The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-02-23
Will Make the River Nayigable
From clarksburg to Fair.
mont for Small Graft
and Coal 5arges.
Major PoYells Report,
DoYerler's Good WOok.
Our Congressman is not Dis.
couraged by the Report but
Believes the Time is Near
When Boats Will Run.

When Boats Will Run.
Major Charles +. Powell's report
embracing an estimate for the Inn
provement OF the river from its
mouth near FairmOnt to the city OF
Carksburg, by a system Of locks and
dams, and also suggestion as to the
advisability of the proposed improve
nent, has been transmitted to Con-
greSS.
The survey was made during the
winter OF 1898, and, the resolution
authorizing 1t was introduced In the
house by Representative Dovener.
MIR. Dovener is not discouraged by the
report, but expresses the utmost con-
iidence in eventually securing the i'm
proyement over the route surveyed.
Its pointed out by him that nowhere
lnthe comments Of Major Powells
there suggestion Of non-feasibility,
nor is 1t stated that the improvement
is not necessary rs afuture considera-
tlOn.
ut does not seem to me that sys-
TEN OF locks and dams is now desira-
BILE, on account Of uncertainty Of
adequate water supply and absence
, OF present public necessity" said
Major Powell. ~ report that the
West Fork river, from Its mouth to
Clarksburg, is not at present worthy
Of slack-water improvement by the
general government
That 1t is not worthy of 'present"
Improvement, Mr.. Dovener says, Is
not an important matter, and he be-
lieycs the Developments, present and
prospective, in the region to be
served, will warrant continuous agita-
tIon until the locks and dams are
secured. This agitation he proposes
To maintain. He thinks Major Powell
Inexperienced the purpose of the
project. The main object Of the I'm.
proyement, Mr.. Doyener says, is to as
sist In bringing to the markets of the
world the immense mineral deposits
and other products oithe West Fork
valley and its contiguous territory,
andI is not so much desired that pas
senger packets shall run between
Morgantown and Clarksburg, as to
have small towboats or tugs to
traverse the stream from Fairmont to
Clarksburg to assist coal barges and
timber RATS to an outlet.
Major Powell's report says, in part:
"The last dam on that stream tthc
Monongahela), No. 10, will back the
water into the West Fork. From
pool level Of this dam to near an ex-
listing milldam and to the foot OF a
natural and considerable slope of the
river at Clarksburg is a total fall of
fifty.six feet. The project OF i'm
proyement upon which the estimate
OF cost herein is based provides for six
locks and dams, located and having
lifts us follows:
No. /, near White Rocks, 20 miles
above river mouth. ............. s
No. 2, at Bryan, So miles above
river mouth. ............-.... 10
No. 3, at Hutchinson, 1913 miles
above river mouth. .......... 10
No. 4, at Shinnston, 10 miles.
above river mouth. ............ &
No. 5, above Lumberport, 1873
miles above river mouth. $3.50. 10
No. g, at Lambert's Run, 22.77
miles above river mouth. ....... 1C
Il
"From Clarksburg to proposed Dam
No. 8, the width of pool OF depth OF
eight feet would average about 16S
feet and range from forty to 270: be
low head of pool No. the average
width for same depth would be about
200 feet and range from 80 to $40 feet.
Even after extensive dredging for a
widening at sharp bends, provided for
in the estimate of cost, navigation by
tows would be somewhat idcovenient
At other places the project Of i'm
provement intends dregling where
necessary to give channel way ion
feet wide at a pool-stage dept of eight
feet.
s'The dams are located where exist
ence Of good foundation seems proba
BILE, in straight reaches and widel
places Of the river, and preferably
next below sharp bends In order u
widen the river there. AS the rivers
volume Is small except during short
, lived freshets, the dams are intended
to be Of masonry for making then
! tight; concrete construction is esti
mated for. The lock walls are to bt
, eight feet high aboyes dams; the
chamber thirty-six feet wide or a
narrow as practicable and atrord any