Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-07-31
Big MONEY.
Lots of it to be Spent on the
Local River.

Major Powell Has lois or Cash to Blow
in-Locks and Dams will be Fixed
up and New Ones Built Importance
OF Pittsburg as IA Shipping Point
Bigger things ahead.
Maj. Powell, of the United States
engineers office has stated that he
was to commence next month TO spend
SIS, 900 in making the Allegheny river
more navigahle. La addition to this
there will be spent upon the old locks
and dams of the Monengahela river
81 25, 900 while the expenses for gen.
eral contracting will be as great as
last year, 100000. This will make
a minimum of $40, 900 to be spent
upon the Allegheny Monongahela
aud Pittsburg harbors during one
year says the Press.
The object Of all this expenditure Is
TO restore the local harbor and rivers
TO the condition required by SO impor-
tant city as Pittsburg. This will
be simply restoring the local waters
to the condition that existed many
years ago.
Shipment on the river In the fat
boat days, was only during the spring
and autumn floods, although an oc-
casional summer rise, such as we are
now exp Getting, would cause general
activity. In the autumn Of 1914 Hall
reports that 50, 900, 900 of merchandise
was lying on the shores of the Monon-
gahela, waiting for rise Of water to
float it TO its destination. The steam-
ers did something TO alleviate this
condition of affairs. and still more re-
lief was experienced when railroads
came TO carry goods quickly across
country. The local wharyes, however
have not for long been so busy and
thriving as they were In the pre-
steamboat days, and it Is Go effect
such revival that the government Is
now expanding such vast sums Of
money on these rivers.
For the Monongahela Improvements
Maj. Powell said he expected TO spend
at least 1926, 900. The greater part
of this will be expended on the alter
alton and repair of the old locks aud
dams but he anticipates by special
contract work TO have the river given
an average depth Of 10 feet, while
Maj. Bixby will see that the Ohio has
general depth of six feet through
out the year. II this be accomplished
the palmy days of Pittsburg as a port
will be revived and a still higher pres.
tige given to the city as q center Of
transportation.
Tn with fhfC Mai Drxy-
ell wishes specially brought before the
public the tonnage from the harbor
during the past financial year. In
the dispatches received from Wash
ington concerning his report 1t was
forgotten that the harbor now Is reck-
oned separately from the Monongahe-
la and Allegheny rivers. He states
that 1888, 900 tons were shipped from
this locality, consisting mainly Of COAL
iron, brick, pottery, glass, limestone
and general merchandise. As he said
considering the size of the city and
the present difficulties In the way of
navigation such a tonnage is equalled
by no other city of like magnitude.
Maj. Powell expects that the opera
tions thus mapped out will be well OH
to completion before the annual
freshets commence 1t will be re-
membered that last year the work on
hand was greatly delayed by the floods
commencing as early as October 18th.
On account OF the number Of foods
that continued until late this spring
he does not expect the freshets this
year until late in the fall, and thus
much greater progress will have to be
reported.
Or the three great contracts now
under way that at Springdale, on the
Allegheny, is making satisfactory
progress The work at HEIRS Island,
also on the Allegheny, was greatly re-
tarded by the floods, but the Golfer
dam is now reported under control.
At lock No. 10 on the Monongahela,
greater progress would have to be re-
ported were IL not for the fact that
they are unable to secure labOrerS
The contractor sent word to Mai.
Powell that he found 1t impossible to
obtain labor as everybody seemed to
be employed.
Attention g. A. X.