Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-10-20
WESTERN WATERWAYS.

Maj. McKenxie's Report of Upper Mis-
sissippi Improvements Esti-
nations for Next Year.
May Alex Mckenzie of this city has
completed his report to Secretary of War
Endicott of operations on the upper Mis-
sissippi during the year which ends Oct
ober 81. These reports improvements
of the river north of Rock Island to St.
Paul, and south as far as Keokuk, to
which points Maj. McKenzie's jursdic-
ton extends either way, are always in
teresting to the northwest The pro,
gress that has been made in the last few
years in facilitating the navigation of this
part of the river is notable. The report
this year is especially interesting. from
the exhibit it makes of the important
work done and the results accomplished
al places where navigation had always
been difficult before in low water Mai.
Mckenzie says in his report:
Under this general appropriation are
carried on works for the
IMPROVEMENT OF THROUGH NAVIGATION.
These works consist in general in the con
struction of rock. brush, pile and gravel
dams, which close side chutes and reduce
the channel to a uniform width. and in
the protection of caving banks. There
was available of this appropriation at the
| beginning of the fiscal year S75. 992, As.
As this amount had to furnish allotments
for removing snags and other Obstruc-
lions. surveys and examinations at brid>
ges and other points, improvements at
| West St. Paul and for other special Oh
jects, the amount of general improves
ment which could be carried out has been
very limited. During the year work has
been carried on at ST. Paul and between
St. Paul and Hastings and in the vicinity
of Fountain City, Corn slough and Cass-
vile slough. A small island in the bend
below Alma was removed by dredging.
Surveys in connection with anticipated
improvements were made between St
Paul and Hastings at Winona, Richmond
chute and vicinity and other points. The
river and harbor act of 1882 provided that
$4,000 should be expended for protect
ing banks and improving the channel at
St. Paul. A project for this work was
submitted and the dredging contemplated
by it was commenced. The total number
of cubic yards removed was 62,6S5. The
dredging work has provided a channel
and landing place on the west side of the
nver at st. Paul almost 1900 feet long,
$50 feet wide, and with depth of four
and oue>half to five feet at low water.
To preserve this channel or harbor and
to issue the retention of the main chan
mel on the opposite side of the river, wing
| and longitudinal dams have been built
around two sides of the harbor. The cost
of this, together with the cost of dredg
ing, absorbed the allotment of $4,000
The harbor created on the west side of
| the river has already. been utilized for the
unloading of wood and material of var
ious kinds and for the storage of boats
and barges.
From St Paul to Hastings the work
consisted of closing dams built to grade
of low water, behind Boat Club and Har-
riet islands. The object of this work Is
to confine the low water channel to the
left bank of the river. Here it was that
Capt. Durham's fleet was, and is still en-
gagged. A very favorable change OF
channel was secured in this vicinity dur
ing the season. Work was then com
menced in the vicinity of Kaposia. The
shore protection was extended down
stream 1915 feet, and two wing dams
were constructed A portion of the
rocky point extending into the channel
was dredged away.
In his report. Maj. Mckenzie says:
the work which has been accomplished
in this section of the river has produced
| MOST SATISFACTORY RESULTS,
each years developments showing a con-
tinually increasing improvement of it:
navigation. During the past season the
largest steamers employed in the com
fnerce of the upper Mississippi have mad'
regular trips to St. Paul, from the open
ing to the close of navigation. In thu
fact that these boats were able to reacl
St. Paul in 1884 and 1885 on stage o
water very much lower than one whicl
in former years rendered their passag
impossible, lies the very best evidence o
the efficiency of the system of improve
meuts carried on. The channel at Pig
Eye island has undergone decided an,
desirable change, leaving the course
has followed for several years, and cut
ting through the bar in the shape of tn
rivers bend; this change has probabl
been materially assisted by the deposi
of material dredged from the harbor 8
St. Paul. The channel between New
port and Merrimac has been very crook
ed. and corrections should be made in
at the earliest date practicable. Lowe
Red Rock crossing has been good, due t
: the construction of dams, but bar ha
> formed at the government light-hous
above Red Rock. and it may be foun
desirable to remove the bar and maintai
the channel along the left bank. TIL
system of dams near the foot of Gre
Cloud island has effected a decided cor
rection in that part of the river, bot
Strengthening and deepening the channe
The pile dams, the first of which wer
built in this division of the river in 1884
have proved SO successful that l woul
recommend the continuation of their cor
struction in localities affording protectio
from the heavy runs of ice. The riv,
and harbor act of 1884 authorizes til
secretary OF war to require at the hanC
of the bridge companies such work (
was necessary for facilitating navigatio
A through draw and raft spans. Bridge
over the upper Mississippi which lie
this district and are affected by this la
are located at st Paul, Hastings, Read
s Landing. Winona and points fartbt
4 down the river Work was ordered Cal