Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-12

! which the secretary of war has en-
dorsed and recommended to congress,
| calls for but sixteen dams, or one
about every fifteen miles. These will
| be solid concrete dams much higher
than those shown. in Colonel Riches
first. plan, and therefore will have
more head and develop greater power.
Each dam Is estimated at 400 horse
power, and at the present selling price
Of such power the net earnings should
be about $4,000 per year.
The figures as to the power develop
ed are not guess work. but come from
the Des Moines River Power Co., the
organization which proposes to build
fourteen of the dams, and whose Of
fees are in Portland, Maine. The
Chicago and Iowa Power Co., of Chi
cago are behind the Keosauqua pro.
ject Attorney Irish and others are
also connected with it. In answer to
letters the secretary of war has also
recommended that the city Of Ottum-
wa be granted charter No one com.
pany or city has monopoly of this
charter business. The officers of the
Des Moines River Power Co., the
stiffest company of the lot, are very
fair about the matter. They say they
have the money and will build all
Of the dams, or any number of them as
it may be arranged by the war depart
ment and congress- 1t is an open mat
ter. Any responsible company, city
or individual can file an application in
Washington. Ottumwa should Ger.
'tainly have one of these dams owned
u ~ h1y
AS to the location of the dams. they
must be built at the points designated
by Colonel Riches second map, and as
stated about Is miles apart. The
work will all be done under the super.
vision of the U. S. engineers, the power
companies paying the entire cost. The
second plan also calls for 60 foot
gate at one end Of each dam. The
estimated cost Of the sixteen dams is
about four million dollars. With the
completion OF the sixteen dams the
river will be navigable for the largest
upper Mississippi river steamboats,,
the only thing lacking will be the
locks which it is understood will be
attached, put in below the 60 foot
gates, later on, at government expense.
The work would be commenced at the
mouth Of the river and the engineers
say that it could be completed to Of
Itumwa in Ave years, as the concrete
work goes along rapidly. Like our
city plant, the Des Moines River
Power Co., proposes to have two
auxiliary steam plants in connection
with the fourteen dams. These two
steam plants are to be located at coal
mines where they will have cheap fuel
and be ready to 60 in case any thing
happened to the water power.
In conclusion I would say the dis
patch from Washington received Sat.
urday is misleading to those who
have not watched the movement as it
has been worked along from year to
year. AS stated in the beginning we
have not expected or asked for any
money from the government. Since
C.l. Richie completed his plans for
the work we have simply been asking
that these power companies be permit
ted to build the sixteen dams at their
own expense for the use OF the water
power The engineers and secretary
of war have recommended that this
be done and we are very well pleased
with their endorsement Of the project.
So far we have accomplished all that
we have been working for. 1t is now
up to the people Of the Des Moines
river valley and congress. All that
is now needed is an act of congress
granting the power companies per-