Daily globe., 1878-12-14
feet. was tied up at La Crosse, and then only
from the want of business and not from ice
THE RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.

THE RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
The matter of the adoption by the general
government of systematic improvement of
this great commercial water highway running
nearly through the center of our great confed-
Grafton of States from the North to the South,
is one in which our citizens, with all the inhab-
itants living along its course, have ever mani
tested great interest. The trouble in the past
has not been SO much lack of interest in the
improvement of this great water route, as in a
determination upon some specific plan for such
improvement which gave fair promise Of both
economy in expenditure and permanency
Such determination has been difficult to arrive
at from the multiplicity of projects advanced,
an with more or less promising features, and it
is even questioned whether the best and most
feasible system has been adopted for accom-
plishing the object desired. But plan has
been adopted, and is being carried out with
some system, and good results are being Sc
cured. This is the
system, by which it is sought to confne the
volume of water to comparatively narrow
space, the theory being that the water being so
confined, will of itself wash out the sand bars
created at bends where the force of the current
is weakened and negatived by being spread out
over great surface. This system was first put
in practice at the upper river, at Pigs Eye bar
about three miles below the city, and five years
ago one of the worst points on the river be.
tween La Crosse and ST. Paul. The original
expense was comparatively insignificant. The
praoticability of the plan demonstrated
the first season after the work had been COM
menced by perceptible deepeding of the chan
mel. The plan has been developed gradually
at this point during the intervening years, and
fully completed this season, at total expense
of some 10000, and the result was that when
there was at low water in former years only
some eighteen inches of water. there is now
from four to five feet.
The season just closed has witnessed a more
systematic development of the wing dam sys-
tenn than during any previous year. The work
has been in charge of Mr.. Gillespie of the
United States river and harbor service, under
whose direction about one hundred thousand
dollars has been spent in this direction be-
tween La Crosse and st. Paul. Besides com
pleting the works at Pigs Eye, the following
has been done: Opposite Newport wing and
a closing dam has been put in I; cost, $6, COO. At
Hastings four wing dams were constructed,
costing $4,000. Opposite Prescott two dams,
$1,000. At Crab Island two extensive dams.
$40, 900. At Beef Sl'ugh four dams, S22, 900.
Dams were also put in at Betsey Slough,
Green's Bluff and Rolling Stone, while at the
point where the Chippewa empties into the
Mississippi a series OF jetties or fdcine wing
dams, confining the waters to one channel, and
costing about $4,000 was completed during
the season.
Already sufficient time has elapsed since the
completion of these Improvements to demon
strate their feasibility in deepening the chan
mel, and the officers in charge of the work, and
experienced steamboatmen who have observed
the effect, have no doubt that the improve
ment thus secured will be permanent.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The little steamers Otter and Gopher piled
for good part of the season between St. Paul
and points On the Minnesota several trips
early in the season. Delng made as far up as
Redwood.
The steamer Aunt Betsy was kept busy
during the reason in running between st. Paul
and points on the st. Croix and the Minnesota
rivers carrying wood and brick, and accom-
modating excursion rarties. The Betsy is now
on the ways undergoing extensive repairs. She
is to be materially heightened, changed from a
side to stern wheeler, and made new boat,
in fact.
Capt. John Fl. Reaney operated his St. Croix
line during the season with his usual energy,
though his business was greatly interfered with
by the very low water. Nothing daunted how
ever. he is preparing to enter upon the season
OF 1879, in better shape than ever before. To
do this he is having the steamer Kent len g then
ed out and generally remodeled--in fact, made
a new boat and in every way better adapted to
st. Croix navigation than ever before The
Maggie Reaney, new boat last season, is also
being heightened out to Tighten her draft. The
work is being done at La Crosse.
During the winter the Keokuk-Northern line
boats will be generally overhauled and put in
hrst-class shape at their yards in La Crosse, for
the season of 1879, which the company expects
to make a lively one.