The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-05
Captain Eads ON the Improvement OF the
f Ohio River.

.f. HUs Ohio River.
From the Pittsburgh Leader.
The Directors Of the Chamber of Com
mercc met yesterday afternoon. Gen
cral Moorhead announced that the Mcxi-
can Minister ut Washington, NJ. DeZa-
macona, would be in the city on Septem-
Der 10, and be present at the quarterly
meeting to be held on that day when the
question of improving the Ohio river
will be discussed, On the following day
special meeting will be held, at which
the Mexican Minister will deliver IN adj
dress on the business relations OF Mexico
and Pittsburgh. Captain Eads, who was
invited to be present on the occasion,
sails for Europe on the 10th, and cannot
attend. In his letter TO- the Board he
says that he cannot advise on the sub
ject because he has not thoroughly
studied the problem. The conditions
presented by the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers differ greatly, and the treatment
should be different. In the Lower Mis-
sissippi the pools arc Of great depth, and
the supply OF water is so abundant that
the deepening OF the bars and more rapid
escapement OF the water from the pools
will not, even il escaping without artificial
restraint, affect the navigation ofthe upper
part OF the river injuriously. But the Ohio
has no such volume in low water, and II
the bars be deepened materially, the drain-
ing off OF the water in the upper part OF
the river would be fastened, and shoaler
water in dry seasons would inevitably re-
suit in the upper portions OF the stream.
II would therefore seem iniudicious to
deepen the bars, and the only practicable
alternative is to raise the water over them.
This can be done in two ways. First, by
contracting the low water width OF the
river ut each bar, by low wing dams or
jetties, and by protecting the exposed
surface Of the bar, SO that it shall not deep
en- under the influence OF the increased
current, and thus let off the water from
the pool above more rapidly than at pres
ent, for II this be permitted worse shoals
will likely occur in the pools.
Tho other method is by locks and
dams. BY this plan the depth attainable
would only be practically limited by the
height and number Of the dams.
But what depth can he reliably foretold,
with given width and a rate OF current in
lowest water, can only be known by care
full calculation based upon the low water
discharge OF the river, its slopes, and 9TH
er data not in my possession.
The mOvable.dam system is n modifca-
ton embracing certain features OF these
two methods. 1t has been successfully
tried in Europe, and the one authorized 10
be builtbelow Pittsburgh on the plans OF
Col. Merrill will doubtless develop facts of
great value touching the improvement Of
the whole river, and go fur toward indica-
ting the propriety Of adopting one or the
other of the methods named. 1t will Ger
tainly benefit the harbor OF Pittsburgh il
successful, and is worthy Of u fair trial.
Col. Vim. Z. Merrill, the engineer in
charge Of the construction OF the dam,
writes that he will be present on Tuesday
next. He considers the question OF the
proper treatment Of this part OF the river
as settled, and whatever he may say on
the subject of movable dams will be ex-
planatory, not argumentatiye.
Mr.. bravo did not understand that the
government had adopted any particular
plan for improving the river.
On motion, the Coal Exchange was in.
vited to be present and TAKE part in the
discussion, and the board adjourned.