Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-07-05
BRIDGEPORT.

Yesterday morning your reporter walked
down as fsr as the site of the new govern
ment dam now in course OF construction
Just below the LaBelle glass works. Upon
arriving at the scene of operations Mr.. VIM
Strain, the foreman of the men at work, was
met and upon being questioned, the follow
ing information was CLEANED: The dam is
being built under plans taken from a survey
made in 1880 BY government engineers.
The dam viii consist OF a wooden crib filed
with stone. In dimensions it will be some
thing over FIVE hundred feet long, besides
two wing walls extending up the river on
either side.
At the base the work will be thirty-three
feet in width and will rise in steps, the first
two being ten feet and the third one thirteen
feet. The top Of the dam, when completed,
will be on the same level as the eight foot
water gauge in the other channel. This
Will cause the water to be as deep on this
side al all times as it is in the Wheeling
channel, except at times when the water is
very low; then it will be as much higher as
the Wheeling level is lower than the surface
at the upper Island point.
The dam viii also form q pool Of still
water THAT is, except when above the eight.
foot gusge,) which viii be q splendid place
for O rowing course. Some of our young
men, are, under this hope, making prepare
tons for the organization of 9 boat club
Among the advantages is n which il
quite serious-tbe water in this part of the
river will never be fit to drink, as the dam
will catch snd hold all the sewerage and
filth which enters the channel from above.
This will make it necessary for Bridgeport
TO take their water from some other place.
II would be well for Bridgeport to make
some PROVISION If she ever expects to have
water works. While Martins Ferry is at
work on her water works arrangements
might be made By which g twenty inch
main could be laid to Bridgeport and water
supplied st q very small expense. This
must be done Immediately, as Martins
Ferry will have to make some provision tor
the increased demand it would cause over
that uvon which they have based their cal
c~ulations.
The structure win take q vast amount OF
stone, and men are busy qusrrying it at
poiuts I'D the river and out the c., l. q w.
railroad. There is also a force Of men at
work On the hill back of Kirkvood and
another near Wegee. The work Is o
employing sixty.6ve men, which force viii
probably be augmented ss soon as the work
arrives at such q state as viii make it prsc-
ticable.
In takinga summary Of the advantages
and disadvantages IT win bring to Bridge.
port. the former are in the majority. and
among them might be mentioned, q steam
boat landing, and the number of men to
whom it is giving employment during these
dun times, as wen u the appropriations
which Congress might be forced to make in
future to keep it in repair and perhaps add
to its dimenGorA
M. J. v. Hoag the contractor, is q Pitts
burg man, and was formerly employed asa
Government engineer. his work is in
charge of Mr.. William Strain, who Is assist.
ed by Mr.. Edward Mcconnell. formerly Of
the Ohio River railroad, and noE in the
employ of the Government
Yesterday was the day we celebrate and