The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-16
The ENGINEER
and HIS WONDERS
Chief Engineer Hugh [. Cooper Gave
Interesting illustrated Lecture
at Y. M. c. "A. Last
Evening.
WONDERFUL PICTURES
Something Of the Remarkable Field
of Endeavor He Has Been
Engaged in During Past
Year.

From the Brazilian, with his prime
val application of water in the crea-
ton of power to the present day engi
neer with his wonderful methods of
hydro-electrical development created
from the same source, shows prog
ress in the world of civilization that
| is marvellous, and forms story that
Hugh l.. Cooper, chief engineer, told
and illustrated to keokuk audience
at the Young Mems Christian Assoc
citation last evening. To the en-
I cheering mind it could not have
been otherwise than interesting, and
to the lay mind more so because of
the clear and entertaining manner in
which the speaker told it. The illus
trations used are those which Engi-
neer Cooper has gathered himself,
mostly in his travels and engineering
work. Countries of South America,
the Orient and Canada were visited in
| the minds eye through representations
on the screen and after seeing it all
a better estimate and understanding
of the big Keokuk project could be
had.
The first picture was a representa-
ton of the primitive methods en-
ployed by the people of Brazil to
avoid work, as Mr.. Cooper explained
it, in cracking their corn The simple
manner in which it was accomplish
ed is in true contrast with our mod
ern ways. Then followed the primi-
tive methods employed in Japan,
this by means Of pump.
Jumping from these early methods
to the large power plants at Niagara
Falls, some splendid Illustrations
were shown of the work that xas been
done there in the past few years. On
the Canadian shore s75,000OO0 have
been expended in water power de-
! velopment. The methods here have
varied, but remarkable success has
been obtained in turning into practl-
cal use the great volume of water
: B
An interesting illustrations of the
cribbers at work was shown But i'll
the work there more difficulty was
encountered than will be on the Keo-
j kuk project. The water was thirty-
three feet deep and running at the
( rate OF seventeen miles an hour. 9th
err pictures showed the work at Mia
CARA in it's various stages Of develop
ment.
In connection with the building OF
y one Of the plants at Niagara, Engt
b neer Cooper told of new phenomena
that was found to exist i'll the earth s
. crust. In cutting the wheel pits il
Il was necessary to chisel them in sole
6 walls and it was discovered that aftel
e they had been cut the walls which
y were then 80 feet wide, came togeth
er seven inches. For a time engineer:
IS were puzzled and the project wa:
n about to be given up. The explanation
TT was that all materials are elastic ant
c. the movement of the rock was due t.
e the great pressure caused by the
st cooling of the earth's crust Th
g wheel pits were braced and thu
O. work resumed One of the pretties
h pictures of the Niagara group wa!
one showing the power house bull
lie 10 stand as a monument of the grea
Id project.
Us few illustrations of the plant a
is ,rrora shaun and in cOnnpC
Re ton the speaker related little bi
S of personal experience to show tina
NJ person should never give up. Eng
neer Cooper was down in Sout
America not many miles from tn
equator. having been there for sever
p al years. 1t would seem that he wa
hardly prepared to stand the cold cl
mate of Canada right on top of it, bu
in coming north was requested TO g
there by some clients. Winnipe
wanted water power and wanted
badly With party of men and a
Indian guide he set out on the expo
dition. which for time, threatene
failure No suitable place could b
found for building such plant an
, ALI the men except Engineer Coope
went back home. The keokuk ma
!. with his indian guide and four pac
is dogs, remained persistent but fina'l
:: thew too became convinced-at leas
cooper did. for the Indian didn
:, know what water power Was-thi
the countrys streams We're not tn
=. kind that were being sought. The e.
:, eineer gave orders to prepare fc
. the return trip and dropped his hea
- 49, for few hours rest. Almost in h
- dreams he remembered the India
speaking several times of Lee Cha
mel where the muskrats abounded.
a last resort and with almost pr
monition Engineer Cooper inquired
'o' the guide concerning this stream.
W was nine miles from where they we
"a ar the time. The journey W" mac
" and forty foot drop found. S.0Oo,O'
| =. IN, q