time to time has made appropriations
for the improvement Of It's navigation, and the plan
adopted has been to put In wing dams at the head Of tho
formidable bars, and thereby deepen the current
but this has proved mere Ioakeshift the effect being
merely to tear out the loose sands at point
and enable them 70 accumulate In another.
AS alleomprehensiye measure 1t has been proposed
10 s t the entire , yer and 70, have
which such plan would infct upon the farming lands
the banks OF stream subject to such great
q cOnyOcatiOn Of Pittsburgh steamboat sOlemnly
solved the will not Exceed that VI the
ton Of the Union Pacific Railroad. Mr.. Elles plan OF
constructing reservoirs would cost <G000O0O and Col.
Hanks s42OOooO. Now this is all very pleasant TO
template, ii that Uncle Sam ready
foot the bills but there is power behind the throne
and That power Is the people. They have moro than
once evinced disposition not to mako appropriations
which shall solely to particular distrct aud tho
expense Of the permanent Improvement OF the naviga
ton OF the Ohio apprchend, will dey0lye its bor-
dering States.
The cost OF transportation in flood time the Ohio.
Tor bulky articles IKE coal iaden IN Darges Is far less
Transportation reaches cent and third per tun per
mile river transportation Is less than three mills per
tun per mile Unfortunately has been shown,
long intervals during Which navigation Is practically