Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1856-11-15

= Mississippi River taapid~.
Il would be impossible for rs 10 g
nsmerate the entire annual losses to
udi vidual. Of steamboats,, RATS, and
merchandise, upon the upper q koek
Island Rapids, and the lower or pe5
Aoines Rapids. The lower fap'ds
ere IL mile. in length, extending rom
Nontrose 10 Keokuk, and ie one Of
she worst impedimeB,s To the na'lSa-
tiou Of this noble river that exists
throughout its whole length The up
per rapids are - "'ies N length *
tending from East Davenport t" Lc
Claire, and in low water i IL IMPOSE
BILE for any OF the first class watercrait>
70 20 over them THE river Is 50 shallow
in most places on the upper rapids that |
in low water. there are many places,
where vessel drawing two and a half
feet, could not pass. Much money has
been expended upon these rapids by
the government Of the United States,
and they are little better now than they
were in 1887. In that year Col. L'c
estimated the cos, OF rlearin. tlo
upper aud lower rapids al rob,
a. follows:
The Des Moinee rapids, eiea,d22
The Rock Island l54,G5S
Total, for both rapid, %3iI..6a
This estimate was made upou The
assumption that j, would cost but -
per cubic yard for the work, whereas
10 fact, il has been demonstrated that
Il will cost three OF four times th.t
suln to perform the work. Lieutenant
Warren made an cstimatc in 1854.
and report to the Secretary Of War,
sfan entirely different character, :" Iir
~ the price is concerned, VIZ:
For Des Moiues rapids *s9J,o8o
For Rock Island i50,I50
Total at $40 per cubic
yard, A,si3,tso
In August 1854, Lieutenant Jane.
Kearney reported that the probable
cot Of excavations on both rapids is
nearer 20 per cubic I'd, but wisely con
sludes that very little good can rrsu.t
from the efforts made TO clear Il chan
mel by blasting rocks, aud that tn on
~ safe, sure. and certain plan is TO con
ans the river on the rapids TO q chan
mel Of 600 feet wide, which in the low
ct water, will give depth Of water Of I
feet The plan is well conceived -
The cost Of such an enterprise would
Dot greatly exceed the estimate Of Col.
Warren. The rapids afford abundant
material, such a. stone, rock and cra,
q, and the work, when completed A.
Il should be, would make the Mississ IL
pi River one Of the most splendid navi-
gable streams in the world, and so in
crease its commerce that for every
steamboat that now navgatcS this Nv
O., there would be twenty. There
should be some concert of action on
the part ofthe people ofthe river conn
Ties Of Iowa, to carry out the plan OF
Lieutenant Kearney, in so combining
he channel Of the rapids by lines Of
stone entertainments, a. to raise the
water and afford An easy transit for
vessels At all seasons ofthe years. The
work is worthy of the public attention.
How many splendid RATS Of lumber
and logs are wrecked upon both these
rapidsi Not week passes in which
The journals do not record some heavy
lesA some raft riven to pieces by the
rocka, and scattered along the river to
the almost total loss Of the OWNER
not summer passes in which num-
Der Of steamboats, do not end their ca
rssr upon these upper and lower rap
ida Insurance on freight and boats
i double and trebble what it would
b but for the rapids. Pilots salaries
srs enormous to what they would be
but for the dangers Of the rapids And
" might 60 on to snumerate large
number ofinstances Of loss to CONNER
oial men and steamboat patrons il it
we're necessary. The uncertainty and
danger Of freighting goods by steam
eoats induce merchants and produce
dsalsn 70 send goods and freight by
railroad lines when it can be DONE
Nsthing has 80 essentially contributed
70 turn the channel Of trade toward
Chicago - the dangers and perils of
The rapidA
Is~s has q deep interest in this ques-
ben, and her representations in Con.
grsss ought not to allow any appropri- ,
lsiens 70 b made for the rapids unless