Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-06
Second Largest Dam


ton Of the upper mississippi river val
ley Immediately contiguous to the Des
Motnes rapids, in Iowa, has dreamed
Of the day when the waters would be
harnessed and factories would line the
banks. But the years passed, and the
stones did not assemble themselves to
form any dam, and trade went inland.
When the word went forth that after
fifty years of hoping and dreaming
mile wide dam was to be built there
were many yet uncovered from doubt.
But when congress took favorable ac-
ton and granted the necessary fran
chises the doubters began to wax en-
thusiastic.
By the time President Roosevelt
signed the franchise for the immense
dam and power plant on Feb. 8, 1905,
the eyes Of the entire country were on
Keokuk. When the necessary $4,000
600 capital was secured and the first
shovelful Of dirt was turned the world
woke up to the fact that the upper Mis-
sissippi valley. held the key to the In
dusuial future.
On Jan. 8, 1910, definite announce
ment was made to the world that the
dam would be built. By Feb. several
score Of men were at work. Early In
December, 1910, 800 men started to
work on the Iowa shore. Throughout
the entire winter they toi1ed to throw
q rampant across the river.
250oo0 Horsepower.
When the waters. guided by engt
neering craft, pass through thirty tur-
bines they win generate $4,000 horse
power, enough to light every private
and public lamp, run every street car
and turn every factory wheel in prac-
tcany every Mississippi valley city
from the Saint on the north to the
Saint on the south. Two Thousand
men went to work with the breaking
up of the ice and the opening Of navi-
cation.
The dam Is to be the largest I'm the
world, with the single exception OF the
Assuan irrigating dam across the
Nile, In Egypt. The water power plant
will be the largest in the world with
out exception unless two or more of
the Niagara plants are combined for
the purpose of comparison.
When completed the dam viii be
$500 feet in length, Of REINFORCED
concrete, thirty seven feet high and Of
the same width, the foundations
buried for seven feet in the solid lime
stone bed of the rivers gorge.
Extending practically due east and
west across the river, the dam viii
run its uninterrupted course for 400
feet, when It viii veer to the south
and give way to the power plant on
the Iowa shore, where the turbulent
waters win be converted into CONNER
caal power. .~,..--. --sA.s.. \ L.. s,...,.,
VIII Form q Lake.
The dam viii result in the forma-
ton Of an immense lake from three to
five miles wide and forty miles long
above Keokuk, overlooking the low
lands and entirely changing the topog-
raphy of the country now immediate
ly adjacent to the river. It win also
completely drown out the nine mile
canal built forty years ago at a cost
Of 100000. It is one OF the require
ments of the federal franchise that
this government canal, with its three
locks, shall be supplanted by a new
one lock canal and a new drydock to
be given the necessary running power
free Of charge to the end OF time.
The dam completed. the rapids WIN
give way to placid pool or lake, up
and down and across which the heav-
lest laden boats may travel In safety.
In the second place, Keokuk viii be-
come one Of the largest power dis
uibuttng centers In the entire world
Already contracts have been signed
for the transmission of 10000 horse
power to St Louis, Its miles south, to
run the street cars and Hight the !
streets of that city. Already negotia- !
tons are under way to transmit the |
power north and south, east and west,
from St Paul 10 Memphis and from |
Chicago to Omaha.