The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-03
Improvement OF the Ohio River.


short communication this morning Ia re.
gard TO what was done at the meeting Of
the Ohio River Improvement commis.
Bioners at Pittsburgh on Thursday. They
took the necessary steps looking to the
construction Ofa lock and dam Eve miles
below Pittsburgh, which are to be the
first Of a series Of such improvements all
the way down to Louisville, In case this
one proves, as no doubt II will, an entire
success. We say no doubt because the
principle Is not new or untried, but has
proved successful In Europe. The pres.
ent dam il intended to afford a sup.
ply Of water At Pittsburgh in time
Of low water, aud thus form a
roOmy BASIN for the tonnage laid up
at that port As soon as IL Is
completed other dams between Pittsburgh
and Wheeling will at once be undertsk.
en-, and in few years the whole river
will be made navigable at all seasons Of
the year when not frozen over. Al
the recent Pittsburgh meeting Geo II.
ThurstOn, on behalf Of the Executive
Committee submitted report as to what
had been done in securing proper lcgisla.
ton from the State OF Pennsylyania Tor
the Inauguration OF the work that Is to
render the Ohio river a great national
highway. In the course Of hi4 report to
the Board he made the following re.
marks:
"After some four years Of waiting and
working you stand ready TO witness the
frat work in the system Of improvement
which will, we trust, in some form or 9th.
er, render the Ohio the great highway,
not only OF national foreign commerce,
but Of domestic interchanges. Al the
present lime this domestic commerce OF
the towns apl cities Of the Ohio is stated
blythe Senate Committee on TranspOrta-
ton at 81 ,Gi7 900 0OO-nearly double The
whole foreign commerce Of the United
Slates.n
There has been no little opposition and
delay experienced from the coal men,
who have at no time looked with favor
on the proposed system Of improvements,
notwithstanding the fact that the system
is to be adjusted with reference to a ford.
ing them iaciliIieS for shipping all the
year round. Upon this point the report
remarks as follows:
"While the coal interest is an item in
the husnrS' Of Pittsburgh Of several mil.
lions in value, ii is hut u small portion
OF the entire coal trade OF the district,
and yet more so in comparison with tue
whole coal interests Of this city and
Western Pennsylvania. It has no doubt
seemed somewhat singular to you that
the abandonment Of system OF improve.
ments endorsed by the best engineering
skill Of the Government should be in.
sisted upon BY the representatives Of Il
mere local trade, when that improvement
was called for by nation, not district"
The report contends strongly for ample
appropriations from Congress to carry
forward lhe3e proposed improvements Of
the Ohio. It sets forth that from 1868 to
1873 the seven Ohio River States OF the
Union paid ak hundred and thirty-three1
million five hundred and iity.two thous-
sand five hundred dollars, or thirty y-seven
and half per cent OF all the internal
revenue collected in the United States
From 1870 to 1873 these same States paid
forty-one per cent Of the entire amount
collected. In a period Of eight years,
from 1865 to 1878, Congress appropriated
forty.iive millions for improvements Of
rivers, harbors and forts on the sea coast
Fifteen millions Of that Wisconsin,
Michigan and tne lake shore OF Illinois
and Ohio had, while in period OF fifty
years but three millions have been appro.
priated for the improvement OF the Ohio.
Contributing the largest proportion Of
the national revenues, the seven Ohio
River States receive but small item Of
re,expendiLures.
Readers Of yesterdays Issue OF the
INrELLlGENcER will have noticed the
dispatch from New Orleans stating that
the steamship City of Bristol went 10 sea
through the Eads Jetties drawing 81 feet
0 inches, the deepest draught vessel that
ever left that port. This telegram was
sent out to show that the Jetties are be-