The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-02-18
ENGINEER TO
START SURVEY
Major Albert o. Rowse, Of Sterling,
III, VIII Start Survey of Missi-
ssippI Here on March
Fifteen.
TAKE NEARLY A YEAR
There are 200 Miles of River to be
Surveyed by the Engineer and
Party-WiIl Cost About
$4,000.

DES MONIES, Ia, Feb. 1S-sThere
is plenty of water in the Des Moines
river for lock and dam system and !
see no reason why the improvement
of the river to make it navigable
should not be possible" With these
words Major Albert 0. Rowse, OF
Sterling. Illinois, the engineer desig-
mated by the war department to make
the government survey of the river.
placed his stamp of approval
on the project Mr.. Rowse arrived
here Wednesday night to consult with
| A. G. Miller on the river survey and
to visit his brother-in-law, G. M. Christ
ian Of Des Moines, proprietor of the
Elliott hotel.
| Mr.. Rowse has been in charge of the
construction of the Henepin Illinois
Mississippi canal and will finish this
project within short time. Monday
1 he was notified of his promotion to
the new position and went to Keokuk
/ Immediately, where he began an in
vestigation of the work done on the
river by other engineers and gathered
much material which will aid him in
the survey.
Satisfied So Far.
The investigation which he has SO
far made has been very satisfactory
4 he says, and led him to believe that
he will be in position to advocate
4 the proposed improvements at the end
4 of this week. -
Ii According to the present plans of
/ Mr.. Rowse, he will start the survey of
4 the river at KeollulS about March 10
! and will be able to finish by Jan. J.,
placed at his command to start the
work with and about $4,000 more will
be forthcoming as it is needed He
will at once begin to form his party of
twenty-five men and supplies and out
fits for the work Five of the men will
be instrument and draughtsmen and
the other twenty helpers.
Mr.. Rowse thinks there is nothing
to the scare started in some quarters
that many of the thirty-one bridges
along the river will have to be remov
ed. He says that in every case draws
can be constructed or the bridges
raised on their present sites
Many Locks and Dams.
There are 200 miles of the river to
be surveyed by the party, including a
| fol II 49,,
that from 20 to so locks and dams will
be required when the work is finish
ed. He said this morning that he is
unable to estimate the probable total
cost of the undertaking
Tie first wmk to b., done i. the 20
cation Of thirty guage boards at diff.
erent points in the river by means Of
which the rise and fall of the river
the year round can be determined.
Borings will be made to discover the
nature of the ground where the dams
and locks will be located, topography
will be taken of the entire country
along the river. all parts of the valley
where there is a possibility of an over
flow will be thoroughly surveyed and
; fowage boards will be placed to de-
termine the necessary dimensions of
the locks and dams.
In Mr. Rowse, the war department
has chosen one of the most competent
engineers in the country according to
l his record. Born forty-two years ago
in Davenport, he was educated in the
public schools and later entered the
surveying department of the Rock Is.
land. He has made the original sur.
vey for the Mississippi canal
and that canal was built on his sur
vey. This feat is considered to be one
of the greatest pieces of engineering
skill in the country.
Has Good Record.
He was early recognized as an en-
. gineer of skill and ability and was
l soon ranked as Junior engineer by the
9 war department and last October was
: appointed assistant United States en-
= gineer, the highest rank attainable b,
one not a graduate of West Point. He
! Is also a member of the American
Society of Engineers.
J. Yesterday Mr. Rowse and Mr. A
!. G. Miller were the guests of the Great
er Des Mones committee at theil
lunch at the Chamberlain. It is possi
J. hla that he will attend the Watarways