St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-25
Concise Summaries from the Engineers Of
the Northwestern River and HarbOr
Improvement.
Light Work During the Past Year from
Lack Of Appropriations by the Ma
tional Congress.
Dams and Shore Projections on the
Mississippi at Points from ST.
Paul to Keokuk.
Inland Lakes and Rivers Under Maj
Aliens Jur1sdiction--More
Money N eeded.
Northwestern Waterways.

United States engineer in charge of Missis-
sippi river improvements at St. Paul and
southwark to Des Moines Rapids, has favored
the GLOBE with a concise statement OF the
work of Improvement at this city and along
the river as far south as keokuk done since
JAN /, 1885. The statement contains much
information on the important subject OF river
improvements that has never before been
published and has the merit of being from
official sources. AS compared with the work
on the same stretch of river done last year, 1t
is of far less proportions, as by the defeat OF
the river and harbor bill in the last congress
no appropriations were available, and all i'm
provements had to be made on balances
from the previous year.
THE IMPROVEMENTS.
At St. Paul a harbor has been dredged on
the west side. The area d1edged extends
from Eaton street to State street and has
width of $50 feet. Depth from four and
a-half to five feet below low water Of 1864.
Material excavated. 81 685 "a cubic yards. In
cutting an opening to connect the harbor
with main channel the greater portion OF the
wreck Of the steamer Rumsey was removed.
Other work in front of the city Of st. Paul
consists of brush and stone revetment of the
banks of the two islands on the side of the
main channel and the construction of brush
and stone dams connecting the islands with
the main shore on the west side, and wing
dam extending from west bank. at the foot of
Eaton street, outward distance OF $40 feet
and down stream $50 feet from outer end.
The object Of these works is the narrowing
and consequent deepening of the navigable
channel The preservation of the above
mentioned islands constitutes very import
ant part of the work of preserving naviga-
BILE channel. Total lineal feet of shore pro-
lection constructed, $500: total ineal feet OF
dams constructed, 2,305.
Between st. Paul and Hastings-Dams and
shore projections we're built at points where
need OF improvement was most urgent, mainly
in the vicinity of Pigs Eye island, KapoSia,
Pine Bend and Island No.16 (above Nininger).
A number of dams and shore projections con-
Structed in previous years in this section OF
river were strengthened and repaired. Total
lineal feet of shore protection constructed.
STAT; total lneal feet of dams constructed,
1901.
Harbor of Refuge in Lake Pepin-A break
water was built at Stockholm, Wis.,, COM
mencing at the most extreme point at that
port and extending into the lake in the direc-
ton of Central point, at right angle with
the general lay of the lake. Its length, in
Guiding the earthwork approach, is 736 feet;
width at outer end rs feet, and at shore end
~ feet.
Vicinity of Fountain City, Wis.-Shore pro-
tections were constructed on Islands go and
81, and on the point at slough above Wild's
Landing. dam connecting Island 16 with
the tow-head below it was constructed, and
break 80 feet in depth and $50 long in the dam
at Rollingstone slough was closed. Total
lneal feet of shore protection constructed,
$3.50; total lineal feet Of dams constructed,
600.
Vicinity Of Coon Slough-Nine hundred
feet of shore protection was constructed
above Warmers landing, and 500 feet of the
shore below Britt's landing was protected.
40 Cassville Slough-One hundred and twenty
feet of shore protection built on lower end of
towhead, and DEVILS Elbow dam repaired,
and strengthened.
Upper Pine Island-It appearing from
representations of lumbermen that this little
island formed serious obstruction. being
situated near the middle Of the channel, with
geod depth of water on both sides, it was de-
cided to remove it by dredging; and the
point formerly the site Of the island is now
the deepest part of the channel. The result
of this work was of great immediate benefit
to raftsmen.
Buoys in Rock Island Rapids-During the
low water period the buoys carried away by
RATS and boats were replaced and others
established
Fort Madison and Vicinity-An area of 400
x150 feet was dredged over and depth OF
four feet at low water secured in the harbor
of Fort Madison. The following dams and
shore projections were repaired: Nota
causeway, break of 200 feet closed; shore pro-
lection (400 feet) at west end of Niota cause
way; Niota chute, dam-break of $50 feet
closed and shore protection at end of dam re-
paired; shore protection on head of Smiths
island repaired and dam at that point raised
and strengthened.
Operation of Snag Boat-The Snag boat
General Barnard removed distractions from
the channel of the river at or near the fol-
lowing points, Frenchman's Bar, Newport,
Pine Ben d, Boulanger Slough, Nininger,
Hastings, Prescott island, Beef Slough. Alma,
Minnesota, Chimney Rock, Blacksmith Slough,
yn1 Ia
Slough. Cassville Slough, Maquoketa Slough,
Port Louisa, island 355, Oquawka, Burling-
ton, mouth of Skunk river, Tully Island,
Hackleys Chute, Gregory's Landing, Marion
City, Atlas island, Hickory Chute, Carrolls
Island, Slim island, Thomas Chute, Reds
Landing, McManus Landing, Dixon's Landing,
Eagle island and the mouth of the Missouri
river