The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-11-20

er Than That At Niagara Falls. VIII
BE Generated-A $4,000, 900 Canal
Il Doomed.
Hugh L. Cooper, the Wall street en-
gineer who solved the problem Of how
to harness the waters Of Niagara and
who drew the plans which made It
possible to accomplish that greatest
Of all feats In the line Of electrical de-
velopment proposes to build a dam
5000 feet long across the Mississippi
river at Keokuk, Ia. at the foot Of
what Is known as the Des Moines rap
ids, says a special dispatch from Keo-
kuk to the Chicago Record Herald.
Here where the forces of the father Of
waters are the strongest and widest,
for a distance Of twelve miles he has
evolved a plan to build the immova-
BILE in front of the irresistible, and the
old question Of the ancient Greek
physicists will be answered in the
changed commercial conditions In the
heart Of the American nation.
Large dams have been built before,
albeit none so large as the proposed
dam at Keokuk, which, it is expected,
will be built within the next two years.
The great Niagara falls proposition
was so enormous that for time the
country laughed and said that It was
not possible to so control the mighty
forces there as to get 100000 horse
power for commercial purposes. But
when the worlds greatest dam at
Keokuk is completed the immense
power house, 1853 feet long. will con-
tain Al immense generators, with a
capacity Of $500 horsepower each. or
a maximum capacity Of 211.5O0, to be
utilized In operating the industrial
wheels In many cities.
There was q time not 90 many years
ago when the wise ones said It was a.
impossible to dam the Mississippi Ut
Keokuk AZ Il would be to try 70 stop
the dow Of the tides or to change the
course OF the moon In it, orbit. The
force Of the rapids 10 % strong that
practical engineers have figured that
41.000y 900 gallons Of water pass
over them In twenty-four hourA U0dl
1877 It was Impossible for steamboats,
to go any farther north than Keokuk
because Of the rapids. All freight was
unloaded there and hauled twelve
miles up stream, where 1t was trans
ferred to other boats and the interrupt.
ed trip to st. Paul continued. Thirty
years ago the government built a
great canal at Keokuk IN the interest
of navigation, so that river traffic
would not be impeded. the cost being
$5OOO.OOO.
Now Uncle Sam has agreed to let
Mr.. Cooper and the syndicate back Of
him destroy this 100000 improve
ment, and the president has signed q
bill giving the right to condemn any
land needed which cannot otherwise be
acquired.
The great dam and water power cleo
tric plant will cost at least $4,000. OOC
to complete. Over 100000 Of this
will be paid to the owners Of the land
which will be overlooked above the
dam. Careful investigation during the
past year has determined the feasibili.
ty Of the project, and nearly 100000
has already been expended in pre-
liminary work. Surveys have beer
made from Keokuk to Burlington. and
it has been determined that in the
neighborhood Of 1900 acres Of valua.
BILE farming lands will be under thirty.
five feet of still running water, the
overflow extending thirty-five miles ur
stream. Options on large part OF
these lands are already secured, and
the work Is continuing as rapidly ar
possible.
The great dam, which will be thirty.
five feet in height, will extend In 8
grand curve across the river from the
end Of the power house. In order te
admit Of the passage Of boats there
will be one lock on the Iowa side In
stead Of three, as In the canal. which
will be drowned deeply. while the gov.
eminent will save $4,000 year In op
Grating expenses alone.
As soon as the exact cost Of the WORK
can be computed the syndicate Of Ca.
madam capitalists who provided ths
money for the work at Niagara viii
make their decision. They have al
ready said that they want to build the
dam, but they will not give out thu
positive statement as to the date when
the work will be started until they
know exactly what the cost is going
to be.
They are profting by the experience
gained at Glens Falls, Pa, where they
built dam across the Susquehanna,
but began the work before they had
acquired possession of all the land nee.
essary. The result was that they en-.
croached on the rights Of the owner Of
q little island which the owner bought
for 500. But when it came to sQuar.
ing matters with this man they had
to pay him $4,000 before he would be
satisfied. That is why they are %
careful to have all the preliminaries
out Of the way before they turn loose
their 1000 men at KeOkuk.