The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-19
RIVER.

The marks at 8 p. m. showed : rect
z inches and falling. Weather, cloudy
and cool.
The Lulu F., at II a. M, Is to-day's
packet for Matamoras.
The Ruth laid up at sistersyille last
night on account Of the low water.
Yesterdays departures included The
Ruth. for slstersville, at $3.50 2. M, ana
the Leroy. for Darlington. at p. m.
Lulu F. Will leave for Aiatamorns on
Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday, at II
a. m.
The t. NJ. Bnyne did not come out in
the Steubenville-Wheeli trade yes
terday. per announcement. owing to the
unexpected fall In the river.
Messrs. Thomas and Urpman, owners
Of the new packet. which Is to succeed
the Leroy in the Wheeling Clarington
trade, got out a stem piece few days
ago from the interior Of Monroe coun-
ty. It was taken to Darlington, where
the builders, Mozena Brothers. set a
force OF carpenters at work shaping It
off. Soon an imperfectlOn was discov-
cred, and the piece OF timber was
promptly discarded, and a new one has
been hewed from solid oak and VIII
soon assume the graceful shape re-
quired for what the new boats owners
declare they will have-the fastest boat
on the Ohio.
The Destructive Lecch.
River leeches are endangering $1,000
900 worth Of coal now lying in the
Pittsburgh harbor, the stretch Of wa
ter that extends from the city down to
Davis Island dam. six miles below the
junction Of the Monongahela and Al
legheny rivers. Coal men have been
annoyed for many years by the preva-
lence in the New Orleans harbor Of the
teredo, an insect whose boring propen-
stiles are the chief cause Of the pros
perlty Of the coal-barge builders along
the upper Monongahela. Barges must
often be broken up on account Of the
ravages Of the teredo. which has plenty
of opportunity to honeycomb the wood
work Of the vessels during their fire.
quent long stays at New Orleans While
waiting for a remuneratiVe coal mar
ket. Lately. however, new and even
worse danger has confronted coal
barges at this end Of the river route.
The teredo honeycombs the oarges
slowly, and inspection Of the bottoms Is
SO frequent that no coal has even been
lost through the work OF the teredO.
The leeches, Ohowevcr, bore directly
through the oakum- caulked seams, and
constant pumping is necessary to pre-
vent the barges from sinking.
Scientists have been consulted, and
they offer various explanations Some
assert that the leech has found In oak
UNI nourishIng and appetizlng food;
others think the low water In the har-
Dor has become contaminated by sew
age, and that the leeches bore into the
oakum in their efforts to escape. Still
others contend that the contaminated
water Is responsible for the enormous
increase in the number of leeches, and
that the creatures, led by some instinct,
find their way between the plnnking to
enjoy the still greater corruption OF the
bllge water in the barges. Another
group of scientific minds is satisfied
that the little bloodsuckers find oakum
burrowing n satisfactory avenue OF es-
cape from some enemy which the the
orlsts are now striving to identify.
The owners Of the coal are taking but
little interest in these speculations.
They are however, losing sleep worry
ing about the damage to their property
and the expense they have already
been compelled to undergo. Every
barge and coal boat" the latter being
fiat-bottomed. square-slded. cheaply
built vessel holding twice as much as
the bArges and Intended to be broken
up and sold for lumber at New Orleans,
is fitted out with one or two pumps.
Usually the work Of one man Is sufti-
cient to keep the whole fleet OF barges
and boats aflOat, only an occasional
spell at the pumps being required. but
since the leeches began to work there
came change. First the regular
Ia tV,ut yl1In IN
keep the boats on top of the water and
that hard work was necessary. In
cessant pumping being back breaking
exercise. and all labor traditions on the
river containing no record that pump.
ers had ever been obliged to do hard
work. the men protested. Since their
protest more hands have been put at
the pumps, relieving each other in
shifts, like sailors on n sinking ship.
The owners have paid out thousands OF
dollars and constantly fear that the
barges may sink, MS 1t Is impossible, OF
course. to do fresh calklng while the
boats are full Of coal and lying in the
river The only salvation for the
81, 100000 worth OF coal is a rise in the
river, which will enable the owners to
float their product to the lower mar
kets. Meantime. the scientists are
bGGNllb AllG at NllNtAAg vi AllG lGENLs
1t is intended, II he be found. to petit
ton the war department, which con-
trolls the navlgahle streams. to enter
upon artificial culture and distribute
him In the river in the manner observed
by the fish commission.
River kilograms,
OIL CITY-Rlver at zero and sta
tionary. Weather, cloudy and warm.
| NTOT3G A NTOWN-RIvar feet and
stationary. Weather cloudy and warm.