The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-02-14
keokuk will Send Delegates to the
Convention Which is to be Held
on Friday Of Next
Week.
DEs MONIES RIVER NEWS
Time is Not Far Distant When Steam
boats viii be Plying Along
This Little Iowa
Stream.

keokuk will be represented at the |
waterways convention to be held in
Ottumwa ON Friday of next week. at
which Des Moines river improve
ment association is to be formed. The
agitation to make the Des Moines riv-
er navigable will undoubtedly result in
the little river being put on the act
i've list again, within a few years, and
keokuk will benefit from this as we'll
as the other cities along the stream.
In writing to the Waterways Jour
nal of the project A. G. Miller of Des
Moines says:
Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 4, 1910
Dear Mr.. Arste: Your letter of Feb
ruary LIST to Edgar r. Harlan of the
historical department of Iowa was
turned over to me by him today
agree with you that the people along
the Des Moines river up until within
the last few months have evidenced
very little interest in the improve
ment of the Des Moines river, for navi-
cation. Like many others, they have
taken it for granted that river naviga-
ton was thing of the past and that
they would never have anything to do
with 1T again.
! However, at this time, they are alive
to tie Importance of the proposition.
The preliminary investigation by Maj
or Meigs Of Keokuk has demonstrated
that there are considerable water pos
sibilities in the Des Moines river
which will be developed by the i'm
provement of the river for navigation
The thing that is coming to the
attention Of those who are studying
this river improvement matter is the
fact that should the river be i'm
proved and Strengthened for navi-
cation great deal OF overflow land
will be reclaimed, and the control of
the waters of the river will prevent
the overflow of certain lands, and ii
lis estimated that the added value to
agricultural products in this way will
amount to many millions of dollars
annually.
/ A meeting will be called shortly
to be held at Ottumwa, for the pur.
POGC Vi VI 6oiilDib6 a. pOi lICa
Moines river improvement association.
1t is expected that representatives will
be in attendance from all the cities
and towns in the Des Monies valley
We have an appropriation from con.
gress of $60,000.00. available for the
survey of the Des Moines river at
this time. The argument and showing
has been made as to the merits OF
this proposition to the corps of United
States army engineers at Rock Island
where Major c. S. Richie is in charge
This report has been approved by him
on a strong recommendation favorins
the project The whole matter now
is before the reviewing board of en-
gineers, and we expect the report to
be acted on favorably by them in a
few days. The matter will then go to
the National Rivers and Harbors com
mitttee, and from the funds that ara
already available for this project will
be set out the amount necessary to
carry forward this work, and Major
Riches corps Of engineers will be in
structed to proceed at once.
This, in a nutshell, is practically the
situation at this time. / believe if you
would go up and down the river now
and talk to the residents that you
would find there was much interest
manifested in the proposition and that
they expect great things to be accom-
plished Yours very truly. A. G. Mil
Ter, chairman Iowa Conservation com
mission.