The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-01
Pamphlet Containing the Presidents
Speech and Resolutions Revived
Contains Matters of In
terest Here.

ter of interest here, especially as
there is considerable comment on the
Keokuk lock and dam. In resolutions
passed by the convention recognition
Is again taken of the enormous mag
nitude of the construction work here.
Regarding the Keokuk dam and lock
President Wilkinson said:
A recent inspection shows remark
able progress to have been made, in
the building of this immense project.
This vast work, the largest of it's
kind in the world, and so marvellous.
| that it must be seen to get correct
idea Of it's magnitude, is going on
with great rapidly and is all being
splendidly done. It's foundation is set
deep in rock as solid as Gibraltar,
insuring its eternal stability. The
construction plant unequalled except
at Panama, is being operated with
great skill and energy, unoer the eff
ficient management of Mr.. Hugh l..
Cooper, chief engineer.
The desire and ambitions Of the
people of the middle west dating back
to the year 1910, that the turbulent
Des Moines rapids might be controlled
and converted into a useful agent of
man, are now soon to be realized, for
the work will be completed by July,
1913.
The general governments and the
water company both realize the value
that each is to the other, and especial
~ the general government realizes
that the Water Power company has
been liberal towards it in the naviga-
ton end of the enterprise.
The work will provide permanent
deep slack water navigation for over
sixty-five miles above the dam, or
about one-tenth of the distance, 65Y
miles, between the mouth of the Mis-
souri, river and st. Paul.
There will be one lock only, which
will be one hundred ten feet wide and
four hundred feet long, with a lift of
forty feet at low water. 1t will be
as wide as the lock under construc-
ton at Panama and on the Ohio river.
A commodious dry dock will also be
CONSTRUCTED.
! After having plans approved for
lock ninety-five feet wide and three
hundred sixty feet long, the Water
Power company voluntarily agreed to
increase the size of the lock to one
hundred ten by four hundred feet,
with eight feet depth over the upper
inter sill, to meet the wishes of your
association, as expressed by its presi-
dent, for the protection of the naviga-
ton of the river. While the length is
not SO great as the locks on the Ohio
river, 1T can easily be heightened
When the future demands 1t. In COM
plying with your wishes, in increas-
ing the size of the lock, the power
company showed the deep interest it
feels in the success OF your move
ment.
The conditions of one lock. and the
deep pool, and the general advan cages
that come to the government, to-
gether with the saving over the pres
ent cost of management, could not
have been secured by the government
without an expenditure of more than
five million dollars. Thus we see not
only great benefit to the navigabili.y
of the upper Mississippi river. but a
large saving to the government as
well, growing out of the building OF
this water power, being built without
any expense whatever to the general
government. Your association can
proudly point to the fact, that for
many years it has been consistent
and loyal worker for the success OF
this development, now rapidly being
completed and you have reason to be
especially encouraged in the work YOU
have in hand, in finding your efforts
in this behalf crowned with success
although 1t is only one step in the
great work you will eventually consul
mate.
| By substituting this one lock for
three now In use, a sreat deal of time
will be saved to steamers passing
through. and the cost of operating II
with free power furnished by the
power company, will be very much re
duced, possibly three-fourths, as com
pared. with the present plant, witch
will be quite large saving to tho
government.
| Under the report of the committee
on resolutions, one paragraph says.
Reiterating our. recognition of the
enormous magnitude of the Mississip
pit River Power company dam and the
vital and far-reaching Importance OF
that great enterprise to the Missis
sippi valley, we hereby express our
fluctuations upon the rapid progress
of the great work, and particularly our