Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-12-20
OTTUMWA, IOWA, DECEMBER 20, 1850.

should be avoided, for had the work, un-
der the then existing circumstances, been
relet, ii would have cost the State much
more than the allowances and alterations
required TO enable the present contrac-
tors TO proceed under their first contracts.
The first letting OF the work, it is well
known, was at a time when labor, pro-
visions, &c. could be obtained at but lit
tie if any more than one half of what
they would cost at the date in question.
Under these circumstances, and in ac-
cordance with the recommendation of
the then Chief Engineer, Colonel Samu-
ell X. Curtis, the following allowance
and changes were made to the conirac-
tors. Fifty cents per perch was added
to the price of masonry, in consequence
of its being changed from rubble TO cut
stone and range work. The original
contractors, Messrs. Stewart 4 Wallace,
on section No. 4, having, for year pre-.
vious, left the entire control Of their
work to their assignees, Messrs. Smith
Morrison & Co., the President was au-
thorized to enter into contract with the
latter, for the completion of the work at
a small advance on the former contract
prices. On section No. 5, for reasons
heretofore stated, and in consequence OF
a change of location of Lock, the con-
tractors prices on this section were ad-
vanced. On section No. 6, one hundred
and twenty dollars was allowed for loss
of embankment by flood. Allowances
were made on section No. 8, one hua.
dred dollars for timbers swept away and
lost by the flood, one hund ed dollars
for damages done to Lock pit, and eight
hundred and ten dollars for loss of en-
bankment. The contractor, having de-
liyered the estimated quantity of protec-
lion stone, and it was found the work
still required more, which the contractor
refused to deliver at his former prices,
therefore the price was advanced from
one dollar to one 50-l00 dollar per perch
on the balance delivered.
The contract. for constructing Culvert
on section 3, having been Abandoned by
the original contractor, Richard Morris,
was relet to Messrs. e. Lindsey a. Co.
who completed it about the lst Of Sep
tember, in manner entirely satisfactory
TO the Engineer.
! Messrs.: Quinn, Caraher e. Co. con.
tractors at Dam No. 2, having abandon.
ed their contract, about the first of April,
and the Board, after receiving proposals,
re-let the work TO Messrs. ]. e. Walker
g. Go. they being the lowest responsible
bidders.
! The President has made an arrange
ment, by contract, with Messrs. Thoms
& ColtoE, mill owners, at Dam No. g.
on the south side Of the river, in the
State Of Missouri, by which they are to
remove their saw mill, and convey to
the State flioiency of ground for all
needful purposes, in the use of wafer
power at that point. They also release
TO The State quantity Of timber and
stone contained in the old Lock. In
consideration of the above, and the stop.
age Of their mills for two months, to ell.
able the contractors to put in the new
Dam, the Stale is to pay two thousand
dollars.
i At Dam No. 6, Bentonsport, the con.
tractors, Messrs. Brown 81 Sanford
commenced putting in the Dam about
the lst of July, and it being located just
above the old mill dam, il became neces-
sary to drain the pool, thereby suspend
ing the operations at the mills on each
side of the river, for about four months.
The owners Of these mills, Messrs.
Brown & Sanford on the north side, and
Mr.. Allender, on the south side Of the
river, claim heavy damages from the
State, for loss of time in the use of their
mills. They also claim that the State
shall pay the expense of conducting the
water from tie State Dam to their res
pectiye mills.
The 22d section OF an act creating the
Board of Public Works, and providing
for the improvement of the Des Moines
river, says, sand nothing herein contain
ed shall prevent the Board from paying
iahe proprietors of such dams, whatever
they may deem reasonable, in addition to
the privileges authorized by this act."-
The owners of the several mills ard
dams on the river were allowed, in con-
sideraiion of lands, and of their privil-
eges, together with the damages they
might sustain, TO have the use and bene-
fit Of water power sufficient to propel the
same amount of machinery that they had
previously been using. free of cost for
the term of fifty years; the water OF
course to be applied to the most appro-
we'd wheels now in use. Messrs. Brown
q Sanford claim power sufficient TO pro-
pei nine run of burs, which at the rate al
which power has been leased to Messrs.
Green and brother, at that dam, would
amount TO 5000 per annum, for fifty
years. In considering these claims for
damages, it is necessary 10 take into
view the fact that the State has incurred
considerable expense in the location ol
locks and dams to accommodate mill
owners--and that the character of the
work done by the State secures to them
this valuable power, permanent and un-
interrupted for the long time mentioned
The claims presented are urged, First,
4 upon the grounds that the Public Works
require stonnape Of their mills. ,yec0yld