Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-06
THE BRIDGE ARGUMENTS
WE'RE HEARD by THE GOVERN
MENT ENGINEERS AT BELL
ARE YESTERDAY.
MUCH EVIDENCE WAS TAKEN
bearing Upon the Effect of the Pro-
posed Bridge Upon River Navfga-
Observation-Disclosures of the Pitts
burg Coal Interests Opposed the
Granting of the Franchise.

Yesterday at the Hotel Windsor, in
Bellaire, the following corps of govern
ment engineers heard the arguments for
and against building a bridge from Bell
aire to Benwood. The engineers who
heard the evidence and arguments were
Major Bixby, of Cincinnati, in whose ter
ritory the bridge Is proposed to be located,
and Major Chas. F. Powell, Of Pittsburg,
Pa, who has control of the Allegheny and
Monongahela rivers, and Capt. Hodgens,
Of Cincinnati, who has control of the trib-
utary rivers emptying into the Ohio from
Pittsburg to Cincinnati. These men form
ed the board to hear the arguments, and
all showed that they had much knowledge
of the navigation of the Ohio river. Maj.
Powell, the senior member presided, n
C. C. Hattery, of Major Bixby's office,
was the stenographer.
The arguments and cross-examina-
ton were very pointed, and at
times the meeting became very
warm. The attendance was quite large,
several of the member of the Bellaire
and Benwood city councils being present,
also a large number of citizens and river
men. Attorney William II. Hearne acted
as counsel for the bridge company, and
made a most eloquent and reasonable APP
peal before the corps of engineers and
plainly showed the necessity of this
bridge and the benefits it would be to
both Bellaire and Benwood. He stated
tbs. s.e Bellaire, Benwood ard Wheeling
Bridge Company were willing to make
some concessions, and only asked just
and fair treatment. In his argument he
plainly showed that with a channel span
of $50 feet the piers would not be an OBJ
struction to navigation, and by the maps
and plans showing the channel and con-
tour shore lines, that the tow and pas
senger boats Strengthened out before they
would come to this bridge so that they
could pass safely through the B. & o.
bridge. He cited the bridges above this
proposed bridge. and went into details
as to how the boats were managed, and
stated that the bridges above had only a
$50 foot channel span. Mr.. Hearne made
a strong argument, which surely had con-
siderable effect for the bridge company.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Hearne's argu-
ment, James A. Anderson presented the
resolutions of the Bellaire Board of Trade,
which in strong language endorsed the
building of this bridge, and that the peo-
4"C - i ~ ~ Oli9N dttCu lldI II
was a necessity. Mr.. Anderson also made
some very good points in his remarks to
the engineers.
J. ]. Mckee, of Pittsburg, a river pilot
on towboats for fifteen years, explained
where they Strengthened up after leaving
the point Of the Island, and were in a
position when they reached the Bellaire
water works which would carry them
through both the proposed and the B.. &c
o. bridges. c. E. Miller, civil engineer,
who drew the plans, was called and ex-
planned them, and Mr.. Mckee stated tina
the spar should be 600 feet wide. Captain
bravo asked some pointed questions.
Asked If he had thirty-fve or forty pieces
how wide he would want the span, his
answer was, THE whole river which
brought forth much laughter. Captain
bravo asked a number of questions which
were all pointed. w. S. Heatherington, a
river pilot, whose home is in Bellaire, SUBJ
Stimulated Mr.. McKee's testimony, and
advised a GOO foot span. He also showed
now the boats Strengthened up and how
they passed through the B.. & o. bridge.
Mr.. Heatherington was questioned by the
board and Captain bravo; also Mr.. Tilley.
OF the Pittsburg Coal Exchange. The
questions brought forth that if the B. &
y. span was wider it would be easier to
pass through the proposed bridge.
Both of these witnesses were questioned