The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-12
IMPROVEMENTS.
How the River is Made
Navigable.
The General Features of That
important Work.

made his report in the department, from
which the following information is gained.
In noting the allotment of money to
work in any particular port, he says:
The allotment to Cape Girardeau was
made on account of the special approprla-
ton which makes it necessary to keep
| there force of assistants, with o steam
boat and other plant. The work Is OF q
kind that requires constant watching,
is not safe to send force there, expend
the appropriation in a prompt and econom-
ical manner, and then disband or move
elsewhere. Breaches are likely to occur IN
the brush obstacles and these should be
promptly repaired to prevent serious dam
age. The special appropriation is not
large enough to keep any considerable
force at work during the entire season.
| At the same time, operations upon small
scale under the plant, particularly the
steamboat, are a very serious drain upon
the appropriation. The works have a
double object, viz: to provide convenient
access to Cape Girardeau landing, and to
improve the general navigation of the
river for several miles above. In their lat
ter capacity they were thought to be a
proper object of expenditure of the gener-
al fund, and it was accordingly decided to
special appropriations.
THE DISTRIBUTION
of $349 600, or rather the survey under
taken with a view of preparing plans for
its distribution, has been determined by the
following conditions:
1st. The primary object being to pro-
cure cheap, through transportation for
freight, the funds should be applied ex-
oil n1X- ia fam tn
and maintain the present channel.
End. The greatest benefit to the great
est number win be obtained zDy applying
them below st. Louis. Vessels engaged
in the trade above ST. Louis are, as q gen
cral rule, obliged to adapt their draught to
what may be found in the Mississippi
| above the mouth of the Illinois, or in the
Illinois or Missouri rivers The channel
depth between ST. Louis and the mouth OF
| the Illinois is believed to compare favor
| ably with that to be found in those rivers.
At all events, the portion of the river lying
| between st. Louis and Cairo is the one
| which carries the greatest amount of COM
merce. and is the part in which the deep
ening of the channel is most urgently re-
quired.
I'D. The improvement should, as far as
practicable, be continuous. The greatest
economy in the use of the plant and in ad
ministration can thus be obtained. The
| improvement of one section facilitates the
| improvement of the next. 1t is better, in
| the interest of navigation, that such obsta-
Giles as remain should be confined to one
portion of the river than to be distribu-
ted over all portions of it,
18th. 1t will not, as a general rule, be
advisable to allot to any one locality, funds
sufficient to entirely complete
its improvements with this appropriation
| In nearly all cases two classes of works
| are required, viz: those to build up new
banks, and those to preserve old banks,
or revetments. The latter class are pre-
sentative and do not usually afford relief
from the Instructions now existing, there
being an exception in the case of caving
with great rapidity. The time required
| for their completion is dependent only
upon the amount of means applied to them.
| Works of the first class are those which
afford immediate relief to navigation
They form the first step in process which
will occupy many years, the num-
| Der of which is uncertain; for the improve
ment cannot be regarded as complete UNI
til the new banks have reached the height
of the old ones. The first steps in this
process are very rapid, and the last steps
very slow, while the navigation will grow
better and better each year until the pro
cess is completed. The greatest amount
of benefit will be received at first. 1t
would seem proper to obtain this immedi-
ate relief at as many places as possible,
and afterwards, while the most tedious
process of adding to the height of the
reclaimed land it going on to proceed
with the revetment of the old banks.
In all cases, therefore, when the rate of
erosion does not exceed twenty feet year,
the revetments may for the present be
postponed. More extended surveys are,
thereforerequired than would otherwise
be necessary.
18th 1t is desirable to work down stream
| from St. Louis. In this manner the chan
mel is fixed as we progress, and its approach
to the works being properly known, they
can be properly designed to receive it. To
work up stream leaves the channel free to
approach the prepared bed in the manner
designed for it, or to approach in some
entirely different and unforeseen way"
Moreover, the channel depth obtained
at first in the upper portions of the river
is, to a certain degree, fictitious. 1t will be
partially due to the pounding back of the
waters by the bars below, and as these are
cleaned out there will be a tendency to
diminish the depth. At the same time,
the process of building up the new banks
in the upper portion will be going on and
this tends to increase the depth. The
removal of each bar, while tending to
decrease the depth above, will increase
that below. If the improvement be pros
ecuted from the lower end the
first results will perhaps be locally greater
than if it begin at the upper end, but they
will be partially at the expense of the I'M
improved portion. In short, improve
ments below injure all above, while
improvements above help all below.
The most regular and uniform improve
ment of the entire section can be obtained
by working down stream.
Projects have been approved for the
Improvement of the river from St. Louis
to the mouth of the Meramee. twenty miles
below the st. Louis bridge; the detailed
photographic was undertaken from that
place to White Sand depot, fifty-one miles
below the bridge.
1.-The foregoing assumes that the OBJ
stacles which exist, or are likely to be
formed between the mouth of the Meramee
and Cairo, do not vary largely among them
selves in magnitude.
ESTIMATE.
The amount given as that which can
be profitably expended during the year end
ing June 80 1883, is 81 ZOO, 600 1t is
proposed to employ it in continuing the
works to be begun this year, and in extend