Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-09
DAM TO BE REBUILT
MEEK BROS. SAY THAT BONA.
PARTE DAM WILL BE REPLACED
THORN IN FLESH OF FISHERMEN
Description and History of the Fam
GUS Old Structure That Has Stood So
Long and Been the Subject of So
Many Controversies.

Ottumwa disciples of Isaac Walton
are at all times greatly interested in
all that pertains to the Bonaparte dam.
Kirk Meek of Bonaparte of the firm
OF Meek Bros, which owns the now
famous old dam states that the dam
will be rebuilt.
There is nothing definite about the
plans now said he. 81 cannot say
how much it will cost. We have made
no plans nor gotten any estimate on
that yet. The old thing is useless now,
practically washed out We have not
| been using the water power for some
time. But there is no doubt that the
water power can be profitably used
and that it will pay to rebuild the dam.
At present, however, we have no plans
| and the work will not be done this
| year"
Thorn in the Flesh.
The old dam across the Des Moines
river at Bonaparte,in Van Buren, coun-
ty, has been the thorn in the flesh of
| sportsmen and fishermen of the Des
Moines river valley for nearly fifty
years.
The legislature, few sessions back
passed a law whereby the fishermen
had hopes to obtain fishway over the
dam, and the condemnation proceed
ings were pending when the kindly
flood of 1902 got in ahead and carried
away the central portion Of the old
barrier. Then came the flood of 1908
and we'll nigh finished the job, leaving
the center of the dam only a scar in
the middle Of the river and short
pieces Of the ends, like warts on the
bank sticking out from either side.
The sportsmen are just feeling easy
over this fact when comes the report
that the owners of the dam and site
will rebuild at an estimated cost of
$4,000. But still the followers of
, Isaac Walton are not losing hope. for
they understand that Attorney Gener-
al Mulian has something up his sleeve
that will, in view of the fact that the
dam has gone out, enable him to de-
mand and enforce the maintenance of
fishway The dam had perpendic-
ular face, which effectually prevented
the passage of the fish up stream ex-
cept in times of exceedingly high wa
ter. In the spring. when the fish were
going up, it is said that a man could
easily get wagon load in day, and
that the fish were mercilessly slaugh-
tered in numbers varying according to
the means used for catching them.
The various laws and provisions of law
passed and invoked to compel the own
ers to put in a f1shway over the dam
had all failed because of some tech
nicality.
The history of the old barricade be-
gan in 1885, when some early settler
constructed brush dam across the
river at Bonaparte. Traces Of this old
dam can be seen to this day. The first
permanent dam was built by the state
in 1852, when the Des Moines silver
navigation fever was at its height.
The Bonaparte dam was only one of a
system of dams and locks which were
constructed at intervals from Keokuk
to Des Moines. Soon after it was built,
it was transferred to corporation fos-
tered by the state, the Des Moines
Navigation & Railroad company, but
after few years of wrestling with the
problems of navigating the waters of
the Des Moines, this company surren-
dered it's interest back to the state.
A Doubtful Proposition.
In 1860, the general assembly reach.
ed the conclusion that the navigation
of the river was doubtful proposition
and sold the dam and site, on the con-
dition that it should be kept up and
locks maintained for the passage of
boats, to the ancestors of the present
owners, the Meek Brothers, millers, of
Bonaparte. The consideration was the
princely sum of $40.
Until 1865 or 1856 the locks were
maintained. By that time navigation
had completely ceased and a wall was
built across the lower end of the locks.
The Meeks wanted the dam for power
purposes, but found it too low, so, lust
below the old dam, built a series of
cribs which amounted to new dam,
and with perfectly perpendicular
face, most effectual barrier to the
passage of fish up stream. The newer
part was built, partly of stone and was
a very substantial and permanent
structure
So much for the constructive history
of the dam. Almost from that time till
now 1T has been the target for legisla-
tive and court action, the entire Des
Moines river valley joining at various
times in the effort to have the channel
cleared or at least some provision
made for the passage of fish. Each
time fate seemed to favor the owners
of the dam, for they always won out
on some technicality or unconstitution-
ality of the law. till the name of Meek
has come to stand with great many
as the title of something standing in
antagonism to the general public in
terest, although the Meeks have prob
ably done more than any man would
have done under the same circum-
stances. Indeed, it has seemed at times
as if they had white elephant on
their hands, for the old thing has not
been worth very much as a power pro-
Queer for several years.
An attempt was made in 1893 to COM
pei fshway over the dam on the
charge that the owners were main
tanning nuisance in having dam
without fishWay. But a verdict Of
not guilty was returned by justice
Of the peace. Whether the decision
was right or not, it effectually prevent
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