Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-01
IMPROVING THE ONO RIVER.


The Commission representing seven
States of the Union, on the improve
ment OF the Ohio river, meets at Pitts
burzh TO-DAY. The States represented
on. the Commission are Pennsylvania,
Ohio West Virgins, Kentucky, In
dams Illinois and Tennessee. The
Commissioners on the part of this State
are. THos. SWEENEY, JOHN MCCLURE, W.
T. POOLE, J. s. KING and ]. P. HALE.
The object of the Commission is one
that has received attention and the earn
support Of a large number of influential
citizens of the country through several
years past, and is of vast Importance to
the States represented, as well as oil
value to the whole country.
For long period of years the petit
tons of Boards Of Trade and memorials
of special conventions have been laid
before Congress in relation to the I'M
provement Of the Ohio, but with only
partial success. That more united eff
fort might be made it was proposed to
enlist the States more directly concern
ed. in a common organization, which
would steadily press upon Congress the
importance of the work. In February,
1872, a commercial convention was held
in Cincinnati, at which the Boards OF
Trade of the principal cities OF the coun-
try were largely represented.
At this convention a resolution was
adopted requesting the Governors OF
the States OF Pennsylvania, West Nir-
ginia, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky
and Tennessee, TO appoint each a col l.
mittee OF five members to form oO.I-
mission to look after the improvement
of the Ohio river and its navigable tribu-
taries, and adopt whatever meas
ures they may deem necessary
TO accomplish the object. This commits
sions was duly constituted, the Cover
nors OF the several States named having
responded to the request contained in
the resolution. At session held in
Cincinnati, in December, 1877, the in
terest that the State of Virginia had in
the improvement of the Ohio, through
reason of her proposed James River
and Kanawha Canal, and the State of
Maryland by reason of the proposed
connection OF the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal with the head waters of the Ohio
by the YoughiOgheny route, being
laid before the Commission, a resolution
was passed requesting the Governors OF
hose States to appoint five Commission
ers each, as permanent representatives
in the Commission.
Various plans for the work of improv-
ing the Ohio have been suggested and
discussed by the Committee. These
have eliminated in building what is
known as the "ChanOine dam" as an
experiment. This is known here as the
Davis Island dam, near Pittsburgh, Tor
the construction of which Congress APP
propriated 100000 at its last session.
Work has been progressing on
the dam, and the object
Of the meeting at Pittsburgh
to-day is to afford the commission an
opportunity to thoroughly inspect it,
and upon its practical working will de-
pend the carrying out Of the entire plan,
or in other words, continuing the con-
struction Of these dams down the Ohio
to the Mississippi.
1t is a grand work, and one that in
wolves an immense ontlay of money.
But the benefits to be derived from it
will Justify the expenditures, though it
may not be made in this generation.