Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-23
THE INCREASING
HEIGHT OF FLOODS.

To the Editor of the Register.
Sir:-I desire to call the attention OF
the public in general to one of two
phases OF the railroad proposition to
furtherI encroach upon the river, and
to point out the evils which have al
ready resulting from cOntIactions OF
the hannel and the dangers OF per-
slstence OF this policy al The future.
fClose observers OF The varying condi-
aions CT the river and of the Increased
heights OF moods CT late lears will agree
that the losses and damage I4om
fresnets are yearly becoming MOI
general ana Widespread. Inele can be
no doubt OF the proposition tnat any
gwen quantity O. water sdHlcl6ht 10
constitute a nood RAISES the llFer at
the city of Wheeling much higher than
ii did twenty years ago. here Will,
also, be no disagreement from the
proposition that The Almost annual
uvefnowS OF water TO winch we nave
lately been subjected entalis immcnse
loss upon tens OF thousands OF the
people OF this community.
Two causes cOmDlne to produce these
disasters. Cne is the denudlng OF the
hllIs and mountains about hedoWatefs,
winch causes the rainfall to un OIL
mucn more quickly than III former
years. The second is the contraction
of the banks OF the river at various
points, winch in a measure dams up
this sudden rush OF water, lmpedes It's
How and causes it TO Cyerspread lanuS
-. hu T,SnHc FIha pa
covering OF the hills and mountains
with forests as d re -neay Tor moods mas
long engaged the attention OF oflclaiS
OF both State and Federal govern
mentS, as well as students ana writers,
and in some States, notably PennSyl-
mania, New York and OHIO, measures
have been taken to encourage the plant
ing and care Of forests. AS means
10 the same end, the, government en-
gineers have taken measures OF var
ious sorts to keep the river channels
clear and free, and notable attempt
in this direction has been the laying
down of harbor lines within the linn
it's of cities and towns, to prevent FUR
Their encroachments by manufacturing
plants and railroad companies, which
are the worst offenders. ii Is great
pity these lines We're not surveyed
many years ago, and RICHLY adhered
TO- Such a course would have saved
tens OF thousands of dollars TO tie
people of Wheeling alone; but, better
late than never, ana the lines now pre-
scribed should become inViolable. /.
One does net have to lock far to OBJ
serve the increased depth of water in
the river at Wheeling from any given
quantity Of rainfall. Less than twenty
years ago it took thirty-two feet OF Wa
ter to make a showing within the linz
its OF the State Fair grounds, On the
lower end Of the Island. New twenty
eight feet six inches brings the wafer
into the grounds. The difference is
three feet and a half on a moderate
rise With deeper food the differ
ence is necessarily increased, until,
al a forty-five foot stage, it doubtless
amounts to at least six feet. That is
to say, a quantity OF water which pro-
duced stage of thirty-nine feet at
the Wheeling wharf twenty years ago,
is now good for forty-tive feet. The
first stage caused no particular in
convenience or damage; the last In
conyeniences or brings loss to fifteen
thousand pe0ple-not alone residents
Of the Island, but practically OF the
entire city, for a business man may
reside in the First ward or in the
country, and yet have to move his stock
of goods in his place OF business. The
South Side is just as liable TO damage
by floods as the Island, and business
men ON Water, Main, Market and cross
streets north of the creek lose thou
sands CT dollars every time the water
goes to forty feet or beyond. The liza
bility to these freShets is constantly
growing, and it is q safe assertion
that within the ensuing ten years there
will be more CT them than in the last
ten. Fills along the river here and
there, are undoubtedly responsible for
this condition, even though they be
above the ordinary stage of water. for
every cubic yard of earth dumped on
the shore of stream displaces a Gu
bic yard of water when that stream is
high retards its flow, tends TO increase
the depth and consequently the dam
age.
The time to call a halt in fills along
the banks of the Ohio has fully come
No more should be permitted upon
any pretext, and it is the highest duty
of the city authorities to see TO it that
the interests of the community are
protected in this regard To fail,
means greater losses in the future than
our people have experienced in the
past, and we have lively and distinct
recollection CT what We have gone
through. PROPERTY OWNER.
Do not fail to attend the Cathedral
picnic at the fair grounds Thursday.