Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-21
THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPLAINT
Concerning the Work which Has Been
Done on the KanAwhS River I'M
- 7slaoram . ~ Rsaialsr.


provement.
spsstal TSis0ram 20 ne RssislsF.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, December 90
The statement published In the Gin
cinDatl Commercial Gazette few days
ago 70 the effect that the kanawha
river coal operators are talking serl-
ously Of holding a meeting in the near
future for the purpose OF appointing a
committee to 60 to Washington in the
interest OF Kanawha river improve
ments and try TO effect change In the
personnel of the engineers In charge OF
the improvements, has caused consid-
cradle comment here. The Commercial
Gazette SAYS it is "claimed" that after
the expenditure OF hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars during the last ten
wears it is still impossible for coal men
10 bring down from above Charleston
20 Lock No. 8 barges Of coal drawing
more than FIVE feet OF water, aud that
they are thus unable TO load their
barges TO their full capacity, and In
consequence are at considerable loss,
and that they think il about time the
river was put In a condition by increas-
\ ing the height OF the dams TO doat
I Oarges drawing six feet OF water. Your
| correspondent has interviewed mum
\ Der of river men who have Oeen
/ engaged Ia towing barges to market, ana
ascsrtained that much OF the complaint
OF the coal men against the officers 10
/ charge OF the KanaWha river improve
/ ments is unjust and unreaSOnaOle
There IS nearly always enough water n
the pools TO float barges drawing six feet
| but the channels 10 the pools are gen
orally narrow and will not admit Lee
! OF barges Of more than two abreast
The coal operators want chanel wide
enough to accommodate a fleet o.
| barges six 20 eight abreast. The en-
| gineers think the coal operators are eG
Decting too much from a small streau
| like the Kanawha and ridlcule theil
/ demand for more water.
/ IL is true there are times when 10 Il
| difficult to take even single barge'
| drawing six feet of water down the
river. When a high tide in the river
has subsidized distractions are otter
found in the channels, and thess have
10 be cleared out by the dredge boats
before coal barges can pass through
them. Again, when the river is very
/ low and there is not enough water frou
the fountains TO make up for the waste
of water forced through the wlcket
of the dams, the depth OF water IN th'
| pool channels is often less than six feet
And again, when the dams have beer
down during food tide aud then put up
when the flood tide has subsidized, the
pool water has run out and IL takes sew
eral hours for the pools to Gil up again
/ Then the pool water may be less thar
six feet. These, however, are all ex
ceDtional. There is nearly Away
enough water 10 the pools to float bar
ges drawing six teet OF water. Th
boat men say that the barges claimed
bV the coal operators TO be drawing onl,
six feet often draw from three to tou
inches moro than that, and when the
cannot be taken down on the pool waite
they complaia.
IL is the intention OF the engineer
in charge OF the Kanawha river I'm
provement TO widen all the channels Il
tbe river One drsdge % now az TIL
sIori, sDd another is being cnnstrUoVe'
, tlre' IA JallEp9ss' ..bury, Secretar: oy
there has been no meeting OF the IA
nswha coal operators called to considC
the question Of making an effort to g,
more water 10 the Kanawha or to hay
the personnel Of the engineers changed
However, there has been some sue
tai X among individuals. II is plain th
Goa operators have no cause for con
plant, and that no action will be take
In the matter.