Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-04
Obstruction in River at Bonaparte Badly
Damaged by High Water.
FISH CAN ASCEND DIES. MONIES AT WILL
STEAMBOATS, Piled THE RIVER THE
WAVES HAVE FREE PASSAGE MEEK DAM
SOMETHING THE INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE
DAM, THE TOWN AND MEEK FAMILY.

left behind is far too small to turn the
water wheel and cause the ponderous
mill machinery to spring into life.
Weakened by Heavy Ice.
The theory of Kirk Meek, as he told
1t to the Courier representative, is
that the dam was injured during the
season when the ice was going down
the river last spring. The whole sur
face of the stream for distance OF
miles above Bonaparte was one gorge
OF thick ice for several days the dam
bore the brunt of the fierce attacks
when sections of the blockade would
break and go rushing down toward
the Mississippi. Though the effect
upon the dam then, SO far as could
be seen, did not seem bad, the high
water was all that was needed to COM
plete the work, and when the waves
receded after the big June freshet this
year the structure showed their aw-
full effects.
Pressure Still Strong.
Since the water has receded to
something like it's normal depth the
pressure upon the dam is still almost
as strong as it was during the period
of the rise, for the parts of the struc-
ture which remain standing conflne it
SO that when it finds an outlet through
the gaps in the masonry it rushes
through with great velocity. To one
standing on the bridge block below
the dam the sound of the roaring water
| is not unlike the sound heard when
the waves We're bounding through the
narrow channel under the Market
street bridge last June. The fall ov-
er the dam is now one of about five
or six feet, some three or four feet
less than at low water. but it is enough
to make big, high, angry looking waves
through which nothing except fish
| and a good healthy fish too, need hope
| to force a way.
However, according to what old fish
ermen say. bass and many other de-
| sirable creatures of the finny tribe
delight in buffeting the waves at just
such place as this and can do it with
success, working along steadily and
sometimes jumping out of the water a
distance of several feet. This being
the case there is no reason why plenty
| OF the fish should not come through the
gap at the Bonaparte dam and wander
on up the river to where the feeding
grounds on the bottom are excellent
as they are said to be in numerous
| places around Ottumwa.
Condition of Dam Today.
The river at Bonaparte is about 700
| feet in width and the dam is 666 feet
long, the banks being somewhat clos
er at that point than at almost any 9TH
er in the vicinity OF Bonaparte. OF
this 666 feet OF dam, which ordinarily
has afforded place to cross the river
when the water was at normal stage
less than half is in good repair. At
each end a piece probably sixty feet
long remains. In the middle is anoth-
er piece about 100 feet in length,
| through which there is a hole about
ten feet long. Between the north end of
this piece and the piece remaining at
the north side of the river there are
two little pieces. each about twenty
feet in length. Over the remainder of
the dam the water pours necessarily
at depth of from one to probably
eight or ten feet.
The Three Dams.
A fact which is not generally known
except to those who ara acquainted
with the dam itself is that behind or
upstream from the dam above refer
! red to, which is the newest and latest
| one built, there are two other and old
er dams, which, strange to say, are
said to be in fairly good repair. This
is to be explained by the fact that al
though they have stood longer they
have been enlarged by the addition Of
floating drift and mud and have been
protected, too, by the newer structure.
The one farthest upstream is the
old, original brush DAM" which was
| built by the Meeks over fifty years
ago. About a yard from that is the
second dam, which was built by the
Meells, under the direction of the gov
eminent. and which was fitted with
| the gates and locks to allow the pas
sage of boats. These locks are now
closed and forgotten, and the newest
| dam of the three stands in front of the
second. At the present time only the
latest dam is visible, as the others are
| somewhat lower than it and are now
covered by water Just how they have
stood the force of the water cannot be
definitely Earned until the water re-
cedes more, but the Meeks maintain
that they are in good condition, as
do other residents of Bonaparte, who
claim to have investigated.
The Inter-urban Line.
Just now the dam is of particular In
! terest, not only to the sportsmen Of
the state, who almost with one voice
demand it's removal or at least the
building Of flshway through 1t, but to
those interested in electricity and the
establishment of the inter-urban lines,
for it is rumored that it is to be re-
built, or rather renewed, with a new
higher, more substantial structure OF
concrete and the power thus obtained
is to be used to generate electricity