Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-02-10

The unsuspecting portion of the popu-
lation which had become alarmed by the
sensational reports and predictions of
high water had their fears allayed yes
,terday morning when they picked up
the morning papers and saw that there
was no indication of a food, nor had
the river men expected any more than
p feet. These reports of high water
always eminate from one source and al
ways occur whenever the river shows
the least tendency to go up notch or
two As a result the people living on
the Island and in the low water dis
triCts become needlessly alarmed. When
the publication appeared that 80 feet of
water was expected number OF resi-
dents began to prepare for the adver-
tised flood They were considerably
relieved when the news appeared that
there was no foundation for their fears.
The highest mark reached by the river
was 20 feet and inches. This was
reached before midnight Monday. From
that point it began TO recede, and last
night at s o'clock the marks at the
wharf registered Is feet 10 inches. The
prospects are that it will continue to
fall considerably. The ice is thinning
out. The Allegheny ice passed down
early yesterday morning. 1t is report
ed that the Allegheny is still slightly
gorged at Oil City. The Keystone State
was the first boat to arrive at the wharf
since the opening Of the river. She ar
rived and departed at o'clock yester-
day morning for Cincinnati with good
consignment Of freight. The Hudson
was scheduled to leave here at 8 p. m.
for Pittsburg. but did not arrive on
time because of some accident with her
machinery. She left Marietta at .
O'Clock yesterday afternoon and was eX-
pected to arrive at the wharf about .
O'Clock this morning. The Lexington
came up from Bellaire yesterday ana
tied up below the wharfboat. II Will
leave on its regular trip to New Mata-
moras on Thursday morning at IL
o'clock The Kanawha is also expected
to be down this morning from Pitts-
burg. and will leave about $50 O'Clock
for Charleston.
The accident to the Resolute at the
Bellaire bridge adds several thousand
dollars loss TO more than SlOO'OOO al
ready figured against that structure.
The Bellaire bridge. as all rivermen
know. is a dangerous place on account
of the position Of the bridge piers and
the narrowness Of the channel span,
which should be two hundred feet
wider az least. The bridge bill which
Congressman Dalzell introduced INTO
the House of Representauves some tlme
ago. If passed. will remedy certain
evils. There Is no remedy. however
from the present construction OF some
of the bridges. and accidents, II Is pre-
sumed will continue TO occur, 10 the
loss of the coal operators. Some river
men saw that the boats should not nave
been sent out. owing 20 the condition
/ of the river. which has been full OF Ice.
7 Experienced men. however. were al the
wheel. and il is presumed that fate was
against them.
For the past week or more a watch
! has been kept nightly at the wharf,
/ boat % prevent any accident. DURING
/ the breaking up Of the Ice there was
/ danger Of the boat being torn from us
moorings and the watch has been con
tinued during the recent rise OF the
river. The boat has been kept securely
/ fastened by six large hawsers and a
heavy chain.
Can't. Con Mcdonald is in Pittsburg
waiting for the ice to thin out.
] 1t is very likely that the Lorena, the
! Pittsburg and Muskingum river packet,
will make her appearance this week.
She has been laid up at the mouth OF
the Muskingum for some time.
The coal boat fleet will pass by some
time to-day. The Dave Wood with a
tow of coal passed down last evening at
! 3 o'clock.