Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-03-22

/ Tertiary workmen came out Of the in
dustrial plants and waved their hats,
coats or handkerchiefs at the passing
( steamer. while there was constant
| screeching Of whistles. 1t appeared as
though the enthusiasm among the peO-
ole increased in direct ratio as the dis
lance from Pittsburg was added to. It
/ must not be understood from this chron-
/ icle OF fact that the Pittsburg people
/ are not Interested, for they are. and at
7 least as deeply as any other population
I in the territory drained by the Ohio or
its tributaries, but they are not the sort
/ OF folks 10 let their interest or enthus-
iasm lead them into anything in the
/ nature Of a popular demonstration, and
I as a result there were no cheering
! crowds. no brass bands, and no firing
/ of cannon until the Committee got we'll
away from the Smoky City.
The first stop was made at the Davis
Island dam, five miles below Pittsburg,
/ which was reached az hah-past ten
/ o'clock. Although the dam was down
/ the marks showing sixteen feet OF wa
/ ter. the boat was taken through the
| lock. and was stopped and tied up when
I about half way through to permit the
= mem bers of the Committee to land and
| examine the practical workings Of a sec
7 ton of the dam which was rugged up
on the bank near the government build
I ing. A squad Of eight or ten men,
I with a block and tackle. manipulated
/ the wicket to the complete satisfac-
I ton Of the Congressman, and then Cap
l tain John F. bravo. the veteran Pitts
| burg river man. and others possessed
| of equal experience, explained the con-
/ structiOn Of the actual dam, its cost
etc. The Congressman asked large
| number of pertinent questions regard
ing the dam. and appeared to be very
much impressed by the statement that
| whereas the Davis Island dam cost
\ more than a million dollars. the gov
I eminent could duplicate it by private
/ contract for something like 100000,
and have the work upon each dam con-
/ structed in a year or a very little more,
! while two or three years was spent in
/ constructing the Davis Island dam, high
/ water often washing away work which
/ il had taken months TO construct be
/ cause money was not available to carry
! the work right along.
About the time New Cumberland was
I passed the addresses which followed
| the substantial portion Of the dinner
/ began and then continued for the en-
! suing two hours. The first address was
| by Col John L. Vance. President Of
I the Ohio River Improvement AssOcia-
I ton, Of GallipOlis. o., who read a tele-
/ gram addressed TO Chairman Hooker,
( Of the COngresSiOnel Committee. to the
I effect that the Chamber of Commerce
and the citizens generally Of Cincinnati
were DESTROYS Of having the Virginia
/ extend her trip 10 the Queen City, and
| assuring the Congressional Committee
I OF a most hearty welcome. He eulO~
/ gized Cincinnati. and recOunted some
thing or her vast business interests,
and was frequently interrupted by ap-
plause. When be had concluded there
were loud calls for Chairman Hooker,
Of the Committee, in response 10 which
I Mr. Hooker addressed - gathering.
He said the Committee would be glad
/ 10 60 20 Cincinnati if time would per-
NIT them 20 do So but the Committee
| left Washington City with The under
standing that the members were to be
/ back there not later than Monday. II
/ was. therefore. not possible TO go fur
! Their down the river than Parkersburg.
He returned thanks. on behalf of his
colleagues Of the Committee. to the peO-
/ pie of Cincinnati for the interest they
/ had shown in the Committee and the
I invitation extended. and said he would
I be delighted to accept the invitation If
/ it would be possible to go there.
Congressman BrOmwell next spoke
on behalf of Cincinnati, making a splen-
did address which frequently provoked
/ laughter and applause.
Secretary John C. Shaw, Of the Pitts
b1rg and Lake Erie Canal Company.
was the next speaker. and be dwelt
with elOQuenCe upon the importance Of
I that proposed addition 10 the great
waterways of this portion Of the coun-
try. His data was particularly valu-
/ able and his exposition of the situation
I i'm the upper Ohio valley last summer
and fan. when millions Of dollars
worth of property was tied up for want
I of water in the river. was followed with
the closest attention.
! After some other short addresses Col.
Vance was again called upon, and made
/ a splendid address, in which he epito-
mized the history of the movement for
the Improvement of the Ohio, and
named a number of men who had taken
/ prominent part in the matter, among
them being several in this city. His
summary of the extent of the great
drought Of 1895, of the immediate loss
I il inflicted upon the boating and manu-
/ featuring interests. and It's far-reach-
ing effect upon the business Of the coUn-
/ try, was very interesting and valuable.
This apple production is grown in a
limit Of three miles of frontage on the
Ohio river. and includes four cold stOr-
age fruit houses, with storage capacity
/ for fifty thousand barrels Of apples;
also one cider and vinegar factory, ca
pacity FIVE thousand barrels. Ship
ments of the above products are by
water when the Ohio river is in a navi-
| gable stage TO markets. up and down
said river, which is our cheaper trans
pOrtatiOn; otherwise by rail when wa
| ter is too low for steamboats,. Follow
ing is the production: