South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-06


CARRIER veteran newspaperman OF
this city. Contrary TO popular
opinion. there never has been a
ciminutiOn az headwaters ~ the
Pittsburgh industrial district - Mr..
CARRIER says. He added that coop
Grafton and coordination between
highways railroads and rivers is the
need Of the hour and IS essential TO
the restoration u prosperity"
Tn an article written exclusively
for The associated Press. Mr. Car
BIER sums up the situation along the
Ohio river a. follows
Traffic upon the Monongahela.
the Allegheny and the Ohio. center
ing AZ Pittsburg has steadily ex-
banded and has now reached not its
minimum. but its maximum. For
this reason. the tonnage or the
Pittsburg district exceeds that Of any
five ocean seaports In the world
Fifty years ago coal was assem-
hied in barges in the harbor OF
Putsburg and awaited a coal boat
rise a stage Of nine feet or over.
sometimes there was not enough
water In the harbor 20 float the
fleets OF barges and two boats. This
suggested the construction OF a dam
to afford a greater depth.
Fortunately. the Chanoine type
of dam and lock was adopted from
France. where they had been in use
many years upon the Chanoine river
The lock Is for use when the dam
is closed The Gam ia constructed
with movable sections. so when the
natural depth Of the water IS suffi-
cient. these sections are laid down
on the bottom OF the river and an
unobstructed passage is opened 70
two boats and their fleets Of loaded
barges
ION March 25 last. Col C. W.
Kutz, divisional engineer for the
Ohio river. reported as follows
Locks and dams completed and
in operation. &c; locks and dams un-
der construction. 10; locks and dams
rot yet commenced, 8; locks and
dams eliminated one total. So
1T Will require six or more years
longer TO complete the system which
by resolution Of congress in 1910
was 90 be completed in this year Of
1922 However the locks and dams
have been finished and are in op-
eravio5 for 800 miles down the river.
Marvellous growth. development anc
prosperity has followed the locks
and dams upon the three rivers at
old Fort Pitt. the Fort Duquesne OF
the French. The land upon both
sides OF the Ohio river had been
purchased by manufacturers as soon
as the nine feet stage was secured
and new mills and factories erected.
Bear In mind the locks and dams
were begun at Pittsburg and con-
tinued down the Ohio consecutively.
a few large cities like Cincinnati.
Louisville and Evansville had suffi-
cieK Influence 10 get lock and
dam 20 give them sufficient water
In their harbors. and "A few Of the
works were built below the mouths
Of navigable rivers tributory 20 the
Ohio. In order 10 let boats over the
bars which form at their mouths.
hut the first and main idea was 10
get coal down the river in barges-
therefore construction was begun Fl
Pittsburg The toN-boat Sprague
has taken 10000 tons Of coal. suffi-
cient to load 3 miles Of freight cars
from Pittsburg 20 New Orleans in a
single tow. 40 a cost Of three and
two-tenths mills per con per mile
Coal was transported from Pitts
burg TO New Orleans. a distance OF
1000 miles BY water. for less than
the same amount was carried from
Pittsburg 90 Lake Erie ports. a dis
lance by rail OF 100 miles.
The rivers Of the Ohio valley VIII
continue 10 he used for the shipment
OF coal because water transpOrta-
zion upon the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers is so much cheaper than by
rail Only by unjust and oppressive
cVactions can the railroIds compete
with the rivers.
Because Of The Incompetence OF
.h. lock and dams system in the
upper Ohio artificial rises are re-
sorted TO. This was the happy
thought or Mai Gen. Lansing II
Reach now chief engineer, Z. s. A.,
then division engineer on the Ohio
river. Briefly the artificial rise is
retaining the water in a dam until
10 IS filled Then all the tow boats
are assembled with their numerous
harses loaded with the black dia-
wonds When all are ready. the
dam is opened and the boats and
parges float ont upon the flood and
keep pace with its crest down the
river % Cincinnati Madison ana
Louisville This IS as far as they
generally go az present and the de-
vice Sc a temporary one 20 be dis
carded when the chain Of locks and
dams is perfected
At the present the Ohio river IS
Ike a railroad with all its bridges
out The boats cannot pass the low
water places which are without
dams any more than cars can pass a
creek whose bridge is gone When
the lock and dam system is finished
coal and all other kinds OF freight
VIII be moved UP and down the Ohio
at pleasure a depth OF nine feet pre-
vsuing IN the channel from Pitts
burg 70 Cairo the twelve months OF
the year.
Ile Mississippi and It's trlhuta-
r.esa including the Ohio, OF course
has a navigabIe mileage stated by
some authorities as high as IS 0O0
miles 10000 miles OF naviga Ole
water is a conservative estimate
Nealy all the Ohio rivers tribu-
raries that need 20 are locked and
damned OF late the eyes or dwell
Iened with the sight Of great steel
tow boats and steel barges laden
with steel products en- route from
Pittsburg 90 New Orleans and inter
mediate points.
Recently the steamer Aliquippa,
towing eight barges Of steel pro-