Wheeling Wharf in 1908

▶  WHEELING HISTORY  ▶  TRANSPORTATION   ▶  WHARF ▶ The Wheeling Wharf in 1908

- from the "Preliminary report of the Inland Waterways Commission. Message from the President transmitting a preliminary report," February 26, 1908. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, 1908.

Wharfage charges at Wheeling, W. Va., are based upon the number of the landings a boat makes per week. A large boat making a landing each way per week pays $2 per week. This is the price paid by the Pittsburg and Cincinnati Packet Line for each boat and by the steamer Kanawha running between Pittsburg and Charleston. Smaller boats do not pay so much. The steamer Lorena pays $1 per week (50 cents each way), as does also the steamer Greenwood. The steamers Bessie Smith and H. K. Bedford, pay $1.50 a week, making three landings. The steamer Royal pays $3.50 per week, landing every day, while the steamer Ruth (a smaller steamer) pays $3 per week for the same number of landings. The wharf boat is owned by Crockard & Booth, who pay a city and county tax as well as a license fee to the city for the privilege of mooring their boat at the public landing. The license fee amounts to $75 per year. The wharfage charge paid by boats goes to the city. At the same time boats pay the owners of the wharf boat a percentage for collections made for them as well as for business secured; that is to say, business passing over the wharf boat. Another source of revenue to the wharf boat is for storage of goods after twenty-four hours from receipt of same.

The wharf master at Wheeling is elected by popular vote and serves for two years. There is a railroad track along the street at the top of the river bank. Both the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads use this track and frequently obstruct the passage to and from the wharf boat.
 

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-Information on this page compiled by erothenbuehler