Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-06-17
|NEWSy GOSSIP FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITOL


In this locality and forms a satisfac
tory starting point for the proposed
new work. In order to make the
work reasonable safe, the revet.nen
will have to be extended from 5000
to 10000 feet and a short dixie place.
at the lower end. 1t was because
there was a unprotected bank be-
tween the revetment and bikes tina
the entire system OF eight bikes was
lost. 1t is believed that practically
all Of the SIS 900 will be needed al
Elkpoint. %
No work has been done by the Gov
eminent in the vicinity Of VermilliOn
since 1882. The work done then
was of an experimental nature and
was destroyed. The river opposite
Vermillion, S. D., is cutting for sew
eral miles and there is no satisfac-
tory place for starting a revetment'
In my opinion no new work should be
started at this point.
referring to revetnent at Wash
burn, N. d., 1t is proposed to construct
the revetment from the bluff several
hundred feet above the ways where
Captain Baker lays up his boats dur
ing the winter, downstream about
1900 feet. This length is necessary
for the security of the work, and the
estimate of cost is based upon expe-
rience with similar work elsewhere.
The Government work on the Bis
marck side of the river consists OF
about 5,400 lin. it. of continuous re-
vetment, starting near the transfer
warehouse, a short distance below
the Northern Pacific Railway bridge.
The Northern Pacific Railway pro-
tected the bank in front of the ware
house and the Government has ex'
tended the revetment below it from
time to time, 5000 lin. it. being now
under construction.
There is not immediate danger to
the old revetment, although the river
has been cutting into some of the
land below in which Captain Baker is
interested and which his son is irrl-
eating and cultivating.
The work already done has provid-
ed a good landing for boats and has
been in the interest of navigation.
Any further work will still improve
the conditions In this bend. 1t has
been the plan OF this office, following
the policy outlined in House Doci-
ment No. 81, 62nd Congress, LIST SEES
sion, to extend the revetnent to the
foot of the bend at some future date
as funds became available. 1t Is be.
lieved that the money now available
can be used elsewhere to better adj
vantage. ...ret l.
1t is desired to make further inves-
tigation in regard to the threatened
cutoff at WillistOn, and possibly to
make a survey of the river for a few
miles in that vicinity. This question
has been raised several times before
out the work has not been considered
urgent.
The location where the 500 Rail-
way will strike the Missouri above
the Yellowstone River Is not known
to this office. Apparently there has
been no act authorizing the railway
to cross the river. If the bridge Of
the Great Northern Railway, now I'M
der construction near Snowden, Mont.
is one of the bridges in question, it
should be stated that this railway has
secured approval of plans for 1900 lin.
#. of revetment was constructed dur
ing the past winter. This should
protect sufficient bank for all neces-
sary landings.
2. In reference to the possibility
of work at Williston, it may be stated
that sufficient funds will probably be
available for allotment to this work
to prevent the threatened cutoff,
should such work be found necessary.
3. In another communication, hav-
ing reference particularly to the
work at Vermillion, S. d., Major Deak.
yne states he inspected the locality
on October 20, 1912, and he reports
as follows:
The river was cutting on the left
bank for a distance of several miles
at that time and is doubtless still cut
ting in north Alabama Bend, opposite
Vermillion. This is m of many
bends on the Missouri River where
farm land is being destroyed.
In order to stop the cutting perma-
nently, the entire bend would have
to be reverted. There is no salts
factory place for starting such a re-
vetment. Sufficient funds are not
advisable, as it would almost certain.
ly need constant renewal and would
be of dou btful value.
4. As to Major Deakyne's state.
ments in reference to the work at
Vermillion,, it may be stated that ex-
perience on the Missouri River and
other rivers has indicated that a re-
vetment on the Missouri River and
other rivers has indicated that a re-
vetment in order to be at all sue.
cessful must have it's ends tied to
solid ground where they will not be
hanked by the river, as otherwise the
river will cut in behind the revetment
and almost certainly destroy the
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