Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1859-10-20


result had been accomplished by il
expenditure.
Encouraged by this success, Con
gress grew more liberal, aud 10 1856
made farther appropriation OF 5000,
900 to complete the improvements
that had but then been fairly CON
menccd. The charge Of the WORK
passed into the hands OF Nal. rioyd
= gentleman at one timc connected
witt. the Engineer corps of the army
and Of extensive practical experience
in his profession. 1t at once became
tobvious to the new superintendent
that Nv the old methods OF conduct
ing the work, operations might be
almost indefinitely extended, az vast
expense Of time and money, with 1T
tie prospect Of accomplishing much
in the end. Accordingly he took an
early opportunity ofreporting to Col
Long, Of the Typographical Engin-
GERS, the officer having a general SUI
pcrintendency Of Western river i'm
provcments, the necessity OF bring
ing into use agents more eff. mt tnan
any that had yet been employed
lie recon nended the adoption OF
steam machinery, and suggested a
plan tor its employment, which expe-
rience had taught hin was both
practical and effec we. .Atter some
delay, permission was obtained to
construct the machinery after the
plan submitted. The contracts were
at once given out, and by the begin
ming OF last years season, the appa-
ratus was completed, and on the
ground ready to commence opera
tons. by means of this al palatus,
much Of the difficulty that interiered
with the old method is removed. 1t
can be operated in much deeper wa
ter, and, as the men are relieved from
the necessity of entering the water,
it's chillness Offers no impedlment.
The season can now be protractcd to
a much greater length, as only the
presence Of ice in large quantities
presents any serious obstacle. Thus
many more working days are added
TO the season, al 4 til at "A period
when the water being lowest, the
work can for that reason be prosecu-
ted to the greatest advantage.
The apparatus is of snch power and
efficiency, aud so admirably adapted
to the purposes for which it was in
tended, rs to be deserving of special
description. Being recently at keo
kuk, we became indebted to the cour-
tesy Of Major Floyd for the epportu-
nifty of visiting the scene OF his Ope-
rations, and of thoroughly inspecting
all the appliances for the execution Of
the work on which he is engaged
But before detailing the m0dus oper-
and, brief description Of the nature
of the work to be performed, may not
be inappropriate.
The Rapids at Keokuk, known aa
the Des Moines or Lower Rapids, con-
tinue at intervals all the way to Mon
trose, a distance of eleven miles. They
consist OF series OF lodges, or "chains
as they are called, or rock, jutting ont
into the channel Of the river, and ob-
struc,lng its navigation. At high
water, the current passes over them
without ripple, and no trace Of them
can be discovered; but when the wa
ter is low, the rapid stream breaks
over them with violence, ard their
hidden forms are be rayed bv the agi-
tatei water. These "chains" are sub
divided into spa ches," being portions
Of the main chain, approaching near
est to the surface, and separated from
another by channels OF deep water
These form the true Instructions, and
their removal is the work now in
progress. A tortuons channel winds
its devious way through their midst,
aud Until the water becomes very
low, skillful pilot may trace it, but
at dead low writer the navigation be-
comes so hazardous that il is abandon
ed. The interval between the chains
is deep water, and may be navigated
without difficulty.
The object ofthe Superintendent i:
to open a continuous and direct chan
mel through each chain, availing him,
self, OF course, Of the natural channel
wherever that can be done to advan.
tage. ln the eleven mites of the Des
MONIES Rapids, six or eight chains oc
cur, with patches varying in width
from two or three hundred feet to q
quarter of a mile. The worst one i.
at the foot OF the Rapids, and is known
as the Omega Patch. Here the wa
ter runs with great swistness, the de
scent being about six feet to the mile
The rocks lie within foot or two O
the surface, and on them boats fire.,
quentIy driven by the current tina
PUSHES with fearful velocity straigh
upon them.
At this time Major Floyd is en-
gagged in opening y channel through
this dangerous place. Last week h,
completed his work on the patch ly-
ing Immediately above. As an OBJ
{ struction on navigation, that patel
now no longer exists. A channel
two hundred feet in width. and af
'ordlng Sin feet of water even at tn
present low stage Of the river, ha
been grooved out from Its rocky bed
through which boats can pass with
ont the slightest difficulty. In few
days the distractions presented b,
the Omega patch will be as complete.
ly removed.
The plan pursued in these opera
tons, though very effective, is yer,
simple. 1t is as follows: Two boat.