Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-24
WATERWAY WORK.
Mississippi River improvements
During 1894.
MAJOR MACKENz1Es OPERATIONS.

What Has Been Done in the Interest of
Navigation the Famous Old Missis-
sippi - Scope Of the Territory Covered
From Rock Island - The Snag Boat -
Plans for Next Year.
Maj. Alex Mackenzie has COM
pleted his report of improvements
made on the upper Mississippi dur
ing the season of 1894, just closed.
Maj. Mackenzie's district includes
the $50 miles of river between Min
neapOlis and the mouth of the Mis-
souri,. The object of the improve
ments now carried on is to secure a
channel of suitable width and from
u to 8 feet in depth at extreme low
water, and also to remove such OBJ
structions as may exist in the chan
mel in the form of snags, wrecks,
lodges of rock, etc. A compare
lively small amount of work was
done in 1894. commencement of
operations having been delayed by
the lateness of the operations. A
portion of the work was carried on
by the government itself. using its
own plant, purchasing material and
hiring labor, and the remainder I'M
der contract. The season OF 1894
was one of very low water, in fact at
all points the river reached the low
est stage known, and navigation was
very much hindered, and at several
points, where improvements have
not yet been made, only the Iightest
draft boats could pass. The district
is divided into a number of sections.
synopsis of the Work.
Between Minneapolis and ST. Paul
1t has been decided by act of con-
gress to improve navigation by
means of locks and dams. SURVEYS
and estimates have been presented.
and an appropriation of $lO1, 900 is
now available for commencing the
of lock and dam near
Meeker's island. Construction work
will saon begin. The general opera
tlons the past year were carried on
between St. Paul and Lake Pepin:
harbors OF refuge in Lake Pepin;
Reeds Landing to Genoa; Genoa to
Prairie du Chen; Dubuque to Gin
ton: in the vicinity of Cordova; the
Rock Island rapids; Keithsburr to
Nashville; Des Moines rapids canal;
keokuk to Quincy; Quincy bridge to
Quincy bridge to Clarks-
vile; Clarksville to Hamburg; HAM
burg to Cap au Girls; Cap au Girls to
Illinois river, and Illinois river to
the Missouri river.
In This Immediate Vicinity.
The work in this immediate yicin-
ity, as referred to above, consisted
Of the breaking up by means of a
steam drill boat and dynamite. of a
large field of rock, considerably above
grade near Cordova, the debris from
which is to be removed next season.
On the Rock Island rapids by day
labor and the use of the government
plant, work was carried on in rock
and in building guide
piers and dams. During the season,
two steam drill boats and the dredge
A iaX were employed in blasting and
removing rock from the channel at
the Upper chain, above and below
the Moline chain, at Winnebago
chain and the Lower chain. About
5000 cubic yards of rock were
broken up, and some 1900 yards
were removed by dredge The
broken rock taken up by dredge was
used in pier foundations and in re-
pairing dams. A derrick barge was
employed for several weeks in remov-
ing scattering rocks and powders
obstructing the channel at various
points; 425 pieces of rock were thus
removed. No new dams were built,
but Nos. 81, Z, 9 and II were re-
paired and strengthened by the addi-
tion of rock. The guide piers. num-
bered 16 and %, the former midway
between Winnebago island and Ma
sons Break. and the latter at the
head of Moline chain, were built. A
system of buoys for the guidance of
navigators was maintained.
Maj. Mackenzie's Engineers.
The work between Minneapolis and
Lake Pepin was in local charge of
Supt. j. ID. Du Shane: that from
Reeds Landing to Genoa in charge of
Supt. w. a. Thompson; that from
Dubuque to Clinton and also on Rock
Island rapids. in charge of Supt. j. c.
the Des Moines rapids
canal, Engineer M. Meigs, as were
also the improvements from Keokuk
to Quincy, Byron Layton and j. II.
Carpenter assisting in the latter I'M
dertahing as overseers, while Lieut..
w. V. Judson was in local charge of
the operations between Clarksville
and the Missouri river. @t-T
The total quantities of material
used during the season between St.
Paul and the Missouri river. in work
performed by contract and by the
United States amount to: Rock. 3l7.-
100 cubic yards; brush, 43S, 246 cubic
yards.
Smuggling Operations.
The snag boat. General Barnard, in
charge of Capt. c. W. Durham. was
in commission PA days. operating
between the points named. St. Paul
and the mouth of the Missouri river.
The work performed by her is thus
ohags removed. ............... $40