Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-28


Thursdav's DISPATCH, would be work of
the utmost importance to the city. All the
rivermen and shippers agree in ssyign So. A
few, however, doubt the practicability Of
the enterprise.
The suggestion Of riverman to connect
the Monongahela river with the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal, from Morgsntown to Cum
berland, a distance of 60 miles, meets with
the approval of Pittsburg shippers gener-
ally. If such q scheme is feasible, the pos
\ sbilities of trade are apparent at first sight
In giving his opinion yesterday, Mr.. G. W.
Johnston, of James A. Henderson & Co.,
owners of the Pittsburg and Cincinnati
packet line, said:
II such canal could be built, the plan of
the New Yorker to run a line OF steamboats,
with barges from Omaha TO the seaboard would
be possible. IL may be the projectors of the
steamboat line had such a scheme in view. /
don't know anything about the country be-
tween MOrganUown and Cumberland, or the
capacity of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
hut If such a project could be carried into Ell
feet. and it would be large enough for river
boats, it would be a great boon for Pittsburg.
II would give US a waterway to the East and
with the canal to Lake Ene would connect us
by water with the lakes and the seaboard.
BALTIMoRE's IMPORTANCE.
Twas down at Baltimore the other day, and
was impressed with the commercial Importance
of that city. More wheat is exported from that
point than any other place in the country. The
fact is that if such canal were constructed it
would give us a water outlet to Europe. Much
of the wheat exported from Baltimore is car
ried from the West by the Baltimore and Ohio
road and it could then be transported by
water 1 don't like the idea of tunnels, for
think they would be difficult to navigate.
Everything, however, depends on the grade
General Passenger Agent A. E. Clark, of
the Lake Erie, said:
suppose that such a canal could be built,
but it would require great deal Of money. 1t
depends whether there is enough water on the
divide to supply the canal. 1 think, how
ever, reservoirs could be built to keep
up the supply, or possibly the tunnels .a
water run through. But imagine that young
children now will be gray-haired before either
this canal or the one to Erie Will be built. The
Pittsburg people seem to have caught the
canal fever
Rivermen generally would like to see
such a canal built, but they realize that it
would cost much money, and some of them
are afraid that strong advocacy of the latest
waterway would jeopardize the interests of
the proposed Lake Erie project.
WORK FOR MANY MEN.
William Martin, Secretary of the Anal
gamated Iron and Steel Association, said:
One of the principal points to be considered
is the large number of men to whom such an
enterprise would give employment. If such
tunnel was constructed it would give steady
employment for years to thousands of men. l
think the State should do the work as the
project If carried out, would be a public i'm
provement The maintenance OF the canal
would also give employment to a considerable
number of men.
/ think such a canal would be of fncalculable
benefit TO the shippers of this city. For that
reason / say let us have it. 1t would result in
great good to the manufacturing interests
which has been and no doubt will be again,
greatly handicapped for shipping facilities.
Pittsburg is hampered by a lack Of means of
transportation to the East and during the
busiest season, the railroads cannot handle all
the business offered them. The cost of such
an improvement would be mere bsgatelle
when the benefits are taken into considera-
tion. The sooner the State takes up the mat
ter the better for the shippers of this vicinity.
AN ADVERSE OPINION.
Captain Joseph Walton said he did not
think such a canal would benefit the river
operators of Pittsburg. He had given no
attention to the scheme. because it was OF
no interest to him. He said:
Our coal is all shipped down the river. 1t
might helm those who own mines in the imme-
diate neighbOrhood Of Morgantown. A good
deal of land in that neighborhood is being
bought mp for coke ovens. 1 think it is
scheme of the coke spectators. 1t would give
them a cheap transportation route to the sea
board. It is much more important to Pitts
burg to secure a ship canal to Lake Erie. That
would be great and direct benefit to the COM
merce and manufactures of this city, and
would not cost rs much as a canal through the
mountains Of West Virginia and Maryland. 1t
was proposed, at one time, TO build canal
from the Yougbiogheny river to the Potomac,
but that was equally silly.
Secretary c. A. Dickson, of the Pittsburg
and Southern Coal Company, said:
That scheme is very old one. believe that
such canal was proposed by George Washing
ton, and it has been talked Of at several times
since his day.
COSTLY, IF PRACTICABLE.
Captain w. W. O'Neil said:
Such a canal could be built if the country
wants to spend enough money on it, 1t is an
old project. heard of it as much as 80 wears
ago, think 1t would hardly be practicable TO
connect with the Potomac river at Cumber-
land. That river is navigable only to Wash
ington Above that it is full of shadows and
rocks. 1t would cost great deal Of money to
slackwater that stream. The Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal was washed out by the floods last
see thar railroad men are after it for a road to
parallel the Baltimore and Ohio.
Captain Samuel L. Wood said:
1t is good project and is practicable Uncle
Sam can build anything and tunnel any place
II is only matter of spending money. Any
ihlng that viii increase the facilities for inter-
nal navigation will be a benefit to our com
meree and to the people at large. This canal
would give great impetus to our trade
The views Of Captain George Lvsle are as
follows:
The canal would be good thing. 1t would |
open up the Eastern market to the gas coal |
from the MonOngahela Valley. At present |
that coal cannot be shipped to Philauelubia I
and New Y orl1 because two cnmpanies On the |
PENNSYLVANIA liLe are favored by that road. |
Miners in the Monongahela Valley cannot com |
pete with the Westmoreland Goa Comnanv and /
the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Com |
pany, because they cannot get the same rates /
1t has been tried several times Such a canal
would give great impetus to the coal business
IN the Monongahela Valley. Coal could be |
loaded right on the canal boats at the head |
waters of the Monongahela and sent to the
docks at Baltimore.
THE MoNoNGAHELA'S TONNAGE.
In regard TO the tonnage of the Mononga-
hels valley, this weeks Labor Tribune, to
be issued tomorrow, will say:
A sketch Of the industries of the Monopea-
hela valley as they are now giving in detail the |
uumeiOus pAeNAss anu shelE aggregates OF the
tonnage produced, capital, wages and number
Of employees, would be an interesting and ef-
fective way of putting the argument Why
one day last week there was single tow of
coal for New Orleans that measured
80 600 tons, equal 70 60 O00,00O tons Transported
Ohe mile. POOLS Manual for 1857 1.-THE latest to
our handy places the mile tonnage OF railroads
in each of five States for that year at consider
ably less than this one tow of coal Those
States were Florida West Virginia Nissis
sippi, Rhode Island and Delaware. The coal
out of the Monongahela to New Orleans IN 1889