Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-13
JUST TEN MILLIONS.
The Vast Amount of Coal Now Lying
in Pittsburg's Harbor.
ITS SAFETYOF GREAT IMPORTANCE
A Conference Yesterday With One of Those
Bridge Men.
PREPARING FOR A NATIONAL EFFORT

A meeting was arranged yesterday after
noon, at the Office of the Time Coal Com
psny, on Water street, between Captain s.
B. Rodgers, S. S. Crump, D. B. Blackburn
and 1. N. Bunton, representing the river
shippers, and one of the members of the
firm of Baird Brothers, bridge builders, in
relation to the Wheeling and Lake Erie
bridge across the Ohio river at Wheeling.
That bridge has two piers in the river,
making three spans over the water. 1mme-
diately below the central span there is low
island, which interferes with the passage OF
vessels with tows through that span. The
span next to the Wheeling side of the river,
or the left hand side, is used as the channel.
The contractors propose to close that span
for the purpose of completing their work on
the eastern end of the bridge. intending to
leave open the central span for fall naviga-
ton.
The rivermen pointed out to Mr.. Baird
the impracticability of using that central
span during the fall freshet. There are over
10,000,0 600 bushels of coal in barges
AWAITING SHIPMENT HERE,
and when the freshet comes, late as it must
now be, the tows taken down will neces-
sarily be large. 1t would be necessary to
break such tows up into several sections in
order to get them through the Wheeling
bridge.
Mr.. Baird said that the work of his firm
on the bridge structure had been delayed by
the slow building of the piers. He would
prefer to let the work rest until the river
were either closed by ice or until the dry
season next summer, but his firm is under
contract with the bridge company to COM
plete the work within limited time. He
suggested to the rivermen that they should
send a committee to Wheeling to confer
with the members of the bridge company.
This suggestion was considered by the river
operators to be proper one. A committee
will be made up to-day and Will probably
leave tomorrow morning for Wheeling.
One of the gentlemen who attended yes
terday's meeting said: ut is possible, and
indeed probable, that we cannot agree with
the bridge company. sincerely hope, how
ever, that we can. We have come to an
amicable understanding with the builders
of the Louisville bridge. and may get mat
tiers fixed up with the Wheeling people. If
We do not, however, we intend
TO MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT,
and stong one to obtain the interference
of the Secretary of War. 1t is not much use
to send only two or three men to Washing
ton. We will endeavor to get Colonel
Bayne, Mr.. Dalzell and, ifpossible. Senator
Quay to accompany our committee and lend
their influence to secure action in our be-
half. Colonel Bayne has already promised
to 60 with us. Of course, Captain Wood
and Mr.. Bryant were in Washington early
in the week, but they only saw General
Schoheld and lett written statement for
Secretary Proctor. A written paper of that
sort has little effect compared with what
can be accomplished by personal inter-
view. One way or the other, the river men
are determined to secure their rights in this
matter. The bridge business has become
such heavy impediment to the free navi-
cation of the river, that every water operator
has become stirred upon the subject. As a
last resort we will see lawyers about the
thing, and appeal to the courts for relief"