Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-07-25
ANNUAL REPORT.
Major Powell Tells of What
has Been Done.

for Local Improvements.
WASHINGTON, july. 24.-Maj
Charles +. Powell, the engineer Of.
ficer in charge Of the Improvement
of the harbor at Pittsburg aud the
Monongahela rivers, has submitted
his annual report to the chief OF engi.
neers. The work on the Mononga-
hela Eiver, W. Va, comprises the
building OF six locks and dams
above MorgantowD, w Va, under
the continuing contract system tor
extending an existing slack water
improvement to Fairmont, w Va.
The cost of the slack water improve
ment is limited by law to 81 200,-
900. The amount so far appropriat
ed is $4,000. On lock No. s there
were 23.794 passengers carried
through, with freight amounting to
72,3l7 tons, and at lock No. 8, 81
600 passengers and 57.2ll tons of
freight. In speaking about the i'm
provement of the Monongahela river
in Pennsylvania Major Powell
states that the cratic of the river IS
hampered and restricted by INSULT
Gent capacity and convenienees at
the locks and in the pool channels.
The tonnage of the river was
about 100000 for the fiscal year
just closed. Notwithstanding that
unusually long durations of low
water in the upper Ohio river caused
considerable reduction of output
at the Monongahela river coal mines
The capital invested in coal lands
in the sixth pool exceeded $1,000
600 during the year, and Mai Pow
ell states that it is reasonable to ex-
pect that large trade in coal and
possibly in coke will be inaugurated
in this pool at an early day.
BRIDGES SHOULD BE RAISED.
That traffic on the lower end OF
The stream will continue TO increase
there can be no doubt, especially
under the advantage of slack water
which is now being provided, but in
order that it may reach maximum
or be reasonably accommodated it
is essential that the four bridges
across the Allegheny river at Pitts
burg be raised to such heights as
viii permit the use of the stream by
packets and medium sized towboats
at other than flood stages. In treat
ing of the benefit to river traffic de-
rived from the improvements to
open river navigation made up the
past IL years on the Allegheny riv.
er the report states:
'sThe experience of a prominent
coal shipper in charge of the river
shipments in the Tionesta valley is
interesting. He made two compare
tive trips down the river. one in
1887 and the other in 1899 On the
former trip he started from Tionesta
with two'coal boat bottoms drawing
one foot OF water. Owing to the bad
condition of the channel he could
run very little at night and by land.
ing above some of the ripples and
first cleaning channel and running
the boats over singly, using the en-
tire crew for each trip, he managed
to arrive in Pittsburg in 10 days.
Last year he again left the same
port with two coal boat bottoms Of
the same dimensions as the former
and with the same sized crew
These boats, however, drew two
inches more of water than those rur
in 1887, and the water was nine
| inches lower as marked on the Tion
esta bridge pier, yet he was able t.
run every night and made the trir
to Pittsburg in four and a hal
days"
TOLLS BY PRIVATE OWNERS.
The report states that at seven o
the locks the United States lane
does not extend along the shore be
! yond the lock wall. and at two o
I the locks end sections of the masonry
abut on private property. Vesse
owners complain of the tolls and in
conveniences they are subjected tt
by owners of lands next to a loci
when it is necessary tonse the shor'
for changing tows or tying vessels
upon entering and leaving lock
The total cost OF operating locks
No. | to inclusive on the Monon
| gahela river during the year wa
/ $165,871. During the year ther'
were 5,233, Ito tons of coal passet
through locks on the Monongalelt
river, and 1872, 652 passengers.
The total number of passenger
arriving in Pittsburg harbor during
the year was 1886 and the tota
tonnage transported 2,570,0Oo. Tbs
report states that it has always
been difficult to secure statistics d
commercial movements on the AL
legheny river and while specia
effort was made this wear to get re,