The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-06-09
RETAINING WALL
FALLS IN RIVER
LANDsLiDsE DAMAGES MASONRY
AT MeMEcHEN GOVERN.
MENT DAM.
Large Section Gives Way Saturday
evenins-may Not Be Necessary
to Rebuild It. Engineer Says.

Sending a spray OF water several
feet into the air and with a splash
/ that could be heard a considerable
distance, a large section OF the re-
tanning wall on the Ohio side OF the
government dam. No. l3, at McMech-
en-. toppled into the river Saturday
evening. The upheaval OF the man.
moth piece of masonry was caused.
II is said. by a landslide in the hill
above the river. The thousands OF
tons OF earth pushed against the wall
vas more than II could withstand and
more than one hundred feet gave way.
According TO +. b. Duis. OF the local
! onice of United States engineers, in
charge OF the dams OF this section OF
the Ohio river. the damage to the
government property will be slight.
IL will interfere in no way with the
operation OF the dam. IL is not yet
known whether II will be necessary
10 rebuild the wall but II is likely
that some measure will have TO be
taken To keep the hill from slipping
further perhops pushing more into
the river
Was Expected.
The break in the wall was not al
! together unexpected as a crevice was
hrst noticed nearly three months ago.
as was exclusively mentioned in the
Intelligencer at the time. At first the
assure was hardly noticeable, but
! with the heavy rains OF pring IL grad.
ually widened. especially after the
I March flood. The hillside for a dis
lance of more than 200 feet gave vav
and with this crowding upon the wall
was imminent that il would be
pushed into the river. The occurrence
mas been expected for the past sew
eral weeks.
SD WY hut steadily the crevica
"idened until the top 81 the wall was
several inches out az plumb with its
base. Saturday evening "A lock tender
az the dam remarked. 70 Is said. that
j W"ulJ no; be surprising II the sec
non fell into The river that night.
monien; later he noticed a spray OF
water settling on the Ohio side OF the
I. rive and IL could instantly be seen
thai the wall had given way. Water
was splashed over the pier OF "a hear
trap. several feet distant.
The section which gave Uey w,s
rcre than 100 feet in length. TIL.
wall was about % feet N heighth and
as six feet wide at the top. gradu-
any Widening until ~ reached n width
90 nearly twice that. az its base. II
W. 'F'"t'ti I4Si htlpN VIE locks an J
was ere cted t. keep the hin from slim
ping ana as matter Of protection
Tor the principal part OF the dam.
u was constructed 81 concrete
Rested on Rock.
IN ' has" ~ III" wall rested upon a
~;raiH - rock which was unable TO
h"ld IA" dirt Tho river is very deem
a. thar point and the foundation was
mad" a. secure a. was possible. hut
Do was stated yesterday that nothing
could fave been built strong enough
- Nithsi.'rd tho terrible pressure e
tr,. hIlS'dc
i'r"ire"r Dlis stt.eI 20 the irf.l
Igr:''r last evening shat ar present
D. Is not Known whether viii De nee
'N':tA - rrhui'd fhe Vi'l. u Is quite
hsel. however. that some stems will
-. O. len O." protect ihs srctiou below
w''r" 20" hr'ak occurred n this is
NOT don" th' water T. likely 10 v-al,n
" Doe hillside has broom loose for ,
cog eid'fah," cistanr-. and Tho Penn
- .-ar't rairoad tracks more than 700
i"'' az ar. have dropp,I several inch
"s. - is said Tn" ground has also
cropped from under tho tracks ~ the
~had'sidc division - fhr Wheeling
Traction compau''s lines - g.. said.
or" 90 M slip. and o. is n@cosstr, 20
Troi the rails ~ ~ their usual Lowell
Vows - Tho break spread rapidly
ard ia-g" rrovds 'ifi'~d tho scene
're'sriaE. Tho unusual occurrence
attracted no u'in attention.
dnrR out tuoT
The Mothers Heip or. no. she won't
iru.t m" wl'r navfhins but me kid vet
a.