The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-01
CONTROLLING THE DEs MONIES.
Jasper Blines Discusses the Project
of Canal to the Mississippi.

To the Editor OF The Gate City.
Three miles west of Alexandria and
one mile east of the home of the writ
er an encampment Of United States
government officials has been locat
ed for couple of weeks These men
compose a party of civil engineers
whose mission is to survey the Des
Moines river. making in detail a
study of the elevations of the stream,
the nature of it's channel. its valley,
and other affairs in relation to the
condition and chief tendencies of this
waterway. The officials inform me
that they are making examinations
of the valley from St Francisville on
southeast toward Alexandria or near
that town, the survey having in pros
pect canal for the dispersion of the
Des Moines waters when at flood
stage or higher. This canal would be
a relief to the pent up waters when
at high stages, and would be of vast
Importance to our broad valley
Quite likely this enterprise may be a
reality, as there is public spirit de-
manding more general means of in
land transportation. AS to making the
Des Moines river a navigable water
way, this subject is one of serious
perplexity and of doubtful utility.
Common streams which have flood
plains upon which they are sure 10
invade at certain periods of time OF
irregular duration, these bodies of in
surgent waters pay little homage to
the rule of the majority, but rush on
ward with impetuous energy and defy
| levees, forests, the course of other
streams, abandoning their own chan
nels and carving out new channels
which they will occupy for long
series OF years. From st. Francisville
southeast, to Alexandria the broad
valley or ancient embayment of the
Mississippi is some nine miles in
upland join appears to be former
route of the Des Moines in remote
times. | have studied the tendencies
of this stream, and have ascertained
| that 1T has in recent years been in
clined to make a general attack and
carve out its former bed and thus per-
feet a great cutoff and a shorter tray
Ell to the Mississippi river. The carr
ing of the canal by government enter
prise is only Fastening of natural
principle of rivers to wander upon
their flood plains from one side to
the other, and then return to their
former right of way A river is one OF
a TO nf nh vel
One great flood stage of the Des
Moines for a month would so change
the sands and soils as to fill up in
many places any deep channel or
waterway which the government
would establish for transportation A
canal of rock walls, high enough to
keep out flood waters, would be es
sentially in order. A mile east of st
FrancisvilIe the Des Moines flows ov
er solid floor of rock, and east tc
t its point of union with the Mississippi
the channel passes through deep de
posts of sands sediments and Other
t forms of drift which have been ir
: process of accumulation during the
long series of the centuries To tho
north and on up the river, rock pre-
dominates, and over this solid floo,
e the current is slowly disintegratine
q the limestone formation in seeking Z
Y lower gradient The stream is wear
ing down to level.
In earlier years of settlement. thu
/ main channel of the Des Nome.
q came around on the north limits o
). Alexandra. bikes and wing dams
placed in the channel above and be
low Buena Vista have forced the riy
= er eastward in an almost direct lin
). to the Mississippi. and now the OLE
y route by town is abandoned. except il
y times of flood condition These char
acteristics of the stream are of vita
Importance.
In 1858, realizing the serious condi
a ton OF the social unrest over the sui
:, iect of slavery, Abraham Lincoln
said: IF we could first know wher
we are at, and whittier we are tent
ing, we could better judge what to 4
and how to do it," The declaration /
9 logical on other subjects.
e Should a canal be made from eas
u of st. FrancisvilIe. on southeas
y across the valley to some point nea
> Alexandria, this avenue Of escape fc
the immense waters at flood stag
would be a great relief to the rive
It. and factor of safety against pc
ne sible overflow in our valley AS to th
IS idea of restoring navigation on tn
he Des Moines, this Is another subjec
he not TO be considered in this article
w In the way of census figures, tn
part of Missouri is acting very sens
bly, and moral, by avoiding the his
lat records of population which produt
ma a congested condition. Clark coun
ne has less people than ten years az
lis the change being from 1888 TO 1
ve- 81. This decline would form TOW