The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-17
IOWA
The BIG MUDDY
Captain Chittenden Recommends Elk.
pending Two Million Dollars
on It in Two Years.
Reyetment Work Along the Reache.
and Regulation in Front Of
Cities Recommend.

VII sioux lily, Iowa, July 4f.---Ihe report OF
Captain II. M. Chittenden, chief Of
United States engineers, on the advisa
bility Of continuing government work on
the Missouri river Is favorable to such
continuance and recommends the appro-
priation Of $3,000,000 for use within the.
next two years. Among the larger items
are; Repairs, at Sioux City, $4,000, at
600; at Omaha, $4,000; from Murray's
Bend to the mouth Of the -Gascor,de river,
$3.50, 900. s.5 ..ia. Il
After mentioning that the upper
stretches of the river had ceased to be
navigabie on account of erasion Of earth
filing the channel, -he says that 1T is
not at all certain, however, that this dis
appearance is permanent thing In the
further development of the country the
Steamboat may come back again just as
It survives IN great usefulness In the
densely populated countries Of the old
world. There are already indications Of a
decided tendency In this direction" ow-
navigation, he concludes that so far as
Improvement for navigation is con-
cerned, there Is not sufficient reason
for further appropriations. !. . As
However; he says that the governan ent
cannot In justice to a large territory,
abandon the protective work.
The government is in a sense respon
river" he says, and cannot shift that re-
sponsibility, morally at least. by simply
refusing to appropriate money to take
care OF it, .s<5s
He goes on to say that the situation. il
one that must be met sooner or later with
some ADEQUATE remedy, and the question
now is what shall this remedy be? IT
cannot be the private Individual He IL
practically helpless, for the destructive
agencies extend above and below, and to
resist them at his particular locality
would be to lose the cost Of his efforts
and his property as we'll Neither is. II
ordinarily practicable to do the work by
ties or states. The cost Of the work should
be offset by the following gains: u +
First--Full value Of the lands directly
saved from destruction.
second--Increase Of value, In lands as
sured Of protection.
Third-The cumulative value Of the pro.
| tected property with the lapse OF time. G
| As, a practical engineering problem thai
Of protecting: the banks of the Missouri
may be considered as definitely solved
| The standard bank revetment, developed
during twenty years experience, is thor.
oily successful method. Even for the
purpose ;5of improving the channel, it i.
undoubtedly more effective than any otte!
form Of work: If the. past experience OF
\ StAO AtHSA i1dS S1iCWll Oll0 LIllS IQOIS ClSdT
tly than another it Is that the Missouri
river can be more easily coaxed thar
driven; that it will follow a, smooth. ever
bank that has been carefully reverted bet
ter than it will yield to q bold obstacl
thrust bodily into its channel
| The plant required for revetrnent Wcrl
| Is simple The willows On the sandbar
and the rock in the bluffs are practicall
all the material required. The work a
present costs $10lper running foot, includ
ing office and all other expenses; but /,
large amount: and with specially designe
plant, this figure could probably be re
duced..
In regard to the method of dealing wit
the problem, the policy Of proceeding b
continuous reaches should. be definitel
abandoned. All attempts ITO regulate o
.rectify' the channel by hemming it i
within fixed limits should be abandoned
Let the stream have its natural bed t
exercise. its peculiar habits as it choose:
But place the limit OF Its performance
at the banks and whenever it attack
them be there to meet 1t. The only place
where there is any immediate necessity I
regulating the, river within fixed and mar
row limits are along the fronts Of iare
cities. In such places lines should be lai
down and the necessary work done; on az
count Of the great value Of the accretion
private capital will do the work