Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-28
CURBS
MISSOURI RIVER
INvENTS DEFLECToR WHICH
PREVENTS EROSION OF a.
BANK BY CURRENT.
IMMEDIATE ACTION.
Wooden Aprons Anchored Along the
Shore are Much Cheaper Than
Riprapping and More Effective
In Saving Land.

RlprappIns and More Effective
| In Saving Land.
Sioux City, Jan. 25-A Sioux City
man has perfected an invention which
promises to completely change the
river protection methods employed
by the government, and bring easy
success to the work, after many years
Of ceaseless effort The device has
proven so practical that the treach-
erous Missouri river tries in vain to
make Roadway against 1t. The inven-
ton, besides being eminently sue
cessful, is remarkably simple and In
expensive Present indications are
that an entire strip Of river bank can
be protected at a cost of $1,000 that
formerly required from $4,000 to
$50, 900.
w. H. Dean, who lives at the cor
ner Of Peters and Cleve avenues,
Morningside, is the inventor. His
sons, Oscar M. Dean and Henry Dean
are associated with him in the de-
velopment of 1t.
The dehector, or apron" as 1t is
commonly called, consists OF pine
boards constructed after the manner
of board sidewalk. The piece = is
made in two strips about 20 feet In
length. The upper strip extends into
the river at right angles with the
bank. 1t rests on the surface of the
stream. The lower strip extends un-
der water and is II feet in width.
The slant of the under piece depends
upon the depth of the water. The
two pieces are joined by hinges. The
entire structure is firmly anchored
by cables, which are fastened to con-
crete barrels buried in the river bot
tom about 80 feet up stream.
Defects the Current.
The theory upon which the apron
operates is quite simple. 1t denects
the current from the bank, and Where
there is no current there Is no cut
ting away of the land. AS soon as the
current strikes the apron 1t 1s de-
fected from the shore. Within short
time it has sought new channel at
a. safe distance from the land. Hall
dozen dehectors are sufficient to
protect a mile of river bank.
Mr. Dean demonstrated beyond all
doubt that the deflector is a practl'
cal success Until last week the farm
owned by Mrs. E. L. Naughton and
located one and one-half miles from
Elk Point, S. D., was considered
doomed. The old Mizzou was making
one of it's raids upon the rich land.
The current, striking the shore at
between seven and nine miles an
hour, was tearing away great chunks
of soil and carrying 1t down stream.
Every day the shore line was pushed
back several feet.
Mr.. Dean told the members OF the
Elk Point Commercial club that he
could save that land, and do 1t in a
hurry at small expense. The club
members were skeptical, and yet
anxious to try anything promising re-
lief. They made contract for one
apron.
Simplicity Is PuzzIIng.
Mr.. Dean and his two sons appear
ed on the Naughton farm with a load
Of boards, some nails and hammers.
They set to work and soon had an
apron ready for use The onlookers
were unable to understand the
scheme. They were used to riprap
work, with it's long delays and great
gangs of men. When everything was
ready the deflector was launched and
securely cabled with concrete bar
rels weighing 5000 pounds. The
Commercial club members watched
as though they were, witnessing a
miracle.
Within fifteen minutes the current
had ceased its attack upon the river
bank and was flowing 100 yards from
the shore. Within an hour there was
no sign of current near the apron.
Sticks thrown into the water remain
ed motionless. Today the current is
200 yards from the shore and the
land is saved.
Sandbar is Formed.
When the Deans were called to the
Naughton farm the stream was eight
feet deep Immediately below the
rapidly disappearing bank. Today it
measures only IS inches at the deep
est place, and there are spots where
6-inch rule touches bottom. Sand
is rapidly accommodating in the vi
cinity of the defectors. Mr.. Dean
and others predict that the aprons
will be a means of forming sandbars
and that a permanent short line will
be established.
81 fight the cause" said Mr.. Dean,
explaining the plan of the invention.
"Riprappers and the government ex-
perts invariable fight the effect, and
for this reason cannot gain perma-
nent results. This apron removes the
current from the vicinity Of the
shore and does away with the land
cutting. In the case Of riprapping the
only hope is to hold the shore; there
Is no chance of DETECTING the dan
gerous current. Consequently, If the
river ever gets behind the willow
mattress it claims the entire work
and can go on without interference.
Furthermore, the riprap must be
fastened by cables to the shore. AS
soon as the river starts cutting the
shore everything is in danger. My
deflector is anchored to the river bot
tom, where there is no danger OF
cutting"
Engineers employed by the Bur-
lington railroad are especially inter-
sted in the deflector plan of protect
1ooJ Tho R,,r1ipptOD has cnppt