The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-08-01
One Is Proposed on White River II,
Taney County, Mo-, to Furnish
Electric Power for
Springfield.
BE FORTY FEET HIGH
Electric Current viii Only Have to
BE Transmitted Thlrty-FIve
Miles to the Nearest
Market.

night departed for Taney county, Mo-,
where they will complete the prelimi-
nary work of locating the White Riv-
er dam, which is to furnish electric
light and power for Springfield, Mo.
This dam is interesting the people OF
all southern Missouri, for upon It's
success depends in large measure
plans for utilizing the vast power of
all the Ozark streams which now go
to waste. In general 1t Is the first
tangible result of Gov Hadley's trip
Down the Current River in 1909, when
the movement was started to adver-
sise the Ozark country and develop
its resources, not the least of which
is the enormous water power repre-
sented by the streams which flow
from Ozark streams which now goes
to waste.
The White River dam is an ex-
ample of how rapidly a great project
can be handled, even when legislation
is involved 1t was necessary to OBJ
tain the consent of congress to the
erection of the dam, as the White
River is theoretically a navigable
stream. A bill for that purpose was
introduced late in January last, and
within few weeks was signed by
President Taft. The intervening
months have beer spent in surveys,
estimates and the drawing Of plans.
Congress allowed Ave miles latitude in
the location of the dam, and the exact
spot where 1t is to stand will be de-
tided bv Messrs. Holman and Laird
this week. Its cost will be about
100000. 1t will be located about five
lilies from Bransol, Col Laird said
last night, in one c. the most beauti-
full and picturesque portions OF the
state. The dam will be forty feet high
and built OF reinforced concrete. 1t
will have a solid rock foundation.
One effect of the dam will be to
create the fir est fishing resort In the
state A lake will be formed covering
several thousand acres, and extend
ing back VI the stream for distance
of twenty miles or more. White
l.River is famous for its black bass
fishing, ard this lake will be an ideal
home for the finest of Missouri's game
fish. Part of the lake .aus formed
will front on the property of the
Maine Hunting and Fishing Club, own,
| ed by wealthy ST. Louis sportsmen.
One condition made by the govern
ment Is that sufficient flow Of water
be maintained below the dam. This
will be effected by means of gates
There always will be an overflow, /,
| IS thought, as the White River, like
most Ozark streams, is fed by springs
which never fail, Thus fine water
| fall will be created.
In its practical aspects the dam viii
furnish electrical power and light fol
city manv times the size Of Spring
field, as we'll as many industries thai
may be located In that section. The
current will have to be carried OF
J v Tres th;rty-fve miles across the
country to Springfield. but this is in
sisnlfican: when compared with the
distance to Re covered in bringing the
current from the Keokuk dam to st
Louis, as contracted for by the Unior
Electric Light and Power Company
Those who advocated the practica
! use Of the Ozark water power believe
the damning of these streams will II
time solve the transportation prob
lem in that section Of the state b,
making possible the building of cleo
/ trio railways in regions where thu
traffic in sight Is not sufficient t
warrant the building OF steam roads