Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-23

enjoy those privileges, for the Moline
lock was formally opened this after
noon by Major c. S. Richie OF the local
Office of the United States engineers,
who took the steamer Emily of the
government feet through the lock both
ways. with a party of newspaper men
and others on board as his guests. The
boat passed through the lock shortly
after o'clock.
The Moline lock is one of the most
important improvements on the upper
Mississippi this year 1t was construct
ed by the bravo Contracting company
of Pittsbnrg, under the direction of
the local office of the engineers.
Engineers ia Charge.
The lock was designed by Assistant
Engineer Mortimer G. Barnes, who for
many years was on the engineering
force of she Hennepin canal. Since de-
siging the Moline lock, Mr.. Barnes
was employed by the government on
the design of locks for the Panama
canal, and is now a member of the ad-
visory board of consulting engineers
for the New York state canals.
Junior Engineers j. B. Bassett and
r. Monroe of the local Office have SUI
pervised and inspected the work of the
contractors. and George Duffield has
had personal charge of the electrical
work. The hacktlling and like work
was done under the supervision of AS
sistant Engineer ]. c. McElherne OF
this city.
The lock work reflects considerable
credit on the bravo company's super
intendent. Mr.. Donaldson, and the
companys oyerseer, Mr. Haugh.
Is Ahead of Time.
The lock is completed in advance of
the time set by the contract for its
completion. The company was allow.
ed until April /. 1908, to finish the
work. and the Pittsburg contractors
have sustained reputation they hold
for prompt fulfillment of construction
contracts.
The Moline lock, exclusive of the
backfiling. the removal of the Golfer
dam, and the electrical connections
cost $167 900, this being the contract
price. The total cost, including the
items mentioned as not included in
the contract, will be about 100000
The contract for the work was lei
March 81, 1906, and the work of build
ing the cofferdam began in May OF
10
done from December. last year, til
March, this year. on account of the
weather conditions.
The backfilling, electric wiring. anj
the removal of the cofferdam were dom
by the government by hired labor The
rest of the work was done by the con
tractors.
Dimensions and Materials.
The lock construction involved 10
800 cubic yards of excavation, and IL
800 yards of concrete work. The wall
are each 437 feet long and 80 feet high
Each wall. therefore. exceeds a cit.
block in length, and is about the heigh
OF an ordinary three-story building
The lock chamber is of standard Mis-
sissippi river size-350 feet long be
tween the gates, and 80 feet wide, wit
6 feet of water over the Sills at deat
low water.
First by Electricity.
| OF all of the locks built by the I'm
ted States government, this is the frs
to be constructed for operation b
/ electricity.
/ The valves used in filling and empt.
ing the lock are of the balanced type
and are believed to be the largest ba
anced valves ever used. They are II
feet wide and feet high. They ar
so we'll balanced that they can be OF
Grated with greatest ease by hand.
For River Navigation.
When the dixie is extended to CAM
bells island, boats bound upstream
will avoid about half of the Rock islam
rapids by the use of the Moline loci
Another lock, which is planned fC
/ Hampton, will enable all of the rapid
70 be avoided. and will, therefore, pc
nit slack water navigation for II
stream traffic Boats bound dow
stream will probably always use II
open channel, as will such boats {
the Albatross, which are too large fl
the lock- The lock will permit cas-
access from the river TO Moline, an
it is -expected that before long the co
templated ferry line between MoliI
and Bettendorf will be in operation.
| 1t tones and vitalizes the entire sy
| TEN; makes life worth living, no ma
ter what your station. HOLSTER
| Rocky Mountain Tea is the surest pr
tentative known against disease.
/ cents. tea or tablets. Harper HOu