The Van Buren press., 1904-11-19
TO IMPROVE ARKANSAS RIVERS.
Estimates Have been Made by Gen.
Mckenzie. Chief Of engineers.

] NgsN
ment Of the Arkansas river in Arkan-
/ sas. Ii is estimated that this balance,
| together with $35 900, can be proiitably
| expended on this river in the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1906. The entire
/ project for the Improvement OF this
/ river is the following The improTe-
ment of the river from its mouth to
/ the head Of navigation by snaggng op-
eratons, by dredging operations and
| by contraction works, holding the i'm
/ proved channel by reyetment where
necessary" The total expenditure on
the Arkansas river TO last June was
| S2,30915290 90
The report says that aside from the
protection to the town front of Pine
Bluff and the preservation of channel
through the drawspans Of the railway
| bridges at Fort Smith, Van Buren and
Little Rock, the operations for the per
manent Improvement Of the stream
have been of no material benefit to
navigation. Snagging operations give
immediate relief, but the benefit is
temporary
The expenditures this fiscal year
were for the operation and mainte.
nance of snag boats and for the com
pletion of the repair Of the Rcdfork
reyetment, the last mentioned work
not having been completed the last
fiscal year on account Of high stage Of
river. The snagging operations were
of much benefit to navigation below
Pine Bluff, and especially so between
Redfork and the mouth Of the river
but, owing to the nature Of the banks
of the stream and to the high waters
of this fiscal year, the channel is again
badly obstructed by snags and drift.
During the low water period of this
fiscal year the channel depths over the
crossings were feet from the head of
the cutoff up to and including Lower
Reydell crossing, and 10 to is inches
above that point The Memphis and
Pine Bluff packet was compelled to
turn back at Victoria on November 80,
, and at Swan Lake, December II, l9
and 2S, on account Of shoal water Fort
Gibson, on the Grand river. 2 miles
above It's mouth and iG3 miles from
the mouth of the Arkansas river, is
the dead of steamboat navigation;
however, no boat reports going above
Webbers Falls (430 miles above the
mouth) this fiscal year, nor was there
any report made of any steamboat
navigation between Fort Smith and
Shoal Creek. SO miles below
Nineteen thousand eight hundred
and eighty-one dollars and fifty cents
Of the available balance will be eX
pended in snagging operations and in
maintenance of plant; the remainder,
| $49, $50, is available for application to-
ward building a hydraulic dredge.
The district officer, however, is of
the opinion that this fund, or at least
so much of it as Is necessary, should
be used in some experimental dredg-
ing with one of the Mississippi river
| dredgcs before any expenditures are
made for permanent plant for this
work. The low water flow of the Ar.
| kansas is so very snail, and the shoals
which are entirely Of sand, are so mum.
erous and changeaple in position that
It may be that no relief Of any i'm
portance to navigation can be given by
means of dredging
The commerce Of the Arkansas river
| for the fiscal year amounted to 92,04l
tons, valued at $2Q7SS93 The ton.
mage isc greater than that Of any year
of the nine preceding 1904, but the
value is smaller than in any Of those
years.
White River.
There Is now a balance Of $9,6i5,2l
available for the White river in Ar.
| kansas, and it Is estimated that this
balance, together with $4,000, can be
/ prohtably expended in the river for
the fiscal year ending June 3d. 1906,
/ The balance is to be expended in op.
Grating and maintaining snag boats
The additional fund estimated is for
snagging operations, which are needed
for maintenance Of the channel,
The commerce on the river for 1904
amounted TO l93i9G tons, valued at
$l,02liS, Thirtythreo per cent Of
this tonnage was RATED saw logs and
railroad ties. laundering and kindred
industries make up the bulk OF the
steamboat commerce, these industries
alone making 80 per cent Of the total
commeico reported,
Cache River.
There Is an available balance OF $40
for the Cache river tArkansas), and It
is estimated that this balance and
$1,000 ON be prontably expended In
the hscl year ending June 30 1906,
The commerce on the river for the
year cnlIng May 81, 1904, amounted
TO $4,000
Black River,
For tn Black river ARKANSAS and
| MlSsoOrlI IL IL esllmhteu that inc
NyaIlablcbalance, s9,SSO.21 and $4,000
can be ppntably expended In the hs.
cal year Sndng June 30, 1906, The
available balance will be expended
for snagghg operations In procuring
n now hulIfor the hand'propolled snog
boat Riverside and In caring for the
plant, Thl new estimate Of $4,000
Ia for snaHng operations which are
required fd the maintenance Of the
channel,
ID