The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-06-16

lew years with a steadily increasing
volume and frequency.
The Flood Commission of Pitts
burgh has been engaged for NOR,
than three years in making a com
plete survey of the watershed of tn,
and Monongahela river.
and investigation of the flood prob
ems of Pittsburg, which is now
The following is quoted
rom the first chapter of the Report
If The Commission:
H. Floods at Pittsburgh are
increasing in frequency and
height,
2. There is every probability
taht Pittsburgh will some day
experience a FORTY-FOOT
FLOOD.
8. The damage at Pittsburgh
resulting from a food of given
height is steadily increasing.
So A. The direct losses due to
flood damage at Pittsburgh
amounted to over S12,000,000
in the last ten years. while in
one year and five days, between
March Is. 1907, and March 20,
1908, three floods occurred.
causing direct loss al Pitts
burgh of about s6.500.000.
5. II works for aood relief
are mot carried out, qthe direct
losses due to food damage at
Pittsburgh alone will, on a con-
sentative estimate. amount to
4o,000,0O0 in the next twenty
years, sa'a
6. The food losses along the
Ohio Valley in one year, 1907,
are stated in the preliminary re-
port of the Inland Waterways
Commission for 1908 to have
amounted to over 100000, 900.
Annual Losses.
The Chief of the water resources
Branch of the United States Geo
ogical Survey. Mr., M. O. Leighton
stimates that the average annual
Iamage by floods on the Ohio river
Id all its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
nd all its tributaries, averaging the
amage over teu-year periods. is not
ess than 500, 0O0.00es $50,Q00N0G
is 8 per cent per annum in
crest on a total investment of ST.
90, 600, geo, and, the States and Ma
ional government would be Justified
n spending that amount of money to
ompletely safeguard the entire re-
ion drained by the Ohio river from
estructive foods because the works
or flood prevention would not only
roteet against floods, but would
reate a commercial s%H nfnstrlaI
evelopment that wo,ifde Justify the
expenditure of the money in that
erritory even though the question
foods was NOT involved lst
When reservoirs are built for
God prevention, storage must be
rovided for the normal. flow of the
treams which may be used for pow i.
r development as we'll as food pre-
ention. In addition to this, very
srge emergency surplus of storage
apacity must be provided. which can
e done on all streams by building
which would food a given
rea of territory only in the vent of
nusual foods which come only once
/ several years In the intervening
erioti the lands thus overhowed at
ing intervals would be used ID
razing and for timber production.
Can Regulate ALI Streams.
There is not river or stream
owing into the Ohio river, the flow
I which could not be regulated by
reserving the forests and woodland
over on the watersheds. preventing
and erosion, storing the
xcess food flow in artificial lakes,
nd thereby regulating, and, so far
$ possible. equalizing and stand
ting flow throughout the
ear. This system OF control would
evelop power for industrial pur-
Dses that would more than Justify
lie State and National Governments
/ carrying out the project solely
,r power and industrial uses, and fl
Id of navigation and interstate
with supplemental excess
.orage provided for unusual floods
The, Government Is already COM
Iitteed to plan for the improve
tent Of navigation on the Ohio river
Y the canalization OF the Ohio from
ittsburgh to Cairo, by system Of
,cks and dams which will cost a to-
II of s60,0so,000 when completed.
1t is necessary for the continuous
nd satisfactory operation of this
sstem of locks and dams when COM
leted that the natural low-water
lmmer flow of the Ohio river should