The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-12-23
Tho River between Plttsburgh and
KheellnE.

Wheeling.
We madea q mistake yesterday in fixing
the estimate Of cost for thirteen dams
sufficient to maintain six feet Of water In
the river between this city and Pitts
burgh, at $l300O,OOO. We find, on re-
terring TO the report Of MAJOR MERRILL
Of the Engineer Corps Of the United
States Army, that the estimate Of cost ID
only about 100000. This estimate In,
cludes dams at the following points, viz
Just below Horsetail Ripple (about
miles below Plttsburgh) a dam Of 1900
feet between Duft's and Merrlman (St
miles below one of 1000 feet; below the
Trap Qsi miles from Plttsburgh) one oil
1900 feet; below Deadman's Island (15t
miles from Plttsburgh) ono Of 1900 feet;
at Crow Island (el miles from Pittsburgh
one Of 1850 feet; below Montgomery
Island 1891 miles from Pittsburgh) one Of
1000 feet; a mile below Georgetown
leland, one Of 1900 feet just below
Bakers Island, one of 1850 feet; q mile
and half below Blacks Island, one Of
loo feet; a mile above steubenyille 9
bridge, one Of 1000 feet; at Cox bar, one
OF 1850 feet; at head Of Pike Island, one
OF 100 feet; at Wheeling, one OF 1000
feet, plus 800 feet"
In all, the report includes 1880 feet
oI dams between Pittsburgh and Wheel
ing, giving an average length to each Of
1913 feet.
We learn from Captain McLuRE that
the Commissioners at their recent session
recommended 10 Congress, as an expert
ment, an appropriation oI $1,000 for q
lock and dam on the French method al
Horsetail Ripple The French method
has been tried on the rivers Seine, Youne,
Marne, Meuse, and other French rivers,
and Is success. The system in vogue
there is known as the CHANo1NE method.
1t consists OF wicket, which, when in
position, is solid frame Of timber about
81 feet wide and 10 fee. high, sloping
down stream, and supported behind by a
hesvy iron prop and q small iron horse.
The horse is hinged 10 the wicket and 10
the floor. The prop turns on the upper
axle OF the horse, as docs also tho wicket.
The latter Is not fastened 10 the floor ex.
cept by the horse, and can swing around
the upper axle OF the latter when not
held down by the pressure OF the water.
A series Of such frames or panels makes
the dam. The intervals between the
frames are about two inches, and il il is
necessary to make the dam tight, these
intervals can be covered. Usually the
waste through them will be less than the
discharge OF the river, and therefore the
level OF the pool will not fall below tho
top0 OF the wickets.
The dam is thrown down by means OF
long iron bar laid on top Of the mAso.
ry.base, extending from one shore to the
other, and armed with projections or
shoulders. BY moving this rod a few
teet, which is done from the abutment by
proper gearing, the feet oI the props are
tripped successfully, aud the wickets fall
into shallow recess where they arc be.
low the reach OF passing boats. The
river is then IN its natural condition, Of
ieting no obstacle 10 boats nor to the
passage ot floods. In tho naviga BILE
pass nothing projects higher than 3 feet
below low.water line. On the weir the
height of masonry is usually abou! 20
inches above low water.
The wickcts are raised iu succession by
the use Of boat which works across the
stream. II has q shesve in its bow, and q
geared drum near the stern. The first
wicket is raised by the boat being so
placed that its bow projects beyond the
abutment half the width of a wicket.
The hoistiDg rope has boat-hook tasten.
ed to lis outer end. The man at the bow
hooks the bost-hook over D handle at
the lower end OF the wicket, and the
other man then winds up the rope. The
wicket is thus raised, pulling up with it
the horse and the prop. When the horse
is at its proper elevation the prop drops
into position. Tho wicket is still nearly
horizontal, and if it Is let 60 1t will retain
an inclined position with the water ruRh-
ing under it. A slight push on its lower
end brings 1t against the sill, and the
water pressure holds it in place. After
one wicket is raised the boat Is pushed
out the width oil wicket, supporting
itself partly against the abutment and
paNly against the wicket first raised.
This operation is continued until all the
wickets are in place.
HARD TINES AND THEIR OAusE. The
Industrial BUlIetin says the hard times
are attributable to the extraordinary in
J,,,,:.I .aun1n1iaa 10 Eonlon1 xyhioh