The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-15


permanent Improvement Of che ONO
was begun In the early gOB. and let u
hope that It win be completely finished
within the next score, or twenty-five
years at the farthest.
FIRST MOVABLE DAMS.
''The arst movable dams in America.
In connection with slack water improve
ment. were built on the Great Kama
wha river in this state. The usefulness
and adaptabllIty OF movable dams
have been thoroughly established.
Movable dams are kept up during Low
stages and down during high water
Their advantages over the ordinary NIX
ed dams for a commerce and river ike
the Ohio are very decided. as they fur
nish the benefits OF the usual slack wa
ter without It's most serious inconve-
nlences and drawbacks With fHed
dams everything must pass through the
locks With them navigation Is entirely
suspended when the river is near to or
above the lock walls. The difference be-
tween the hxed and movable dams In
the scour and wash OF the banks about
the works. is also greatly in favor Of the
modern type.
with movable dams the locks ore
used only when the water in the river Is
so low as to make them necessary. At
all other times the dams are kept low
cred, practically on the river bottom
and out Of the way. affording unob-
structed, open navigation. This is
great advantage to all classes OF COM
merce and especially for coal, which is
always shipped In fleets. More barges
can be transported by tow boat and
much better time made IN an open river
than when It is made necessary to use
the locks.
''The gauge record OF the Great Ka-
nawha river for the last twenty years,
shows an average OF 1875 days IN the
year Ehen there Is five feet OF water for
open navigation, and 142 days when the
average is six feet or more. From this
It appears that coal can be shipped by
open river about six months In the
year, during which time the movable
dams will be down and unusued. The
remainder Of the year, or when the rlv-
er falls below a coal boat stage, the
dams are kept up, which affords an av-
erage available slack water depth Of six
feet all the year.
MEANS CHEAP FREIGHTs.
at is well understood, Mr. President.
that slack water transportation AFFORDS
the cheapest possible freight rates, es-
pecially when the haul is of great
length. The freight on coal from Pitts
burgh to New Orleans will not average
over one-fifteenth Of one cent. per ton
per mile. The coal barges, considering
their cost and length OF life are cheap
carriers. They cost from one to two
thousand dollars each and last about
a. NT,a 81 ras
anywhere from 10000 to 10000 bushels,or
from 400 to ZOO tons Of coal, which would
be equal TO train of twenty to thirty
cars of twenty tons each. In open navi-
CATION on the Big Kanawha, a tow boat
handles from four to fourteen loaded
barges, depending, of course, on the
stage OF the river and the size of the
tow boat. In the Ohio river from the
mouth OF the Kanawha down, the tow
boats take from fourteen to thlrty-four
barges each a fleet OF thirty barges
about 100000 bushels, or about $4,000
tons, which II loaded into twenty ton
cars. would make thirty trains OF TWEEN
tv-sIx cars each, or a continuous line of
cars nearly six miles long. mention
these facts simply TO emphasize the i'm
portance of improving the navigation OF
the Ohio river in order to AFFORD cheap
freiRhr rates, which will be an advant-
age to the consumer as we'll as to the
producer. and Will rebound to the benz
eft Of all the peoplv.
"The Ohio. my friends. IS national
water way. As It sweeps past our homes
In its meanderInG way to the sea, 1t
does not tell OF Pennsylvania, or Ohio
or West Virginia, or Kentucky, or In
diana, or Illinois. While, in a sense, 1t
may sing a song Of these great states,
but above and beyond them all, It tells
| the story OF a nation united, Of coun-
trY that all OF US love. a country with
one constitution and one flag, country
Of peace and at peace with all the
world, country with,one aim and des-
tiny. a country united and under God,
one and IndIvisible now and forever.
And see the rivers how they run,
Through woods and meadows. In shades
Sometime swift. sometimes slow
Wave succeeding wave, they go
A various journey to the deep.
| Like human life to endless sleep.
again I welcome you to Wheeling.
and bid you God speed in your work"
Governor Atkinson was frequently
appIauded, and at the close was given
| the generous applause OF the audience.
COLONEL VANCE RESPONDS.
Colonel John L. Vance, president OF
the association, responded in an elo-
auent speech, In which he said:
In his response to Governor AttIn-
sons speech welcoming the association.
President Vance first spoke OF his ear
Hest acquaintance with Wheeling; this
was IN the civil war when he came here
| l., r,,,r,opd ~ a West Virgfnla Fpui-
ment OF Union volunteers. The warmth
of Wheellngs welcome at that time
made him feel proud TO serve in regl-
ment accredited to the new Mountain
state. On another occasion he had tast-
ed OF WheelIng's hospitality; on the oc-
| casIon Of the visit OF the rivers and hnr-
bofs committee OF Congress In the
spring of 1896. The committee and riv-
ermen had been met at Falrmont by en-
thusIastic delegations OF Pennsylva-
nlans and West Vlrglnians: and on
| down the Monongahela to Pittsburgh,
in Pittsburgh, and down the Ohio to
| Wheeling, there had been one round of
enthusiasm by the people OF the various
communities, a showing OF popular SEN
| tIment that without doubt influenced
the large appropriation that followed In
Speaking OF West virginia, Colonel
Vance said that Pennsylvania must
look out or the Mountain state will
wrest from her great neighbor the title
OF leader among the states in production
OF coal. iron and oil.
WEST VIRGINIA FORTUNATE.
West Virginia has been fortunate In
her governors. continued the speaker.
| -, r,..z---. T,t..,,t,r ~ Tg,trr,npt 10