Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-04
N UST RAISE
The BRIDGES
WATERWAYS AND LOCKS SHOULD
ACCOMMODATE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER BOATS.
COL. RICHIE WRITES.
Government Engineer In Charge OF
Des Molnes River Survey Re-
plies to Letter From e. n.
Thomas.

Bridges must be higher on the Des
Moines river between Des Moincs and
! Ottumwa if the navigation OF the
stream is to be a reality. So at least
! thinks Col. G. s. Richie who 10 IN
charge OF the survey of the Des
Moines river. In letter to Capt. e. H
Thomas of the South Side postoffice'
| Col. Richie tells of promoters OF water
power projects calling upon MIN ana
says that the interference OF dams
with the navigation Is not very hkely
in the upper river. He also states tnat
bridges should be of standard helgnt
and that locks, depth Of waterway, etc.
should be such that Mississippi river
boats can navigate the stream. The
letter In full is as follows:
Detroit, Mich, June 20. 1911.
Captain e. H. Thomas.
Ottumwa, Iowa, South Side Station.
Dear Captain Thomas: !,
Yours of the 21st and 9th received
and read with much interest. The
probability of the dams In the vicinity
of Fort Dodge interfering with improv-
ment for navigation is very remote,
particularly above Fort Dodge.
Some parties interested In the water
power project near Keosauqua have
been to this office and have expressed
their intention Of preparing designs
that will meet with government ap-
prevail.
In regard to the height of bridges. 1t
would seem advisable to have the
bridges on the Des Moines conform
to those on other steams of the same
size-that is, that there should be
standard for height of bridges as we'll
as for size of locks, depth of water
way, ETC., so that the same boat or
class of boats can navigate any stream
in the Mississippi basin. Such stan
dardization would make the waterway
system comparable to the railroads OF
the United States where any standard
guage car can be taken over the rails
from any point to any point.
From information received from
those experienced and Interested, be-
lieve that the lowest opening OF
fixed bridge should be not less than
325 feet above the water at the high
est navigable stage.
It is probable that railroads own
ing bridges that cross the Des Moines
will consider it more economical to-
use draw spans than to raise their
bridges and change the grades, par.
ticularly where the bridges are located
near yards. In some cases the ap-
proaches to highway bridges raised
to the required height would damage
adjacent property to such an extent
that draw spans would be more de-
sirable.
There are forty-two bridges crossing
the Des Moines below the "Raccoon
Forks" of which fourteen are rail-
road, twenty-seven highway, and one
a combination Of railroad and high
way, all of which will require some
alteration to give a clearance Of 32.5
feet at the bank full" stage Of four
teen feet The cost Of making the al
terations is estimated as 81 .585, 900, all
of which should be borne by the bridge
owners. This is liberal estimate and
is 1t is probable that the cost can be
reduced materially II the bridge own.
ers manage carefully. The cost will be
but thirteen per cent Of the total cost
Of the entire work.
Very truly yours,
I. G. 8. Richie,
1t. Col. Corps OF EnRineers,