New-York tribune., 1903-03-08
PITTSBURG A SEAPORT.
Ocean Going YesseLs May Reaci
There W1en Dams Are Done.

or$os OF families Of their homes for q few
Gays, and some had to live in the churches. which
were opened for them. Many mills and factories
along the rivers were flooded, and four railroads
were put out Of business for the time being.
The rivermen who are anxious TO move the
great coal fleets to New-Orleans are the only
ones who do not look upon food altogether
troublesome. Until the Government completes the
vast Ohio River Improvements these steamers de-
pend largely the high following food time.
"nen the river is at high water stage the harbor
Of Pittsburg, otherwise the last mile of the Mo-
noRsahels River and the first oS the Ohio is a
tremendously busy bit OF muddy water. Along
each shore, deep. are barges laden with
coal and iron and other products Of this won
oerful Pennsylvania storehouse Of natural product
and hive ot human industry. Moving about in
midstresm. hanging on the edge Of the barge
fringe entirely surrounded by loaded towing
craft are dozens OF stern and side wheel steamers
After the manner Of a noisy switching engine
making up freight train the yards, the help
ers' splash about hooking barges together into
compact squares, or rather rectangles. These form
the tows, which have made the river famous for
cheap transportation The term tow must not
be taken literally. for the Ohio the real word
is push"
Then comes big steamboat. with tall stacks,
tilted back for fear Of low bridge" and fastens
herself to the stern OF the tow" There is toot
OF her hoarse whistle, and, with show Of mighty
energy she starts on a 2O0O-mile river voyage to
New Orleans. This is repeated over and over again.
and there is & haste about it all that surprises a
stranger.
Fine sight" asserted an old gentleman who
stood one morning few weeks ago the Fifth
ave. bridge, looking down the river. And
good a flood as we've had for some time
DO you call this food?' the stranger asked,
for the river was still below the bank tops, and
by q generous margin.
Why, man, there's 20-foot stage Of water
down there. In q day two there may only be
seven feet. That is why the boats in such
hurry They must follow this high water down
the river
He paused. the better TO watch the departure Of
another closely bound feet. It's free river" he
said. when again he spoke. Free air. Every
mothers son of US owns stock in it. 1t can't be
syndicated, but do want it both watered and
pooled
And that is lust what Pittsburg the entire Ohio
Valley in fact does want. ''On to Cairo is the
battlecry and the Cairo they want to reach is
at the mouth of Ohio, where it empties into the
Mississippi. Having reached Cairo, it will be 'On
TO Panama" and Pittsburg will become seaport.
Assured Of a nine foot stage OF water in the Ohio
the entire year the steamboat business will double
treble and more. It is not impossible, even that
a vessel with PittsbUrg the stern, where the
home port is usually painted, will plough the waters
OF the Pacific. There are several possible ocean
going craft that operate in nine feet Of water
and with the completion Of the Panama Canal the
Western ocean will not be far away.
Under present conditions the river is open to
navigation for the deep draught coal and iron feet
q little more than five months in the year. BY
watching the river closely and taking advantage
IS carried on. The average tonnage for the year
is 10000 tons nearly 100000 Of which is handled
on tributary rivers The passenger business in
spite Of the way the alley is crisscrossed with
railroads is considerable. 1901, the last year
for which statistics available, 4.So S0 passen-
gers were carried.
According to the reports Of engineers Of the War
Department who have surveyed the river for Con-
ress the entire length from Pittsbur to Cairo can
be provided with depth Of not less than nine feet
the year around by the construction Of sXty-seVen
DAMS costing, with the necessary locks for the
Y7assa re OF steamers from $4,000 to $l00,OO each
Several OF the dams included in this estimate
completed, others under construction and still
others have been authorized It is said that with
sufficient appropriation from Congress the entire
work could be completed in ten years.
The government has been at work the Ohio
internationally since 1924, and up TO June last
s6Z54,O0O had been spent, exclusive Of improve
ments the various tributaries of the river. The
first move toward the permanent Improvement OF
the river on a Eine foot depth basis the
struction Of the Davis Island Dam, just below
Pittsburg The appropriation was made twenty
four years ago. Since its completion in 1885 the
dam has given PittsbuTg a fair depth OF water IN
and out of the food stages To date S 1900 out Of
the 10000 necessary has been spent. Unless the
Improvement goes on more rapidly, however, Cairo
Will not be reached until twenty-one hundred and
something.
Every effort is being made to secure from Con-
Eress something in the way Of a continuous appro-
lTlaHoh WhlcL VIII assure tie VI HI re
Congressnen from the several States along the
Ohio have given liberal support to the representa-
lives of the Ohio Valley Improvement Association,
which includes all OF the various river interests
The association has had several hearings before
the River and Harbor Committee
the last annual meeting of the association, hed
in Parkersburg, ". Va. in Eovember, a petition to
OF Ptsburg and other cities on the river In order
70 secure a lIne-foot draught at low water ter from from
make appropriation for that part of the river al
ready surveyed or for which surveys have beea
authorized in such amounts to insure the COM
plction of the Improvement within eight years
from he mas age NJ he
bill. Another request is for the Immediate survey
Of the Unsurveyed portion-frOm Little Miami TO
with appropriations sufficient to assure completion
resolution has been introduced in Congress appIo-
pratng $4,000 for the completion Of the river sur
Nor is this likely TO be the end of the improve
rnents the government will be asked to make for
sb6ve sS fPi{fsburF IS open to treatment At the
present time steamers from the Ohio cannot enter
bridpe d Which connects Pfttsburg and Allegheny
crossing the river just above the point of ntersec-
would mean the Immediate development Of 1,5O0
90 acres Of country hlled with coal iron ore, lime
whose hills are covered with millions Of feet Of
hardwood and other timber.
The concentration of 4rerges for river improve
rnent which Is found in the Ohio River Valley
Association dates from ls95. The associati2n on nov now
ITS = ii dpEG % u Is T5ffsTrg Coal Exchange which
freed the Nonongahela from the grasp of a private
company, by peTsuading the government 10 BUY
FOR $S76i coo the seven dams which MADE the river
rbs most interesting figure in this fight for
omen river is Captain John F. bravo, of Beaver,
Pen1 He mas been hammering away the prop
oSition since Is40. He is now In his elghty-Iourth
wear bur no one could be more active.
world never dreamed off, said the ageq- r1yerraan
the other day as ne starting for Washington
~ t9te nm The river question before Congress
Committee and We supposed that We had struck
2 gold mine an over the territory CT our country
EgfF rrETa We Il