The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-13
OHIO RIVER TRAFFIC
PROFITED BY LATE RISE.
Coal Soon TO be Facilitated by Government Locks
Barges can Only be Used ia High Waer=-Increases
Of Industries Along the River
ONLY NOVEMBER COAL BOAT RISE IN NINETY YEARS

Wellspille to.) Correspondence OF Chi
cago Record, December 10: The United
States government Is now planning I'm.
provements in the Ohio river of deepest
interest to the people from Pittsburgh
to Cairo. Some of this work has been
completed, more ls under course OF con-
struction and surveys for sim more are
now being made which contemplate
slack water in the histofic}old stream
from Its source almost 10 It's mouth.
Another project which is now more
talked OF than ever Is the connecting
Of Lake Erie with the Ohio river by
means OF a canal, In consequence OF the
proposed and present operations in the
Ohio. 1t is claimed that the entire Ohio
valley development; is practically in its
Infancy and that It is destined 10 be-
cbme the greatest Industrial field OF the
nation.
Five dams and locks are now In
course OF construction Zone of them Is
fnlshed)' between Merrill and Pitts
bursh. Each OF these works will cost,
when completed. 100000. Expensive
works have been planned between
Wheeling and Cincinnati. which, when
completed will create a succession OF
sIack-water pools (such as are now
maintained by the government, In, the
Monongahela river. all the way down
stream, eventually to the confluence of
the Ohio with the Mississippi. Here
are n few OF the estimates which Sec
rotary Gage has prepared for contem-
plated work, done in the Ohio for the
fiscal year commencing next June: r
Estimates on Improvements.
Continuing construction of dams Nos
2,3. 4. s and 6, Ohio river. s325.oc0
Continuing general improvement and
for repairs and maintenance OF the
Ohio river, s4oo. 900.
Falls OF the Ohio river at Louisville,
continuing Improvements. including In
diana chute falls, 1000.
sMusklngum river. continuing i'm.
provement, $4,000.
Ohio river. dams Nos. 70 and IS, $780,
900.
Big Sandy river. West Virginia and
Kentucky, by the construction OF two
locks and dams, between Louisa and
the mouth Of the river. $4,000.
Manufacturers OF the river towns. as
well as steamboat men. are much elated
over future prospects. Efforts are now
being made in several directions to Sc
cure facilities and to remove or prevent
distractions In the big stream. Railroad
bridges built across the Missouri prac-
tically. rendered the big Muddy" un.
navigable. 1t Is determined that there
shall be less OF these distractions In the
Ohio and those which have already
been built should be altered so Us TO
prevent loss TO steamboat and freight
interests. 1t is stated that loss OF
Sl.00o.Goo has been accustomed by the
collision OF coal barges with the piers
In thc;river and a further loss OF 81, Co.,
600 by the necessity OF employing adj
ti ''a help IN moving coal fleets down
stream, 1t is claimed further. that the
baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company Is
INNS :" .''i.e ".'ptoae'.'s''!s W
less risk.
ao'i'e iuea VI .'e co'i''',e'ee OF 'he
o.''o Ii.e' may y., " H''a "''ei' tue great
~" u eoa d On .he present rise IS filhae
h''o"f' s'eai ,H'. 'i''ei' say 'na' inc
"'est "''.cf mas ''csn 'u't'''hs 'or me
iast Two "se"s Is 'le most pnehohienal
u '"e iiser age, mere was no such
. SuEe'''pe, rise sinee ioio' me stage AZ
i''soufs" rtdc"''' . t"sn'!-seSeh ieet'
pus'hs .ne rise every .oWpoat OF the
hte't oA'o river coa' ''ee'. numbering
soi " - iihe one hut'aFto powerful
steamers steamers went DOWN WIN lows oil coal.
IN. mi t1n han