Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-06
RIVER NEWS.
Daily Chronicle OF the Movements or tn
Goats and Boatmen.


United States government in. the Big
Sandy river at Louisa, KY, has just
been completed and put into operation.
The first steamboat to pass through
the lock was the Sandy Valley, which
was put through yesterday afternoon.
Everything worked perfectly. The dam
is the only one of the kind in America,
and is the highest of its type in the
world. 1t is known as the needle DAM
which is extensively used IN Franco.
/ This dam possesses a number Oh I'M
provements over the French dam or
the same type.
/ An order was issued yesterday by
! Gen. J. A. Dumont, United States Gen
eral Supervisor, that after the LIST OF
January, 1897. it will not be requisite
! for a mate OF d steamer TO have a IL
cense. This order, it is thought by
practical steamboatmen, is very IN
wise one, as mate Of steamer is one
| of the most important, as his duties as
an officer are alike the masters, stand
i ing watch with him during the hours
of the day and night, and his response
| bility for the safety of life and prop
erty is as great as the master or the
steamer, if not more. He directs and
! loads the steamer, slowing the cargo,
which is quite essential, keeping her
in proper trim for easy handling by
I her pilots, which cuts a big figure IN
the steamer being properly navigated.
Rivermen do not look with much IA
vor on the promised propeller for the
Ohio river, which it is said will ply be-
tween Wheeling and Sistersville. Plots
say that if the Ohio was slack-watered
such boat could operate successfully.
, They maintain that it will be almost
| impossible for steamer of the pro-
| posed style to land at shore The
steam propeller is not new on western
rivers. There are several Of them
here in the shape of tugs. The Wash
Gray, at Louisville, is probably the
most successful propeller that was ever
built for western rivers. She has deep
water to run in, however
The prospects are that there will be
a river stage sufficient for the tow
boats to go South with coal. There is
good stage Of water at the Davis ISL
anu udIl anu dHOlliGl lOOl VI NdlCl VIII
make the river sufficient to go out.
! None of the trippers employed on the
various steamers want to see any more
water. They contend that if the rise
holds off for about two more months
there will be enough coal mined at
Pittsburg and vicinity to give every
man work who is employed on the
river. The Chronicle-Telegraph says
that there is about 100000 bushels of
coal awaiting shipment. There is,
| however. no necessity for a rise. The
! lower markets are better stocked with
coal than they have been for years
| Prices are very low and the operators
say it hardly pays them to ship at this
time Very few contracts are being
made. If the weather should continue
cold for several months the supply on
hand in the South would he used up
RAPIDLY. and the result would be to
stimulate the market at Pittsburg. 1t
will take considerable cold weather,
though, to cause a demand for the
Pittsburg product owing to present
conditions.
Yesterdays Departures - Parkers-
burg, Ben Hur, a. M, Leroy, II a. M:
a. m; New Matamoras. Lexington, IL
a. M; Sistersville, Ruth, $3.50 p. M;
Darlington, Jewel $50 p m.
To-days Boats-Charleston, Kama
wha, a. M; Sistersville, Ruth, $3.50
p. M; Darlington, Jewel, $3.50 p. m.
The river is stationary at feet Z
inches. A rise is expected, as the
waters above are rising. The cold
weather will decrease it somewhat.
The Wash Hanshall passed up yes
terday morning at II o'clock with
big tow of pig iron. The Adele fol-
lowed about 1880 p. m. with part OF
the Hanshalls tow.
PITTSBURG, Pa, January 5-River
7 lilo feet and rising at the dam; weather
clear and cold.
WARREN, Pa, January 5.-River feet
3 inches: weather clody and cold.
MORGANTOWN, w. Va. January O.
River feet; showing most of the day;
getting colder.
GREENSBORO. Pa. January 5.-River
feet inches and rising; rainfall 80; light
snow; weather colder
OIL CITY, Pa, January 5.-River 3 feet
and rising; weather cloudy and cold.