St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-18
A COSTLY PROJECT.
Which May Prove Feasible and of
Advantage to Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 17.-All summer
long Maj. Allen, the government EN-
gineer, whose headquarters are at st.
Paul, has been investigating in accord
ance with recent congressional action,
the feasibility of improving the naviga-
ton of the Mississippi between st. Paul
and St.Anthony Falls so that its naviga-
ton up to Minneapolis would be possible
and practicable. This was the third
government investigation of the QueS-
ton, and it was the most thorough of
the three. a complete survey of the
river bottom was made and the findings
are now made public in the report just
filed with the chief of engineers.
Maj. Allen says that the amount of
ingS being made which are especially
needed in order that the cost of the
foundations for the locks and dams may
be closely estimated. He asks 5000
for this purpose. The survey extended
from the Omaha railroad bridge near
st. Paul, TO the foot of the apron at the
Falls of st. Anthony, a distance of
twelve miles and 1,5l0 feet. The fall
from the foot of the falls to the bridge
is fifty-five and half feet. Maj. Allen
calls attention to the fact that So, ZOO
lOI q lOCh anu udtH dG Mech6ES lSldllu
was appropriated i'll 1868, which has
never been used and is still available.
The estimate of the cost of the lock and
dam. made in 1874, placed it at $685., 900
and $4,000. and the object was to eX-
tend navigation to thG|old steamboat
landing at Minneapolis. A single lock
would not prove sufficient to do this, as
the river must be improved to the site
of the lock. The cost is estimated
as follows: Dredging, gravel and
sand, $4,000; removal of hard
material, small bOGlderS, broken rock,
ETC., to widen and deepen the channel
at the rapids, $4,000: removal of large
bOulderS, $4,000; 10000 feet of dams
and revetments, $50, 600; total, $4,000.
An improvement to meet the demands
of an extensive river traffic by provid-
ing the passage at low as well as at high
stages of the river of steamers with
bargeS drawing four feet of water can
be effected by the removal of shoals and
the construction of channel
by means of wings and clos
ing dams, and by means of
locks and dams to overcome the
strong current above the mouth of Min
nehaha creek. To carry the improve
ment to the landing just below the
Washington avenue bridge will require
wv IOChS illu udulSs IouOulO Ill NC Ut
sired to extend the slack water to the
Tenth avenue bridge third lock and
dam will be required. The location of
the three would be: No. 1, about 2,4OO
feet above the mouth of Minnehaha
creek; No. 2, LOO feet below Meeker's
island; No. 3, 500 feet below the Wash
ington bridge. If navigation is to be
carried above the Washington avenue
bridge, that bridge at that point must
be provided with draws. The total
cost of these three locks and draws is
estimated thus: No. l, 5000, 1926; No. 2,
$1,349, 235; wing draws, dredging, etc.,
Sill, 800. If the third dam is built it
will add to the cost S1,147, 410, and it
will cause the overflow of land worth
about 5000 Maj. Allen concludes, as
to the value or necessity of the improve
ment for which the foregoing estimates
are made, that there is at present no
steam boat navigation of consequence
above the st. Paul steam boat landing,
but it is claimed that an improvement
will be utilized for the transportation at
reduced freight rates of large portion
of the -four manufactured at Minneapo-
lis. He closes with statistics of the
trade and commerce of Minneapolis.