Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-10-24
Des Moines Canal Locks.

At the Mississippi River Improve
ment Convention held in st. Paul last
week, Mr.. Russell, of st. Louis, offer
ed preamble and resolutions de-
nouncing the closing of the steam
boat lock on the canal around the
rapids of the Mississippi river at Ke-
okuk, whereby the canal was shut to
navigation twelve days in September
and eighteen days in October; that
said canal had cost the Government
100000; that the job had been bum
gled or botched by incompetent en-
gineers, and calling Oh Congress to
investigate, etc.
After reading the document Mr..
Russell proceeded to denouncc the
manner in which the work had been
done on the canal, and charged that
negligence, incapacity, and corrup-
ton was at the bottom of that trouble
with the canal. The government had
been twelve years building the canal,
and had given the people nothing
now. The canal cost about So, OOO, coo
and now could not be used. The en-
cheering department received a mild
but evidently deserved criticism.
Gen. Meigs, Assistant Engineer of
Department of Rock Island, replied
to the criticisms of Mr.. Russell, and
explained how the locks in the canal
failed to work. He thought that,
taking into consideration the stupen-
dous and unparalleled undertaking
Of building that canal. that some al
lowance should be made for mistakes.
lie gave q full explanation Of how
the failure of the canal to work &C.
CURED. The contract for laying and
boiling the rocks down under the
gates, and the work, as subsequent
examination showed, was not proper
ly done. When q contract is let it is
not always possible to watch the con-
tractor, so that he cannot slight or
neglect his work. These bolts that
held the rocks became loose, and that
caused the displacement of the stone.
Subsequently other stones were found
to be loose for the same reason, and
this caused the second closing up of
the canal. He did not regard these
misfortunes to be such as to reflect
unfavorably upon the engineering
department. 1t was evident that
such mistakes could not always be
avoided. He then made some re-
marks in regard to the great size of
the gates, when he was interrupted
by Mr.. Russell, who asked him if the
gates at the Dss Moines Canal were
any larger than those at Louisville
are, and was answered in the affirm
alive. Mr.. Russell indicated that he
was not quite satisfied on that point,
but as he did not have the evidence
at hand to show the statement incor-
rect, he said nothing further. Gen.
Meigs also stated that Mr.. Russell
was in error when he stated the cost
of the canal to be 100000. Its cost
was "a, LIS, 600.
Mr.. Il. f. Drake, of st. Paul, tho't
when he heard Mr.. Russell's resolu-
ton read that it sounded rather harsh.
lie regarded the explanation made by
Gen. Meigs as perfectly satisfactory.
He desired to see harmony prevail in
the convention, and hoped the mem
bsrs of the convention would not al
low themselves to be drawn off upon
any other issues than the one proper
ly before the body. lie expressed a
hope that the resolution would be
withdrawn.
Mr.. Russell declined to withdraw
the resolution, and expressed a de-
sire to meet the matter and fight III
out right there In the convention. He