The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-01-28
SUBJECT THoRoUGHLT oIs
COSSEo BY ESLHAYoR W. a
nAcEE. Of PITTSBURGH.
Before Ways and Means Committee %
Board % Trade a. Hotel WIND
scr Yesterday az Noon.

With a large number OF representa-
tive business men present. In response
20 Invitations issued By the Ways aud
means committee OF the Wheeling
Board OF Trade. \ most delightful
luncheon was served yesterday al the
Hotel Windsor. N honor OF the Hon.
". A Mage. former mayor OF Pitts
burgh. who delivered a most interest
ing address on the proposed Lake
Erie and Ohio River canal Mr.. Ma
zee Is president OF the company and
h. with Mr.. b :. Patterson. secretay
% the organization. are promoting the
project Mr.. Patterson also delivered
a brief address on the great CONNER
ciai enterprise. that would mean 20
much to this vicinity Commercially.
Mr. MaRee Was extended a formal
invitation to attend the coming annual
banquet to be given by the Wheeling
Board OF Trade.
Mr.. Magee spoke in part as follows
The Lake Erie and Ohio River
Canal Board was appointed in June.
You have not heard much OF its pro
ceedings. because the members OF tbs
Board at the start deliberately adopt
ed a policy OF reserve. -Four OF the
members OF the Board had never had
any connection with the Canal aFita-
ton. They came 70 the work their
minds entirely open. free from any
pre-disposition in favor OF the pro
posed Canal Inc likewise free from
any bias against Il. They determined
that they would make an exhaustive
investigation OF the subject from
every viewpoint, utilizing what ground
had been gained in prior i~nvestira-
tons u In no sense accepting any
previous conclusions.
The scope OF the present iuvesti-
cation Is much broader than any here
tofore attempted. In fact. the Board
Is saguine in the belief that its report
Will be the last word on this much
mooted question. Every argument
that has been advanced in favor OF.
or opposed 20 the scheme, as 10 its
feasibility. It's ~practicability. its ma
uonal features. and its advantages TO
the great communities known as the
Pittsburgh. the Mahoning and the
Wheeling Industrial Districts. are he
ing put TO an acid test. II after this
report is made men should still dis
pute about the advisability OF building
this Canal. they will only differ in
their conclusions. because all the
facts. both favorable and u~nfayorable.
will he thoroughly established by IT.
REPUTABLE evidence.
Prosecuting Inquiry.
To give you an idea of the scope OF
this investigation, I will mention the
various heads under which the in
quiry Is being prosecuted:
"First-The survey OF the route
and topography.
sGnrnnd Tho uwrueau0FF1, - 81.
water supply.
"Third-The detailed estimate Of
the cost.
"Fourth-The Investigation into the
most economic type and size Of canal
and lock chamber: whether the canal
shall be 9 feet or Il feet or rs feet
deep; whether the locks shall be the
same size as me Monogahela locks or
the Erie Barge Canal locks: whether
the clearance under bridges shall be
OF the same height as the Erie BARGE
Canal or those on the MonOngahcla
and Ohio rivers or some intermediate
F. clearance.
Fifth: The economic survey. viz:
the movement OF tonnage, probability
OF traffic, the cost Of carriage. ADD
the effect on the cost OF production OF
steel and coal.
Sixth. A preliminary study OF the
terminal question. because without
terminals any transportation agency
whether rail or water. cannot be IN
a very high degree effective. The
Wabash-Pittsburgh Terminal Railroad
Is a terrible example staring us in the
face 20 prove this point.
seventh. The CUnstitutiOuality oi
the powers granted under our On
abling acts in Pennsylvania, Ohio ana
West Virginia.
Eighth. An expert legal invesfica
ton 10 determine the ACCESSIBILITY of
providing n or more alternative
plans Of financing. besides the exist
ing plan.
West Virginia Aids.
In 1911 an set was passed in ths
West Virginia legislature granting
counties along the OHIO and Kanawna
rivers and the head-waters Of che
Monongahela river. the right 20 vote
bonds IN proportion to their assessed
valuation in aid Of the construction
OF the canal. This law was amended
by unsklllful hands during the purse
OF is passage. and while 7 do not Fay
that IL would be- impossible to carry
out u plan OF construction under thi.
law. 10 would be- much better 20 have
these amendments stricken out al,
the law passed I'm the form IN which
~ was presented. and 10 may be that
We can improve upon that in the urHD
or fuller knowledge Of tho problem
and further consideration Of tho Who'll,
4 subject.
The question a. often asked why
West Virginia should bs expected Dol
nay a part Of the cost Of the canal
Because West Virginia will receive
ths same enormous benefits that
Pennsylvania and Ohio will Will,
this canal does nor run into your
state A. comes much closer to vcur
borders than b. uoca 10 many uarfa
of pennsylvania and Ohio witch af.
also I'm the canal zone and which arc
expected 20 pay n proportional part of
fhn cost
Explains Plan.
Before concluding want tU sub.
mil f1 you a calculation ~ The fnan.
oial plan applied 90 your county Your
total valuations Tor taxation amount