Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-28
7 WAS CANAL DAY,
Chamber of Commerce Dele
gates Named to Boom
the Erie Water Way
BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.
Joint Appeal From the State Wanted
to Influence Congress.
A COMMISSION FOR THE OHIO
Is Badly Needed to Supervise Annual
River improvements
A COMMISSION FOR THE OHIO
MEASURES TAKEN TO AVOID CHOLERA

mittee held the attention of the Chamber Of
Commerce at the regular meeting, and
Colonel I. P. Roberts and Captain John F.
bravo were the principal speakers, with
Captain John A. Wood in the background
to make suggestions and see that every
thing was done properly. The attendance
of business men was good, and from the
manner in which they listened it was ap-
parent that the canal project and the i'm
provement of the Ohio river, the subjects
under discussion, had not become old stories
to them Captain bravo thanked the men,
bers and promised not to monopolize SO
much of the Chambers time in the future.
First 8 resolution was introduced and
adopted providing for the appointment of
three delegates to go to Harrisburg to urge
the passage of joint resolution by the
Legislature asking Congress to provide for
the examination of the canal project by
Government engineers, and also to request
the Legislature to furnish money to print
and distribute the report of the commission,
copies of the report to be sent to all the
lake and river cities and exchanges. Presi-
dent Kelly appointed Colonel T. P. Rob-
erts, Captain bravo and Captain John A.
They will leave shortly after the Legisla-
ture convenes. Colonel Roberts explained
bat a bill asking for the appropriation of
$4,000 to have the canal scheme examined
was new pending before Congress.
Another Canal Project Endorsed.
The second report was upon a paper re-
ferred to the committee from the Duluth
Chamber of Commerce. 1t advocated the
holding of a convention in Washington,
some time soon after the holidays, to urge
upon Congress the advisability of building
a canal from the Great Lakes through Amer
ican territory to the Hudson river and thus
to the sea- The following resolution was
submitted and adopted:
Resolved, That the Chamber of Commerce
heartily indorses the call for the proposed
convention. The city of Pittsburg is vitality
interested in the navigation of the Great
Lakes, millions of tons of freight destined
for and shipped from this city being annu-
ally transported by lake vessels, and an
extension of this navigation by means OF a
deep waterway 90 tide water, would prove
of immense value and advantage to the
industries of this city, and to the mines of
Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and
Eastern Ohio and generally an advantage
TO the great district of which Pittsburg is
coumerciaI emporium.
The State of Pennsylvania, having auth
orized survey for deep canal to connect
the Ohio river with the lake, and this pro-
ject having been pronounced feasible, the
project of the completion OF such a work
affords an additional incentive for urging
the extension of a ship canal through to tide |
waters OF the Hudson.
Colonel Roberts had map of the pro-
posed canal to tidewater, and explained the |
project to the directors. When the con-
vention is called the delegates will be ap- |
pointed. Colonel Roberts spoke of the in |
terest taken IL the Erie waterway by the \
Cincinnati people, and suggested that some
body should go to Washington when the |
National Board of Trade meets in January.
The indications are this will be done.
The Commerce of the Ohio.
The third report was on the Ohio River
Commission and fully explains itself The
report is as follows:
In the extent OF its tonnage and in num-
ber of its vessels, including steamers and
barges, the Ohio river considerably exceeds
the aggregate of all the other tributaries of
the Mississippi, and it bears upon its waters
a commerce greater and more valuable than
is carried upon any other single American
the navigation of this great stream has here
tofore been desultory, partly o. a perma-
nent and partly o. a temporary nature, and
it never has been, for want of adequate
means, pushed to degree commensurate
with its importance. 1t appears to your
committee that the time has come when the
needs OF inland commerce demands more
liberal appropriations, expended in a wise
and comprehensive system.
Congress has recently passed laws looking |
to the prevention OF encroachments by
riparian owners upon tine navigable limits |
OF tho Ohio, but the needed surveys for the
not been been provided for, and in this respecs as
in many other ways the United States en-
gineer officer in charge is greatly hampered
in the performance of his duties. Conflict |
ing plans and suggestions for local Improve
rnents occasionally arise in which the gen.
eral interests of navig ators are some times |
overlooked, leading to protests, confusion
between the chief cities
upon its banks, and between these
all concerned are vitality interested in the
of the river there is no common |
as to what requires the most
attention, each district urging upon the |
representatives appropria- |
tIons which seem to its advoca1es best | :
adapted to meet the local necessities.
The Demands of the Future. :
While, as before said, the commerce of
the Ohio is now very great, it promises to
reach in the future vastly greater proper
lions, anu buO IlNOE HOulQ therefore seem to I
demand the same watchful care and as
favorable treatment as is accorded the Mis- I
sissippi and Missouri rivers, where Govern
ment commissions have been appointed to
devise and superintend improvements 4
md authorized to report through the ,
Chief of Engineers to the Secretary of | .
Of War annually their estimates of expendi- 1
N res required on the respective rivers. The '
River Commission was author
zed by an act Of Congress June 2S 1878 and
8 composed of three United States engf-
leers, one engineer from the coast, one from |
he geodetic survey and three persons from I
The Missouri River Commission was an.
horized by an act OF CONGRESS July g. lSs4,
md is composed OF three United States ell =
-ineers and two members from civil life. =
Both of these commissions continue to ex- \
St Salaries are provided only in an act for q
civilians who are appointed by the Presi- 1
emf and confirmed by the Senate.
The Ohio river is 967 miles long, and may
q conveniently divided into three great X
istricts First, the upper, or Pittsburg- "
Wheeling district. 265 miles in length ter n
1inatipg at the Great Kanawha river. In =
MS district the river bed is for the most y
art stable, but Astounding with numerous II
an;ds and low wgter periods are more fire. c.
uent than in the river below. Second the | Il
1iddle or Cincinnati district, from the m
-anawha to the falls at Louisville, 335 miles | y
n This district the descent per mile
!; less than above, the chief trou-
le experienced being from wide
nread Shoals which are troublesome
4 the innortant local manufacturing ana
ommercial interests desirous Of using the ir
iver In this district radical improvements T
re being urgently demanded by the towns =
nd cities interested: third, the lower, or u