Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-20
WESTERN WATERWAYS.
The Mississippi and its Relations
to Trade.
Mai Mackenzie Writes on River I'm
provements-The Rock Island
Rapids ana Other Matters
Discu ssed.


Steel is DEVOTED almost entirely to dis
cussion by many eminent men, of the
Mississippi nver, its tributaries and deep
water harbor On the gulf Among the
most comprehensive papers was that of
MsJ. Mackenzie of this city, in charge of
mississippi river improvements from the
Des Moines rapids 20 Minneapolis, who
from his long familiarity and experience,
has come TO be accepted as an authority
on the subject OF he Mississippi river.
His paper should be read by every resi-,
dent Of the Dlississ. ppi valley, and they
VIII then come to have a better knowls
edge of the subject of inland navigation.
and higher appreciation of the grand
old river itself, and of the work now be,
ing carried on, pieCe-meal it is true, by
the government for its improvement.
No one can read Maj. Mackenzie's re
port without heartily endorsing every
effort made TO secure large and regular
appropriations for the completion of the
system OF improvement.
Among points made by the major are
the following extracts:
THE ROCK ISLAND RAPIDS.
The most serious distractions on the
upper Mississippi river in its unimproved
condition were the Rock Island and Des
Moines rapids. each having fall of about
20 feet in q distance of about 10 miles
The removal of these distinctions were
virtually completed seven years ago.
The Rock Island rapids. which consisted
of arteries of deep pools, separated by
chains of rocks. were improved BY the
cutting of channels 200 feet wide and Al
feet deep at low water, through the
chains. Further improvements are still
being carried on and probably greater
depth and increased facilities will be
found necessary at some future time.
ITS TRAFFIC.
The influence If the Mississippi river
hiss and such influence will materially in
! crease as Improvements progress, upon
freight rates must be taken as measure
| of its importance. OF the amount of
freight carried by railroads at river rates,
as result of the competition, no figure
can be given, but it is known to be very
large during the season of the year when
! the navigation of the river is practicable
The amount Of freight, including logs
and lumber. moved on the upper Missis-
sippi during the year 1890 was approx.
mate!y 4, 400 0OO tons. The largest item
| of tonnage is that of logs and lumber in
| the transportation of which there are en-
ployed about one hundred steamboats,.
| These boats supply logs to about seventy
four saw mills between St Paul and ST.
Louis, the operation of which mills repre-.
sents capital of about S35, Goo 900, and
| furnishes employment to many thousands
| of men. There were manufactured at
points on the Mississippi between Min
neapolis and st. Louis during the year
1890 1.52S, 1O5. 097 feet of lumber.
There passed through the draw of the
Winona bridge during the year 1896
| SAT- steamboats,. !. 045 barges and 2, 123
RATS. Through the Hannibal bridge
there passed .941 steamboats,, 453 barges
and 500 RATS.
THE low WATER DIFFICULTY LEssENED
The improvements already carried out
on the Mississippi river between ST. Paul
and the Des Moines rapids have removed
and prevented the reforming Of many OF
the sandbars which formerly were known
as the most serious distractions, The
low water of 1864 has heretofore been
| taken as the datum, but in 1891 the river
reached lower stage than in 1864 al
many points; yet during the latter year
it was possible to run RATS Of much
greater size and draft than in 1864. In
what is known as the Beef Slough por-
ton of the river, that is, from the mouth
of the Chippewa river to and below Alma
in ] s54 and later years, the lightest drafts
boats navigated with the greatest Difficult
ty, while in 1891, even during the lowest
stage of WAFER, the channel capacity and
depths were sufficient throughout this
region for the largest and deepest draft
boats of the upper Mississippi.
The major urges the steady improve
ment of all the river, instead of small
portions.
| In the Justice Courts.
The iury in the a,apfmpDt suit of Mrs