The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-02-11
RIVERS AND CANALS
The Government Report Shows a
Great Increase.
The Monongahela River Has the Heay-
lest Traffic of Any in the
United States.
THE OHIO A GOOD ONE

Statistical returns Of domestic trade
movements on rivers and canals in the
United States have been made the sub.
ject of monthly reports in the summs
ry of internal commerce, issued by the
treasury bureau of statistics for the
year 1902.
Among the streams Of the United
States the traffic on the Monongahela
river is possibly the heaviest, owing
to the prominence Of the coal trade.
For the l2 months ending with De-
cember 1909, the total coal traffic
passing through lock. No. 8, in addi-
ton to the quantity mined in the
first and second pools was reported
as amounting to 9,lo9, Oo2 tons. This
may be compared with the total
amount of coal shipped from domestic
ports on the Great Lakes to
other domestic ports during the year
1909, amounting to 9,632, $50 net tons.
The total Monongahela freight move
ment, in both directions, reached a
grand total Of $3.50, CSC tons in 1909.
The point of la rgest recorded traffic
on the Ohio, after leaving Pittsburg,
is that Of Davis Island Dam, a short
distance below Pittsburg. This dam
both in construction and in operation,
is one Of the country's noteworthy
achievements Of engineering talent.
Ii affords the coal and iron trade Of
this portion of the country deep-water
navigation on which to accumulate
the products OF the mines end indus
tries to be fiosted down the Ohio river
whenever sufficient depth Of water
is available. The total tonnage pass
ing this point during 19o2,ss reported
by the engineer IN charge, was $685.
962 tons. The month Of the largest
business WAS July, when l,i23, 800
tons were shipped.
Another point at which traffic on
the Ohio is guaged is ct Louisville,
KY. Here the Ohio river trade passes
either through the locks Of the Louis
Vile and Portland canal, or over the
falls Of the Ohio, in case thst the wa
ter is of sufficient depth; so that the
mevoment of these two channels gives
the total traffic ct this point for Civ
en- period. For the % months ending
with December 1909, the traffic
through the canal amounted to 1894
422 tons, and that over the falls of the
Ohio to 1888, 551 tons making a grand
total of 1897, s7S tons.
Next in importance to the traffic Of
the Monongahala and Ohio rivers is
that of the Great Kanswha river, con-
sisting primarily Of coal and lumber
During the year 1909 the total ton
mage moved through lock No. IL on
this stream was 977,lo1 tons. Next
in importance lie Green river KY
through lock No. 1 Of (which S92,s4I
tons passed. The Big Sandy river, in
the same locality, Is credited with
25I, 5I1 tons passing lock No. 1. The
LittleKanawha had total freight ton
mage of so, 7o6 tons for the same peri
cd. The Des Moines, Ia, Rapids ca
nal carried 55.791 tons. The canal o
the Cascades in Oregon reported 20,
3Os tons Of traffic. The Barren river
KY, Al, 1881 tons through lock No. l
The Black Warrior river, Ala. ,througl
lock No. 8, had a tonnage Of 16, 10
tons, and the Coosa river, OF the sam
state, through lock No. 3, S,226 tons
mostly lumber in both cases. On tn
Kentucky river lock No. 4, 4s, 665 ton
of freight were shipped, and on tn
MuskiDgum river, lock No. 1, 1888
tons, in 1902.