The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1922-11-03
DAMS ON BIG
SANDY ARE NOW
II COMING INTO use
Shippers Finding the Slack
water Can be Used
to Advantage. -.

The following letter from U. S. En-
gtneer B. F.. Thomas to Col Jay H.
/ Northup is quite interesting because
it shows that the Big Sandy pools are
] coming into use: ....
WI. Huntington Oct. 20, 1922.
| My Dear Colonel ".'I .>.. ...
/ On account of a badly damaged gate
the pool above Chapman dam will not
be in this season. The other pools are
| all right and both coal and oil are
coming out by barge. In August 27;-
1000 barrels oil and in September TO-
900 barrels went out TO the refinery at
Leach station, near Catlettsburg, and
there had been 1000 barrels for Oc-
tober up to oath. These barges draw
I to feet inches and have had wat
er every day this summer-haven't
lost single trip, so far as / have
heard. Four small barges of coal went
out into the Ohio only a few days
ago, $50 tons in the four, loaded at
Tabors creek and Fit. Gay, so I heard
Other barges have preceded them. The
river has been a little scarce of wat
err The Ohio is even worse off in that
regard, but pool No. l has run over
every day for 8 months or more, and
the others above have not been real
low except Chapman where the dam
is not in. p. .:.-...- ~. -. ,
With kindest regards,
.-' T.. B. F. THOMAS.
There are great possibilities in this
line. Cooperation of interests is nee
essary to the development of business
but this should be taken up and work
ed out. ...# ',~.. ...... .".
Thara &c n ~ 10
coal all along both sides of the river.
Counting the two forks and the main
Big Sandy there is about so miles of
barge slackwater. This coal could be
developed to point where it would
keep lines of barge transportation
busy. 1t is well known fact that
water transportation is much cheaper
than rail- Never was better time 70
take advantage of this fact in getting
the coal business started. Railroad
freight rates will not be lowered ma
terially for long time, if we may be
permitted to judge by conditions. "
Before barges and boats will come
into this trade, however there must be
assurance of enough business to justi-
fy the venture. This can be given by
of enough coal opera
tons. The difference in cost of trans
portation ought to give mines along
the river a sufficient margin to offset
the fact that the coal veins are not
as thick as those farther up the riv-
~. .-~ d." ...... .,..@
The fact is being demonstrated ev-
cry day that the coal in this immed-
late vicinity can be mined profitably.
AT Fort Gay and Hubbardstown, W.
H., and at East Lynn and other points
a ong the n. & W.. wagon mines have
acen doing good business all this sea-
son. 1t is estimated that nearly $780,
go worth of coal has been shipped
this year from points along the river
s. thin seven miles of Louisa, all load
.G from wagons, and all shipped by
I2il except the barges mentioned in
A,r Thomas letter. OF course, this
his been done on a market that is
b, CHER than normal. But for coal OPP
eaings near enough the river to load
into barges, the heavy
expense of the present method of
handling would be eliminated With
this expense saved, the coal will show
a profit at average normal prices, with
lower water transportation to add
margin.
Big Sandy river has been put to
severe test this season on one point
that formerly was urged against the
slackwater project. 1t is that Of vat
er supply. There seldom has been a
season with as little rainfall as this
and yet, with the locks used more
than ever before, the pools have re-
mained full. This test should satisfy
everybody on that point
The use of the Big Sandy system
has been practicable ever since The
Ohio river dam just below Catletts-
burg was put into operation. Previous
to that it was impossible for boats to
get out into the Ohio when it was
low ,