The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-16

across the Mississippi, with condlJlons
as they are, presents no greet engln-
eer difficulties. 1t is not to be con-
strued that work of Harvesting the
Mississippi is not big undertaking,
but me.,,ly that nothing will be en-
countered which will serve 10 check
them in their work. or which will give
them great problems to figure out.
Most of that las been done already.
But the engineering feat which should
hold Keokuk people, &nG poop IN
this vicinity in admiration. will be
the finer work of building the gov
ernment lock gates and do IT
in such a way that navigation will not
be checked and general difficulties
which might be experienced hero over
come. What the exact plans are in
regard to this detail of the work is
not known, and in fact it is believed
that no complete plans regarcir., this
part of the work have been submitted
to the government.
Talks About Government End.
Regarding the governments end OF
the dam, Major Meigs. who is greatly
interested, is one of the entertaining
gentlemen to talk to in connection
with the lvoiect He predicts much
for Keokuk and this vicinity, and
takes occasion to dwell on the broad
expanse of water which will extend
from the dam to thirty miles Up the
river.
This broad expanse of still wate
in summer and glaring ice in the win
ter, is destined, to him, to mske Keo-
kuk and vicinity rival anything in the
country in two things.
/ One. and the first. it Will make that
stretch of water the greatest place to
hold motor boat races where records
can be smashed with conditions al
most ideal
Second, it will serve to ma , keo-
kuk the great ice center of thN MIS-
sissippi Valley. st. Louis and oti.
big cities which have good ,,,roed ac-
cess in and out will lean to ice har-
vesters here for their supply. 1t is a
fact at the present time that ST. Lor.s
Is not securing as nue., IL 3 as it did
several years ago, and big concerns
there are turning their attention to
the manufacturing of it. WITH such
bountiful supply as could be fur.
nished with the great thirty lie lake
of still water. almost, the product
would be extremely che and II
would present a business which more
could take up.
How Navigation viii Be Helped.
In touching upon the boost naviga
tion would receive Major Meigs said
THE ninety-five feet gate which
will supplement the present lower
lock. will be adequate for the large
vessels ever built upon tie Mississippi
/ even the two big boats being built al
the present time at Dupuqcc. The
dam is bound to help navigation"
/ He states that details regarding the
dry docks, which will be built where
the first lock now is, have not yet
been worked out. but the new place
for building boats will be at least as
good as the docks now used by the
government, although he is of the
opinion that much improvement Cal
not be looked for 1t will necessitatt
a cut in government employees, prac
tically eliminating the men employed
at both second and third locks.
Beck is Enthusiastic.
Fort Madison Democrat: w. j.
Beck was Keokux s.>itor today. H
says Keokuk is wild, but will be
dam site" wilder after realizing tn
; magnitude of the work Mr.. Cooper
going to do there. Mr.. Beck say
, square" feet have but little meanin
to many. But when they set dow
and figure that the dam is $500 fee
long, 37.7 feet high and 37.S feet wild
j bottom and feet top of concret
take then township six miles squar
/ 36 sections, figure a fence feet hig
, and / foot wide of concrete around
and divide that into the Nuare fe'
: of the dam and you will see what ma
) can do, if given help, and help 1t WI
> take to build the dam. Those peop
{ will spend their money in Keoku
: Should they not be s.wild?"
: Burlington Comment.
( The Burlington Gazette of Frids
> printed picture of the dam with II
/. following notes.
) While Burlington did not show IL
, elation apparent in Keokuk over tt
. acquisition of the big dam that wi
!, generate power for all this part
& the country, it is nevertheless admd
ted that the building OF this gre
dam will be a direct benefit to tn
city in more ways than one. Buriin
Y - H. x.x.rA rA. .