The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-20
The Waters Of mississippi

.
Rock Island Union Four hundred
million tons of silt are carried an
nuaiIy from the watersheds of the
mississippi river into the Calf Of
Mexico. Now and then its waters
rage and men and women are render
ed homeless. Again they recede and
the fertile plains which form the great
valley scarcely have the moisture re-
quired for their abundant crops
Z aese questions have all engaged the
attention OF men and they are con-
formulating them They are evolving
ways and means of preventing the
great wastes OF conserving the wat
ers. securing more even flow and
converting their energy into power,
and CT preventing the waste to the
soil.
These questions are heing discussed
BY national, state and city organiza-
tons. The city of Pittsburgh has es-
tablished flood commission and this
commission is making survey of
the valleys and watersheds Of the Ale
gheny and Moncngahela rivers. 1t has
found that foods at Pittsburgh are in
creasing in frequency, and height;
that some day that city will .exper-
fence a forty-foct stage of water; that
the damage from each recurrent flood
is increasing in amounts; that the
foods during the last ten years have
resulted in a loss OF over twelve mil
lions of dollars; that in one year and
five days, from March Is, 1907. until
March 90. 1908. there was a loss Of
SIX millions five hundred thousand dol
lars from floods: that unless relief
work Is carried out the next twenty
years will see loss of over forty
millions OF dollars. That is what this
commission has already done. The
inland waterways commission report
ed that the loss in one year in the
Ohio valley 1907 one
hundred millions CT dollars.
Were there other commissions OF
like character along the great river
other figures equally as interesting
might be given.
Now, these organizations, national,
state and municipal are turning their
attention to the remedies. OF course
the suggestions are only suggestions
so far. 1t will remain for the en-
gineering forces Of the United States
government to work them out, But
the suggestions are worthy Of consid-
Grafton. They comprehend the en-
pounding of the waters in of the Mis-
sissippi in its tributaries. This
means the construction of great dams
AID the formation of great artificial
lakes. The conception is not new. tt
was talked over at the time the
forests were being cut off and 1t has
been revamped and rediscussed at va
rlous periods since those days. But
when the rains descend and the floods
come these reservoirs will be filled
filled to overf1ewing. and the filing
OF them will lessen to degree, the
flow of water in the. streams, for the
time being. The retention Of thu wat
ers will form waterheads which can
be used for power development. and
for such other purposes as NAV be
needed. With the many tributaries Of
the Mississippi SO damned and the
waters SO conserved, doubtless IT Will
have some effect upon the flow in the
river. But, of course. the Ievees must
be maintained on the lower river and
the work of deepening the channel
continued But this is not all
The plan contemplates the preser-
walton of the forests along these tribu-
taries. The prevention of denudation
OF these woodlands will also prevent
erosion. conserving to the soil the
silt that now fills the waters Of the
lower river and is carried on to the
Gulf. All CT this gives food for
thought