The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-17

Much Red Tape Necessary.
When asked If the navigation de-
pended entirely upon his report, the
chief of the cruising expedition said it
did not. "You see," said the major,
congress appropriated 100000 for
the survey OF the Des Moines, Iowa
and Cedar rivers and IL they prove to
be practicable the streams will in all
probability be put In condition for
navigation. The preliminary survey
that Is being made of these rivers is
covered by an appropriation Of $3.50
Tor the Des Moines river and $3.50 for
the Iowa and Cedar rivers. However,
my report on these streams is not
final inasmuch as this Is but the pre.
iimlnary investigation and my report
Will be made to Colonel Richie All
ROCK Island, who will make his own
observation on It and report to the
chief of the engineering department
at Washington, who in turn makes a
report to the secretary of war. If
their finding is favorable a survey will
then be made by the engineer corps
Has Rock Bottom.
The reason for the Des Moines he.
ing as navigable now as 1t ever was is
given by the major as being due to
the fact that the bed of the Des
MONIES Is practically all rock and the
fall is much greater than many other
streams, likewise the filling UP Of the
stream with sand is not SO likely as
IS the case in some Of the bigger
streams. This rock bottom is inclin-
ed to be shelf-like and graduates
downward as the river. reaches the
mouth from the source. The great
volume of creeks and their drainage
into The Des Moines is also cited in
favor of the streams being practicable
for navigation purposes.
Il believe the cause of the appro
priation for these surveys is largely
due to the conservation idea OF Roose
welt" said Major Meigs. "The max
Ing of feeders for the large streams
that now carry commerce seems to be
the idea that actuated the policy and
there are many Of the larger OF these
4 streams known as the small rivers
that can be made navigable. The
bridges and dams located at various
points along the streams are the chic
obstacle to the navigation"
Boats Conveyed Past Dam.
. Engineers Hartel and Meyling re
paired to the boat house at an earl
hour this morning to procure their In
struments and at about IL o'clock, az
companfed by Major Meigs and u
Young, then took levels opposite TIL
Burlington union depot and took sucl
notes about the river below the dan
as they had time to take before din
ner hour. The Hornet the craft ii
4 which the surveying trip is bein.
made from Des Moines to Keokuk
was this morning conveyed aroun,
the dam and again placed in tn
stream ready for the start that will
be made tomorrow morning about
o'clock. Major Meigs invited ]. +
Powell to accompany the party dow
the river to the first landing whicl
will be either Eldon or Douds- Leandc
Are Seeing the City.
This afternoon the surveying part
are guests of the Commercial associa
, ton and the waterways committee o
the association are doing honors t
the distinguished visitors. At 2 o'cloc'
1.-THE visitors accompanied by the men
bers Of the waterways committe
were gathered into automobiles full
nished by Henry Phillips, G. o. Taylor
I'M. B. Hutchison and other Ottumwan
and proceeded aboutothe city to visi
. the manufacturing plants and larg
shippers of the city. The Morrel
packing plant, Box Car loader plan
Dain concern, Johnston Sharp, Mi
and Construction Co., American Mir
ing Tool Co., and several other fat
tories were among the places visited
Reception Tonight.
An informal reception will be ter
dered the visiting surveying party tt
night in the rooms of the Commerce.
association and an interesting prt
gram of speeches and short talks wi
be given. 1t is planned to have som
member of the visiting party spea
to the Ottumwans and In turn some c
~. ,.,.1- x,,;t1 foII tho yici+ore tJ,i II, q