Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-04-25
RIPARIAN RIGHTS
INVOLVED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HAIR
Dor LINES ALONG THE OHIO
A Meeting Of a Board Of United States Engineers
in This City-Argumsnts Of Inter-
ested Parties Heard.

The Board of U. S. Engineers in charge
OF the upper Ohio river, are In this city for
the purpose of establishing haroor lines
between Martins Ferry and Bellaire.
The Board is composed Of Major Gen.
eral Amos Stickney, L. s. A., who sue
ceeded Col. Merrill, Lieut.. d. w. Lock
wood, and Lieut.. D. w. Modes, all of
Cincinnati. They are registered at the
Mcclure.
The authority OF the Board to essab-
lish harbor lines, is granted by an act
of Congress, passed In September, 1890,
authorizing the Secretary OF War to es-
tablish harbor lines on any navigaole
stream in the United States, If he deems
such action necessary, and upon petit
ton Of citizens or steamboatmen
in any locality. Secretary OF
War Elklns received a petition
from Wheeling citizens and steamboat
men, soon after the act went into effect
The complaint was made that many OF
the industrial establishments on both
sides OF the river here were dumping
the refuse from their furnaces over the
banks, and encroaching upon the har-
Dor lines. This was represented to have
a tendency toward interfering with nav
igation on the river.
A government engineer commenced
the work of making surveys ON both
sides of the river, in 1891, and did not
complete it for several months,
as the work covered a dis
lance of nine miles. The maps
were then prepared in Major
Stickney's Office in Cincinnati.
They were exhibited yesterday morn
ing in the Second Branch Council
Chamber. The maps are about 80 feet
long, and feet in width, and are drawn
TO a scale OF 120 feet to l inch.
great deal OF care and labor was be-
slowed upon their preparation. The
complete distance of Q miles is divided
into sections Of 1000 feet, and the
streets and principal buildings in
Wheeling, Benwood, Bellaire, Bridge
port and Martins Ferry are shown TO a
distance Of 500 feet from low water
mark. All the railroads and bridges,
and the bars and projections, are also
marked. The contour OF the river Is
shown with the water at a stage OF 1.5
feet and 3.s feet, respectively.
The object Of yesterday mornings
meeting of the Board was to hear sug-
geStions and arguments OF steamboat
men, manufacturers and others inter-
ested. Mayor Caldwell, City Solicitor
White, City Engineers Hoge and White,
and Wharfmaster Crockard, were pres
ent to look after the interests OF the
city w. p. Hubbard, Esq, and Chief
Engineer Becker represented the P,
w. 81 KY. road; j: D. Ewing and Gen.
Alfred Caldwell represented the steam
boatmen; Engineer House, the c. ~ z.
road; Engineer Scholl, the Terminal;
Manager Frank j. Hearne, the River
side Iron Company; j. d. Dubois and
Geo. Wise, the Wheeling Steel and Iron
Company. Capt. JAS. Mcdonald, Capt.
Dillon and Capt. j. L. Shriver were also
present.
Several attorneys made arguments,
and at one o'clock the Board adjourned
to meet again this morning at ten
o'clock. In the afternoon visit was
made to the wharf and the location Of
the proposed Panhandle passenger de-
pot was examined.
This afternoon the members OF the
Board and all persons interested will
make trip between the Laughlin mill
and the southern extremity Of Bellaire
on the steamer Liberty. The trip will
be made about two o'clock.
The Board will not hold another
meeting. but will prepare report from
the information CLEANED here TO be sent
to the Department at Washington.
The question of riparian rights Is
one Of great Importance to the local
industrial plants. All, or nearly all,
are located near the river, and IT has
been the custom to dump the taps and
cinders from the iron furnaces over the
banks. After the passage OF the act
referred TO above, they were enjoined
from continuing this practice, and some
have alread been put to considerable
hu