Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-05-07

may be increased Ia any degree that may
he desired. This system was projected
with a view Of attaining and maintain
ing a depth Of not less than ten feet at
the lowest stage, and with a dam thai
should be- under the complete control al
man. And after n more thorough eX.
animation Of the subject, | am satisfied
that a navigation Of trsHiV Jet depth al
water can be maintained IN the Ohio 10y
locks aud dams on the system ! propose.
To i~llustrate-On an Averages OF three and
a half months i'm the year the navigation
of the Ohio is less than four feet. NV
system Of dams, &c., adds an additional
ten or twenty feet Ia that depth,
And when a rise Of water makes
an additional twelve feet, which is the
case from two To two and.a-haii months
in the year, there will be a sale ascend
ing aud descending navigation over
every part Oi the dams, when II will lie
optional Tor vessels Ia use the locks on
not. Nevertheless some will raise
doubts aud objections here, who are at
the same time urging Congress to APP
propriate money for an l"nter-uCcnnie
ship canal, by the Nicaragua route, on u
stream that has not Oue-third the vol,
IA Oi water the Ohio has! Now |
would humbly submit that It would he
better wisdom 10 cXpend that money on
the improvement oi some Oi u mag
niRcent rivers. Such, Tor instance, as
would make it possible to sail from Pitts
bury ON a steamer laden with manuiac-
tured articles, direct through to the Guli
Of Mexico, without change or rcship-
ping OF cargo; whereas the articles are
now shipped on "A small boat at Pitts
bury to DO reloaded on n larger yessr! at
Cincinnati Ia be- conveyed To New Or
leans aud there reloaded again; thus
leaving pittshurg as u third-rate cay,
when il is possible, by the improved
system OF navigation, To rate her as lrsl-
class.
Beside the lock and dam, | have an
other system involving the satuc princi-
plies, or To which the sans principles are
In part applied. This consists Ia u lock
with a single gate for the passage OF yes
se.s OF every description floating ~ west
oTn RIVERS, without stopping or being de-
tanned, ar being compelled even TO
check the speed, either IN ascending or
descending the river. This single gate
lock il for use i'm extreme low water,
and so constructed that when the YES
sol has passed through the gate can he
closed la u few seconds, securing u
dspth OF ten icet for navigation at the
lowest stage Of water. This system Will
completely remove all objections that
have been offered by the coal men, rs II
gives them an open river iur ASCENDING
or descending, IN a current, Through
the lock-, of lessthan two miles an hour,
with a sufficient opening ut the up
stream end "A the lock to enter
with perfect safety AMI at lull
speed. This gate may he placed
At either the upper ar lower end OF the
lock. II placed at the lower end the use
Of the side-wickets may he dispensed
with, hut still use the same conduit. The
Only wickets necessary IN this case are
four, used Tor the purpose Ut raislngand
lowering the gate This single gate lock
being intended only Tor low Or shallow
waters, would he appropriate from any
~nayigable point ON the upper rivers as
lar down as Wheeling, and from that
point down dispense with thc gates and
wickets, leaving the river virtually Tree
aud unobstructed, with u ten foot stage
oi water at the lowest water mark.
Now, with this system ia use, give uue
foot al water above zero ut Pittsburgh.
aud all the gates between Pittsburgh
aud Wheeling may he luv cred, with the
result ot an uninterrupted river nayisa-
ton OF not less than ten lcCt depth ut
water the entire distance ri the Ohio.
To accomplish tins 1t viii require forty
two dams iOr the entire length at the
river, with lock or chute IA each one,
two Oithcsc being necessary to overcome
the TAILS at Louisville
The main point at prescnt X 10 show
that these T. pools are nothing more
than reservoirs ia the main river, aud
lea these reservoirs are constructed a
lock, or chute, Ia length GOO IN 200 feet,
with a width at no icct or more, aud u
depth OF 10 feet Tor the passage ut steam
ers; having the reservoir Tor 4 supply To
keep a regular depth Of water in said
chute, and reduce the current to less
than two miles an hour.
Nov, as to summing up the advantage
OF this system.
First-A depth OF 20 feet oi water,
which insures the passage oi sea-going
steamers
Second-As an open river; at the
lowest stages OF navigation, without de-
tention by locking.
Third-A navigation that olIoyds a
cheaper transit than Is afforded by the
present condition ri the Ohio river.
Fourth Keeping an open river the m.
tirs year by breaking up the ice and pass
Ing il oil as slush while ipe9jng. avoid
ing the necessity Of building ice hAr.
borS and giving every wharf boat a safe
haFhOr.
Hiih-Not To Interfere with uavi.
gatiop during the construction Of the
works
Sixth-The material used la construc-
ton Oi foundation below low water Ia be
timber made into cribs and filled with
stone All above low water mark to be
iron and stone.
Seyenth-A reliable haTboT a, Pitts
bugh. with a depth Of water never be-
low ten feet; wh'ch, by some engineers,
is "a second consideration
Eighth-Wate. being utilized, either
with or without, hydraulic cylinder, tn
raise darn, gates in lock or chute, aud
requiring but tew men 10 operate, and
that without steam power or TuTbine
wheel.
Ninth--The gate used in this system
locks travels but sax feet To close a
width OF no feet and give a 10 loot nav
izatlon; while that Nhieh they are about
constructing 10 close the same width
has 10 travel liz ieet and only give a 6
ioot navigation
Tenth-The time required ia locking
Is less than that OF any other
lock nov in use OF being ~copstrudot
Eleventh. and inally-The Gust vi cOn-
al most will be much less than
half that Of the Chanoine system, and
the works viii not he interiercd With by
Ice or drift, nor by a rise OF ten inches.
nor by the wave OF a steamboat, either
ascending or Descending. nor by wind
which raises Q wave tSo ieSt high, CT.
her Of which will swing the wicket Of
he Chanoine dam"
The above are the important points in