The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-11-11
COMPLETION or THE MOLINE
DAMS.
Twenty Thousand Dollars Gained
by the Break.


The work on the upper Golfer dam al
Moline, wac completed this morning, ana
the WAFER shut off. During the day the
workmen are employed in tightening and
closing all apeItures through which there 10
leakage. The bottom Of the river 'mneui'
ately below the dam being thus eAPoseu'
reveals the fact that the swift current mas
| scooped the immense deposits OF sand clean
n tho rock he'd. lesring only here and there
small piles of rock and sand. A portion OF
this ha, been carried down against the bulk
besd but the larger part has found its way
still further down the river.
Some idea of the power Of this current
| may be formed, when it Is stated that the
immense piles Of stone used to protect and
strengthen the lower Golfer, at the shore
ends, where the current had full sweep, have
been taken up, carried away and scattered
to various distances along the stream.
Work was commenced on the lower Golfer
this morning, which viii bs completed by
Saturday next, and, If the machinery is not
found too much out Of repair, the pumps
will be set to work on Saturday evening
The water power company which assumed
the responsibility of putting in this work,
have pushed forward with an energy chsrAc.
,erstic Of the gentlemen composing it. 1t
| is, besides, well done. Capt. Anderson, the
immediate superintendent, estimates that
the strength of the upper dam is sufficient
to resist six times the water pressure that
will in any event be brought against it.
After the water is pumped out, which will
require but very short time, it is estimated
that the wall and bulkhead can be com,
pleted in fourteen days, the only thing which
is likely to prevent being the supply Of
stone Of the proper dimensions.
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS GAINED BY TIKI
BREAK.
Psradoxioal though it may appear, the
real pecunsry advantages to the govern
. meut and the water power of Moline, o
this break, will not be less than $4,000
over and above the cost Of constructing thu
new Golfers, and pumping out for the re
:, sumption Of operations. Tins proht ma
, be figured thus: At SINNERS saw mil
So there was large bar formed of saw'dus'
debris and sand, materially obstructing tn
n current, and at a low stao" Or ""'er "'"'o'
ne.s,y impeding it for large portion
of the way across, the effect OF which wal
TO throw the water back on the walls a
Moline and diminish the head. There wal
also many smaller deposits throughout the
course Of the stream down to this city, 81
=, of which tended to confne the water at III
a , place of exit. From above the railroad
g bridge in this city, u sand bar had beer
b formed of variable depth, down to and be
e yond the government bridge, where it in
creased in dimensions almost to an island
This latter has been cut out by the curren
to width OF $50 feet, and to the depth o
| 3 or 20 feet, leaving free channel to tn
main river. The bar at SINNERS mill hs
been completely obliterated, while all tn
q miner deposits have shared the same late
3 leaving deep and unobstructed passage
v way from the head Of the Island to the rive
below. The experience of the water powe
people of Moline, during low stages OF WI
ter, when there was little or no current,
sufficiently suggestive. The amount {
=, "head" obtained is not in proportion to th
~ supply Of water above, for that is incl
haustible at all timea, but it is in proper
ton to the amount of flow and the faciht
le with which the tail race carries of th
le water after passing through the wheels.
1t is estimated by Capt. Anderson, tbs
Or the deposits thus removed will afford fror
IL two to four feet more head, than could hay
been obtained while they remained; an
, that, if the work was ultimately completed
u as now contemplated, their removal woul
absolutely have been required to render tn
y work at all times reliable. To remove thet
:, by dredging would have cost not less tina
% cents the cubic yard. The bars at ski
=, ners mill and at the bridge, alone wouI
" amount to ut least 100000 cubic yards, n
curing an expenditure OF S50,ooo, ana Io~
lst ing the work much more imperfect than Il
70 current has left it. We have no data fro
ri which to estimate the coat Of putting in Il
Z. Golfer and pumping out, but Judging fro
h. the force employed, the material used an
~ time consumed it will not reich $1,000
~ Thus there has been clear gain of 5000
"a to all concerned by the breaking of the dau
4 as it would have been absolutely necessal
ID TO remove these deposits by dredging.
T. VINO ARE COMMISSIONED There is som