The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-18
DR.. W. P. MEGRAIL
ARGUES FOR FILL
THINKS 1T THE ONLY FEASIBLE
PLAN FOR IMMEDIATE
PROTECTION.
property Of Entire City Could Be
Given Ample Protection 4
Nominal Cost to Owners.
March Il

r. n. March IL.
10 the Editor OF the Inteiligencer.
Sir-The food season being a,
hand. n no preventive remedies
having been suggested recently a..
though II might be OF interest 10
your many readers TO repeat the Milan
mentioned In your paper nearly a
year ago. that we believe to be en-,
crsiy practical to keep the Ohio river
out OF our doors.
without going into the causes ~
moods, which has been theorized upon
80 extensively lately. we would rather
Wy 10 md a relief from the damage
that they bring us.
Inc Maxwell plan OF building dam,
al tne mead waters OF the many small.
oieeks q rivers TO hold some OF
the surplus water in check. might
help. Yet there are many able engi.
heers who tell us that these DANE
Juiu not impound enough wafer IN
De OF m great value in Hood times.
men IL would seem TO be almost
IIetlne before this method could be
constructed. Farms and proDertias
10 be acquired, small towns and vii.
ages moved or destroyed. railroad
routes n tracks hanga mines
Closed, and many other interests ron.
suited before these dams couId ba
Duiit or operated. hat we are com.
PeIIeu TO look for relief that seems
dlu uullkRT-
capt. Mitchell. L. s. Engineer.
spent a lot of time and work. and
gave us much valuable information
as results OF his study on this prob
fem. m OF the cost of build
ing concrete and earth walls or le-
wees around the low portions OF this
CITY, n filling the Island 10 above
the food level. etc.
ftls estimates. as we understand II
was the cost OF filling all the entire
surface OF the Island, while we be-
IleVe that II the streets and portions
OF the lots are filled. IL will answer
every purpose and cost much less
A fill OF twelve feet or less on the
streets on the low grounds would
put nearly. II not all OF them above
me probable Hood line. then
mat the average lot Is thirty feef
by ~ rect. the owner would be re-
street. which would be- 400 cpbic
yards. and his lot filled twelve feet
deep at the street and slOpe TO zero
AZ the alley. would require 500 cubic
yards, tmany would o care TO have
the lot filled so far back) This
would amount TO 1900 cubic yards.
winch at twenty-five cents a cubic
yard. Galveston. Texas. paid twelve
cents a cubic yard.D would be 5000 90
RELAXING street paving. curb and sida
walk, S225.O0: $4,000 10 800 90 for
raising the house. so that 100000 10
Sl'2OOW would put almost any six
or eight room house above the Hood
line. and give him a drv outlet 20
and from his home. Many OF tho
recently built and raised houses need
not be raised higher than they now
are. unless the owner so desired Thls
plan would CIV tho property owner
direct and immediate benefit for hts
WUnWHnN nWA III
proportion 10 his street frontage and
the height Of the on and the mount
OF hll on his lot. lie would have n
broad earth street. sixty or moro feet
wide AZ bis door. which he knows
VIII stand the force OF tho river. bet
ter than any levee or wall only a few
feet wide az some distant point Ua
has no fear ~ the ievee breaking or
that u the river should 80 over the
top Of the lcvee that he viii be sud
dcrly submerged
The State. county and city could.
and should. remit for a period Of ten
years the taxes ON 600 real estate situ-
ated on low grounds that has been
raised by this plan above the 1854
flood level The State and county
I'D this for The City OF Galveston.
Texas. This would not be- "a loss. but
q benefit to the State. county and
city. for the Increased valuation OF
properties would soon return tho
amount in increased taxes This plan
would hot only DO applicable 10
Wheeling. but 90 al cities along tho
Ohio river that have low districts
Pittsburgh recently graded down Tho
hump and filled up some low streets.
Kansas city cut down hills a. large as
Wheeling hill Seattle Wash. hv the
use Of hydraulic force. washed down
into the hollows young mountains 90
make room for her progress
Wheeling. with better natural adj
NantaEcs than any OF tho above citIcs
can DO as we'll or better NJ she wants
~. Very truly.
W. +. MEGRAIL