Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-17
LOMcr Ranids.

A>SsSo ~ VI tIiat mas DeeN since
exhibited BY some at certain other point below
the Rapids. Although it was published so long ago
It's nevertheless appropriate at the present time
when renewed effort is about being made to Sc
cure the same Object contemplated in the communi-
! cation. 1t was written by DR. ALLEN, in answer to
objections to the yet cheapest, most speedy and fca-
sibie plan of securing what is so much needed
the free and unobst uttcd navigation Of the Missis-
| sippi river.-[ED. HAwK-EYE.
The difficulty and danger of navigating
these rapids, and the disaster and loss of
lives that occurred in 1884, induced me
TO seek aremedy. Daring the W inter OF
1884 and 5, made survey of the rapids
upon the ice, and ascertained the depth
from shore to shore, and obtained correct
knowledge Of the bed OF the river.
From the data had obtained, conceiv-
ing it to be practicable to lmpr ore the nat
ural channel, drew a diagram Of the en-
tire rapids, dellnea'ing the channel and the
obstructlons to be removed, and memori-
allied Congress for an appropriation of
money to carry it into effect. An appro-
! pria,ion OF $40 900 was obtained, and Col.
Shreve, Civil Engineer, was sent to max e
examination, who reported in favor of ex-
cavating channel oil so feet width along
the west side Of the river. This plan |
feared, if undertaken, would, in the end,
prove abortive. and defeat the whole i'm
provement. The survey that wa, suisse
quentiy made, established the fact that
'to cut the channel Oh the west share of
the same width contemplated in ihe na,lr-
al channel, viii require more than mill
lion of cubic yards. While the natural
channel requires but o., 81 |, and the prob
able cost OF completion $lS9, ,622; saving
To the Government more than million of
dollars. Having furnished Gen. Grotiot,
the Chief Engineer, with data, " hich con-
vinced him of the absurdity OF the plan /;
all inriher operation was suspended until
the spring OF 1887, when Gen. Gratiot
came on and examined the rapids in per-
son. Col. Shreve's plan was abandoned
and he dismissed. The improvement O:
the natural channel was adopted, and Capt.
Lee appointed 10 carry out tn. designs. -
After Capt. Lee and Lieut.. Ncig> had
made the survey, the Secretary of War,
the Chief Engineer. Capt. Lee, Lieut..
Meigs, and Capt. Bliss, Superintendent,
al cancurred In the opinion thut tie i'm
provemcnt OF the natural channel was
practicable, and when completed tie navi-
CATION would be safe and easy, and this
opinion and report was approved and
sanctioned by Congress. Agtin>t this
weight of character and talent who shall
raise his voice? Ii i no longer as,uLiect
Of idle speculation, i is reduced 10 dem
onstr",ion. The work has been comu.en-
ced and the greatest ob>truction> in the
English chain removed: many of the OBJ
s.ructIon> i'll the Illinois chute on the low
er chain have also been removed. and the
channel being augmented in depth, dimin-
ished in the Same ratio the depth Of the
Filly Rack chute which many of the pi-
lots still follow. This created the diff
Guilty complained of. In the upper part
of the Lamelee chain the channel, if any,
is very imperfect, and the mode Of impro-
wing it not yet established. / have sug-
gested 10 the Chief Engineer the proprie-
ty OF extending dan>from the pool above
TO the pool below, including water sulIi-
cient for the purposes of navigation and
hydraulic power. This would create a
fall OF 8. :eet. The water power thus
created would, in all probability, command
price suiticien: 70 deir.y all expenses,
and have the navigation Tree. To facil-
tate this project, have proilered one mile
OF river front for that purpose. From the
head Of the LalnelIee chain 10 the head of
the rapids there is very little obstruction,
the water is generally deep, and the fall
9b- lO0dth of foot 10 the mile. That on
the lower chain feet 9-lOth that OH the
English chain 2 feet 3-l0.h, and tha, or the
Lamelle chain 3 fee: SlOOith to the mile.
Ihe whole distance over the rapids is
miles, and the entire fall "a feet ID l0Oih.
Above the rapids there is a greater depth
OF water over the bars than there is be-
tween them and st Louis. Hence. when
the rapids are improved, any boat that can
| navigate the river from 81 Louis to the
rapids, can bear lis freight OH to the falls
Of IT Anthony. We will now reply TO
two or three OF The most cogent arguments
| in the article alluded tn-1. That tic nav
lgstion can never be rendered safe and
easy, because 1t would increa.e the force
oi the water. One fact will serve to H.
| lustrate this point. On the Lamelee chain
where the fall is much the greatest of any
par, Of the rapids, there is a smooth table
rock extending from the west shore three
tourths o! the way across the river. For
10 percles out, the water is only IS in
ches deep; but averaging TO the channel,
at low water, two feet three inches. From
the eastern shore to the same point. two
and half feet. the channel is deep and
narrow. Here tie water ru,hes through
with great impeiuosiIy. 1t being exactly
III front of my dwelling, it has been under
my Gems ant observation for several years;
and during that period, no damage or ac-
cldent has occurred. AT no other point
on the rapids, can the water, Ivy excava-
ting the channel, be so completely concsn-
trated, nor the momentum rendered so
great 2. That excava;ins the rocks will
render them more sharp and craggy, con-
sequent!y more dangerous. This reason
ing appears very plausible; but by exam
inlng The Immense masseso OF rock that
have been thrown ont a person will be
convinced of the mistake. These obsirnc-
tons consist OF the hardest kind of flint.