The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-19

IL Doomed.
Hugh l.. Cooper, the Wal! street en-.
e1neer who solved the problem of how
to harness the waters Of Niagara and
who drew the plans which made II
possible to accomplish that greatest
or all feats in the line of electrical de.
velopnent, proposes to build a dam
900 feet long across the Mississippi
river ut Keokuk. Ia, at the foot Of
what is known as the Des Moines a n
Ids, says Il special dispatch from Keo-
kuk to the Chicago Record-Herald.
Here where the forces Of the father of
waters are the strongest and widest.
Tor a distance of twelve miles he has
evolved a plan to build the immova-
Die 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 Mt KeOkuk, which. 1t is expected,
will be built within the next two years.
The great Niagara falls proposition
was so enormous that for a time the
country laughed and said that it was
not possible to so control the mighty
forces there rs to get 100000 horse
power for commercial purposes. But
when the worlds greatest dam at
Keokuk is completed the immense
power house. 1868 feet long. will con-
tain A. immense generators. with a
capacity Of 1900 horsepower each. or
a maximum capacity Of 211.5OO. to be
utilized in operating the industrial
wheels in man. cities.
There was a time not so many years
ago when the wise mes said it was as
impossible to dam the Mississippi at
Keokuk rs it would be to try to stop
the flow Of the tides or to change the
course of the moon IN its orbit. The
force OF the rapids Is 50 strong that
practical engineers have figured that
41.OOO.OOO.OOO gallons Of water pass
over them in twenty-four hours. Until
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 it 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
100000.
Now Uncle Sam has agreed to let
MI. Cooper and the syndicate back of
him destroy this S5.OOO.OOO improve
ment, and the president has signed a
bill giving the right to condemn any
needed which cannot otherwise be
acquired.
The great dam and water power cleo
trio plant will cost ut least So 900. 900
to complete. Over S1.OOO,OO OF this
will be paid to the owners Of the land
which will be overlooked above the
Careful investigation during the
past year has determined the feasibili
ty Of the project. and nearly 100000
49," "'NsA pNSIA SAIIcllltt. III Ore
Nminary work. Surveys have been
made from Keokuk to Burlington. and
It has been determined that In the
neighhorhool Of 5000 acres OF yalua.
BILE farming lands will be under thirty |
Ave feet Of still! running water, the
overflow extending thlrty-tive miles No
stream. Options On Il large part of
these lands are already secured. and
The work is continuing as rapidly as
possible.
The great dam, which will be thirty
I'VE feet In height. viii! eXtcnu in a
curve across the river from the
OF the power house. In order to
admit of the passage Of boats there
VIII be one lock on the Iowa side IN
OF three, as IN the canal. which ,
VII be drowned deeply. while the GOV
eminent will save $4,000 Il year in on !
'ratinS expenses alone. 4
AS soon as the exact cost of the work
AN be computed the syndicate Of Ca.
capitalists who provided the
money for the work at Niagara will
their decision. They have al
eady said that they want t. build the
but they will not give out the
statement as to the date when
work will be started until they
now exactly what the cost is going
o be.
They are protiting by the experience
'ained Mt Glens Falls, Ia. where they
'uilt a dam across the Susquehanna.
nut began the work before they had
cQuired possession Of all the land nee
ssary. The result was that they en-.
reached on the rights Of the owner Of
little island which the owner bought
or 800. But when It came to suuar
ng matters with this man they had
0 pay him $4,000 before he would be
atisfed. That is why they are so
areful to have all the preliminaries
ut OF the way before they turn loose
heir 1000 men ut Keokuk.