Sewickley Herald

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SEWICKLEY, PA., SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1904.
No. 16
•ON TO  CAIRO.
n
rhe Commercial Greatness of Pittsburg—Her
Future Development Seriously Hampered— What Should Be Done.
SOME  AMAZING  FACTS AND  FIGURES.
Pittsburg is the center of the indius-
rial universe. There is no gainsay-
ng this fact. Even the mast zealous
idvocates of other great centers are
orced to admit this. By the term
Pittsburg we do not mean the little
3atiroh lying at the junction of the
Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.
We mean Pittsburg am she is commercially and as she should be politically—the mistress of the world.
A few years ago a movement was
Inaugurated to further increase the
wealth and prestige of this great city.
It has for its object the securing of
ample transportation facilities for the
enormpus and constantly increasing
tonnage of Pittsburg and environs.
The Qhio Valley Improvement. Association was organized for the purpose
of recurring the deepening of the chan.
nel of the Ohio river, and its tocsin
is: "On to Cairo." We are indebted
to Mr. George H. Anderson, of this
place, for some of the facts, stated
here in regard to this movement. Mr.
Andemon is the secretary of the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce, which
body has been a prominent factor in
its advocacy thus far—and he i3 also
an enthusiastic advocate of the project/ Mr. Anderson presented some
facts regarding the necessity for
greater transportation facilities for
the Pittsburg district that are amazing. The gentleman ir.i an authority
on matters of thl3 kind, and his
words carry weight. We give merely
an outline:
"The city of Plbtsiburg has kept
Pace with itsi traditional advancement in    population    and  industrial
products. This has been brought to
notice by the report of the Committee on Transportation, to whom was
referred the congested condition of
railway traffic, which seriously
threatened the prosperity of the Bitti*-
burg district. This report brought out
the fact that while the entire burden
of traffic for the year 1900 was 66,-
000,000 tons, it had reached the incredible volume of 72,000,000 tons for
the eleven monthis ending December 1,
1901, and 87,000,000 ten & to December.
1902. This report has been given a
wide circulation and attracted universal attention to Pittsburg as the
greatest producing center of industry
in the world."
"The report of R. G. Dun & Co..
for the year 1902, states: 'The river
improvements, that are now in course
of construction have interfered with
navigation to a certain extent; yet
when these improvements are completed and Pittsburg is aissiured open
navigation for the whole year, it is
estimated that the tonnage for the
Ohio and its tributaries, coming from
this, district, will be increased 100
per cent. The Southern market that
will then be opened', especially for
coal, will to a great extent relieve
the operators, who are now compelled
to curtail their output. * * * During
tho year 1901 there was. about 800,-
000,000 feet of lumber handled in thfe
market. For 1902 it is estimated that
this will reach 1,000,000,000 feet, representing an investment of about $25,-
000.000/"
These figures are staggering. And
to them must be added the constant
increase in manufacturing and mining
factiitieo. New mills are springing
up all along our rivers, old ones ai'e
being improved and their output !*..
creased, and ere long, ,if the ratio
keeps uj>, there will he stagnation.
Pittsburg stands to-day with her
hands tied. And until these bonds
are loosened she will suffer. It is unnecessary to argue at length regarding her need, for it is apparent to the
most casual observer.
Speaking of the plans of the Ohio
Valley Improvement Association, Mr.
Anderson said it was the intention
to secure a nine-foot sitage at low
water, instead of a six, the entire
length of the river from Pittsburg to
Cairo. The river traffic at present is
16,000,000 tons., and it is believed this
could he doubled or trebled with a
good stage of water the year round.
A system of movable damis &i> desired,
similar to the one at Dam No. 1, at
Davis Island. This style of dam is
said to he the best known, and is rapidly. coming into use. The United'
States Government is building ten of
these dainjs in the Ohio river. Prepa-
rationisi are being made for- a fifteen-
mile harbor at Cincinnati. It 'is estimated that it .will require thirty-five
or forty of these dams the entire
length of the river, a distance of one
thousand miles. The cost of this
great improvement jib placed at forty-
five millions o£ dollars.
A bill has been introduced in Congress providing for aii appropriation
of two hundred thousand dollar's to
complete the survey to Cairo, and to
ascertain the cost of a nine-foot
stage.
This question is one of absorbing interest to the people of the entire Ohio
Valley. The matter of freight rates is
no small factor in the case. To explain: Pittsburg coal can be .carried
to New Orleans by water at a cost
of $1 a ton. By rail it would cast $8.
An ordinary. fleet will carry 12 000 to
20,000 tons. The traffic of the Great
Lakes is over 40,000,000 tons annually, and the greater part of this is carried at a rate of one-half m'U per
ton pei' mile, which has enabled the
United States, to compete succexful-
ly in all the markets of the world.
Thfs project has the support of
hundreds of the leading men of the
country in all the walks of life, and
hsa been endorsed by scores of commercial, financial, civic and other
bodies, It has a special interest to
our people living ,so near this great
industrial center.
Entire Gornmunity Joins Heartily
in the Evangelistic
Work.
REV. REES A FORCEFUL SPEAKER.
The evangelistic services under the
ausp'Lces of the Y. M. C. A., which are
being held this week In the Baptist
church by Rev. M. S. Rees, of Roches?
ter, N. Y., have thus far been very
successful. . The attendance has been
good and an intense interest manifested. The services began last Sato-
bath, when Mr. Rees preached in the
United Presbyterian church, and in
the evening at the M. E. church. The
meetings have continued every evening- this week.
Mr. Rees is not only an earnest,
forceful and convincing speaker, but
| is an excellent organizer as well. He
j had not been in Sewickley twienty-
! four hours before he had arranged
the active membership of the association into groups for effective personal
work in bringing the unsaved into the
meetings. The advantage of this systematic plan of work has, been shown
by the results obtained. On Wednesday evening about fifty men responded to the invitation to meet and converse with Mr. Reer.< and his co-workers.
The meetings for women, which are
held at three o'clock in the afternoon,
have been well attended,, and have
aroused an interest among the women
that will be helpful in securing the
desired ends.
The music is under the direction of
Mr. A. H. Diehl, and is a very important part of the service. Special
emphasis is laid upon the mass meeting on Sabbath afternoon at three
o'clock, for men only. Mr. Ree? will
speak on "A Twentieth Century
Sodom." If the address is as lurid as
the subject there will be no lack of
interest. No young or qld man should
fail to -be present at the meeting.
The indication s all point to a very
successful campalign in winning souls.
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