The Benton record., 1879-10-10
IMPROVED OR NOT

description or tle progress m2de OF
Engineers Mcguire and Stevens II
removing the distractions to navigation
on the upper Missouri. The account o
the work as then given showed that the
engineers hadinot only labored faithfully
to improve the river, but had met with
very satisfactory success in their efforts
to deepen the shallow spots and remove
the most dangerous obstacles to steamers.
Still, some of the river nayigatoFs--nota-
bly, the officers of the Steamers Helena
aud Col. Macleod-claimed that all the
time and money expended in removing
rocks, erecting wing-dams and cleaning
out the channel had not materially i'm
proved the river, and that navigation at a
low stage Of water was attended with as
many and as great difficulties as it ever
was. The matter being of great import
ance to the commercial interests Of Ben
ton, we have taken some pains to obtain
the opinions Of persons possessing relia
bic information or practical knowledge Of
the work performed by the engineers
during the past three seasons, and the
result of our. inquiries leaves no room for
the belief that the money appropriated
for the Improvements has not been judi
ciously expended, or that the work has
not materially facilitated navigation.
Col. Clendenin, agent .ofthe Coulson Line
of Steamers, who is thoroughly acquainted
with every rock, bar and reef in the river
above and below Cow Island, informs rs
that the only real obstacles to the safe
passage Of steamers are now found above
the points where the engineers are now
or have been at work, and if the steamers
are unable to find q safe passage through
the improved channel, it is because the
the officers Of the boats will not mind the
directions of the engineers or follow the
stakes set to guide the steamers through
deep water. We have heard the same opin-
ion expressed by the late Capt. McGarry,
who was one Of the most experienced and
able officers that ever nayigared the upper
Missouri and we believe the first steamer
commander who ascended the upper
river at very low stage of water. On
reaching the improved points Captain
McGarry invariably followed the verbal
instructions Of the engineers and always
passed the dreaded obstacles without
danger or difficulty. The statements of
these reliable and experienced gen
tlemen of course outweigh the i'll tempered
assertions Of one or two steamer Captains
who had not. sense enough to trust to
science rather than their own limited
knowledge of the river, and their failure
to recognize and take advantage Of the
improvements is an unfavorable argu-
ment against their own intelligence and
skill as upper river novigators.
But if further evidence were wanting to
show that the river has been very mater
tally improved by the work Of the engi-
neers, we have it in the recently ex-
pressed opinion Of Captain Grant Marsh,
commander of the Steamer Bachelor.
For the past four years Captain Marsh
has had command of steamers plying on
the lower Missouri and Yellowstone
rivers, but was formerly the most popular
Captain on the upper Missouri, having
navigated the dangerous Stream during
the lowest as we'll as the highest stages Of
water and made some of the quickest
trips on record between Benton and
Yankton. All the Improvements Of the
upper Missouri have been made during
the Captains absence, and knowing the
river, only during itsi dangerous state he
was well qualified during his recent trip
to Judge of its improved condition. His
opinion is best expressed in his own
remarks
lit isn't the upper missouri any more
The engineers have made deep channel
where formerly there was not enough
water to float mackinaW,9and have re-
moved all the real dangers to navigation.
A few more seasons of such work will
make the river above Cow Island better
han it is below, and any steamer that
an reach Cow Island can keep right on
o Benton without unloading q pound of
reight. When I came to Dauphin's
apids Mr.. Stevens, the engineer in
harge Of the improvements, came on
,oard the Bachelor, and guided BY his
Instructions ] passed through the chute
Without using q spar and found deep
rater where in former years duck could
ardly swim. I tell You it is wonderful
he amount Of work these men have
considering the short time
flowed them after the river falls aud I
efore the winter season sets in; and what
! still better, if they are permitted TO !
4lg. f. 4b ~