Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-29
RIVER RISING FAST.
Coal Operators Confident That the
Fall Freshet Has Arrived.
GETTING READY TO MOVE BARGEs
The Immense Amount of Coal to be Shipped
From this Harbor.
PACKET MEN PREPARED TO oPERATI

Great activity existed yesterday along the
river among coal operators, steamboat men,
pilots, roustabouts and deckhands. The
water was coming down from the upper
sources of the Monongahela and Youghi-
| ogheny, and in the harbor was rising rap
idly. Owners OF millions of bushels of coal
looked out upon the muddy waters with the
same expression that lighted the faces of the
slouchy looking colored men who congre-
gated In groups upon the sidewalk, and,
with broad smiles on their faces, eyed the
rising waters. The reports from the Upper
Monongshela and Youghiogheny indicated,
without doubt, rise during the night. At
Brownsville there was a channel depth of
feet inches and the river still rising at 8
O'Clock in the afternoon. The rains in the
mountains and ridges of Southern Pennsyl-
vania had been very heavy At the same
time the reports from the Upper Allegheny
showed that there had been very light rains
along the northern line. The Allegheny is
not rising.
BARGEs MOVE TO-DAY.
Coal operators were getting ready yester-
day afternoon to move their barges to-day.
At 4 o'clock the harbor marks showed Az
feet of water, and the Ohio below Davis
Island 51< feet. The greatest confidence is
felt by river operators that the fall rise has
come permanently. From 6 to feet of
water is expected to-day, and coal barges, if
that anticipation be met. will move. The
condition of Davis Island dam will not in
terfere with navigation. The dam is down.
1t is peculiar structure, and when down
folds over like cellar door. Boats will
pass over it without impediment. There
are about II 900, 600 bushels of coal loaded
in barges in the Monongahela river at and
near Pittsburg ready for shipment down the
river. Coal men are pleased that the rise
has come so early. 1t is rare before Novem-
Der. At the same time the cramped con-
dition of the railroads has prevented glut
of the coal market in the Southwest and
West, and good prices are expected.
The condition of the Beaver bridge gives
the coal men some anxiety. 1t is the most
serious obstruction down the river. The
artificial work on the Wheeling bridge has
not yet begun, and it is the belief of many
of the operators here that President r. II.
Cochran, of the bridge company, will de-
lay the work until most of the barge flats
have passed.
PACKET MEN ASTIR.
The packet men are also preparing for the
fall activity. The Brownsville boats came
to the wharf yesterday. The Cincinnati
packet line expects to begin operations on
Friday, when the repaired steamboat Scotia
will leave here. After Sunday, if the river
keeps up, the vessels of that line will leave
daily for down the river points. A new ves-
sci is being built for that line, but will not
be ready for service until spring. 1t is
building at Marietta, and will be one OF the
finest, soundest and best furnished steam
boats on the Ohio. Captain James A. Hen
line, is sanguine of continuous water. He
left last night for Cincinnati to look after
the interests of the company at that point.
The new vessel is building by Knox & Co.