The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-08-03

which was impossible at low stages
of water and steamboats, were com.
PEELED to run through the government
canal and three locks which were
drowned and rendered unnecessary
when the new government lock was
built. This new lock is as wide as
those at Panama and has higher lift
than any on the isthmus. Adjoining
the lock is the largest dry dock on
fresh water In America. The dam
proper Is nine-tenths of mile long
and extends from Keokuk, Iowa, to
Hamilton, Illinois It is fifty-three
feet high, is keyed to the river bot
tom and consists Of 119 spans.
Largest Power Center In U. s.
Statistics show that nearly all Of
| the water power development of con-
sequence in the United States Is on
the edge OF the country, from Cali
fornia along the Canadian border
and down the Atlantic coast to Caro- |
lima, thence across Georgia and Ten
nessee to Alabama. The Keokuk-
Hamilton water power project is,
really. the only very large develop
ment in the heart of the country. This
development exceeds that Of any one
Estate, except three, New York, Maine
and California. It is about half the
total size of all five companies at
Niagara, on both sides of the inter
national boundry
Recognizing the vast commercial
importance Of the power pro-
lject the cities Of Keokuk and
j Hamilton have combined to cele-
.lbrate the official opening OF
the enterprise. and this celebration
will be held in connection with the
J regatta Governors of Illinois, iowa
/ and Missouri will be present for the
], ceremonies, and fund of $4,000 has
] been raised in these places for the
/ entertainment of visitors during the
three days.
The power company has agreed to
illuminate the big lake with powerful
arc lights and search lights, in the
! immediate neighborhood of the race
: course, and has constructed observa-
i ton platforms at various points on
4 the works, where visitors will be TAX
en- by guides for view of the plant
and its various extensions.
q Recently the first boats passed
( through the great lock. The,
! were the G. w. Hill of the Wishert
!, line and the st. Paul of the Streck
!. fus or Diamond 10 line steamers
These are perhaps two of the largest
/ passenger packets on the upper Mis-
q sissippi, but both were taken through
+ the lock at one time and there was
9 plenty of room to spare. Enterpris
ing moving picture concerns were or
s hand and at present movie theatre:
: all over the country are showing the
q deatil of the great project in the var
r. ious forms of operation.
o Although this power project has re
g quired only about two and one-hal
% years to finish, no less than fort.
n years was spent on the speculative
h plans and forty months Of hard labo
e on the blue prints. In fact the crea
d ton of power at this point was
e dream to the earliest settlers ant
h army engineers but the matter of rails
is ling twenty-seven millions of dollar
e. to make 1t a reality was the stumblin!
is block. When Robert q. Lee was
N lieutenant in the old army and wa
d. stationed near Keokuk, he made de
sr port to the war department on tn
water power present in the De
= Moines rapids in the Mississippi. A
an engineer he realized the immens
power in the river at this point 0
n steep slope and narrow canon be
tween the bluffs and pointed out wha
u the future would develop.
From that era of belligerent II
dams to the first decade of the twer
tieth century the people OF the vicir
p ity never ceased to try to interest cal
T, ital in developing the power. As
p matter of fact this was next to in
:. possible until the revival of the era 9
" concrete, and engineering science al
ir piled to hydraulics had increased tn
al efficiency of the turbine, and elet
~ trical science applied to the dynam
y and insulators had increased the e.
!. ficiency of the generator and the II
q. dius of transmission. But thes
In things all came and with them TIL
IN engineers and the money and no.
the optimists of the vicinity of De
y Moines rapids see completed and i
~ operation the greatest single waite
70 power project in the world.
IL The holding of the boat races at til
time OF the dedication of the plant wi
IN no doubt draw to Keokuk the larges
SO gathering of boatmen ever together
=, =, this country, but the regatta crowd
-. -, this year will not be confined to boa
a. men, for there will he thousands {
,r people from all parts of the countI
yG who will take advantage Of the o
re portunity to inspect at close rane
" the wonderful engineering accomplis
te ment which has drawn many pages