The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-15
THE COAL BOAT MEN
sSRl . Delegation to Object to the Present
Unl9n Bridge PlAn,

ASRl y Delegation to Object to the Present
pnIan Bridge Flan.
There arrived In this city at noon yes
terday, a delegation Of gentlemen from
the Pittsburgh Coal Exchange, for the
purpose Of comforting with Judge Coch'
ran, rs President OF the Union Bridge
Company, relative 10 the proposed clos
Ing by the bridge company Of the main
channel Of the riyer by the false work
necessary to be erected In order 10 con-
struct the channel span, which isthe one
the contractors are now ready 70 put up.
The delegation was composed OF Capt.
John A. Wood, W, B. Rodgers, Capt.
James Wood, D. B, Baldwin, s, d.
Sweeney, Charfea lutte, Capt. John
0'Neil and William ]. Wood, all promi'
nent coal operators, After dining at the
Hotel Windsor they called on Judge
COCHRAN, at the Office Of the Wheeling 4
Harrisburg Company, and spent the bal.
ance Of the afternoon discussing the
situation with him and III, Baird, OF
Baird Bros, OF Pittsburgh, the
contractors to whom the Edge
more Bridge Company, OF Delaware,
who are making the structural work,
have sublet the contract for It's erection.
Nothing definite was reached at this
conference, Judge Cochran stated that
he was not In q position 10 make any
promises or agree to any conditions, aud
would not be till he had put the matter
before his Board, which he prom.
ised to do at On early day. This he
will do at the meeting Of the Board to
DO held during the stay In this city Of
the Eastern capitalists. The Pittsburgh
delegation expressed themselves Us
being much pleased over the courteous
manner in which they were received by
Judge Cochran.
At the conference held the delegation
first presented written address, or me.
mortal, 10 which they stated that they
now have ready for shipment on the
first water 100000 bushels Of coal
which have been contracted for
BY parties in the West and
South, ITO obstruCt the channel span
as you propose, in tue event OF rise
during the time this obstruction re-
manned, would be simply to put IN EN-.
barge on our business Of inestimable
proportion. To navigate the span that
you propose to leave open on the
Martins Ferry side with large tows Is
impraCtiCable, as there would DO no
chance Of ever being able to regain the
channel" They then reCited the inCon-
venienCe and expense Of dividing tows
and referred to other features that are
looked upon by them as a menace. AS
a remedy for all this they suggested that
the bridge work be commenced on the
Martins Ferry aide. This Mr.. Baird
said was impracticable, as the iron for
the spans on that eide Is not yet out OF
the rolling mill,
The coal men expressed their fear that
Ice might crowd out the false work and
let the bridge down before II was proper
ly coupled, and thus obstruot navigation
for long lime, II work is commenced
now.
There is no doubt but what the Pitts.
burghPrs have called the attention oil the
Secretary Of War to this matter, and
what the outcome will be Is
d matter Of doubt. In the
meantime Baird Bros, will proceed with
their work and by the end OF this week
the work Of putting up the false work
will probably have a good start.