Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-14
KEOKUK PLAN TO
SELL US POWER
Eastern Capital Has Been Sc
cured to Garry Out Big
Water Enterprise.
TO BE ONE MILE IN LENGTH
Market VIII Embrace Territory With.
in Radius of 500 Miles Up and
Down Mississippi.

Great joy reigns in KeokMk, Iowa,
and Hamilton, ILL.,, over the fact that
the money necessary to finance the
building of the great power dam to
span the river between the two river
towns has been secured and that the
preliminary construction work is to
commence at once.
The water project will cost at least
$15,000.000, all of which has been
pledged by capitalists, according to
Hugh Cooper. the man at the head Of
the movement. It is also announced
that contracts have already been sign
ed whereby power generated at the
dam will be disposed of to a public
service corporation in st. Louis, Mo-,
which Is 200 miles away. 1t is also be-
lieved that tri-city contracts will be
secured.
! 400 Feet Long.
The dam will be about 400 feet in
length and 80 feet in height and will
back the water of the great river up
for 30 miles and convert the great
Keokuk rapids into lake OF sufficient
depth to make navigation of this part
of the river free from the compiled
lions that have previously prevailed.
The power generated at the great pow
er house will be second only to that
| developed at Niagara, and the engin-
! GERS estimate that it will be equal to
no less than 200, 900 horse power, suf-
fcient to turn every wheel OF industry
and light the cities within the radius
of practical transmission. This means
cheap power in Illinois and Iowa that
will attract much manufacture to the
middle west.
May BENEFIT Trf-Ctties.
| The fact that st. Louis consumers
are seeking power from the proposed
dam makes it exceedingly probable
that the tri-cities will also be benefited
by the power to be generated. 1t will
be impossible to consume the 200, 900
horse power generated by the dam in
the immediate vicinity of Keokuk, and
1t will be necessary to build long lines
of transmission to cities for a radius
of 100 or 200 miles.
The power plants that have been es-
tablished at Niagara are now lighting
half of the cities of the state of New
York and some in Canada. The cur
rent will soon be used in the city of
| New York itself. The current is mar
keted at the remarkably low price Of
not much above $40 per horse power
per annum.
Much JOY at KeOkuIk.
Nothing has ever stirred Keokuk
to such a pitch of excitement as did
the announcement that the dam
would be built. Special editions of
the newspapers were issued and the
news spread like wildfire. The fire
whistles were blown and church bells
rung.
The fact that the big dam will be
built means a great future for Keo-
kuk and other cities in the vicinity.
It marks the elimination Of half a
century of hopes and a decade of ac-
tual effort.
In anticipation Of the announce
ment real estate transactions aggre-
eating over one-half millions of dol
lars have been carried out at Keo-
kuk. The market Is again stirred, |
and formerly worthless pieces of
property will be sold for big figures.
Aid to Navigation.
One feature of the water power \
proposition which will prove a bene-
fit to many people is the fact that It |
will be an aid to navigation. For /
this reason the various river improve \
ment associations have endorsed the 1
plan and all Of the river men are IN \
favor of It. The erection of the dam II
will create lake extending for 80 l
or more miles up the river which will
always be navigable, no matter how
low the water may be in other parts
of the river and the government will
never again be required to spend any
time OF money in dredging or i'm
proving the river between Keokuk&
and Burlington.
The dam will in no way interfereE
with river traffic south Of Keokuk,
for the stage of the river will be the
same as before after the dam is erect
ed, It not being necessary to hold
back any of the volume of water.
Lock In the Dam.
The plans call for a lock gate for
the purpose of permitting boats to
pass and in this respect there is also
a benefit to navigation. At the pres
ent time, three lockages are required
through the government canal, re-
Quir1ng about an hours time. With
but one lock, a boat gains consider
able time and the government like
wise will save considerable money,
now being spent to maintain the
canal and its three locks with a force
of men at each lock.
Perhaps. in times Of high water
the dam may become a godsend to
the people, being able to hold back a |
food sufficiently to save valuable
property subject to overflow.
Hedge Secures Franchise.
The matter of securing franchise
for the great improvement was plac-
ed in the hands of Congressman
Thomas Hedge. and after much diff
ficulty Mr.. Hedge was able to an