The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-08

the Ohio river along the West Vlrginia
front, enclose copy OF House Document
No. l22, Fifty-flfth Congress, third session,
containing report dated December ~.
1888. by Major ". II. Bixby, corps Of en-
gineers, upon survey OF Ohio river from
Pittsburgh. Pn., to MARIETTA, Ohio, with q
plan for improvement OF this portion OF
1he river by construction of twelve locks
and dams, at an estimated cost OF $751;
OOO each, or n total of $l0,20O,OOO.
The river and harbor act OF March ],
1900, appropriated 100000 for preliminary
work, acquisition OF land and commencing
construction of locks and dams Ncs Is nnd
Is under the plan mentioned. and author
lied the letting OF contracts for comp.et-
Ing tho same ut u cost not to exceed $4,000
each, In addition to the amount nppropri.
ated. These works will be built at lOcall-
ties below Wheeling. w. Va, and Mari'
eta, Ohio. respectively.
All special surveys for location have
been completed, and the necessary behring's
for determining the stiles OF these two
locks and dams have been made, the slt!eA
have been selected. acquisition of the land
required has been authorized and the at.
torney general has been requested to In,
struCt the proper United States attorneys
TO render legal assistance in the securing
and examination of titles which work Is.
under the law, ordinarily more difficult,
and takes much more time than in the
transactions between private individuals.
In my annual report for the fiscal year
mate OF $4,000 as the amount that can bc
probably expended on these works In
the fiscal year ending June SO 1901, and 1t
is anticipated an appropriation OF this
amount will be given In the sundry civil
bill.
All the preliminary work for locks and
dams below Wheeling and MarieIra mas
been carried forward as rapidly MS the i'm
portance Of the work and necessary cOn-
dltions have permitted. and present delay
In completing acquisition of title is due to
necessary action on the part OF the depart
ment OF justice and other requirements OF
law.
other Improvement has been located. pro-
tected or constructed along the entire
river front Of West Virginia IL In error.
One.of the two initial dams OF the sGr.es
contemplated between Mariettn and Bea-
vhr river has becn located on the West
Virginia front. The project cOntemplateS
eleven more dams within the limits OF
West Virginia as soon as provision Tor
construction Is made by Congress,
II Is perhaps natural that those who are
Interested In an Improvement proposed by
the government should be impatient ana
conclude that unnecessary delay Is being
INDUCED in by the officers of the governs
meHt, but in this instance such thoughts
arc unfounded and the work Is proSress-
Ing Just as rapidly as law and regulations
and proper work permits, and unless uneN'
pected difficulty ls met In pertectng titles
to land the apparent delay in commence
mont OF actual construction will not have
any material effect on the time OF COM
p!ctlon Works OF the magnitude of the
locks and dams herein considered. and
forming a part OF n slack water system
must be planned and executed with great
care. Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant
JOHN NJ. WILSON.
BrlgadIer General. Chief OF Engineers,
United States Army.
The following members Of the Ohio
county delegation came over from
ClarksburK this evening:
Charles II. HennIng James X. Hall.
George Boil, Edward Radcliffe; Messrs.
John Frew. H c. Richards, r. Buck
man. Morris Horkheimer. Louis Hork
heImer, H. w. Mcclure, John r. Schell-
base and the others come in the morn
Ing. The Marshall and Brooke delega-
lions came in Tonight, From Marshall
are President ]. c. Parkinson. OF the
West Virginia League OF Republican
Clubs: b. r. MeIghen, ]. L. Hooten, f.
Fl. Blake, OF Mouudsvllle. and Josiah
Sinclair and DR.. j. w. Mcdonald, Of
Renwood The Brooke delegation In
clude Sheriff G. w. McCleary, Mayor
NJ. A. Jones, Prosecuting Attorney Il.
II. Cotton aud Earl Frost, all of Wells
burg, and Mayor C. B. Scott, the latter
Of Bethany. r. NJ. A.