The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-10-21

As everybody is interested IN the I'M
provement of the Mississippi. anything
bearing on the matter will be OF ipterest.
The proposed reservoir plan seems to be
growing in popularity, although there Is
an honest difference of opinion on the plan
as proposed at present.
Brevet Major Chas. j. Allen, OF the
United States Engineers. who has had
some valuable experience In the matter
says. in referring to the proposed reservoir
system that the subject of The construction
of reservoirs at the source of the Missls-
sipui. st. Cloud, Chippewa and Wisconsin
rivers in the interest of the navigation OF
these streams, and ultimately of the main
Mississippi, has attracted much attention
of late years. I was charged last year
with the investigation of this matter. The
surveys to this end are progressing well IN
Wisconsin,. Those pertaining to the
sources of the Mississippi are about COM
pleted, and their results have fully de-
monstrated the feasibility and economy OF
system of reservoirs on the headwaters
of this river. am convinced that they
will be of good use to navigation on the
Mississippi as far down as the head OF
Lake Pepin. if not further. Once estab-
lIshed, they are permanent. The estab-
lishment of reservoirs at WinDibigoshisb,
Leech, Mud and Gull lakes, at the mouth
OF Vermillion river, at Pokagama Falls
and on Pine river. will insure during the
dry seasons an increment to the usual low
water discharge past st. Paul OF 1900
cubic feet of water, OF about $4,000 gallons
days. That is, for one hundred days,
about 1850 cubic feet, equal to about
90 900 gallons, per second cen be assured.
Assuming an average width between
banks of 400 feet. this volume of water
would afford not less than 81 to feet
depth in the channel. Such depth Sc
cured from st. Paul to the head of Lake
Pepin during the season when navigation
is generally impeded, would be OF meal
culable benefit to the boating interests.
La taking 400 feet for the basis of this
calculation. have not considered the ex-
ceptionaliy broad places where the chan
uel is divided by islands, and where works
to contract the width would be necessary
under any circumstances. ln addition, q
steady flow from the reservoirs would
benefit the navigsble reaches of the Mis-
sissppi between St Paul and Grand Rap
ids, and render unnecessary the construc-
ton OF many of the wing dams and other
works projected for the improvement of
these reaches.
In my preliminary report upon the res
ervoir system. dated January 18th, last.
recommended practical test of the pro-
posed system by means of a dam at the
outlet of Lake Winnibegoshish. In the
same report an approximate estimate is
given of the quantities of water to be re-
tanned or controlled by means of reservoirs
at the sources of the st. Croix, Chippewa
and Wisconsin rivers. which, added to the
volume of the Upper Mississippi might
be expected to materially benefit the flow
of the river for some distance below the
mouth of the Wisconsin, expect to be
able to report fully upon this Wisconsin
system after the surveying parties come
in this fall.
The Chippewa river carries immense
quantities of sand to the detriment OF nav
igstion upon tina river as well as of the
Mississippi river below Reeds Landing.
Most of the sand comes from the we'll
known Yellow Banks on the Chippewa.
A limited quantity of sand ia river may
be conductive to good navigation, but
when it exceeds certain limits the supply
should be cut off. The yellow banks
should be protected against erosion, and it
is hoped that adequate appropriations to
be available early next spring may be
| made for this purpose by the next Con-
gress.
The Burlington Gazette says, in speak
| ing of the action OF the convention that the
resolutions contemplate the Improvement
of the Mississippi river and its tributaries
| by the General Government suggesting
| the reservoir plan" A minority report
was offered by Frank Hatton and j, Ell.
Murphy. The report disagreed With that
1of the majority only in respect to the
| magnitude OF the proposed Improvement,
asking the limitation of the improve
ment to the Mississippi, Missouri and
Ohio rivers. We think. with the minori-
ty report, that the Convention has under
taken too much. The proposition to i'm
prove all she greater and lesser streams of
the country. the vast majority of which
are only nsvigable in high water, looks
almost as Rev. De La Martyrs proposition
to spend a thousand millions of greeubacks
in building canals across the country in
every direction Ofcourse the recommen-
dations of the convention will be subjected
to close Congressional scrutiny before so
gigantic a work is undertaken, and it is
quite likely the minority report will be
considered sufficiently comprehensive. The
plan proposed. will also bear inquiring
into. The reservoir plan" looks to us to
be a very impracticable scheme, The
Eads plan of throwing the water into a |
channel has a more practical look. |
We acknowledge that the convention |
ought to know more about the matter than |
we do. still we have no confidence in the |
y,iap of aforipu There 10 /