The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-06

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1874; acts concerning the construction G
the b. 4 O. K. R., subscriptions thereto
and restrictions thereon, February Is
1876; February %, lS4s; March 8, lsii
Stae guarantee OF certain lands oil Uity
" heelin2, March 20, 1913; route OF B. (
o, &C., March 81, 1880; subscriptions :
capital stock Of railroad companies, Marcl
IS, 1850; incorporate Wheeling Gas Com
plny, March IS, 1850; concerning Hemp
teld r. r, March u, 1851; laying OF cite
and towns into wards, aud establishing
separate voting place in each, May 10
1852; subscription to capital stock OF Ma
rietts and Cincinnati Railroad Company
March q, 1852; amendment TO act OF In
corporation, May %, 1852; laying out int
wards, January Il, 1853; authorizing thu
Central Ohio Railroad Company to &C
quire q deuot in the City Of Wheeling
April s, 1853.
Railroad corporations Of Ohio may ex'
tend its road to any place on Wheeling
Island. March %, 1853.
Amendment and re enactment Of the
seventh section OF the act Incorporating
the Northwest Virginia Railroad. Feb
ruary %, 1854.
Hempfeld Railroad may acquire lands
in the city Of Wheeling for depot purpose.
January II, 1854
Marietta. and Cincinnati Railroad Com.
pany may acquire land in tbs city oil
Wheeling. February %, 1854.
Amendment TO act Of incorporation.
March l, 1854.
Act Of March 4, 1854. County Court Of
Ohio county may grant ordinary licenses
within the city limits, II the city council
neglect or refuse.
OUR CITY BOATING INTERESTS.
Having gotten a list OF these acts which
will be valuable for future reference, the
conversation gradually driited into other
channels, and Mr.. II. showed the scribe a
copy OF Lloyd's Steamboat Directory, pub
lished at Cincinnati in 1855. In it was
seen the following reference to Wheeling
and her early steamboat interests:
"Such was the state OF public
opinion when the steamboat Washington
commenced her career. This vessel was
constructed under the personal suoerin-
tendence aud direction OF Captain Henry
NJ. Shreve. The hull was built at Wheel
ing, Virginia, and the engines we're made
at Brownsville, Pennsylvania. The entire
construction OF the boat comprised vari.
Gus innovations, which were suggested by
the ingenuity and experience OF Captain
Shreve. The Washington was the frat
two decker on the Western waters. The
cabin was placed between the decks. II
had been the generSl practice to carry the
boilers in the hold. In this particular
Captain Shreve made new arrangement
by placing the boilers OF the Washington
on deck; and this plan was such an obvi.
Gus improvement that all the steamboats,
on those waters retain it to the present
day. The engines constructed under the
Fulton patent had upright and stationary
cylinders. In Froud's engines vibrating
cylinders were used. Shreve caused the
cylinders OF the Washington TO be placed
in horizontal position, and gave the vi
brations to the Pitman. Fulton and Froud
used single low.pressure engines. shreve
employed double high pressure engine,
with cranks at right angles, and this was
the first engine OF that kind ever used in
the Western rivers. Mr.. David Prentice
had previously used cam wheels for work
ing the valves OF the cylinder; Capt.
Shreve added his great invention Of the
cam cut oil, with hues to the boilers, by
which three.fiiths Of the fuel was saved.
These improvements originated with Capt.
Shreve, but although they have been in
universal use for a long time their origin
Is not known. On the Gath day OF Sep
TENDER, 1915, the Washington passed over
the falls OF Ohio on her first trip to New
Orleans, and returned to Louisville in No
vembeEfollowing. While at New Orleans
the ingenuity OF her construction excited
the admiration OF the most intelligent citi-
Gems OF that place. Edward Livingston,
after critical examination Of the boat
and her machinery, remarked to Captain
Shreve, 'fou deserve well OF your coun.
try, young man, but we referring to Full
ton and Livingston's monopoly shall be
compelled to beat you lin the courts) if We
cam
can accumulation Of ice in the Ohio
compelled the Washington 10 remain at
the Falls until March l2, 1877. On thai
day she commenced her second voyage to
New Orleans. She accomplished this trip,
returned TO Shippingport, at the foot Of the
Falls, in forty. Uae days. The ascending
voyage was made in twenty five days, and
from this voyage all historians date the
commencement OF steam navigation in
the Mississippi Valley. It was not prac-
tically demonstrated to the satisfaction OF
the public in general that steamboats,
could ascend this river In less time than
one.fourth OF the time which the barges
and keel boats had required for the same
purpose. This feat Of the Washington
produced almost as much popular excite
ment and EMULATION in that region as the
battle OF New Orleans. The citizens Of
Louisville gave public dinner to Captain
Shreve, at which he predicted that the
time would come when trip from New
Orleans TO Louisville would be made in
ton days. Although this may have been
regarded as boastful declaration at that
time, the prediction has been more thSn
fulfilled, for in 1853 the trip was made in
four days and nine hourF.
cater that memorable voyage OF the
Washington all doubts and prejudices In
reference to steam navigation were re-
moved. Ship Yards began to be establish
ed In every convenient locality, and the
business OF steamboat building was vlgor-
ously prosecuted. But new obstacle now
presented itself, which for time threat
ened to give an etfectual check to the spirit
Of enterprise and progression which had
Just been developed. We refer 10 the
claims made by Messrs. Fulton and Liv-
Ingston to the exclusive right Of steam
navigation on the rivers OF the United
States. This claim being resisted by Capt.
Shreve, the Washington was attached at
New Orleans and taken possession of by
the Sheriff. When the case came up Tor
before the District Court OF
that tribunal promptly mega
lived the exclusive privileges claimed by
Livingston and Fulton, which were decid-
ed 10 be unconstitutional.
The same book says; "Wheeling, Vir-
ginia, is situated on the east bank Of the
Ohio river, In Ohio county, and on both
sides Of Wheeling creek, ninety-two miles
below Pittsburgh, three hundred and
sixty.6ve miles above Cincinnati, three
hundred and fifty miles northwest Of