Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-16
RIVER REPAIRS.
Maj. Mackenzie's Plan of Work
What has Been Dene and Will he I'm.
dertaken the Present season
some Inters sting Facts.

hdJ aitA oidCkenZte mas maze MS
annual report of the upper Mississippi
river Improvements. The permanent i'm
provement of the channel in this district
has cost the government in appropria.
tons 50. 1877 500 from the commencement
of the project to the close of last year.
This work consists in the construction of
rocks, brush piles and gravel which close
side chutes and reduce the low water
channels to proper width and iu the pro-
lection of caving banks. The apprepria-
tons have also provided for certain
amount of dredging and other temporary
work for the more rapid and immediate
removal of distractions to navigation.
During the last year the work of the
government has been as follows: Work
of dam construction has been carried on
the direction OF Supt. ]. D. Dushane, in
the vicinity of Winona and other points
By Capt. W. A. Thompson; l. the vicin>
ity of Crooked slough, Gutenberg,
Waupeton and Rolling Stone by Capt C.
". Durham; on Rock Island rapids by
Supt. J. c. NcIIherne. and in the vicinity
or Pontoosuc and Burlington under the
direction of Overseer S. Edwards. Con
tract work was carried on between Reads
Landing and Fountain City. between
Fairport and Muscatine, in the vicinity of
Keithsburg, and in the vicinity of Fort
Madison. Concerning the project of
making Minneapolis the head of naviga
ton instead of ST Paul. Mai. Mackenzie
says;
"On June 26, 1890, the United States
snsg boat Gen. Bernard, the L. s en-
gIneer gauge at ST. Paul reading 81 feet,
attempted the trip from St. Paul TO Min.
neapolis and succeeded in reaching, with
out much difficulty the rapids about one
mile below helanding. At this point the
current was so swift and the boulders so
troublesome that farther progress was i'm
possible. So Ear as the boat went the river
was found to be in fairly good condition as
regards depth, and while the current was
rapid. il was not so serious SIS to be
OcSAiaStANG. lie GA ptElGuCC OF tue past
year has further convinced me that safe
and easy navigation above Meeker's
island. that H. on the rapids, can only
be secured by slack-wster Improvement
and such appears to have been the views
OF congress when 1t appropristes S25, 000
(wi,h such conditions. however, as have
prohibited its expenditure) for the con-
struction of lock and dam. 1t appears,
though. to be the opinion of some who
are interested in :ue Improvement of
this stretch of river that some good
would result from the removal of some
of the channel boulders, and, it being
possible that congress desires to have
such experimental work carried out, the
obstructive boulders are now being care
fully located and examined, and l antici-
pate soon presenting project for their
removal. But. as the excessive slope
aud very swift current will remain, I do
not anticipate that the proposed work
will materially benefit the interests of
navigation"
The commercial statistics relating TO
the upper river give but lit,
the interests of commerce and the general
public. The influence which the upper
Mississippi river in an improved condi>
ton has upon freight rates must be TAX
en- as measure of its importance OF
the amount of freight carried by railroads
at river rates, as result of the river COM
petition no figures can be given; but such
amount is known to be very large during
the season when navigation of the river
is practicable.
In describing the work of the depart
meut, Major Mackenzie further says:
The existing project for this work is
one of general methods and plans rather
than details. No definite estimate of the
cost of completion can be given. Pro-
! lects for the expenditure of each appro-
| pristior, in accordance with approved
| plans and methods are presented in lieu
OF a general project for the CON pletion
of tie work. II has been the custom in
carrying out work on the upper Missis-
| sppj 20 select, when funds are available
such localities for Improvement as may
be al the time most detrimental to nsvi,
| cation. Each and every locality thus inn
proved has a beneficial result on the nav.
igation of the whole river, and, as The
shoalist bars have been improved from
vear 10 year, the ruling navigsble deptt
has been considerably increased By Ihi!
method the good effects of work are
spread over the entire stretch of the rive
considered as whole, is made progress
slve. the expenditure of each successive
appropriation resulting in further snC
immediate benefit 10 the interests of con
tinuous navigation"
The great problem which the United
States engineers have had to solve ha
been the improvement of the lower O
Des Moines rapids near Keokuk. Their
the government built a canal eight mile
in length at & cost of S4.552, $50. Tn,
streth of river now giving the creates
trouble to navigation interests is that be