Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-01-29
PROSPECTS OF THE RIVER.
Very Little Cause for Alarm, thus Far
A Good Feeling Prevails at Pitts
burg

Very Little Cause for Alarm, thus Far.
A Good Feeling Prevails at Pitts
burg
PrrrsBURG, PA, January 2S.-The riv-
ermen are jubilant over the fact that the
rivers are rising slowly and generally and
the danger of a flood is not looked upon by
them as very great.
The gravest of fears had been expert
enced up TO about week ago, but since
then matters have assumed a different as
pect.
This has been the most severe winter
experienced in this vicinity for NUMBER
OF years and the rivermen were 1eerful
that the ice formations in the upper rivers
would come out with rnsn'
This has been happily avert
ed through the sun shlnihg
steadily for the past few days, thus rotting
the ice and enabling the different boats
which have been at work in the upper pools
to break the ice into small pieces so that II
they did come in contact with the craft,
moored about the wharf, here, the damage
done would be of q trifiing character.
For the past three or four days the
Acorn. Maggie. Charlie, Jutte. Tom Lysle
and other boats have been doing good work
in the upper pools breaking Ice For over
a week G. lutte & Co. have been engaged
making sort of ice breaker, wnlcn Is oe-
nominated bulldozer by the river men.
1t has been completed and was launched
last night.
1t is "Y" shaped implement and great
things are expected of it, as it is powerful
enough TO crush the ice into the smallest
particles, and besides it can be operated
very speedily. II was towed up TO one OF
the upper pools to-day and will be worked
night and day along the river until all dan
ger from floating ice is entirely removed.
The only damage that could be done TO
the craft In the upper pools now would DC
the destruction of empty bargeS. An olu
riverman said that never could he remeu-
Der when there were so few barges loaded
as there are at the present time. Tne
greater portion OF them have only recently
been brought back from Cincinnati and the
lower rivers, and have not oeen RELOADED
owing TO the condition OF the river.
According TO the river men the figures
giving the stage of water to-day at the up
per points do not indicate flood, but on
the contrary point to slow and gentle rise
in the river sufficient to let the boats out In
good shape without any risk being engen-
dered.
The ice at Fairmont, w. Va, broke yes
terdav afternoon, and for brief time the
rivernen were worried for fear the Ice
would come down with rush and carry
away with it whatever ice had formed In
the rivers in the intervening space between
here and Fairmont.
Telegrams received soon auayed their
fears. and after they got over their scare
thev soon realized that there was hardly
any danger of much damage from this
break. as the river at Fairmont is hardly
any wider than creek, and would hardly
contain enough ice and water 10 do any
damage in this vicinity.
Telegrams from up the river give the fol-
lowing stage Of water: BrownsvllIe, .
feet and rising; Rice's Landing, 5 feet o
and rising; Lock No. 4. 9 feet and rising;
Morgantown. river closed; Greensboro, III
feet 2 and rising; Parker, inches, falling
Oil City, river frozen.
According to the rivermen these hgures
do not indicate flood, but on the contrary
point to q slow and gentle rise in tho river,
sufficient TO let the boats out in good shape
without any risk being engendered.
The moving ice in the Monongahela river
had I'D to a late hour tonight done no
damage. The rlvermen say there Is pos
sibility of the big ice cakes passing out Oh
the harbor and into the Ohio without caus-
ing any very heavy loss to river interests.
REPORTS from the upper Monongahela
were to the effect that the river had ceased
in its rapid and constant rise Of the day
previous, and that while the swell at Fair
mont would undoubtedly extend to Pitts
burg, no danger from floods existed.
The Pittsourg tow boats have about
completed their task of breaking the ice
in the pools and everything is in readiness
for the approaching ice. The Fairmont
rise is expected TO reach this end OF the
river some time tomorrow. The towboat
men are keeping sharp watch for dan.
gers and will not be taken unawares should
the ice gorge in the barbor.