The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1898-05-27

can be loaded into DOis anu "Si|
until a sufficient rise comes to let
the barges out Into the Ohio. andit
also may he, and ls, used for the
transportation OF coal and farm
products for the supply Of the
towns Of Louisa, KY and Fort
Gay, W. Va.
With other dams above and be.
low. tho benefits TO navigation
would be very great and Of a per-
manent nature.
As has been pointed out in scv-
eraI OF the reports Of the Chief OF
Engineers, above this dsm lies a
splendid undeveloped coal field
which only awaits reliable water
transportation to carry IL 10 the
markets along the Ohio. This coal,
il is believed, VIII be developed as
issr rs the. slack water reaches it
regardless of the improvement Of
the river below Louisa, because the
pools formed by the slack water
will give sufficient water in which
TO load barges during the low-water
season and TO hold them until there
Is suitable stage for going out, as
is now the ease eon the Great Kama
wha and MOnongahela. The inn
/ provement Of the lower river. the
Big sandy it,elt, will enable these
| loaded boats to reach the Ohio at
all times when there is sufficient
water on that stream 10 float coal,
and II should speedily follow or be
done simultaneously with that Of
the two tributaries, Louisa and Tug
forks; but no gOOd reason is appa-
rent why it should precede the i'm
proyement OF the forks, as II will
only assist the improvements Of the
present com merce without increas.
ing IL appreciably.
Permanent and satisfactory i'm
provement can only be effected by
tho construction OF locks and mOy-
able dams. ca account OF the great
quantities OF sand and drift afioat
on sll rises, the pools formed by
fixed dams are liable 10 flll up and
snags to be deposited so as TO rem
der navigation difficult and hazard
Gus. But the success Of the dan
already built at Louisa, as well n
, that of other movable dams on th'
. Ohio aud Great Kanawha rivers
; demonstrates beyond doubt tina
|, thI method OF Improvement is wei
/ suited to the demands OF the nav
I igatlon OF this river, and that Al
o though At first costly, it is In IN
, end the most advantageous ye
q known for such cases. In my opin
ion, as well as that Of my Prede
cessors, Majors Lockwood an,
= Gregory, the natural wealth o. ihi
!. river basin, with It's enormous Goa
= deposits as yet undevelope
!, through lack Of proper transports
tion facilities, will thoroughly Jul
a. tlfy the thorough improvement q
n this river. Such thorough In
- proyement based on the expsrienC
a already gained will require tn
a. construction OF 10 locks and dan
20 ON the I.oul.a fork between Louis
N and Pikevllle, Ky- 5 locks an
m dams on the Tug Fork hetwee
a Louisa and the mouth oithe POn'
n aud 3 locks and dams on the maj
n. river between Louisa and Catlstt
Il. burg, KY, q locks aud dams in a
A As proved by the work alrrsc
.. done upon the one dam now cor
"A pleted at Louisa, the constructi'
N OF such locks and dams will invol
nm no special engineering difiicultl
II the funds be promptly provide
ma therefor.
n. In fuller explanation Of I
=, wealth OF this river basin, its pC
:. sIble improvement by asystem
- movable dams, aud the feAslbili
n. aud advantages OF the same, |
Mo close herewith extracts fhOm a 81
an. cial report prepared last year
,or Mr.. Is. +. Thomas, the assists
,ad engineer in local charge Of this
op- erimprovement.
The dam already constructed
In this river is so satisfactory In
~. ways that it is proposed to ad
yar the same general plan OF dam
an the rest Of the river, lowering
IN lift at the mouth OF the river,
lars raising It, where practicable,
~ other places to IL feet, and reese