The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-09
The improvement Ofthe MOHOn-
gnhcln between SlOTgnntOWII
AMI l'nlrnIOnt.

NuN = NAl "tU"t
II may not be generally known that
Congress recently made an appropriation
for survey between MorgantOwn and
Fairmont, with view to providing slack
water navigation. A few days ago the
survey, under charge Of Capt. T. P. Rob
erts and six assistants. was completed,
and reception was given to the engineers
at the Continental Hotel at Fairmont, ut
which Capt. Roberts made some interest
ing remarks to those present, from which
we make the following extracts:
"About thirty-Gvc years ago my father,
W, Mclnor Roberts, superintendent the
Improvement Of the Monongaliela from
Pittsburgh to Brownsville as the com.
pnny's Chief Engineer. ! recollecL hear
Ing him say that upon the occasion Of the
opening Of the slackwaler navigation, he
proplcsied that before thirty years would
pass by the demand for coal in the South
ern cities along the Ohio and Mississippi
TO the Gull would be so great that at
least fifteen million bushels Of It would lie
shipped annually from the pools above
Pittsburgh. In those days wood was the
sole reliance for steamers, etc, and the
supply was thought to DO lneShanstiblc,
and Pittsburgh coal was in little demand
below the "SmOky City" His prophecy
was ridicuIed BY some, but the facts
showed that instead Of fifteen million
bushels being shipped from the Monon-
rahcla Valley, in 1870 the quantity was
nearly ninety million bushels.
Gentlemen, propose to follow in my
fathers footsteps and attempt u prophecy
also, and il IL not so hard now IN the light
Of experience, which is this That in less
than twenty years the shipment Of coal
from the MOnOngahela Valley will exceed
$50, 100000 bushels per Annum., Already
there are engaged in the trade one humid
red and twenty-five stanch steam tow.
boats and lhreethousand bntges and boats,
forming an aggregate Of 800. 900 tonnage,
owned in rittsbnrgli-a tonnage greater
than all the rest nnoat in the Mississippi
Valley from the Gulf to the Lakes
greater even than the combined tonnage
Of New York and Boston, our great mari
time centres,
Already in the pools below The present
head Of navigation there are 10000
miners at wOrk--the hills in some places
being more populous underneath than
they are on The surface. ltis the
superiority Of the MonongNhela coal over
nli other bituminods coal in the world
that makes This demand. NOcity can eS-
rect to grow hereafter in the West nm
less its capital is largely invested in
manufacturing, and unless the fuel Is
plenty and cheap they cannot presume to
compete with points near the coal fields.
The price Of coal, like any other bulky
article entering into general use, Is re.
gunlCd very much by the cost Of trans
portation. Ordinarily on our best con
strucled railroads the cost amounts TO one
cent per ton per mile for low priced com.
modilies like coal, but 80 great is the
capacity Of the coal barges which you
Marion county people build, and which
we Pittsbutghers ill, that three train
loads are emptied into one boat, and then
ten boats ate hitched together, making
hiriv train loads, and away they go with
out any wear and tear Of the track, cost
Of right oiway, station agents, or diyi-
bends on mortgage bonds. The result IL
that the river coal is shipped to New
Orleans for less than une-tenth the cost it
would be byrail. Coal, in fact, would be
worth as much as wheat per bushel after
II travcrsed 1000 miles Of railroad,
Already the Government has partly
provided iot the extension OF slackwaier
10 Morganiown, and am happy to assure
you that our reconnaissance has developed
no serious obstacle in the way for its fur
Their extension. Atleast shall certain
" in my report to Col. Merrill, Of the u.
s. Engineer Corps, who has general