Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-09
PINCHING THE RIVERS.

Encroachments of Railroads and Other
Corporations on the WaterwsJs-The
Chamber of Commerce Gives Mr.. Ma
lone a Sort of a P.-smg salute.
Vice President Anderson presided at the
regular Letting of the Chamber of Com
me-oe, yesterday. Captain Draws, of the
committee on rivers and harbors, reported a
resolution relating to the encroachments on
the river banks in both cities and at Davis
Island dam. II recommended that In view
of the detriment to river traffic, as well as
the danger to life and property by reason of
a prevalence to overhowing banks, the
Secretary of War be appealed toto survey
and establish the harbor lines, as provided
by act or Congress in its last session. There
are number of members of the Chamber
who are interested in the rivers hereabouts,
and the question to them is an important
one.
Captain c. w. Bachelor, President of
the keystone Bank, spoke earnestly in
favor of the resolution. He said his opinion
on the matter was very we'll known; that
for many years the rivers had been getting
arrsevs7z.-5 -e.-----x hy the zfllir-a,- i- "a
the banks by mills and shops and railroads.
At the mouth of the Allegheny the water
way is now about one-third what it used to
be- All along the banks of the three rivers
the streams were becoming contracted. Only
a few days ago he noticed house built out
at a place far beyond where he useo TO back
up his boat to shelter it from the wind. He
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for the
use of the wharf where its depot is, and
which had been built out on the water line.
In some places on the Southside 200 feet
had been built out on the water. Below the
Davis Island dam tine Pennsylvania Rail-
road had built out distance of 80 feet
bevond the bank, and the same relative en-
croachments were made at Glass House
Rifle and at Mingo Island. 1t was not hard
to remember when the railroads were built
that people said the river trade was killed,
but the high freight rates have brought back
much of the trade. When the river is up
the railroad freight rates are low, but when
the river Is low the rates are high. He be-
lieyed river traffic was still great factor,
not only to the river men. but to the people
at large. The prosperity of the city was
LARGELY dependent on it. He cited the fact
that only last week one boat had taken out
of this city 3S, 900 tons of freight-more than
the Panhandle road could handle in a
month.
Colonel Roberts also spoke of the impor-
tance in preserving the rivers. He said that
Pittsburg was far ahead of any city in the
Mississippi Valley as shipping point and
sent out more tonnage than Cincinnati or st.
Louis. Its business was the bulk of the river
trade from here to New Orleans, and was the
most important city of them all, bar none.
He then read an act of Congress that defined
the duties of the Secretary of War in rela-
ton to establishing harbor lines, and which
provides for fine OF 81, 900 and imprison-
ment for one year for building out beyond
them.
Mr.. Meyran moved for the adoption of the
resolution, and it was done.
Captain McClelland then offered the fol-
lowing:
Resolved. That this Chamber hereby ex-
presses its appreciation of the manifest inten-
tons of the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Supervising Architect to secure completion
of PittsbuIg's Government building.
1t was adopted at once, and both officials
will be notified of the action.