The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-07-07

gill power Of running water
RTWR TO remove sand, gravel
OHIO and pebbles increases In
a remarkable degree with
the Increase in velocity. so
that mining engineers can
60 make accurate calcula-
tons concerning the We
Ak locity which is necessary
20 remove stones Of a certain sire
from their sideways. The transport
ing power increases ca times with
each doubling Of the velocity; so that
n you increase the velocity threefold
you have increased the transporting
power Of the water 729 times and II
you quadruple II you have increased
the weight OF the pebble which II
would move 4.096 times. This az FIRST
thought seems Incredible. but II Is
nevertheless true. and prepares Us 70
appreciate the astonishing results that
arc produced by running water.
Water moving three feet in a soc
ond. or a mile In six hours. viii carry
along with Il PARTICLES Of fine clay
and keep them In suspension. Water
moving az twice that velocity viii lift
and carry along with II hne sand.
while a velocity four times as great
viii sweep along hne gravel and water
moving al the rate OF tive miles An
hour will carry along stones aB big as
Il hens egg. There Is hardly any limit
20 the size OF a pebble that would be
rolled along by a current OF six OF
eight miles an hour. blocks a. big as
houses being sometimes set In molten
and transported for considerable dis
tancos.
In various Ways one can obtain pos
tive evidence OF this power Of water
transportation. II. for Instance, he at
Temps TO wade across the Platte
river IN Nebraska. which is we
loaded with sand and has a gradient
OF seven or eight feet 10 the mile. and
hence a very rapid current. he viii
md his bare legs stuag by the par
ticles % sand and fine gravel that are
driven against them. or N after n
storm one pauses 20 listen he will
hcar what sounds like distant can.
nonadinF. produced BY the knocking
OF the stones together Al they are
rolled along upon the bottom " the
stream.
Tho orosiye power Of a stream flow
ing over a rocky bed 70 determined ~
ia ability % shove along sand and
pebbles and gravel over is bottom. II
e. these particles Of eond matter that
accomplish the erosion. acting as a
rasp. or s~andPaper, OF more properly
a sand blast, 10 remove the solid rock
beneath and deepen the dbannel Of a
stream. IN order % do this. however.
there has 20 b. proper adjustment be-
tween the supply OF loose solid matter
60 he transported and the volume and
velocity OF the water. II there h more
sand and gravel than the current can
handle, this WI accumulate upoR the
bottom aud an up rather than deepen
the bed II there IL too little material
the stream will hov over the rocks
without cnectinG much erosion. while
n there is just the right mount of
snlid matter 20 be showed along Il win
deepen the channel with great rapid.
ity.
There arc many striking examples
Of the work which has been accom-
plluhcd By rivers IN deepening Rpd
widening their channels. We loot
upon the rise Of mountain chains a.
being most majestic illustrations Of
the power OF natural forces, but the
fact Is equally impressive that 10 mans
cases rivers which run across the line
of mountain elevation are able 20 veal
down their channels ~ fast az the
mountains rise aud thus mAintaiN
their ancient onward course. This
Hudson river has thus sawed down
channel through the solid rocks which
In ancient geologic times srosc across
its courso ~ West Point and below
all that picturesque valley OF the Hud
son being a valley Of erosion, Tbs
Delaware river has worn an ever
more striking gorge through the Rlu'
Ridge az tho Delaware Water Gap
where Il cuts directly acrosg the very
atitutinE Blue Ridge forming porPcn
dlCular walls on either side 1900 fee.
ia height, similar Eurgcs are foam,
IN tho Susquohanna and Potomac "a,
many other rivers along the Appa
lachian chain iust above whore thel
emerge upon the surrounding lowisnd
We often speak OF such rlyevs a
bursting through their barrier. Bu
there was no bursting IA the opera
ton. These gorEos yer cut BY IN,
slow process which We have described
the rivers lowering their chRnneli
gradually as the mountains slowly ros,
across them.
Among the most striking examples
OF rivers which have by erosion KEEP
pace with the elevation Of mountain
Gro their course n that OF the Co
luahia river, IN Oregon. where for
long distance Il occupies a trougl
RUNNING directly through the mountain
chain thousands Of foot IN depth. An
other very surikinE instance IL thu
60 be seen In the Amur river Whor,
Il crosses the Burcya mountslss Il