The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-09

a
the Operations Of the Montana and Caftrey, 2
the Work on Ksokuk Rapids and full Account
Of Improvement Of Rock Island Rapids.
The annual report of Col j. N.Macomb, !;
in charge of the improvement OF the Up o
per Mississippi and its navigable tributa- I
ries, to Gen. AA Humphreys, chief OF the
Engineer Corps Of the army, is made public. :
1t is dated at his headquarters in Rock ISL 9
and. It gives detailed statements of all
the work done on thesdifferent improve
ments during the year ending June 80,
1878. We give place to the portions OF
the report that treat of government WORK
which are prosecuted in this vicinity, or IN
which our citizens feel commercial III
terest.
The report opens with reference to the
ROCK ISLAND BRIDGE
between Rock Island and Davenport, as
follows l
AT the time of making the last annual
report there remained to be done some
work on the wagon road approaches TO the
bridge, and the deepening. OF the channei
between the draw pier and the lsland OF
Rock Island, which work has been satls-
factorily accomplished.
Fairly in October. 1872, before the pas
senper trains of the Chicago, Rock Island
& Pacific Railroad company were allowed
10 cross upon the bridge, certain reguia-
tions touching its use by the railroad CON-
pany, were agreed upon by the local super
intendent and this office.
The rules for passing trains over the
draw are so simple and effective that they
might. with advantage, be adopted at all
draw-bridges. There would then occur no
such accidents as the wrecking OF railroad
trains at draw-bridges.
The railroad trains have been running
regularly over the bridge since about the
18th of October 1872. On the 4th OF Feb
ruary, 1873 in accordance with the honor
able Secretary OF War,
I TRANSFERRED THE CHARGE
of the bridge 10 the commanding officer OF
the United States Arsenal at Rock Island;
and since that time have settled the cash
account with the railroad company arising
out of the agreement as to the use OF the
government bridge and the removal OF the
company's old bridge. The transaction
involved the paying to the United states
the sum Of $l7T, 320.95.
A detailed history of this work is in thu
course of preparation in the hands OF Capt
Amos Stickney, Corps Of Engineers, U. ;
Army, and will be completed as soon as thu
engrossng duties at his present station, II
charge of improvements at Des Nome
rapids, will permit.
During the last six months prior to m
transferring the charge OF this importan
work 10 the Ordnance Department, | wa
assisted in my duties by Capt A. Ii. Burn
ham, of the Corps of Engineers, whom
placed in the position of assistant in loo;
charge.
or the appropriation for completing
Rock Island bridge there remained -
available on the fst OF July, 1S72.... Sll29+I
or which amount received during the
fiscal year the sum of....... ...'''...' 9s'His
Isavinp ........................$ 1.lO9
The greater part Of which has been ap-
piled To payment of services in the
m nth of June 1873 amounting to-. SO
Leaving n small amount which reVert- ~
10 the treasury s.s.'.s''.ss nI'
Then after describing the work done 9
the Falls of st. Anthony, on which SGT
600 has been expended, and for which Il
present Congress is asked TO appropria
5000 600, the report deals with the
OPERATIONS OF GOVERNMENT STEAMER
To this is attached the report Of Ca
tain j. Ttrockmorton Of the operations
steamers Montana and Caffrey in impro
ing the Upper Mississippi during the sc
son Of 1872 The particulars contained
the report were published in THE ARG
months ago, so we will quote only the f
lowing paragraphs:
Summary of the operations of the Mo
tana, Capt Harris, for the season of 1877
steamers and 3 RATS pulled off sand bi
and set ahoat l65 snags extracted;
stumps extracted; 2,ll0 leaning trees
moved 4.0S9 miles run in the prosecute
of the above work.
Summary of operations of the CD. ca
frey, Capt Ellhouse, for the season
1872; 3S5 snags extracted $40 STUN
extracted ass leaning trees remove
100 hours scraping and dredging; &c
miles run.
Then comes history of the impro,
ment of the
TIE KEOKCK RAPIDS.
by Major Stickney, the present condid
of the work being described as follows:
The entire lock and vertical walls co
pleted, excepting 34l feet of main W
coping. and &c feet of vertical wall copi
coping on the lower and part of the ,
per mtre-sil The slope WALTON the sh
bank and inside Of river bank, from PriC
creek to walls connecting vertical W
slope walls was completed. The ca
and rock excavation was about complet
and used in making embankment and ba
ing for slope wall To complete the
bankment will necessitate the remOva
the remainder of the stone delivered
masonry, which is not practicable unit
can be utilized in some other portions
the works. The excess of excavation O
what would be required TO complete
embankment on the section work car
used to complete the embankment of
lock
Should the contemplated sluice be
structed now, it would reduce the earth
baukment $500 cubic yards and the
plus Of stone on hand would be use
good advantage in the sluice walls.
OF the allotment of 100000 of the
preparation made June 10, 1872, there
mains unexpended a sufiiciency to {
plete the lock according to original p
ready for the gates. During the pros
Of this work it has received close and {
full inspection in all its parts, and str
coniOrmed to the specifications and |
furnished.
The sum of SS0O,OOO could be ad
tageously used during the fiscal year
Ing June 80, 1876 and l would re
,,an1 hot iatin of hot nm