Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-08-05

Moline Chain. ............ .l6, 900
Duck Creek. 200
Campbelts. ..19 900
oycsmofe .......... .AosVVV
Smiths IL, 4,OVV
Different patches ss............... 5000
Total. ............. 100 900
Thus it will be seen there we're 100, 900
different. separate, and distinct souudings
made. After this comes the tirssoms and
tedious elfies work Of mapping and plotting
the same.
The improvement contemplatss the re-
moval of the rock bed OF the river at the
various shosi places, or chains, 20 - to give
at shs lowest stage Of water known, . con-
tiauous channel at least #. in depth and
two hundred f.. in width. The river sur
vsy extends from Davenport to Ls Claire
. distance Of II niles. % miles Of level
we're run between the above mentioned
points. The highest stage Of water in the
year lss7, st The gsaes attached to The
Rail Road bridge, Davenport. in reading
ssro point equal to low water mark Of
1854. WAS June 81. 14.4. and the lowest
stage in the same year WAS December let
2.3. At Sycamore Chain the greatest vs-
locity Of the water is $50 feet per m mute,
the smallest ego f. per minute. The sur
face Of the different chains which we're
sounded this year contain $500. 900 feet
or nearly 6 square miles. Last season
the contractors, @. G. Case kCo., Of Fulton
New York, commsnced on the 9Th Of Sept
the frst work under their contract, by
putting in position . Golfer dam on Duck
Creek chain about ak niles above this city.
This 10 one Of the most dinlcult obsta-
eiss to be overcome at low water BY steam
srs Of from 3 10 I feet draughs. The vs-
loci,y of the current over the chain ap
preached I feet per second. and there was
much doubt in the minds Of the contract.
ors ~ to the possibility Of constructing .
Golfer dam u anything like . reasonable
expenditure. However the dan Was CON-
nsnssd ON The s,h Of Sept. and safely fin.
ishsd On the 10th Of October following,
insissing IN area efs6, 900 square II.
In addition to the area enclosed BY the
Golfer dam and requiring excavation. small
patches Of rock existed both above and BE-
low the dam, Of teo small area to BE- snelos-
Cd with . Golfer. These are fast being re-
moved BY chissls-thess latter are Of
wrought irsn. about nine isst in length,
weighing $500 psunds. and stssi peisted.
They work 10 guides similar 70 these Of .
pile driver, and are raised bv steam. They
hass fall Of absst seven feet. The hests
upon which they are built resemble the
usuai drsdss bost. and sss abeut 90 feet in
length. The broken rosk 10 raised BY
dredging. They cost $1,000 each the
dssdGs bsats os3. 800. The coGw dam has
. devslspmsnsof 1910 fsss. A csstrifsgs
pump Il eight horse pswsr was located on
the southwest angle Of he dam, Ne great
tsst dspth Of vsssr being there. While
clearing the srss il discharged u the rate
Of 1878 cubic isst per ninuts. raising he
water frem s . seven feet. Thirty nine
hours were consumed in renewing the
water.
The rock bed Of the bottom We . nag
essan Iimsstsss, dsvsid Il any sppssraass
Of stratinea,isn. gnarlsd and twisted,
aad filled with pebbles and gssdss. This
made il very d.iiculs to blast Or chissl, on
sseoant-of tAe irrsssaasisy = ~ Ssees-
tion. #N NN
Bv ~ SOD ef Dsssnbsr. 1861, he ies
had formed % rapidly In The, vicinity Of Il .
dam, that opssstisns were ssspssdsl ter
the reason that the sxeavsted rock could
not 10 moved by ths boats. The tseal
amount Of rsek rsoovsd up y ~ time Of
saspsadisg operations vss 6,eoS sabis
yards. -.
Darise The wissse aseistesss end dfuae6to-
nss vsrs snplsysd IN plstting end esetiag
sp working sheets fer ne next ssasoa's
work. Upss ~ besakias up Il Ne sss.
which occurred in Meseh. the esatractsrs
experienced esssiSsASls lee iron dsnAes
done 70 their boata By The Seating ise, and
considerable delay snsssd il plasisg then
again lin cspdtisn for wesk. The hsasy
rains caused = Simultaneous movement ef
the ice threughout long sztent Of the
river, and - it moved, It. Gosgsd q vssicss
points, eausing riss Of wstsr abevs sueh
points, and = consequent sinusdatisa ef
land. The ehissl beats wses carried 6ows
stream about four miles, and we're seveeelv
tAsksd, and required nev plapk. a,d tio-
osfs ssfsss they vrs esaia a br asrvies.
Aae seassasssss I'D bssa sspsatal(y HasD-