The Washington herald., 1911-11-19
PUT OLD MISSISSIPPI TO WORK
Wonderful Project for Harvesting the Father
of Waters.

Old MISSISSIPPI is to he harnessed at
last The greatest river in the world has
been idle long enough, and will soon be
set to work for the production of cleo
trio power on an immense scale.
With this idea in view, dam is being
thrown clear across the mighty stream
between keOkuk. Iowa. and Hamilton,
Ill. II will he the longest bank-to-bank
river dam in the world. with the sole ex-
CcptiOn of the irrigation structure across
the Nil. at AsSOuan. The water which
it impounds will eventually form a vast
lake, about forty miles long and from
three to FIVE miles wide. thereby chang
ing the topography of the region to a
Tcry striking extent.
The hydro-electrIc plant at the dam
site will be one OF the greatest ever
built. it's capacity being more than 200.
CO0 delivered horsepower. A large part
OF the electricity produced will be trans
mitted To the city Of St. Louis, where
public service corporations have already
contracted for no less than 5000 horse
power. The transmission line will run
from KeOkuk, along the east bank Of the
river about 40 miles, to point just out
side OF St. Louis. and will consist OF
steel towers carrying two circuits.
It Is, however easy enough to realize
W nat vast lIlullSlll dl anu ONllti Si41iBtS
will he made over a large part of the
Mississippi Valley by the production of
relatively cheap electricity on such a
scale. II one leg Of a pair of compasses
he placed at the point on a map where
the city Of Keokuk stands. and the
other leg be so adjusted as to mark a
circle with a radius of 80 miles, 1t will
be seen that within this area are scores
Of towns, great and small. which can
Rv,l v,1n ~ fnr oil I'M u
"juice"-not only for manufacturing, but
also for lighting and trolleys. The dis
lance to which electricity can be trans
mitted economically is being rapidly
heightened. and already in the city Of
Syracuse, n. Y, the street railroads are
run from Niagara Falls, nearly 200 miles
away.
Wide Interest in Subject.
The Smithsonian Institution. at Wash
ingtOn. takes an interest in this project,
from a scientific standpoint. and In its
forthcoming annual report will publish a
very interesting article on the subject.
Therein is expressed a belief that the
huge plant at Keokuk will prove to be
of immense industrial Importance. Estab-
lished in a region heretofore unsupplied
with hydro-generated electric power, it
will be able to furnish such power at a
relatively low price. An incidental re-
suit expected Is that manufacturers need
ing large amounts of electric power Will
be attracted to that locality in years to
come.
The site of the dam and hydro-electric
plant, as a glance at the map Will show,
is at a point where the three States of
Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois touch-140
miles from Des Moines 40 miles from st.
Louis, and 20 miles from Chicago. Here
are found the Des Moines Rapids, which
have always been an obstacle to the
of The Mississippi. They eX-
tend from Keokuk to Montrose-a dis
tance of about eleven miles But the
river at Keokuk cannot properly be call
ed turbulent. It's waters are not hurled
over hidden powders and irregular mass
es Of rock with the speed Of a Niagara.
On the contrary, the stream presents
rather the smooth appearance OF water
running down an inclined surface
At Keokuk the Mississippi Is half a
mile wide at ordinary low water and
about a mile wide at flood. Its average
depth is only five or six feet, and its bot
tom is q bed of very solid blue limestone,
clean and free from cracks and assures.
An observer with a short metal sounding
rod can hear the clear ring OF the rock
bottom all the way across. Established
on such foundations, well-constructed
as long as the old Roman concrete work
made Of natural cement. much of which
has been standing 1900 years and is still
in good condition.
Dam Built on Bluff.
Resting on this solid river bottom the
dam is being built out from the BLUM on
either side Of the river seven-eights of n
mile apart Including abutments, 1t is
|, 56s feet long. It is entirely Of massive
concrete without reinforcement. and be-
Ing locked into the rock bed of the stream
by potholcs and other excavations. It is
a monolith. The height Of the
dam above the river bed Is thirty-two feet
and its base is forty-two feet wide The
upstream face IS vertical, the down.
stream face is curved, its upper portion
in a parabola over which the water viii
spill.
without going into engineering details. |
II may be interesting TO tell OF the re-
method by which the building of