The Cairo bulletin., 1911-06-09
FATHER Of WATERS
TO ODE HARNESSEO AT kEokUk
TOO FURNISH 2oo, eo0 HORSE
POWER.
Mighty Dam TO Be 6uilt--Wil Fur
nish Electric Power to Many
lities, including st. Louis.

st. Louis, June S,-The Father o.
! Waters, the mighty Mississippi, is tc
be harnessed. This mighty dam
which is being constructed at ke9
kuk, Iowa, will furnish 100000 horse
/ power and when competed will De
| the largest dam for hydroelectric
purposes in the world.
The dam will stretch across the
Mississippi from Keokik, Iowa. to
Hamilton, Illinois, distance OF al
most mile.
| The effect the giant powerhouse
| viii have upon the Industrial and civic
| welfare of the middle west will be
great. within transmission dsl
lance of practically 200 miles are an
unusually large number OF fourishing
cities and towns: st. Louis. Bloom
ington. Decatur. Gaiesburg, Rock Is
land, Springfield, uincy Peoria, Joliet
and Rockford, in Illinois, and Dubu-
que, Davenport, Des Moines, Clinton
and Cedar Rapids in Iowa.
Then there are the large cities Of
Mssouri-St Louis, Kansas City.
Hannibal and ST. Joseph. Although
the work will moi be completed until
1913, contracts have already been
made with the public service COM
panies of st. Louis for $4,000 horse
power for period OF 80 years.
1t has been pointed out that while
the east, as whole, is the great man
ufacturing center. yet for many years
past there has been a pronounced ten
dency on the part Of manufacturers
to get as near as possible TO tn
sources of their raw material. or to
seek those localities where motive
power can be obtained at minimum
of cost. Illinois and Iowa have al
ways been agricultural states. Hill
farmers of that part of the country
have become exceedingly prosperous,
and now it looks as though there
would be a ripid industrial develop
ment throughout that section, Hence
it is by no means necessary to regard
the market for the power develop
de on the Mississippi as limited to
industries already existing n the mar
ket territory, 1t is a safe assumption
that a region with this great reserve
OF hydro-eleetric power will gradually
evolve new industries
1t is understood that the power gen.
Grated will be supplied TO exristing
central sHtionsA in different towns
and cities in heTerritory that can be
served in much he same manner as
natural gas is supplied TO local gas
companies in the gas belts. The pow
er will be supplied under contract to
the central stations, and the stations
viii use it instead of generating cur
rent. The present equipment of the
stations need not be dismantled,, but
may be held in readiness for emer-
gencies.
The project involves the building
of solid concrete dam across the
river, powerhouse, and a new lock
and dry dock for the accommodation
of river traffic.
The United States government and
the Mississippi River Power Com
pany are jointly interested in the en-
terprise. The government secures
free of cost NV lock and dry dick
to replace the present canal and three
locks, which will be submerged by
the new dam-the new lock being
much larger than the old ones. The
government secures also a new per-
manent navigable stage of water for
distance OF sixty miles north of the
dam. Only during the high stages
Sf the river is now possible to nayi
gate the Des Moines rapids, which
extend over a length OF seven and
one'half miles of river, except by the
use of the present canal and lock
system, occupying the Iowa shore
and uiehad in 1877
This present lock system with lis
three divisions, and the amount Of
dredging and other expenses involved
in its maintenance. has been from
The beginning source of large an.
nual outlay TO the government, prac.
tically all of which will be saved
upon the competitor OF the present
works M
The Improvement to navigation for
the district sixty miles above the
dam, as result Of the construction
Of the power work, and to which the
government contributes mo mbney.
is of great Importance to navigation
interests, and the lock system is de.
signed tor an eidht foot channel,