Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-19
THE WATER WAY
Gradually Changing Into a Dust
Covered Road.
Unusual ShalIOwness Of the Riyes---kew and
Old Bars---Channels Changed by
the FlOeds---fosters
Farm.

To stand on the centre Of the suspension
bridge and look at the narrow and sluggish
water below, one would scarcely imagine the
Ohio river could ever rise in its wrath and
scatter the destruction about il as il did on
February 7th last Or, to reverse the pic
ture, one who saw that that mighty torrent
of waters spreading over the Ohio valley in
February could scarcely realize that it could
ever diminish to the feeble and sickly stream
it is today Few river men can remember
many seasons at which there was
as little water as at present. A
boat that draws six inches can
scarcely struggle across the bar at the
mouth of the creek, and traffic by water has
absolutely suspended. So low is the river
that its course from the hospital to the
lower end of the island has four distinct
curves instead Of its regular straight course,
and the fact that the rocks at the water
works are showing indicates more clearly
than anything else the extreme shallowness
of the stream Back river has disappeared
entirely and below the dam the passenger
may walk across dry shod, nothing but the
sandy bed remaining to tell of the water
that once was,
TdE BARS.
Since the water fell, some new and won
Gertul bars have made their appearance,
along with old ones, and as this is the first
| Opportunity river men have had of inspect
ing the channel changes made by the Hood,
they are examining these bars with great
interest The great beach that stretches
out from the Island, north Of the bridge
reaches three-quarters of the way
across the river leaving but mar
row.. tortuous channel of less than
loo feet. The old creek bar
has run out, as usual and is met by new
one from the Island, while between them
the bottom has sprung up in spots like an
archipelago. The stream here is almost moth
ing and scul is the only vessel that may
cross it. This Island bar runs clear to the
lower point and is of recent origin, as will
be shown, below, with the causes that pro-
duced it. The same with other causes, has
changed the entire river front Of the Island,
rom the bridge down.
FOSTERS FARM.
Nearly every Islander and many other.
4 ow the immense water works bar a
Fosters farm though few know why 1t /,
called. AWAY back in national road
ir,es a stage man named Foster was on
MS division with headquarters in Wheel
ng. He had an Office under the Nc.
louise and a farm on the Island. For a
ime this farm was subject Of debate as al
lines he would say it was gone. Finally /,
rame out that he referred to the bar, and
-om that time it has been known as Eos.
: "a . Iarun.
Mother tanners back yard" is the name
given to the bar at the mouth Of the creek.
4 good many years ago, an Irish woman
canned Tanner lived on Water street and
lsed that bar in summer for hanging out
aer laundrying. She called it her back
yard and the name was taken up by others.
It's use, however, never became general.
CHANNEL CHANGES.
The watchful pilot has already taken his
bearings of the river at this point, for future
use and has noted many changes Of the
channel. The most important of these is
caused by the new Island bar referred to.
Most people. viii remember when the chan
mel ran almost the Island shore, below
he bridge. About ten years ago. a fiat
loat stranded on the Island shore, opposite
he creek ard lay there for long time 1t
collected sand and gravel and is believed to
have been the cause of the formation Of the
present bar. The food also produced
changes of the channel, at the same point.
The old deep hole" below the bridge, has
moved north about one hundred feet. The
and bank at the foot Of Ohio street has be-
,ome entirely worthless and wagons are
now hauling from the north bar,