The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-06

deepening the water upon the bars
by simply cXcavatlng channel up
on account of drawing the water
down upon the bars and shoals above;
it will be seen by the above table
that no danger need be applehended
from that source as the fall is triiiing
over the bars and there is always
long stretch Of deep water immcdi-
ately above them; but there are
other and stronger objections to an
improvement of this kind most of
the bars are extending themselves
every year; the bar at Beardstown
has extended itself down the stream
distance of 250 feet the present
season; a channel had been exca-
waited through it for the passage Of
boats, but the accumulation of sand
was so rapid that it did not remain
open till the return of the boat at
whose expense it had been excava-
ted; there is a long stretch of shoal
water at the foot of this bar; if this
bar was deepened and improved by
building a wing dam for the purpose
of contracting the water and throw
ing it into a narrow channel the i'm
provement would last but short
time as bar would Immediately
form below the old presenting the
same difficulties that existed before /;
this is the worst bar to improve up
on the river, but all of them present
the same difficulties and objections
although not to so great an extent.
Another objection to an improve
ment of this kind is to find a place
to deposit the material excavated
out of the channel of the river, if it
is deposited in the river as it is all
Of light material it would be sub
ject to wash and fill up the channel
again or form new bars if deposited
upon the bank of the river, which in
many places would be very cXpen-
sive, the same objections exist as
the water occasionally rises over the
bottoms and would carry a portion
if not all again into the stream, there
is another and stronger objection to
this method of improvement; it is
not permanent, as every foot of prai-
RE land the sod of which is turned up
adds to the supply of deposit, and
unless something is done to stop the
material from washing into the riv-
er, an Improvement of this kind
were every other objection to it rem.
edied, would last but few years
a remedy for this might be made
that would answer for number Of
years the fall in the different streams
emptying into the river is slight, and
dams thrown across their mouths
would back their water up them fal
enough and form pools in which the
material would deposit before reach.
ing the river, but the objection tc
this is that the dams would obstruct
the navigation of the streams above
their mouths, and again, in an ex-
traordinary rise of the water they
would probably find a new channel
above by Overlooking their bank,
and discharge the material by new
mouth.
The only efFectual and permanen
; method left of improving the river il
by locks and dams; for this kind o
| Improvement the river is peculiarl,
adopted; the slight fall in the stream
the favorable and regular height
| of the banks, the convenience of tn,
f materials of making such improve
+ ment, the advantage of making tn,
! streams emtying in the river naviga
bic as far back as the bluffs, at tn,
I same time answering the purpos,
! proposed by daming their mouths
the few locks and dams required
and the chcapness compared wit
, the length of the Improvement, re
! commend such an improvement s.
/, strongly that no one can hesitate il
adopting it.
f From La Sale 10 Henry distahc
of 26 and a half miles there ar
i, five bars and three sh oals, the exca
walton for dug channel in this dis
, lance would amount to q, 479 cubi
yards at this point, Henry, is tn,
: proper location for the FIRST loci
8 and dam; the fall in the river be
I tween these two points | have est
l mated at 3 inches to a mile, this fal
l will require the dam TO be 7 fee
above low water mark 80 as to throw
| three and half feet of water on tn
: first shoal which is two miles bcloy
= La Sale; over three feet on Spring
} creek bar d.; five and half on Hen
= nepin bar and fiat, seven feet on tn
| bars of the Sisters, and nine feet o
= the bar at Henry; the bank on tn
7 east side of the river at'Hcnry is
l feet above low water, four feet high
! er than the comb of the dam; o
= the west side, the bank rises rapid
Lee. - A