The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-03
MONDAY.:JAN. 8, 1875.
RIVER ISpRovEMESs.-The Pitts

RIVER 1SPRovEMENrs.-The Plts-
burgh TseTapk Of Friday evening last
contains long report Of the meeting at
the Chamber Of Commerce rooms, that
morning to hear speech from Col. Mer-
rill, 10. S. Engineer. in explanation Of
the plans proposed for tho improvement
Of Ohio river navigation. There were
two different interests represented in the
meeting, those Of the coal men and those
Of promiscuous shippers. Tho former op.
pose the system Of adjustable dams pro-
posed by Col. Merrill and Others as tending
to retard navigation and make it ex'
pensiye. They want an open river, free
from all distractions. On the other hand,
Col. Merrill read from reports and sta
tistics to show how these proposed dams
operated in the river siene, and other
rivers in France, where they had been in
use for years, where they had been
thoroughly tested, and where they
withstood all injury from floods
or ice. They are intended only
for use when there is insufficient
water in the river, and can be "Ihrown
down" fiat, us the term is;when the river
isup. They are intended TO make the
river nayigable all the year round, save
when It is frozen over, and it is estimated
they would not enhance the cost Of ship
ping coal to Cincinnati more than half q
cent per bushel. There are to be IA OF
these dams between Pittsburgh and
Wheeling, 10 between Wheeling and
Parkersburg, and 40 between Pittsburgh
and Cincinnati. These locks, or dams
and locks, will admit a feet Of nine boats.
Each lock will have five wickets, and can
be filled in Eve minutes. Colonel Mcr-
rill's idea is that the tow.boats used will
be screw-propellers.
There we're number OF questions ask
ed Col. Merrill by the coal men present.
One by Capt. Horner, as follows:
Admitting that all you have said is
true, will the method cheaper transport
tation. The railroads propose to carry
freight from Philadelphia to 81. Louis
for twenty.one cents per hundred, and
the lowest it was ever carried on the
river is twenty-five cents. How is it go
ing to cheaper it, when, with the free
river, it costs twenty-five cents per hun
dred2
Col. Merrill-Well, if you have the
river all the year round, you could carry
1t cheaper. You could afford to do SO,
because you have now to charge TO make
up for what you lose when you have no
water. You may say you do not do SO,
but you must do il, in order to make your
profits.
ness is all gone. The railroads have ta-
ken 1t all.
Col. Merrill-Wcll, sir, what of the
iron business?
Capt. Homer said he did not believe
that the iron could be carried rs cheaply
as by railroad.
Mr.. McCreery-Will. the gentleman
tell what the railroads charge from Pitts
burgh to St. Louis? There is a mighty
difference between the rates from Phila.
delphia to St. Louis. (Cheers.)
Capt. Horner-I was going TO refer to
that, and add, would It not be better for
the Government to give the appropria-
ton to the railroads, and let them carry
the freight, or to build one, rather than
obstruct the coal navigation interests?
In addition to the above, there was n
) good deal Of questioning and answering
among those present. Mr.. Brunot was
one of the principal speakers, next to Col
Merrill, and he contended that "thcre
was not one particle OF ground for the oh.
jections used by the coal men against Col.
Merrill's plan" He said:
awe want the river orerday and day
out, so that any man who has money
enough to build a small priced towboat
can 60 into It. [Cheers.l Any man who
has not less than 100000, or half mil
lion, had better not go into it. now. II
you have constant navigation you will
never have sixty barges at lock, because
tits continuous business Of S65 days"
: A resolution was carried through the
meeting Opposed by the coal men .Gener-
ally endorsing the movement for an I'M
provement Of the river navigation, but
notin favor of any particular plan.