Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-19
Government Engineers See No
Insurmountable Obstacle
to Building of Dam
WILL FURNISH MUCH POWER
Report of the Engineers Indicated That
There Would Be No impeachment to
Navigation, But That There Would
Be Some Possible Benefit De-
rived.
Special to Times Republican.

SpeClal to I1meS-hepuDlICaHa
Keokuk. Dec. 19.The report of the
government engineers on the project
across the Mississippi at this point has
/ been made and is Favorable. If the
enterprise is carried out 1t will mean a
new Industrial epoch for this city and
section of the state, as it Will mean
the cheapest kind of power for manu-
featuring purposes and the power viii
be practically unlimited. BY building
the dam the Dss Moines rapids would
be utilized.
Government action became necessary
!, on this project because on the Iowa
side of the rapids runs a canal owned
and controlled by the national govern
nlent, and this could not be interferea
with by a private corporation without
the consent of the national authorities.
The annual report OF the chief of en-
Hineers made to the secretary OF war
has just been placed b. the hands o.
the keokuk & Hamilton Water Power
Company Major c. McD. Townsend.
OF the corps of engineers detailed ="
make an examination of the Mlssls-
eissippi river at the foot OF the rapids
near Keokuk, Iowa, to determine the
advisabiiity of constructing dam at
the foot of said rapids. and upon ex-
animation of the locks Of the Des
Noines pids canal. TO determine the
necessity and cost of enlarging them,
says In his report.
In conclusion / have the honor to
report that in my opinion With the ex-
listing canal and locks the construction
OF a dam across the Mississippi rver
at the foot OF the rapids would be an
impeachment to the navigation OF the
river, but that a lock could be cons
structed In connection with the dam
from which advantages could be de-
rived that would compensate for the
impediments created By the dam; that
there also appears to be no necessit y
FOR the enlargement OF the existing
locks under present condition of COM
merce and further that the cost OF en-
iargement ample for any conceivable
needs of navigation with the existing
canal would be approximately $1,000
Oo0.''
The report of Lieutenant Colonel Q.
III. Ernst. corps of engineers, head
quarters a; Chicago, to the chief, says:
1T appears that dam at the foot
o. the rapids II properly constructed
with lock would not be an impedf-
nient TO navigation. but would upon
the whole be benefit.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles j. Allen. !
corps OF engineers and senior member
OF the board, reports that:
1T appears possible to construct the
lock ard dam as proposed without In
reference of navigation. II so the
board believes that the government
should not oppose the private enter
prise and should permit the construc-
ton and operation OF the lock and dam
subject to such conditions as shall
safeguard the interests Of navigation.
NJ. Meigs, United States civil eng!-
neer Of Keokuk. in charge of the canal
and government works here, makes q
report, in part, as follows:
I "From all the above considerations
am led to think that a dam and single
lock would not be a detriment to navt-
CATION, but an improvement to the
present system. believe were the
as an entirely new proposition that the
great water power created. the actual
advantage to navigation in point OF
time and the reduced cost of operation
would determine the choice OF the
method Of Improvement in favor of
some form Of dam and pool as against
q canal and three locks"
This Keokuk & Hamilton Water
Power Company has not. asked the
government for any aid or anything
except to be permitted to dam the river
here in way not to interfere with the
navigation Of the river. for the pur-
pose of utilizing the power for manu-
featuring and other purposes. From
the above reports 1t would seem that
the government will not likely enter
any objection to the enterprise. but will
on the other hand rather encourage the
work. as it appears from the reports
that the proposed change Will be
benefit rather than an impeachment to.