The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-06
49, -
fof ~ Gass CITY,
T1rB 1A1p1DD.


TuD 1Ar1D0.
Nh. EDrcs: The following article was
written lest December. Az the s1bjsc& 10
now again introduced in Congress, think
the views below stated may BE- worthy Of at.
tention-vix:
In that most interesting communication in
your paper Of the 18th inst, or the subject o.
the improvement Of the rapids, 6nd'an OBJ
lection . TO the method, viz: Tho author
proposes to begin the canal It Nashville'
about four miles below Montrose, and calcu-
lates the cost Of deepening To bed Of the
river to that place 70 - to make . channel Eve
feet deep, and two hundred feet vide, at the
sum Of seventy Eve thousand dollars. No
estimate Of cost for deepening the channel
from the mouth Of the canal at Nashville is
given. Now propose to show thst the canal
should be begun at MOntrose, at the head Of
the rapids, for the following reasons:
LIST. The reef Of rocks stranding across the
river just below Montrose operates as dam,
affords good and safe harbor, with slack
water, at the city of Montrose, and deep water
for navigation above the city. Now suppose
that this reef is cut and channel be made
FIVE feet deep and two hundred feet wide, the
inevitable effect will be to drain of the water
90 as to lower its volume in the whole river lin
time Of low water) at least one foot. It con-
sequently might ruin the harbor at Montrose,
and seriously effect the navigation several
miles above the latter place. 1t would destroy
all navigation by raft. and between Montrose
and Nashville, except in the channel.
I'd. The wall can be built from Montrose to
Nashville for less than half the cost required
to deepen the channel to that place as pro-
posed.
Sd. By commencing the canal at Montrose,
at the upper chain, which the author says sis
not formidable on account Of deeper water
over the chain, the channel need not be
deepened more than three. feet at the start,
and running out to nothing within three miles,
because the fall Of the river being over one
foot per mile, will raise the water at Nash
Vile over FIVE feet within the canal, and
below that no. deepening will be required.
Attn. By commencing the canal at Nashville,
the deepening the channel to that place will
afford no surplus water for the use Of the
canal, as the fall in the liver there (being over
two feet per mile) will carry it all off. There.
fore at the head ofthe canal at this place, the
rock bed will have to be deepened at the start
at least four feet, las the reef is nearer the
surface than at montrosel, and be continued
at least two miles, until slack water, produced
in the canal, shall raise the water to the
depth of FIVE feet or more.
9Th. By commencing at Montrose, there
| will be no need ola guard lock, wing dam,
or piers to protect the canal;" because the
ice always lodges first above the islands op-
posite the city. 1t never gorges in the harbor,
which is often open and clear during the
winter season, and what ice is made there
gently passes off before the ice breaks above
the island, and runs out into the river far out
/ from the shore where the canal should be
begun. And When the main body of the ice
starts, it passes down ON the Illinois side oil
the river, and never would disturb the canal.
close by adding few remarks
| lst. The main current from Montrose over
the rapids is near the middle Of the river, ex-
cept at point about one half mile below
| Nashville, when it approaches the Iowa shore
| for distance Of half mile, then runs into
the middle OF the river till within about two
miles OF the foot Of the rapids, when it ap
proaches the Iowa shore again for the space
of half a mile, and then passes out for good.
I'd. If the canal be begun at Montrose,
there will be required three locks in the canal.
1t seems that the only plans for water power
will be for q certain span above each lock.
Sd. By reason Of the rapids, the water sell
dom rises more than FIVE feet on the rapids,
and will not effect the use Of the water pow er
above the two upper locks at all.
4th. That by the obstruction of the current
at the foot of the rapids, and the back water
in time offreshets OF the Des Moines.the high
water will some times obstruct the water
power Immediately above the lower locks.
But there will be power enough, and avaia-
Bile, above to supply all the Hour, and wool
and cotton factories that will be needed for
generations to come.
| have labored to express my ideas as
briefly as possible. Yours etc. J.B.
MoNrRosE, Dec 90, 1865.