The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-07-07
WELLSBURG DAM FORMALLY OPENFD
CONGRESSMAN Barchfeld. of Pitts
burg, Delivers Interesting
Address on River In
prOyements.
AQUATIC PROCESSION
IN THE AFTERNOON
Mayor Magee, of Pittsburp. Dis.
cusses Waterways Develop
ment-Wheelingites
in Attendance.

Predicting that the next five year.
would see the realization of tina hun-
ored years dream OF all the round
navigation on the Ohio river. Con.
gresham \. J. Barchfeld sounded ina
keynote OF the Wellsburg Homecoming
ana Dam celebration I'm an eloouent
speech, Following the banquet given
last night In the city hall OF Wellsburg.
Inc banquet. which was the closing
feature OF the program OF the most
eFehtiul day OF the week. marked by
the formal program OF the most event
Iul day OF the week. marked by the
FORMAL opening OF the dam yesterday
AFTERNOON, was attended by more than
zoo guests. including a number Of
prominent speakers and representa-
tives of the Waterways Improvement
associations OF the country, as well as
delegations OF business men from
Wheeling and other surrounding
towns
Other speakers Of the evening wers
Mayor William A. Magee. of Pittsburs.
Congressman John W. Davis. OF
Clarksburg. representing the First
West Virginia district; Hon. B. B. Do.
vener. OF Wheeling; Hon. John G..
Palmer OF Wellsburg. n member OF the
ONO and Lake Erie Ship Canal com
mission; Elmer Hough. president OF
the Wellsburg board of trade. while
a number of business men of Wheeling
ana Wellsburg responded TO calls for
short addresses.
The Banquet.
Three hundred covers we're laid for
the banquet. which was held in armorv
hall OF the city building. Caterer
Basle, of Wheeling. had charge of the
refreshments and music was furnished
by the Imperial orchestra OF Wells
burg Hon. John c. Palmer. OF Wells
burg, acted as tOastmaster and the
evening was opened with an inyoca-
tion OF Rev. W. J. Holmes. of the
Wellsburg Presbyterian church. The
hrst speaker on the program was Con-
gressman Barchfeld. who is the only
member of the river and harbors com
mittee of congress from Western
pennsylvania. West virginia or Ohio.
thre three states most directly inter.
ested in the canalization OF the Ohio.
In part he said:
Our ambition is TO have the Ohio
river canalized from Pittsburg to
CAIRO when the Panama canal is
opened for business. We know that
the government engineers reports in.
form us that IL will take eight years
TO complete the work on the plans ac-
cepted, but not Yet authorized We
believe that this work should be cam
pleted, for the material and industrial
Development OF the Ohio valley. which.
by the way. creates - per cent OF all
the tonnage OF the Mississippi valley.
This can be easily aided by doubling
or TRIPPING the annual appropriation
Tor Ohio river Improvements. and IL
is our bounden duty by all practical
methods 10 hurry the completion OF
this great national project"
Mr.. Barchfeld said that he had
studied transportation facilities and
determined that those countries which
have streams and canals paralleled
by railroads were able 70 get their
merchandise 20 the seaport NJ a very
reduced cost. Tho products. cheapened
by cheap transportation. are thrown
on ships flying the flag of their own
countries and can be landed on our
shores at less cost than American
products.
The Merchant Marine.
We must rehabilitatc our American
merchant marine. which We nave ai.
lowed by virtue of our general pros
perity az home 10 dwiudle into abso-
lutte insicniiicance. and allowing our
foreign competitors. with their own
CONTINUE on Tenth PagsJ