Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-09-07
THE NEW BRIDGE.
THE PLANS FOR THB PROPOSED STRUCTURE
APPROVED
By .hs Acting Secretary Of War-Ihs Report Of
The Board Of Government Engineers Which
Ne. Here Recently.

l. c w Ac0iAIS D@AukS No-HBN-y VS.
yesterday morning at the Office of the
Secretary, and letter was read from Major
II. NJ. Adams, relative to the proposed
bringe, which is presented below and i;
self ex planatory. The report Of the Board
of U. S. Engineers was also received and
read, which indicates that everything il
about ready to 90 ahead with the project
It was decided by the Board to proceed
with the completion of the plans and Other
details necessary. The letter and report
are as follows:
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER, !
UNITED STATES ARMY,
WASHINGTON, D. c., August 26, 1889. }
Dir. j E. Hughes, See'y Wheeling Bridge Go.
SIR:-Referring to your letter OF the
18Th inst, submit ing plans and map Of
location Of proposed bridges Of your COM
panv, across the Ohio river, snd the Back
channel, at Wheeling, w. Va, have to
advise you that the papers were duly re-
ferred TO, and have been considered by
the Board of Engineers, as provided for by
the acts Of Congress under which the
bridges are to be constructed, and have
10 furnish for your information a copy OF
the report of the Board in the case, and to
say that the views of the Board are con-
Cured in by this office, and have been
approved by the acting Secretary OF
War
Upon receipt of the paper and maps
called for by letter from this office, Of the
18Th ult., and new plans, in duplicst',
for bridge across the main channel OF the
river, conforming to the recommendations
of the Board. the matter will be submitted
to the War Department for the action OF
the Secretary. Very respectfully,
Your Obedient servant,
H. NJ. ADAMS,
Msior, Corps of Engineers in charge.
Following is the full report Of the Bnsrd
of Elgineers, referred to in the above
letter:
WHEELING, WA, August 10, 1889.
To the Chief Of Engineers, L. S. Army Wash
iagtoa, D. c.:
GENERAL:-The Board of Engineer OH
GERS convened by S. o. No. AZ, headquer-
ters Corps of Engineers, U. S. A, Wash
ington, d. O., July %, 1850, to consider
the plans and location of proposed bridge
10 be constructed across the Ohio river at
Wheeling, W. Va, BY the Wheeling Bridge
Company, have the honor to submit tue
following report:
The Board met at Wheeling, W. Va, at
II a. m. August 12th, and were Joined by
the President, Secretary and engineers Of
the Bridge Company, with whom they ex-
anined the plaus Of the bridge. On the
same day they visited the proposed loca-
tion Of the bridge.
On the 18Th of August public session
of the Board was held at the Mcclure
House, notico of the public session having
bsen previously advertised in the newspa-
pers Of Pittsburg, Wheeling and Cincin-
natl. and by letter to the Coal Exchange,
OF Pittsburg,
The coal interest was represented at this
meeting By Capt. John Wood, OF PitLsbuig,
and three or four tow-bOat pilots, who were
requested to ipf1Em the Board as to the
method of running this portion Of the river
with coal tows, and to express their opin-
ion As TO the location of the large channel
span. aad as to the navigabaity OF that
portion Of the river which passes on the
vest side of the Wheeling Island.
After Tearing the views OF all who
wished to express them, the Board pro-
&c ded, with those interested, to tbs site
of the proposed bridge, where the position
of the piers of the channel span had been
marked by flag. The maps and plans,
which were forwarded to the Board from
vnur Office. gave all the information neces'
sary for a proper consideration OF the sub
isct. and ID was found that the plans OF
the Bridga Company contemplated very
fair compliance with the general laws gov
erning tie bridging Of the OHIO river.
The channel span gives clear width oil
sec : feet, measured on the low water
line. which is 6 s feet in excess Of the re-
ouiremenls Of the law. The height OF
this span IS 40 feet above high water and
90 3 above low water. The general direc-
ton of the current at the bridge site makes
a slight sxis with the proposed piers, bat
this ia so small that it is fully compensated
for BY the excess Of width Of water way.
The proposed bridge across the main
channel is located about 300 feet below
the existing suspension bridge, which lat
ter. by the act Of Congress, approved
August 81, 1852, making appropriations
for the service of the POstoffice Depart
ment during the fiscal year ending June
30. 1853. aud for other purposes, was de-
clared to be a lawful structure it its pres
ent position and elevation, anything IN
any law OF laws Of the United States to
the contrary notwithstanding.
This SUE pension bridge, though 1t spans
the river from the main land to the leland,
nevertheless, has al important influence on
the location of the main or channel span oil
the proposed bridge, due TO the fact that
the highest point Of the under side OF the
truss supporting the roadway Of this sus-
pension bridge is not at the middle point
Of the span. as is usual in bridges, but is
much nearer the eastern end OF the same
in fact, being about, or nearly, over the
low water shore lire, upon the eastern
side OF the river.
At low ard MEDIUM towing staees, thu
location Of the summit OF the suspension
bridge rosd way has no influence upon the
route which boats may choose, bat at high
towing stages. the case is different. The
evidence is, that TOYS approaching from
above, and when near the head Of Wheel
ing or Zans's Island, and about opposite
the glass works, are running about one
fourth the width OF the river from the lei
and, and then have to make towards TIT
eastern shore, so IS to pass under the sus
pension BRUCE at the point Of hiGhes
clearance.
The towboat having cleared the suspen
sion bridge, thu tow ia under the Influence
of the usual draw OF the current towards
the oonclve bends, and of tie impstus at
tanned in the cross. over above the bridge
Hence it is that tbs tow, when immediately
below tbs bridge, is Of necessity as nesr tn
eastern shore ss the depth Of water, and tn
crtf, lying along the bank below, max
practicable As the water rises from
medium stage, the tOws necessarily ap
prosch nearer aud nearer 10 the shore, whicl
show the increasing depth Of the water
and the hauling in toward the bank OF tn
wharf-boats and river craft permit.
TIE outer f4cS Of the pier is proposed to b.
at low water mark. The lowest coal towinl
stage is about eight feet, so that at this low
est coal-towing siege the face Of the pier, e
proposed, would be at the eastern limit o
the available channel for towing, and there
fore, IS the water rose, aud the toWs would
if unobstIucted, hug still nearer TO the east
ern shore. this pier would become an CD