The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1893-11-25
GOVERNOR FLEMING
Talks About River improvement on
the MoHongaheia.
Some Of tae Reasons Presented to the
Committee on Rivers and Harbors
Why the Government should
Control that River.

Ex- Governor Fleming was inter-
viewed by Wheeling Register re
porter on his return from the recent
trip he took with the Ways and
Means Committee Of Congress, in
speeting the locks and dams owned
by the Monongahela Navigation Co,
and which all coal and timber opera
tors want the government to pur-
chase. He lost no opportunity to
put in word for the Upper Monon-
gabela region, and did all in his
power to impress the members Of the
committee with the Importance of
making the river free to all shippers
and to extending the slackwater i'm
proyement TO Fairmont.
sYou see," said the Governor.
"what these Pittsburg fellows want
is for the government to condemn
and buy the locks and dams ON the
lower Monongahela now owned by
the navigation company, but that is
not all that We want up in the Fair
mont region. What we need Is an
extension of the improvement also
so that we can ship coal from the
upper Monongahela. Slack water
now only reaches Morgantown. The
navigation company owns several
dams, beginning at the mouth of the
river, while the government has put
in three above them, the last one be-
ing just within the West Virginia
line. The navigation company,
through whose locks all the coal
shipped by this river must pass,
charges enormous tolls and it is for
the purpose of making the river free
that the coal men want the govern
ment to assume control of it. They
can see no justice in the spending OF
millions of dollars by the government
for the improvement of the Great
Kanawha river, the coal of which is
already more than 200 miles closer
to the southern market than theirs
and which has no river tolls TO pay.
while they are left at the mercy of a
corporation in practical ownership
of the river. They want to be placed
on the same footing with the Kama.
wha coal men. They don't like ia.
yoritism and they think that common
justice will require the government
to at least buy the dams of the navi-
cation company and make their riv.
err free"
Has not some money been appro.
priated already for this purpose,
GOVERNOR"
Eyes. Some time ago condemns
tion proceedings were Instituted and
about 100000 appropriated towards
the purchase of the dams. The mat
ter was carried into the United States
Court and a decision rendered to the
effect that the actual property value
OF the company was fair price to
pay The case was carried to the
Supreme Court, which recently re-
versed the decision Of the lower court
and decided that the proper value of
the company's property included its
franchise value and was an amount
on which the annual profits of the
company would equal six per cent.
AS the company is paying an annual
dividend of about IA per cent. on its
capital stock this decision brought
up the price which the government
would have to pay to much higher
figure and nothing was done. 1t is
but right, though, that if the gov
eminent takes private property it
should pay a proper price for it, and
the only reason condemnation pro-
ceedings were not carried on was be-
cause there was not sufficient money
available to buy the dams, and so no
use in condemning them.
My trip with the committee. .
continued the Governor, "was won
derfully instructive one. Statements
were made before the committee
which opened the eyes of everyone.
1t was said, for instance, by a gen
tleman whose statement could not
be questioned, that the annual pro-
duction of single corporation whose
steel plant is on the MonongaheIa
river is of greater value than the en-
tire cotton crop Of the south. To
one familiar with the old saving.
Cotton is king this is an astound-
ing statement.
1T was also stated that the ton
mage Of the Monongahela river is
equal to half that which goes down
the Mississippi river. Such interests
as these deserve some recognition
at the hands Of a government which
is scattering funds among the rivers
Of the country and helping those
which need it less. They 90 on to
argue that the people OF the South
and West who annually pay nearly
$500, 600 into the treasury of the Mo.
Navigation CO., should be
relieved of this enormous burden.
which they are as anxious to see re-
moved as are the people OF Pirtsburg.
The report Of the company shows
that it collected last year $26O.OS2.-
rs in tolls One company alone pays
S35. 600 year in tolls, and all this
comes, of course. out Of the consum-
err Nearly ninety seven million bush
els of coat went through the locks
last year and the consumer of each
bushel pays his part of the tolls.
The tolls paid would buy a lock or
two each year. and the amount saw
ed, If the river were free, would soon
pay for the whole system"
Governor, couldn't you open the
eyes of some of the committee a lit
tie about West Virginia?"
''Well, | tried to tell as big a story
as any of them, and l guess some OF
them were little surprised when
told how much more coal we have in
West Virginia than there is in Penn
sylvania. And ] guess there were
not very many who knew that we
have not only more coal but better
;oal in West Virginia than they have
n Pennsylvania. Why. if the inn
Drovement of the Monongahela were
from Morgantown to Fair
mont it would open solid bed of
coal the entire distance, and the riv-
II coal business from the Fairmont
'egion would grow to enormous pro-
portions"
"What would be the cost Of i'm
proving the Monongahela between
and Fairmont?"
ssHha nDef no.. hoo,