The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-11-28
LOCKS ON THE CUMBERLAND
RIVER ARE FORMALLY OPENED
Growing Feature of More Than Twenty
Years Hard WORCESTERSHIRE APP
y. propriately Celebrates
Special 20 The BuIletin.

Special 20 The Bulletin
Nashville. Tenn Nov n The
GROWING feature of more than twenty
years Of work came this morning
with the formal opening OF The TWO
locks in the Cumberland river below
Nashville
The United States government has
for thirty years been spending money
for the Improvement Of the cumber
land, but il was moi until about TWEEN
/ ~ years ago that the present canaliza
don project was adopted The first
plan WAS What is known as open chan
mel work This consisted Of building
jetties and ding other things that
would cause the river 10 keep chan
mel as deep as possible open in the
river
Congress was finally persuaded to
adoDt the plan Of making of the river
what win practically be a canal when
the entire project outlined is complet-
ed The two locks opened today are
the first complete practical demons
rauons Of what slack water nayiga-
ton win be- II has been the policy
fof good many years to bring the
work at The various locks 10 the point
where it only remained to put IN the
gates and dam the river and then
move the working outfit to another
LOCK-. In this way in few years, the
masonry for a dozen or more locks
could be sompeted and then in one
or two summers dams could be put at
an Of them and gates Installed
Col c b. Sears. the last United
States engineer located al Nashville
,ecided 20 change Bis plan and TO
use the appropriations to entirely
complete he locks one at a time. as
he came 10 them. III conformity with
this plan The JWo locks below Nash
vile were completed this summer.
and are today put into operation.
Nashville Viii al once realize the
benefits Of slack water navigation,
with only these two of the forty or
hfty locks thar viii finally be in op-
Grafton IN the river These two locks
alone will prolone the season Of nav
gation in the lower river from a
month to ton weeks each year, de-
pending on the frequency and
amounts Of rainfall
Harpeth Shoals the greatest imped-
iment 20 navigation in the Cumber-
land, is now q thing Of the past One
Of the locks is just below the shoals,
and viii keep the water backed up
the year around over the rocks and
shallow places This pool of water
viii extend all the way back up to
tne lock two miles below Nashville.
and Will make the baollwater six and
q half feet in depth in that lock. The
dam just below town extends The
lack water on TO the city
The elimination of the shoals -
what will prolong the season Of navi-
cation. Boats have always been able
% sei M as far as GAINESVILLE for
from month TO TEN weeks Longer
IN each year han they could come On
10 Nashville. Thyo could not get over
DE 5hpals. With these gone the sea
son. as stated, win be longer.
Flotlla Moves.
The celebration this morning was
greater success even than was antici-
oated Tho United States steamer
cumberland the steamer Liuehau
,ul several launches made up the flo
lille thar LEFT The wharf at Broad
street just after 20 O'Clock.
On board the government boat were
ION. NJ T. Ryman chairman Of the
cumberland River commission. and
ither members. as wei as the speak
'rs and distinguished guests OF the
occasion Among those on this boat
we're
Maj n. G. Newcomer United
States engineer in charge Of Cumber-
and river improvements. Hon NJ T.