The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-12
I0CK IS one OF
CHEF FEATURES
Work is Well Advanced on the Walls
) the Great Lock Which Give
one Idea Of Its
Magnitude.
As WIDE AS AT PANAMA
a.. Of the, Chief Engineering Feats Of
the Great Water Power ls the
Mammoth Gates to be
Built Here.

work is advancing rapidly on the
construction Of the large lock which
4 one OF the chief engineering fea-
TIRES OF the great water power here
4 the bottom OF the Mississippi
The west wall has been cast in con-
.rate for considerable distance, and
lumber frames are in place for much
more concrete which is being put in
,ha forms with great speed. The low
cred end Of the east wall, completed
some time ago, allows one to appre-
ciate the width and height Of the lock
chamber through which steamboats,
will pass the big dam.
The top Of the completed wall ends
are favorite observation points for
sunday afternoon visitors to the
works They afford fine view OF
the thirty-1ve acres Of construction
plant inside the big Iowa cofferdam
and the long stretch of the dam itself
reaching across from Illinois for near
" three-quarters OF mile.
64tT0OIoUt0ty SOSN vviAsVs
The distance OF Ito feet between
the lock walls becomes capable of
realization now that parts OF both
walls are built That and the great
height Of the walls give the spectator
an idea OF the immense size of this
lock and It's gates which will fill the
cross section space between the walls
from the bottom to almost the top of
the concrete already in place at the
power end.
The width of the lock was arranged
for distant future needs of navigation.
The Panama commission considered
100 feet wide enough for the inter
oceanic canal locks, but increased the
width to 10 feet when the naval
board Insisted upon it. The Keokuk
lock vas then ordered to be the same
width by the war department. II the
Panama locks will be wide enough for
all ocean going vessels of the future.
the Keokuk lock of the same width
ought to accommodate all the Missis-
sippi river steamboats, for centuries to-
come.
Comparable Only to Panama.
The lift In the lock here will be for
ty feet, while the highest lift in any
one lock at Panama is thirty-two feet,
and the most of the locks there have
only little over % feet lift.
The gates OF the Keokuk lock, with
Its great width and high lift, becomes
one Of the chief engineering feats of
this water power, itself the engineer
ing achievement of the century with
only the Panama canal exceeding it as
whole
River men are congratulating them
selves % the abandonment of the gov
ernmenf canal and It's three locks for
the new lock in the dam. Instead of
three lockages, there will be one here;
instead of miles of canal requiring az
slow bell all the way, there will be
very deep water for miles and miles
in which the boat may steam at fun
speed. Captain Blair, manager of the
White Collar line OF boats which
makes many more clearances here
than any other line, is almost enthu-
siastfc over the way In which the
steamboat interests are benefited by
the Improvement in the river here.
Big GIFT to Government.
This great lock, the largest dry
dock In fresh water and the other ap-
purtenances pertaining to navigation
here are all to be decided to the Unit
ed States absolutely free with power
70 permanently operate them by a