The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-09-25
THE NEXT DAM
On The Ohio River Should be
Built Below the Mouth of
Big Sandy.

motives. A little thought will
how that it lisa matter of mutual
interest and OF the greatest import
o the present generation living
lot only in the Big Sandy valley,
out all along the Ohio river,
Especially is tho "Second Pitts
burg" district interested. We
mean by this the territory within
a radius of ten miles OF the mouth
Of the Big Sandy. The project
here referred TO should awaken the
most intense interest among those
progressive people. 1t
is predicted by far seeing men
that within fifty years the Ohio
valley will have another Plttsburg,
probably even greater than the
present one. 1t will stretch from
Huntington to Ironton, including
Ashland, Catlettsburg, Kenova
and Ceredo. In the basis of this
prediction the vast resources of
the Big Sandy valley play most
important part.
But why not beat the prediction
out in the characteristic American
way? 1t may be done with com.
parative ease. Plenty OF "hustle"
applied right now will take you
long jump toward the early realiza-
ton of the desired end. And the
cities named above have the
proper men and can command the
necessary influences to induce the
government to build a dam near
the mouth Of Big Sandy right
away, instead of quarter OF
century hence. All the conditions
are favorable and the U. S.
Engineer department recognizes
that this is the logica! point for
the next dam. The proposition
will meet with the approval and
support OF this influential branch
OF the government service, because
il fits so practically into the prog
ress of the great plan of slack.
water now under construction on
the Ohio and its tributaries. By
the time this dam could be COM
pleted the Big Sandy system would
be far enough up the valley to
pour unlimited quantities of coal,
coke, ore, clay, stone, glass-sand,
timber. ETC., into the furnaces,
plants and factories of all those
cities. Not only would the supply
be endless, but the water trans
portatlon would make it the cheap
est. This Plttsburg of the middle
Ohio would have no reason to fear
competition.
Big Sandy slackwater cannot
accomplish its greatest work until
pool is provided Immediately be-
low the mouth, so that barges and
timber and steamers may be taken
out into the Ohio at all seasons of
the year. A dam is therefore nee
essary. Consider what a great
harbor this will furnish for the
raw materials needed in various
industries, and the great advan-
tages to be derived from having
constant use of the river during
the summer and fall seasons. 1t
means more than we now appre-
ciate.
The lumber men OF those cities
would have much smoother sailing
and steadier work II their mills
could be fed with tim Der delivered
there at all seasons, to say nothing
OF the fine harbor that a dam
would provide. The same is true
OF the mills, that use coal, &c.
AT a gathering OF business men
in Cincinnati not long ago, an
eminent engineer stated in the
course of an address on the Ohio
river improvement that the dam
near the mouth of Big Sandy
ought to be the next one con-
structed. He was undoubtedly
speaking impartially, and could
have had no reason for doing other
wise.
If we simply wait until the dam
comes to us, old age and death
will probably overtake the present
generation before the much need
ed mprovement reaches us, be-
cause other points along the river
are pushing their claims all the
time aud will get in their work
ahead of us. We are now in
position to make better showing
OF "reasons why" than any other
point on the Ohio river.
There is not group OF small
cities anywhere that can accom-
plish more than those near the
mouth OF Big Sandy when aroused.
We suggest that this is one OF the
best opportunities they ever had
to accomplish great piece of
work.
Curtis Jet and his lawyer de-
clare that they have no hope OF Sc