The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-09-26
RIVER RIPPLES.
Movement of he Boats at
this Point.
The Saw Dust difficulty and
it's Agitation.

was spent on sand bars, and in the work of
clearing such distractions. The Jose
phine is due down this afternoon, but on
able to make regular trips, and their ar
rivals are somewhat problematical. The
White Eagle is also expected down this
evening. Tomorrow the Libbie Conger
will be up.
The rafters Helen Schullenburg, Isaac
Staples, Kit Carson and LeClaire Belle
came up this morning. and the Dexter
passed down, The Viola put in her ap-
for Andalusia on time.
NOTES.
The steamer War Eagle has gone to the
bank near ST. Louis, and will not appear
in the upper river trade again this season,
unless there should be a nice rise 1t has
been profitable season to her.
Steamboatmen will be glad to know that
the new boat for the portoon draw near
Prairie du CHEN is not less than $50 feet
long, and opens its channel to the full
width of its length. much quicker than the
old one, through improved appliances.
Captain Best, whose skull was fractured
by a brick thrown by one of his Grand Pa
cific rousters at ST. Louis several weeks
ago, and whose recovery was deemed i'm
possible is out again. He and his wife ar
rived at Montrose on the steamer Alex.
Mitchell, to spend couple of weeks with
his sister.
The rafter Mountain Belle. sunk by a
snag six miles above Canton, Mo-, the 9th
er day, has been raised and lowed to the
ways at Quincy. She belongs to G. c.
Hixon & Co., Hannibal. The captain said
that the presence of the snag could not be
noticed in any way, and that they did not
know of any damage being done until the
boat began to settle.
INSTRUCTIONS.
The subject of allowing the sawdust
from the different lumber mills to float off
into the water is one that has generally
been discussed by river men. They con
tend that the practice is causing serious
and permanent injury to the navigation,
and should be prohibited by law. The va
rious mills at Minneapolis are in the habit
of getting rid of the immense quantities of
sawdust, rotten slabs and strippings of logs
in this manner, Notwithstanding the pro-
test of the river men. The St. Paul people
see in the continued practice the ruination
of one branch of their superiority over the
City of Mills" and they have organized
an association known as the st Paul Nav
igation company" whose object it shall be
to bring the matter before congress and Sc
cure the much needed legislation. The
members of the new company have inter
viewed various captains on the river on the
subject, with the following result: Capt.
Peterson, of the steamer Pittsburg, had no
hesitation in expressing himself on the sub
ject in the strongest language. He said
that the practice is an outrage upon those
engaged in navigating the Mississippi
river.
CAPTAIN SHERWOOD
of the steamer Josie, gave his views as fol
lows:
The sawdust thrown into the river is a
big injury to navigation The sawdust
settles and does not work like sand. 1t
mixes in with the sand solidifes it, and
makes an exceptionally hard bar to remove.
AS an instance of bars formed by sawdust,
l may mention bar just above Red Rock.
1t lies about fourth of mile above the
landing, and is composed of about
four tenths of sawdust and one fifth of
sand These bars are much worse for
bars between here and Preston are COM
posed mostly of sawdust.
How about the theory advanced by
some Minneapolis men, that the sawdust
floats off into the dead places and, by thus
combining the current, causes the channel
to be scored out and becomes navigablew
asked the reporter,
Its all bosh, replied Capt. sherwood.
1T is a matter of theory with the Mime
apolis men, but facts. indisputable facts,
prove that the sawdust remains mostly
in the current forming bars which the
government has to remove or let stand
and interferes materially with navigation"
p. G. DRENNING
pilot of the Josie expressed himself as
given below:
have been thirty years on the river,
and it is evident to me that the river is
rapidly filling up. The sawdust is soft
and springy. The sawdust after being
cut is very soft, and thus receives the clay