The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-20
VHEE[ING'S LARGE COAL FLEETS
ARE 4 THING Of THE PAST, SAYS
A.P. NEIGH, TRAFFIC EXPERT
PREDICTS GREAT SHIPMENTS oF
BULK MATERIAL IN PLACE OF
FORMER COAL BARGES.
UNCLE SAINTS EXPENDITURE ON
RIVER InPRovEMENTS rs JUST1-
FLED BY LOCAL COOPERATION.
WHEELING WILL IN COURSE of
TIME BE GREATEST INLAND
POPT OF TIE WORLD.

| "Whccling has seen her last Goa!
fleet" said \. i. Neigh. traffic OK
pert of the tHImhcr IF Commerce.
Mr.. Neigh believes that the war mas
nuthing 10 do with tho hisapprarhhG:
Of coal boats from tho Ohio river ana
that river conditions VIII remain as
they arc SO far rs coal shipments ar'
concerned He bases his statement VII
a study of Inc location Of coal hcIuS
down tho river and shipping rates. '1o
docs not however. predict that river
traffic is a thing of tho past. but rain
"r predicts great shipments OF bulK
material other than coal this summer
if Il good shipping stage is maintained.
"Pitlsburghs coal is now used cX-
: clusircly in the l'ittsRurEh district OF
within n reasonable radius OF PITTS
, burSh and will no longer be lowed p""t
Wheeling 10 down river points. Said
Mr. Neigh There docs not any longer
exist necessity for cross shipment
Of coal from one field upstream past
or over another.
Some down the river points reccir'
their coal either by rail or by river
from the Fall River and kanawha
fields. On down stream we find IN"
! kentucky fields and down the MlsSIs-
slppi We find the great Black Warrior
coal UClOS IN oPfIblINiI' h''FS'''5
demand there Why then should coal
be shipped from Pittsburgh To these
points? Obviously it would cost more
! to send fuel from Pittsburgh IMAM
from these short haul fields.
Mr.. Neigh says that many tralhc
men differ with him ON his opinion 81
futur" river activities. but he sun
maintains that the days Of big coal
fleets passing Wheeling arc past.
For years and years the wharf would
line up with people. when the flagship
Of big fleet passed down stream. III:
old towbGalS whistle would call men
from their work. Riddles from thrlr
lessons. to play Rookie and hundreds
loafed about tho river front watching
and waiting for ono bnat mft.r another
Many boys and girls OF past years TO-
member the famous big tuwa that have
passed down stream. including the old
Peter Srraguc's largest tow that ever
went down the river Now il seems
that the step Of progress and devci-
opmcut OF now coal litldS has changed
conditions and rendered the river from
PITTSBURGH To Cincinnati worthless rs
far as Il convcyur of fuel is concerned.
Mr.. Neigh believes. however,. that
great steel shipments and shipment "I
the products of great industrial plants
from Pittsburgh. StcubcnvilIr. Wheel
ing and on down To Cincinnati VIII
more than justify tn" great rHpfhd'-
lures made by Uncle Sam on the con-
struction of dams and locks.
Weddings industries will moro than
help Justify this expenditure. Mr..
height believes. He points out that
at the very present time the Wheeling
Steel and Iron company is constructing
Il dock at it's Bcnwood plants and tha'
as soon as this is completed hoals Will
orcrat" between YOrkvillo and Benwnod
rlants. With tho present attcr-War
lapse in industrial operations Gr"a'
Room will come. then says Mr.. NclEh
; will come the great shipments OF steel
and other commodities. hui not coal.
Great oil fields of tho southwest
could easily secure their pipe from
! Wheeling industries by river and III
time this will probably be worked out.
! oklahoma and Texas could secure pipe
Ivy way nf Tho Arkansas river and gull
! ports respectively. Hauling Of pipe
, hy water 10 the worlds biggest pipe
consuming fields would make Wheeling
one Of IN: greatest inland ports Of the
, world ,:3Nnuld boom E"r industries ana
: would likewise afford cheap Transports
ton 10 the Gil fields and obviously re-
dure the cost rf Pipe.
1; When these problems n-e worked out
! The Ohio river will com" hhck III II"
: own and advance even beyond the hu!%
scenes of days ago when coz! Htcts
passed our city on" after another.