The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-08-21
Prom the Missouri Republican
Des n6oines Rapids, mississippi.
kEokuR, August IL, 1875

hEokrK, August III 1855.
In your paper Of the sh instant, you
notice that new contractor is about 10 ap.
ply steam power to blow out the Rapids
at this place, and you express the belief
! hat "a few weeks OF well directed work
on the Rapids will give US cheap and un.
interrupted communication 10 ST. Paul"
do dot desire to disparaga any effort
! that may be made 20 carry out what al
ways regarded rs fatal error bat desire
that the test be noted and the question
determi ed within our lives More than
four years have rolled round since YOU
were assured that thirty or forty thousand
dol ars would be suff cient to complete the
work and you earnestly endorsed and al
yocated the plan. Since then two larger
appropriations have betn made. and Il E
Government is yet supplied with means
certainly adequate TO a few weeks la
bor.o The seasons have been exceeding
" favorable, because Of low water, and
up to this time 10 impression has been
made which, argues success, and no one
here or elsewhere will now estimate the
cost below million Of dollars. have
also, by recent publication, shown, tn t,
with the Government progress of TIE past
three years, the plan could not be execu
ted in century.
Knowing that our predictions of sue
cess have been based upon prevailing
opinion, and knowing also, thai your oh.
ject IN noticing the matter is to secure sue
cess, desire 10 remind you Of my earnest
rer1onstrance against the Government
plan. and beg OF you to carefully observe
results, so this new motor may not prolonp
your final determination 10 adopt simple
certain, and adequate plan for the removal
OF these obstacles to our great national
highway. Steam power cannot be cheap
er or more efficient than the power Of
men, IN work 80 difiicult al d shifting as
that Of DR. ling. blasting and moving rock
especially when the power must be ex-
posed TO the caprces of two elements,
wind and water and after so much time
and money has been exhausted with the
usual and, think, most efficient motor.
submit that il is time to take up the plan
have SO often urged, without reliance on
steam, when men have fsiied Of success.
hope fair test OF the steam power may be
made, but the suit is inevitable. The
twenfu-f four feet Of fail conntt be biotcn 81
d,thed ut. have hoped for experiments
and demonstrations, and the exertions O.
the General Government have been sigma
NJ urcs, go far rs any sensible effect is
shown on these Lower Rapids.
A further reliance on the Government,
IS tless delay. The steam power can Be
!. applied. and there is plenty Of time and
means to test it this fall but it is impossi
bic to secure channel improvement that
will be safe ind sufficient, and ! prot, s.
against procrastinations that are nluriou,
TO the whole West and especially to the cha,
acter and commerce Of our great channe
Of trade. know chat some regard me a.
arrogant and obstinate in my preference
and prese nations of canel improvement,
for these Rapids; tut have always yield
ed The point Of personal preference be
cause OF my anxious desire to see the Mis-
slssippi improved, and because Of my Ger.
tain conviction that it can be done with 6
comparatively small sum in period Of two
yesrs. IIali million Of dolars W i'll max.
complete change in the success of thu
river commerce. All the cities on ths
Mississippi are Interested in the work -
II they would divide the expense, il woule
be but tr'f,ng matter 10 each. and a ca
nal would be opened around these r ,pld
/. tina. would be safe At al ,in.s, nigh, ~.