Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-19
kANAWHA SLACK WATER
Improvements To West ylrginia's MaiI
Water Way.


BALTIMORE, MD, November lS.-The
Sun says editorially: The completion OF
lock and dam No. 6 Of the Kanawha river
improvement calls attention TO the great
work that has been accomplished by the
| federal government since 1874 in increasing
the navigability of West Virginia's main
waterway. In 1919 little steamer
attempted to ascend the Kanawha to
Charleston, but was unable to steam Red
House shoals, and so had to return. The
| incident had its effect Oh the Legislature of
Virginia. In 1870 bill was passed look
ing to the improvement Of the navigation
of the river, with the object of getting a
depth of three feet at low water from the
mouth of the falls, distance Of ninety
miles. The work was in progress
when the civil war began, the
system employed being the old sluice and
wngdam system. A very considerable
increase had at that time occurred in the
coal and salt traffic Of the Kanawha in
consequence of the improvements already
effected. But further increase Of the
depth of the stream at all seasons Of the
year was required to develop properly the
resources of the region drained by its shall
low and broken channel, and when in
1874 Col. VIM. p Craighlll was placed in
charge of the work it was resolved TO
commence permanent and effective
improvement of the river by the con
structiOn of locks and dams, employ
ing movable dams below Paint
Creek, and permanent dams at and
above Paint Creek The scheme
finally settled upon embraced three
permanent or fixed dams and eight nova
BILE ones, the whole to cost, by the original
estimate, S5,07l,2 ,2l6. Two of the perman-
eut dams, giving lift Of twenty-iour
feet, have been substantially completed.
Three Of the movable dams, which give
lift in the aggregate Of twenty-five feet.
have also been completed, and the rest will
be taken in hand as soon rs Congress makes
the required appropriations. The dam Noe
which has Just been finished is movable
dam, and is the most important Of the
series. 1t pool. the water of the river
from point four and half miles below
Charleston to point nine and half miles
above that city, and adds immensely TO the
traffic facilities Of the valuable conuntrv il
travcrses The movable dam, it may lie
observed, was first used in America on the
Kanawha. IL is so constructed rs To be
raised or lowered according 10 the stage Of
water. For five months OF the year there
is plenty of water in the Kanawha for open
canal-boat navigation, during which time
il would be serious inconvenience 10 have
to pass everything through the locks. At
such time the timbers that constitute the
movable are kept lying at the bottom OF
the river, neither dam nor locks being in
use As the water level falls in the dry
season, the timbers constituting the dam
are pulled up, one by one.
to such height as the exigencies
Of navigation may require, and at the
same time the locks come into use as in
the case of the permanent dam. A very
considerable commerce is served by the
new improvements, the output OF coal be
low the falls Of the Kanawha last year
having been 81, ,sl5,35 bushels. When
completed, according TO present cxpecta-
tons in 1890. Charleston and the region
tributary 10 it will be placed in reliable,
safe and economical communication with
the great and rapidly increasing coal-con-
snming markets Of the Ohio and Missis-
sippi valleys. The effect in enhancing
values can hardly fail to command the
appreciation Of holders Of properties stu
ated on the lower reaches Of the Kanawha.