Demoine courier., 1855-10-18
Des Moines River Improvement.

The party that lefi here several day
sincs for an examination Of the De-
Moires River, and the work progressing
upon the improvement, consisting o
Hon. w. G.. JOHNSON, President of III,
ID. r. N, e.. r. r. Co, Gen. CLARK
late President, and J., w, McALpINE
Consulting Engineer. returned TO the city
las, evening, and are stopping al he La
clede House. a .
As we learn from them. they made ex
animation Of the work in progress a
the different points from ST. Francisvills
TO Oitumwa, and a general reconnaissance
Of the river from that point 10 Fort De.
Moines, the terminus Of the completed
improvement. Fs7 Hat
Work is commenced on all the dams-
eleven IN pumber- between ST. Francis.
vile and Ottumwa AT Cro,on, Cotton
d Go. have their work nearly finished.
At Pennington Bfownell & Ford are go
ing ahead rapidly, aud putting in some OF
the neaiest and most substantial work on
the line. Al Bonaparte, the dam is com
pie,ed. Az Benionsport, II is nearly
completed. SO near as to be in use for The
purposes OF the work AT keosauqua,
she work is over half done-Bonnev,
Russell d Co., contractors. AT Pits
burgh, Philadelphia, O%rvllle, Iowaville.
and Cedar Bluffs, work is going ahead
either upon the dams or in preparations.
AT one or two pc. nts, the exact. location
OF The Gam is not yet decided. SOL au5ai
The work from Ouunwa up will be
placed under contract early in ihe spring.
The delay being rendered necessary by
the sickness OF a portion OF the corps on
that DIVISION, and the necessity of wait
ing unit! The Ice forms in the river suiii.
cienlly strong 10 take the proper sound.
ings.
by sinking the dam al Keosauqua three
and a half feet lower than the plan orig
ina.ly contemplated, and digging a chan.
mel the distance OF about 1900 feet in
the river below, and removing other OBJ
siraclions. the company are enabled to
dispense with the proposed dam al Gil
lis. A matter OF no small Importance in
The navigation of the river. as il will save
both expense and delay to boats passing
up and down the Improvement.
a corps ns engineers are engaged be-
tween ST. Franeisville aud Tie mouth of
the river, in making a reconnaissance pre-
para,ory 10 putting that portion under
nra at an early day. is
Mr.. NcALPINE, the consulting engin-
eer, a man of large experience in works
of this kind, and well acquainted with
them both in this country and Great Brit
ain, after a careful examination Of the en-
tire line, states that he has never seen,
nor has he knowledge oi any stream.
where slack water improvement exis,s.
that affords equal facilities for the con-
strac,ion of such work,as the Des Moines
river The fall is, except at two or
three places, very nearly uniform-most
of The way the banks ara sufficiently bold
aud high for lie securing Of the dams
while the rock bottom is found constants.
~ near lie surface of the bed OF The riv.
er-never more Than six fee, below, and
frequently appearing a. the surface, max
ing a solid foundation for the work easi-
~ accessible; and together with the uhi
formiiy OF fall. giving a wide range in
the selection of the location Of dams
Atno point on the upper division butte
dam may be placed from half a mile TO
a mile up or Gswn. from a selected poin,
with equal facility.
From these descriptive items relative
to the present pos iiion of the work-,he
progress already made-and the pros
poets in the fuiure-our readers may see
the improvement is going ahead with an
energy unknown under State manage
ment-such energy as will secure its
early completion. Already an entire di
vision is under contract, and some OF the
comprehensive surveys in
progress on the balance of the line, to
get j. also under contract, as soon as pos.
sible-is an earnest hat this workable
Des Moines River Improvemcni-,ha,
has been long talked Of. hoped for. pray.
ed for. doubted, and finally given up in
despair as chimerical, is vel Il lie com
pleted, and tina, in the short space OF two
OF three years from this time.
In connection with this subject, we
nigh. refer our readers to what they have
not perhaps all noticed By the advertise.
men: Of the matter, VIZ, the liberal course
of policy the company are pursuing in
relation TO their lands. Instead OF re
tanning possession of them to speculate
by the enhancement, of their value from
the Improvement o laRds adjoining theirs
they are throwing them into market, up.
on terms of paymen, ,ha, will enable
The industrious man with a very small
amounted ready means, TO secure him
sell a farm. ppy all the succeeding in.
stalments and secure a snug fortune 10
himself from the proceeds Of his land
by the time the last payment becomes
due. 83f
Anoiher important consideration is,
tina, while Tie company part with their
they 10 mol allow them TO go ialo
The hands of spectators. They sell 20
actual settlers only, who are required to
make annual improvements. This is a
wise andjudicious step, aud one that will
meet the appreciation of every one