The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-08

i 3 q a s & j
Control i! ling the ]
4 b Frederi
"a wonderful system Of. locks and
dams on the Ohio river, which VIII
equalize drought and food. convert.
ling an cratic stream how into a reg
ular and reliable one, and increase
the commerce OF the inland waterway
is being constructed by the war de
lpartment &
;empty into the Ohio than into any
cher river in the United States. AS
a result, from Pittsburg TO Cairo, a
distance OF $50 miles, the stream
low varies SO greatly from the
imouth OF one tributary to the next
that in flood season, the Ohio is dan
| gerous with the swollen waters, while
In the dry season it is sometimes
barely deep enough for tramc.
Navigation on the Ohio dates back
to the beginning of the nineteenth
Icentury. when the crudest Kind OF
craft brought ores and lumber down
the river from inland wilderness.
Later the old paddle wheel steamers.
tug fleets loaded Will coal and 1um-
Der made their way to the western
markets via the Mississippi. and
twere the forerunners Of an important
traffic which hourished in the forties,
Ibut began to Wane in the eighties.
when the railroads penetrated the
country with their network OF branch
lines.
Many OF the rivers OF the Alle-
Egheny region have been improved
from time to time as conditions de-
Imanded, by permanent locks ana
dams, but as interstate commerce
lgrew, these facilities became made
E4uaIe and the Ohio began to lose its
Iancfent prestige as a waterway.
s.a Wharfage and landing and harbor
facilities at large towns were insult
fcient, too. There was often a con-
Egestion Of boats, and the fleets had
Ito lie UP in the dry seasons waiting
for the high waters to carry them
/ down. Thus, owners of packet lines
Host heavily. and ceased operating.
for they could not compete with the
fast freight trains.
Is Thus the benefits OF cheap trans
l#portation by water upon the Ohio
were seriously impaired, simply be-
licause the locks and dams were in
adequate. Accordingly. Congress
made an appropriation for complete
new system Of locks and dams, fifty
four of them in all. that will mains
tain a depth OF nine feet in the river
all the year around This great
work Is now going forward.
The project includes improvements
upon many of the larger tributaries,
Including the Monongahela, kanaw-
ha, Big Sandy. Muskingum, Miami,
Licking, kentucky and Barren riv-
Eers.
Two kinds of dams are being con
lstructed-the ordinary sort OF lock
and dam found on all nayigable riy-
ers, where conditions are found to
movable dams. It's proposed to con
struct these movable dams below the
sites OF large cities, In order. to form
1.-THE harbors which are an important
Ipart of the plan to aid navigation
The fixed dam has long been
known in the United States, but the
movable dam is still something of
an innovation, and Is comparatively
little known outside of the regions
where it is being operated. It has
long been known in Europe. especial
lily in France. where 1t was brought
ITO high degree Of efficiency.
The first movable dam in this coun-
try was constructed in ii $50. below
ECharleston, w. Va. on the Big Ka-
#nawha river, IN the heart of the
local mining district. and it at once
proved to be a success The next
movable dam was constructed Just
i below Pittsburg In the Ohio river.
lin 1885. and since then six more of
the movable type have been con-
tstructed. It is due to the ssc-cess Of
these dams that the war department.
Recommended to Congress that the
present project be put under way.
The movable dam is one that can
iibe raised and lowered. and consists
of fixed and movable parts. Although
1.-THE expense OF operation is consider
ably more than for fixed dams. 1t
Eabundant1y repays BY the added ter
minal and harbor facili tiles it affords.
During high water the movable
dam is down, giving an open river
and making a saving OF time in nav
[igation.s When the water is low. the
dam is raised until the depth res
Equired for coal boHtsai Is obtained
this being usually nine feet. On the
Kanawha for instance, the dams are
raised and lowered from i've to-
twelve times n@year.ssS On AtneAOn1 ~
will probably not be necessary ttl
raise them SO often. owing to greater
volume OF water.
It requires a vast army Of men to
install one Of these dams. and also
huge derrick boats. y capable Of lifting
the tons OF machinery and concrete
employed, and pumping plants to-
keep the water down, SO that the
work may be done.
The Foundation Of the dam is laid
|5of concrete on the river bed. and