Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-09-30


tribute to places, against The laws of
trade so clearly laid down, by our beau.
tiful and valuable river. They have re-
ceiveG the just and bitter execrations of
tie people Of this entire valley for their
crushing and ruinuus influences upon
our entire commercial aud industrial in
terests. Two OF these are substituted
with new dams and locks of adequate
capacity To pass every class of boats
navigating the river. The one al Bona
parte entirely pleted-the one at
Bentonspors nearly so, and will be fin
ished in a few days. AtCrolon rhoms'
DAM the old dam is raised so as to ena-
BILE boats to pass the lock, which is com
pleted. Though the end Of the old
dam is strangely left protruding into the
entrance OF the lock, constituting a him
drance TO the passage of boats. What
is the intention OF the Commissioner
with regard to il, we are not adrised.-
Ii should by all means be Immediately
removed. ~.
The two remaining Of these five prin.
cipal "old dams" are situated at Keo-
sauqua and near Pennington. We found
them still existing in full force with all
their Objectionable features: but we were
rejoIeed 10 learn on our return through
Pennington and Bonaparte, that the
Commissioned had inspected them, soon
after we passed down, and ordered his
Engineers TO make a passage Of one
hundred feet wide through each of these
dams. The work was to have commeu-
ced on the 20th inst. This width Of
breach in these dams, if thoroughly
cleared out TO the bottom, al the assign
ed place, will afford an easy and safe
passage TO boats. There are sill three
other old dams, of far less magnitude in
the scale of impediments to navigation
one Immediately above Red Rock, built
OF brush and stone, standing two or three
feet high, and forming an impedment a,
low water. This should be removed in
connection With the snags in its vicinity
A similar one il situated in the pool of
the Bentonsport dam, which will no, be
sufficiently covered to prevent inconve
nience to passing boats. Why its re-
moval has been neglected in connection
with the building of the dam below,
your committee is unable TO see. Ano-
Their of these inconsiderable old dams is
found at the site OF dam No. 2, on the
the general plan of improvement. A
special description Of this is unnecessa-
ry. as we learned The Commissioner had
ordered its abatement in connection with
the cutting of the snags below.
We hope We have enabled the Cen
trail Comm ittee and the public to form
general and practical view of the nature
and extent of these obstacles to naviga.
ton, and in some degree met the expcc-
tatlons OF the Convention in The first du-
~ assigned by the resolution. To make
even a probable estimate OF The cost of
removing these impedimen,s is a matter
we approach with dfidence and uncer.
| ,ainty. Of the two first classes numer-
ically stated there are -Four hundred and
seuenty-three situated above St. Francis
vile. These Boulders, logs, trees, &C.,
can we believe be efleclualy cleared out
Of the channel for two Thousand five
hundred dollars, including also the old
dams. To clear the channel below st.
Franeisrille, though entirely practicable,
will prove far more expensive and dit,
ficult work, and a very near approxima
tion 10 lis cost is not presumed in this
report. We will however offer sug-
gestion that the Legislature De requested
TO authorize the Commissioner having
charge of the improvement to aprropri-
ate Ten thousand dollars to clear the riv-
er OF al. the distractions named. This
work would form legitimate connec
ton with the final Improvement of the
river by slack water, and would secure
navigation while the main work is pro-
! crossing.
We cannot close this report wlihou,
travelling beyond The STRIFE. requirements
OF the resolution under which we are
acting, to obtrude upon your notice our
views, forcibly impressed by the survey
of the river, in regard to The policy that
should govern The future progress Of the
improvement. The opening OF the chan
mel Of the river below ST. Ffancsvil!e,
aud life construction of two or three
slight wing dams upon the ripples. and
also Sigh, dam across the outlet into
the Nassau Slough to torn the water in
to the main channel at low water, would
make this part OF the river navigable al,
almost all stages of wafer. i his, in
the opinion of the Committee is prae,i-
cable, and would not cost one fourth the
money that has been wasted on a, coun-
ter impracfieadie scheme. Al ST. Fran
cisvilie we believe nearly the whole ma
teriai for constructing lock aad dam is
prepared aud on the ground; also at Far
mington and Keosauqaa considerable
preparations are made and making for
tho erection OF locks a, these Places
| These works should be carried forward
as fast as the means of the Board will
permit. The completion of all these
works, however. will leave broken
chain of navigation by slack.wa:er---a
link will be wanting between ST. Fran
cissille and Cro.on, and one between
Bentonsport and keosauqua. Yet these
materials should be saved from destruc-
ton and thus save the State from an in