Reader has questions about Locks and Dam 4

Where is Locks and Dam 4 on the Monongahela River located?

That question comes from a Fallowfield Township man who is puzzled by the geographic designation of the sprawling navigation complex situated between the Belle Vernon-Speers Bridge and the John K. Tener Memorial Bridge.

“They call it the Charleroi Locks and Dam but that doesn't sound right, because the locks are located across the river along Route 906 in Westmoreland County,” the reader said. “To be more precise, I think it is Rostraver Township.”

He also asked when the new locks and dam were built and who received the contracts for those projects.

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website, the Charleroi Locks and Dam 4 is located at 1900 Gibsonton Road, Belle Vernon, PA 15012. Directions to the entrance to the locks include reference to Route 906 between Belle Vernon and Monessen. That stretch of Route 906 is located in Rostraver Township. The Corps of Engineers did not respond to a question about the geography enigma.

The then-new Locks and Dam 4 was constructed at the present site in 1931 and 1932. Newspapers in the area often referred to the project as the “Rostraver Locks” and the “Rostraver Dam.” They also indicated the locks would be situated “above the city (Monessen)” or “near Charleroi.”

A story in The Daily Independent on Aug. 22, 1930, said initial plans were to have the locks and dam built “at a point below Monessen near Bamford.”

Municipal, industrial and business officials in Monessen were seeking support from their Charleroi counterparts in strong requests to the federal government to have the new facilities constructed at a “more suitable site almost directly opposite Tenth Street in Charleroi.”

On Thursday, March 5, 1931, The Charleroi Mail reported that the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, “has officially approved the award of a contract for construction of the twin locks in the Monongahela River between Charleroi and Rostraver, which eventually will replace the existing Lock No. 4, to the Dravo Contracting Company of Pittsburgh.”

The story said the cost of the project “is placed at $1,200,000 and work on the new construction is well under way.”

“Equipment necessary for construction of the cofferdam and preliminary work was brought up the river to a point opposite Charleroi during January and early in February and work was started a short time later,” the story said. “It will continue now until the construction is completed.”

An earlier story on Feb. 9 noted that the oil burner Virginia “arrived today with three barges of material Dravo will use for relocation of the dam and locks at the Rostraver site.”

Dravo also received the contract for construction of the new dam between Westmoreland and Washington counties “at Rostraver, above Monessen,” The Daily Independent reported on Jan. 22, 1932. A similar story in The Charleroi Mail said the abutment and dam for Lock No.4 would be built “at Rostraver.”

Both newspapers said J.W. Arras, principal United States engineer from the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C., announced that Dravo had submitted the second lowest figure of $235,581.90 at the time bids were opened Dec. 21, 1931. That was $24,050.18 in excess of the low bid received and $87,823.38 below the government estimate by hired labor.

Low bidder for the project, as announced on Dec. 21 by Major W.D. Styer, U.S. Army engineer in charge of the Pittsburgh District, was Temple Construction Company of New York City, which offered a $211,533.32 charge. The highest bid was submitted by the U.S. Engineers at $323,405.28. Others in the mix were Manon Construction of Dayton, Ohio, A. Phelps & Son, Inc. of Detroit and Booth & Flynn of Pittsburgh.

The bids included excavating, concrete, fills, structural steel and enforcing rods for the dam “to be built at the recently completed locks at Rostraver.”

The Mail said on Jan. 22 that work on the abutment and part of the dam “will be started soon.” It continued: “Three coffers will be necessary to build the dam, which will be 551 feet in length. According to the specifications, the dam is to be completed within 300 calendar days. The Dravo Company just completed the construction of the twin locks. Work now is under way to install the gates and machinery and it is expected to lock the first boats in April. The new dam will be 551 feet long, 21 feet high and 30 feet wide. There also will be a concrete ‘apron' 30 feet wide below the dam.”

Work on the final section of the new “Rostraver dam” began Wednesday, June 1, 1932. It was completed in late August.

The Charleroi Mail proclaimed that construction of the new dam “is unlike anything ever attempted on the Monongahela River.”

“Innovations have been necessary for the new lock is located in a stretch of the river where a tremendous mid-channel current has halted dredging and incidental work for many years.” the newspaper said.

It also reaffirmed that the new locks “are in commission and are being operated as needed. They will be operated regularly while the last section of the dam is completed and are in charge of Captain W.H. Bushbaker, who is directing installation of all machinery and operative appliances at the locks.”

As final work on the new dam neared completion, area residents – especially men who earned their living on the rivers – awaited word as to when the old dam, located north of the new structure, would be demolished. It was built entirely of wood and was scheduled to be “dynamited” before the end of the year (1932).

As C. B. Copeland noted in a Jan. 10, 1933, story in The Mail, the wait for demolition of the old dam wasn't long.

“On Sunday mid-nigh (sic), Aug. 13, 1932, at the sound of the U.S. Steamer Pinova's whistle, two powerful government dredge boats began to tear away the heavy timber and heavy stone that had helped compact the ancient structure for 88 years. Just 11 hours less than 48 the allotted time set by U.S. engineers for completion of the destruction of the old dam, boats were permitted to pass through a navigable pass over one hundred feet wide and at 9 a.m. Monday the diesel boat Nemacolin of the U.S. Engineering Department was passed through, amid long and loud blasts from all steam craft in close proximity. The work was pronounced a successful piece of engineering. So what once was the pride of pioneer engineering was now gone.”

The original Lock 4 was constructed on the North Charleroi side of the river by the Monongahela Navigation Company, which was founded in Pittsburgh in 1841. It opened in the Fall of 1844, along with Lock 3 at Elizabeth.

The Charleroi Mail reminded its readers on June 1, 1932, that the old lock “is but a midget to the present one. Originally it was 100 feet long and 50 feet wide.”

The Monongahela Navigation Co. built a series of locks along the Monongahela River and charged tolls to farmers who took their produce to market in Pittsburgh and to coal operators all along the waterway.

R. Mitchell Steen, longtime managing editor of The Valley Independent and noted historian, recalled in his March 2, 1968, “Backward Glances” column that one of the river's biggest celebrations took place when the federal government took over in 1897 and the tolls were dropped.

“Held July 16, 1897, there was a parade of steamboats on the river in Pittsburgh,” Steen said. “More than 25 vessels took part, all gaily decorated with whistles blowing. A crowd of 100,000 witnessed the parade from both banks of the river.”

The current Locks and Dam 4 complex has undergone major renovation, reconstruction, revitalization and rehabilitation over the years. The geographic location notwithstanding, it is one of the most modern facilities of its kind for commercial and recreation purposes along the Monongahela River – or anywhere else.

(If you have memories to share or a story idea, contact Ron Paglia at ronpaglia@verizon.net or c/o The Valley Independent, Eastgate 19, Monessen, PA 15062.)

Ron Paglia is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.