Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-01
The Proposed Bridge

lected east NOulu Strlke the southwest cOT-
ncr OF the Top mill office and aline projected
west would intersect First street, Martins
Ferry. between Madison and Monroe. In
other words. the bridge will extend from
the ferry landing. on the West Virginia
side, to a point about 80 feet below the
landing on the Ohio side. 1t will be 20
feet above low water, crossing above the
Pittsburgh. Cincinnati and st. Louis and
Cleveland and Pittsburgh tracks on either
side, the approaches rounding oil, 10 the
south, on this side and to the north OF the
other. The dimensions of the bridge will
be as follows:
Total feet
Maiu channel through pan .."~.... 100
Two deck spans, each.".... ....... 2l2l. "
Nine shore spans, each..--......... $50 "
Height above low watcr""""........ 9Ut4 "
Several large plats. or drawings, exceed
ingly we'll executed, and the work of B.
". Peterson, c.. f., were on exhibition,
giving the best possible idea of the bridge,
its location, approaches, etc. The river
channel and the eXaCt coarse of the cur
rent at various stages OF water were laid
out, as we'll rs the waters edge ut diff
ferent depths. and the conformation
of the sandbarS about the north point
of the Island. The bridge, as far rs the wa
ter spans are concerned, is a straight line;
the approach OH this side rounds off with
an easy curve. going behind the row of
houses south of the Top mill; on the Ohio
side the curve is less gradual, carrying the
line back in the town beyondthe Cleveland
and Pittsburgh track. and finally rounding
back toward the river above the Laughlin
mill. A pier stands at the waters edge OH
either side and the West Virginia peir of
the channel pan is 40 feet out This span
Stan1z AirapflN- nN.nr tho phannnl and tho
bridge crosses the stream about the center
OF the curve there formed by the parting of
the waters by the Island.
The ROatmen's Views.
The locality, as well as the general posi-
ton OF the bridge, were both very well
known to the Pittsburg coal boatmen, and
but a short time was consumed in putting
them in possession Of the details. Then
came any objections they might entertain
or any protest they might desire to accom-
pany the report to the Secretary of War.
II was very evident the first and strongest
objection was to the bridge itself, on gen
eral principles. Ii there is any one object
viewed With aversion by a Pi-
lot, and especially n tow boat
nilOt. il is a pier bridge in the river. BE
the plan what il may, AMI the location the
most suitable. occasions will come and
circumstances arise to make it difficult and
dangerous of passage. No one of the river
men concealed this fact, and Capt. Wood
said. With Il smile:
THE Governmental has been very generous
in providing lights, removing obstacles and
making general improvements, but il per
mits the building of these bridges. which
are the worst of all dangers
wrecks ON Bridges.
A general conversation ensuing on this
point, it was generally agreed by the cap
tains that owners of coal boats would save
money by paying the additional cost of
increasing all channel spans 10 500 feet.
said Captain Wood, who acted as general
spokesman:
Coming down on the train, this morn
ing, We were figuring upon the losses On
the Beaver bridge alone and $1,000 worth
of coal has been lost there, without taking
into account the loss By detention. That
sun might be taken for every pier bridge
along the river. There is the Bellaire
bridge has sunk q whole boat, tow and all.
The Beaver bridge has been built but four
years and see its 81. 900 in wrecks. Now !
like the spirit of those people down at
Henderson. who said they would give us q
525 loot span, or a 600 foot one, if We could
furnish the plans and specifications. Four
tifthS OF the losses arising from the trans.
portation of coal, may be charged to
bridges and while the Government is pro-
tecting shipping, it should not only forbid
the building Of less than 500 foot spans, but
should change those now in existence,
which are less than that"
Col. Nerrill-"Has your Board any table
OF its losses in this way Ii YOU are fight
ing for this point, a tabulated statement
would be = good item
Capt. WOod-"NO, We have not. When
losses occur, owners prefer to say nothing
about ii. But we are fighting the point
you mention and have now proposed q
bill providing for not less thantwo 500 foot
spans. As far rs that goes. We come here
to-day TO say we want not less than q 500
foot span"
The Cinder Dump Complaint.
The riyermen present inveighed very
bitterly against the points run out into
the river by the dumps of blast furnaces.
These were very plainly shown on the
chart and also the changes they make in
the current and channel. Two large ones
are seen ut the Benwood furnace, in Mar
tins Ferry, and one at the Top mill. This
latter one has run out some forty feet in
the past three months. The pilots conf
plain that they nil up the bed of the river.
gradually encroaching on the channel, and
make steering difficult. AS was stated in
the conference. this is a Government mat
ter, and the cOmplainantS were advised to
interview their congressman with a view
TO having a bill passed making such dumps
unlawful.
Steering Through the Bridge.
How do you think the passage of the
bridge will be- was asked Captain Wood.
to which he replied he would refer that
question 10 the pilots present. The latter
allowed it would he very difficult, under
certain circumstances, 10 steer through,
giving their various reasons. In the first
place, the river makes a turn to the left
Just at the proposed site of the bridge and
this fact alone makes difficult steering for
atow. Then there is always more or less
smoke and mist about Wheeling and will
bemore eventually. The pilots gave vari-
Gus "reminiscences OF dangers from the
Island bar at this point, gen.
orally caused by southerly or
westwardly quartering winds. They adj
mitted that the channel span was exactly
in the proper place. In short, the objec-
tons summarized, would amount to moth
ing more than TO the width of the span,
they desiring 500 feet.
The Excursion.
All OF this talk was merely informal,
though these objections were afterYardfor-
mulated. After dinner carriages were in
waiting and the party was conveyed to the
Top mill, where the land was examined at
length, without, however. developing any
thing new. Some Of the river men thought
IL would be advantageous to nave the bridge
hundred yards farther north so as
TO permit boats TO be steered through be-
fore the turn, but the impoSsibility OF con-
Quoting the approach by the Top mill neg
atived the idea. While here, the ciuder
were visited and severely criticized
as before. After an hour spent in exami-
nations and conversation, the party was re-
turned to the hotel.
The Banquet
The labor OF the day. and the discussion
iaesdeas 70 the project UNDER foot, were