The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-15
THE OHIO RIVER FALLS.
This impeachment to Navigation May
Yet BE Made Very Useful.

Yet BE Made Very Useful.
Back to the time when the earliest set
tiers began their journeying over the noun
tains and crept down the broad Ohio on
their RATS is a span of many years, but
life in those days, when red man lurked
behind every forest giant and dangers
without number beset those hardy pioneers,
was no more strenuous in it's way, than
exists throughout this selfsame valley to-
day. Just now there are schemes without
number devised to take advantage of the
many opportunities available for the i'm
provement of the rivers navigation and
commerce which have remained neglected
during all this decade: and while some of
these projects have grown old and hoary,
yet it seems that the most feasible ones are
just coming to light.
Foremost of these schemes, is doubtless
the plan projected for the utilization Of the
immense waste power of the Ohio Falls.
Many people who have gazed in awe at the
opulent magnifcence of Niagara Falls have
wondered whether it is only a question of
time until this great mass Of water will
be carried from one lake into the other by
underground conduits. deep wells with
great turbine wheels. and various mechan-
ical devices utilizing the vast power for
frowning precipice instead of natures
grand achievement. Such change would be
irreparable! But in regard to these Falls
Of the Ohio, situated as they are, between
Louisville, Jacksonville and New Albany,
they have always been menace to navi-
cation and If they are developed so that
the unlimited power can be put to use the
effect will be felt far and near. The great
traction companies whose lines are branch
ing out in all directions through Indiana,
would benefit the most from this harness.
ing of the falls. 1t is thought that under
proper control and concentration the pow
er could be put to use for several hundred
miles and at remarkable cheapness. How
ever, this is not the first application or
proposition that has been filed with the
secretary of war. but none has lacked at
tention from the department and various
engineers If showing any feasibility.
1t is interesting to know we'll in this
connection how the Falls of the Ohio,
which have been a hindrance since
they were first practically known to white
Americans in f751. were overcome by the
building of the Louisville & Portland canal
A company was formed in 1904 to "cut such
canals and erect such locks and perform
such other works as they shall Judge neces-
sary for improving the navigation Of the
river" The Kentucky Ohio Canal Com
pany' was incorporated in 1918 and 1t was
decided to fix a toll upon descending fiat
boats. If empty. IS. SO If loaded and ascend
ing, double these rates. But lack of suf.
ficient capital and public spirit, together
with frequent freshets, delayed work for
number of years and 1t was not until 1881
that the canal was opened for navigation
Few people realize that the tonnage Of
the Ohio river is greater than that of New
York harbor and that most of it passes over
the falls or through the canal OF this, coal
the customary November rise in the river
which will bring twelve-foot stage of
water at Pittsburg. are in the harbor of
that city and stretching along the Indiana
side of the Ohio near Jeffersonville for sew
eral miles, great boats and barges of coal
the former each holding from twenty-five
to thirty thousand bushels and the latter
from ten to twelve thousand bushels. In
this Indiana harbor is found the tempo
rary stopping place of all the coal supplied
along the southern Ohio and Mississippi
rivers. When the coalboat stage reaches
twelve feet here the great fleet moves on
its journey and that means good wages for
the men who make the trip South and re-
turn with the boats. Last winter one Of
the longest and heaviest coal lows on rec
ord went over the Ohio falls. 1t consisted
of twenty-four coal boats and four coal
barges, being 762 feet long and carrying
$4,000 bushels of coal. A coal tow of this
size would ordinarily break into several
lengths and be taken through the canal in
four or five sections but this transit would
have required twenty-four hours, whereas
the trip over the falls was made in an hour.
Madison, Ind. r I.G