The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-06-16
STEAMBOATS, ON DIES MONIES.
Old Citizens Declare That River is
Navlgable-RecaII Old Packet
Lines.

LES MONIES Register ana LeaueI.
AS the time draws near when the de-
cision of the United States corps of
engineers will be announced regarding
the survey of the Des Moines river
to determine whether it is navigable,
considerable interest in the project
and its success is being manifested
by the business men OF the city. Old
residents Of Des Moines who remem
Der the days when large steamers
piled between Des Moines and St
Louis and other Mississippi river
points are practically one in the opin.
ion that the Des Moines river is still
as navigable as 1t was from 1887 to
1852.
There seems to be little doubt that
the statistics and river history now
being complied by A.. G. Miller, mem
4 Der of the national waterways, drain
age and conservation commission, will
be of sufficient weight to induce the
United States engineers to see the
importance of making survey of the
river, and4if the survey is made. that
/ the present conditions of the stream
will warrant its Improvement to be
made navigable.
Congress Lacked Foresight. !.
Il believe" said the Hon. Isaac
Brandt Saturday, 'sthat the Des
Moines river is In better condition for
navigation right now than 1t was in
the old days. Had the assembled
congress of 1886 been imbued with
sufficient prophetic vision to see the
great future in store for the state
of Iowa, Des Moines would now be a
city of 10000 or more and the bust
ness now conducted here would be
more than doubled. The damper
placed on the improvement of the Des
Moines river then for navigation pur-
poses was what finally led to It's
abandonment in 1862.
Between the years 1887 and 1862
i forty steamboats, piled the Des Moines
river and carried on practically all
the freight business of the city. These
steamboats, were not little, flat-bot-
toned canal boats, they were big
keeled steamers, carrying more freight
4 than modern box car of the largest
1 type.
4 "One incident Of the boating days
which happened in the year 1862 on
4 April 5, is heard with a feeling of
!. doubt every time relate it, but 1t
is nevertheless true. At that time
owned general store in the old
Griffith block, where Columbia hall is
now located, just east of the North
western passenger depot. The Little
i Morgan, a steamer of the stern wheel
er type, carried large cargo of gooGs
consigned to me. On account of the
high stage of the river at that time
there was no communication with the
west side of the river by wagon, and ii
q was query with the captain Of the
boat as to how the heavy consignment
lof queensware, salt and glassware
direct from st. Louis, was to be de
livered.
+ 1.-THE saucy Little Morgan was eaua
to the occasion, however. she cruiset
down the river little way, and stril1
ing just the right place in the over
flowed bottoms and nosed her way W
to my store, which stood on SECOND
ledge or bank. The boat tied up al
most at the door, threw out her gant
: planks and unloaded the goods inside
, the building as if it were an ever.
: day occurrence. A large crowd col
lected to see the sight, which, so ia
!, as known, was never Witnessed be
~ fore or since. There being too 1ittl
: room to turn around, the Little Nor
], gan backed gracefully out, found tn
channel mile or two below, and wa
soon on her way to the lower parts
There was nc more water In tn
n river at that time than there is now
q but the levies that now protect tn
I city on the northeast were not i
K existence and the water swept acros
the lower part of the city unconfned.