Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-09

block after block IN rand s-uopa.inn. N.
blocks averaging abont ten ret IL Length
a about three feet and q half n tReiI
greatest width. The immesuee chunks RI
into the stream with great force, thskinr ~
ground behind. and causinR treat Vayesseu
Troll far out into the river. he nolse ocoaa
Toned by ahe fall being 1 dali rumbltna
lonsnd. The only warning Riven 70 tke
fpectators were the small CRACKS ia bebank.
Al irst the cracks were hardly visible, but
gradually increased in width until the cakes
separated, and were dumped into the water.
During the halflour that we were there
this dropping away on the bank was kept
up y the rip-rap aud the felled cot
ton-wood trees; At the cottonwood, trees
The bank was being fast undermined. and
the stumps and roots were gradually setting
into the water. :
1t seemed to us that the rip.rap Of sand
bags, willow-brush and stone, is protecting
the bank along it's whole leng h ...The main
catse of alarm now is that tho bank shove
Will be scooped out aud the stream get in
behind the lip-rap.
Various opinions we're expressed by diff.
ferent persons as to the present plan Of
checking the wash out. Some thought it
was throwing away time and money, as the
river was advancing in its work of &c tru..
tion faster than it was being stopped. One
gentleman IN particular, who has large in
terests at stake, was of the opinion that the
present force was too small; they might
work thirty days and meet with no success
IN stopping the wash out, but he thought
thai 1t one, two or three thousand or more
men, Were put at work, and all Their ener-
gles united, the wash out could be checked in
two or three days. He was in favor of hay-
ing all the men intown turn out and work
until this result is accomplished. as there
is greater danger than the most. people
imagine to the most important interests Of
Omaha. For instance, il the smelIino
works should have to Ike removed. they
would not be rebuilt here, but probably in
Chicago. Here then is an important indus
try-an institution doing an annual business
of $6,000,0 600 and employing two hundred
men-in serious danger Of being Loaf to
Omaha. And as to the Union Pacific shops
there is also some considerable ground for
fearing as to their safety. So twill be seen
that this matte is one of almost vital i'm.
portance to Omaha, and if it is found nee
cesary thet every man should rally and
meet the foe, re hope that all will rush to
the front. 1.-THE rip.rapping is doing any
good, let US all lend a hand in extending II
all along the bank at once or as fast "a
material can be furnished.
The bottoms are too valuable to this CITY
10 be forever lost to us, and some immediate
steps should be taken to make a permanent
ievee for their protection. Delay in this
business is dangerous.
A GOOD SUGGESTION.
The width of the current does not exceed
two hundred feet. Ifa hard, smooth sur
face, solid face of either wood or stone.
could be so placed as to meet this current
at an angle Of As degrees or less. to the
course ofthe stream, it is evident the stream
would be turned ut a similar angle toward
the opposite shore.
To meet this emergency various sugees-
tions have been made, Of which the follow
ing seems the most practical: Establish a
line sufficiently far from the shore at an an
gleto the current, so when extended to its
face it will rebound the stream at As degrees.
This line should be about 1000 feeti in lsncth.
and located so that its centre will necces.
sarily be struck by the current Of the stream
when projected to its face. On this line
let an excavation be made to within five or
six feet of bed rock on a slope of about 33
degrees this will makethe~ excavation about
thirty feet deep and ninety feet in width at
the top. On the west slope Of til. excav-
let a closed line of three inch plank be
laid and driven to the rock surface and tied
in position by transverse beams anchored
q row of piles driven fifty feet apart, a
distance oftwenty or thirty feet back of the
plank facing. The cost Of this work would
about as follows: Grading 1901 900 Yards
at 20 cent per yard, $4,000 lumber, 12O,-
600 feet B. N at SIS per thousand, equal
$4,000; piling, $1,000; total, $4,000.
This, with various extra necessary attach
ments and labor, might make the total cost
$4,000, and furnish a solid faced b. nix
which, in q short time, would force the cur.
rent into a chanel toward the nsoutheast.
This plan is capable of rapid execution, and
can be completed, at a little distance back
before the water reaches it.