The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-08-02
OFFICIAL REPORT.
Major Charles F. Powell Makes
His Annual Report.
Tells nkat has Been Done on the River
Here-Contracter Conid and should
Have Done Better-Work- ON other
Dams Bsgan-tild Locks Inadequate
to Suppl Demands OF rrafiic.

Maj. Charles f. fowell, the engi-
nesr officer in charge OF the improve
nlents for the Pittsburg harbor and
the Allegheny and Monongahela riv-
ers, has submitted his annual report
20 the chief of engineers.
Regarding the work done Oh the
MoDongaheia river. NJ j. Powell
states that al the beginning Of the
year the contractor had built cnf-
fer dam for Lock No. 10. near Nor
gantown, and made excavation for a
lock pit and partly built two guard
cribs The coffer-dam was flooded
BY river freshet in October, and
although pumped out and concrete
work resumed, little construction
was done thereafter. The work was
suspended necessarily during the
winter, resumed ia April and sub
jected to temporary stoppage by a
freshet in June The contractor how.
ever, it is thought, could and should
have made better progress.
Additional borings into the under.
lying rock were made at sites foi
Locks Nos. 13 and Is for further
showing of the character of the foun.
dation. The river and harbor act
of March 3, 1899, provided for the
enlargement and improvement Of
Lock No. 6, certain accessory struct
nres at Lock No. and for addition.
al pieces of floating plant. The pro
ject for the work has been submit
ted, but has not yet received fina
action. Preparations have been made
for prospecting the greater part Of
the work during the low stage o.
next fall.
Maj. Powell states that the traffic
from Monongahela is hampered and
restricted by insufficient capacity
and conveniences at the locks and
in the pool channels. The tonnag.
of the river is almost 100000, ovel
1000 crafts of various kinds using
the locks. During the year 22,92t
lockages were made at Dam No. /
nearly as many az Dam No. 2, 10, 24s
at Dam No. 4, and 1889 at Dam No
G. Maj. Powell states that the winter
was unusually severe and greatly
hindered navigation. At Lock No
|, Pittsburg, about 100 feet OF the
dam, near the lock wall, was repaired
| by the addition of new sheetins
sticks and about $50 cubic yards o.
stone ballast. At Lock No. 2 Port
Perry, a semi-circular shaped pile
work protection crib was added te
the lower end Of the middle wall Il
prevent boats from damaging the
masonary. To replace former
structure, a curved DETECTING dixie
about 200 feet long, was constructed
at the mouth of Turtle creek, about
400 yards below the lock, with tn,
object of turning drift, ashes, clink
ers and coal mine refuse down tn,
shore, and thereby obviate the nee
essity of dredging the bar formed by
this creek. Upon an average, dur
ing the past five years, about $50
600 cubic yards of material thrown
out by Turtle creek has been an
nually dredged from the channel. A
Lock No. 3, above Elizabeth, Golfer
dam was placed above the head O
the large lock, and the old gates re
moved in order to cut down the
walls for the reception of oak quoin,
for new gates, but owing to the wa
ter remaining higher than was ex
pected second Golfer dam was nee
essary, after which the upper end O
the lock chamber was pumped out
and the work completed. There was
no improvement of any considerable
extent done on Locks Nos. 4 to 9.
The total quantity of material
dredged during the year from the
several pools of the Monongahels
river was 6s.092 cubic yards. Dur
ing the year 10 wrecks were re
moved from the channel of the river
The total amount expended during
the fiscal year on the Monongahela
was $l4S,755. During the year g.
344, 060 tons of coal passed through
the locks on the Monongahela, and
1913, 245 passengers.