Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-04-09
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
Several More Dams to be Built on the
Upper Ohio
The Coming Summer-The Inn
provements Proposed on the
Monongahela in This State-River
Business Reported Good - The
Local River Report.

It is reported that the Federal gov
eminent intends doing a great deal of
work the coming summer and fall i'm
proving the rivers in this State and
Pennsylvania The Allegheny river
above Pittsburg will be improved in
the near future to the extent of at
least two dams, which will be located
above Tarantum. There are also a
number of improvements to be made
on the Ohio river this season, between
this city and Pittsburg, in the form of
several dams to be located and the sur
veys to be made.
The government method of COM
mencing river improvements is rather
odd, and is typical of the deliberate
way in which all government work is
done. When it is considered to be adj
visable to inaugurate a series OF inn
provements on any stream the War
Department notifies the engineer in
charge Of that district TO make a pre-
liminary examination. This work IS
generally turned over to an assistant,
who gathers data on the necessity for
the improvements and submits it to
his superior, who in turn submits 1t TO
the chief of engineers with a report as
to the need OF improvements. The
chief looks over the figures and his
subordinate's recommendation and de-
cides what shall be done His opinion
is generally final, and the Department
asks Congress for an appropriation TO
start the work, if it is favorable.
Then there is money appropriated for
the preliminary survey, and the site
of the improvement is located. Then
there is sometimes another approprta-
ton for a final survey, and then nego-
tiations for the necessary property are
opened. In the course of four or five
years the work is really commenced.
In speaking of the river improve
ments to be made in the near future
il is we'll to say that there is strong
pressure being brought to bear on the
government in favor of speedy COM
pletion of the Monongahela improve
ments clear through To Falrmont' w.
Va. At present the slack water eN-
tends only to Morgantown, and six
more locks will be necessary to finish
the work. The last river and hTbor
bill appropriated 100000 for the COM
pletion of the improvements on the
Great Kanawha. and the people of the
MINER Monongahela are clamoring for
the Improvement of their stream as
well.
The preliminary surveys will be
made on the Ohio river this summer
for movable dams 8, and .. These
are far moro expensive than the sta
tionary kind put In on the upper rivers,
each costing. in round numbers, $780,
600 The one at Davis Island cost
nearly a million dollars. but improved
machinery and methods of work have
cheapencd the cost, as well as reduced
the time of construction.
Dam No 4. ut Merrill station, two
miles below Reaver. is about half COM
nleted. and work will be resumed there
as soon as the river gets low enough.
No will be located at Rochester, a
short distance above the tumbler
works. and will be the next one COM
menced. No. has been located at
Osborne station. on the Fit. Wayne
road and No, 3 will be near Dixmont
The precise location of No. has not
been determined upon.
All thia work on the upper Ohio is
under the charge Of Captain William
| Martin. OF the United States engineer