The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-10
kEOKUK POWER
 PLANT STARTED
After Three Years and Expenditure of S25,O0O,OOO, Worlds Greatest Water Power Station Is Send
 ing Current to St. Louis.

St. Louis. Mo-, July 2-Electriclty generated by water power at the dam across the Mississippi river at Keokuk Ia., was turned into the wires of St. Louis today, and dur ing the rush hours two-thirds ot the street cars in the city were propelled by the new current. All industrial motors in the city also were driven by the same power, By the end of this week practically all of the street cars, motors and elec- tric lights in St. Louis will be op- erated by power generated by the water plant, l37 miles away. St. Louis is the largest city in the country to be thus supplied.
 Keokuk, la, July 2.-After three years of hard work and an expen- allure of $25,0O0,O0O, the great dam which spans the Mississippi river at this point has been completed, and the waters of the river have been harnessed and will soon be producing enough electricity to furnish the Mississippi valley from St. Paul with all the power and light necessary.
 As power dam, the river barrier at this point is the largest of its kind in the world. The Assouan dam on the Nile is larger, but is used for purposes of irrigation, while the Keokuk dam has been constructed for the sole purpose of manufacturing electric power. The dam extends for a mile across the river between Keokuk and Hamilton, H.. the limestone bed of the river furnishing an excellent footing for the dam, which cOmpels the river to pour its waters through the l5 turbines in the power house, each turbine being connected with a 7,500 llilowatt generator. The generating units are ranged in line in the power house, and space has been left for l5 more, as the de- mand Tor power increases.
 Is i.50O Feet Long.
 The dam, l,50O feet in length from the Illinois shore to the power house on the Iowa side of the river, is constructed in the arched bridge style, i3 feet in height, each arch covering a span of 30 feet between the piers, which are six feet wide. The arches are filled with concrete to a height of B feet, the remaining space above being closed by steel gates, which slide vertically on the face of the bridge, thus giving method of releasing the water in flood time.
 The power house is built on the Iowa side of the stream, and eX- tends out l,700 feet into the river to meet the dam. Between the power house and the shore there is a lock for river steamers, replacing the old canal with it's three locks.
 The dam has been constructed by private enterprise, but will be su- pervised by the United States gov ernment. When the company was organized to build the dam it had to agree to replace the canal which is drowned out by the lake formed by the new dam, with a new lock and to provide a new drydock Tn place of the old one, as well as fur nish electric power to operate both forever. without cost to the govern ment, before Congress would con- sent to allow the dam to be built.
 Launched Plan in lSlS.
 Agitation for a power dam at Keokuk was begun as far back as lSlS. when a Sl,000,0O0 stock com pany was formed for the purpose of improving navigation and utiliz- ing the water power from the rap ids. However, nothing was done, and later the government con- slructed the canal and locks to en- able the river steamers 10 negOti- ate the rapids at this point.
 The project for a dam was re- vived about l2 years ago, and after the necessary preliminary negotia- tions with the government were completed the work was finally be- gun in l9l0
 Already the surrounding territory has felt the prosperity which the new dam. with its lake B feet deep. three or four miles wide and i5 miles long, will bring. The popu- lation of scores of river towns has increased wonderfully from the in- fluX of working people in anticipa- tiOn of the manufacturing boom which will soon strike the terri tory. Manufacturers are vieine with each other for desirable fac tory sites and every indication points to added millions in wealth to the upper Mississippi valley. It has been said that Keokuk, long known as the center of the richest agricultural section in the world, will now become an important manufacturing center, "displacing the blow with factories. corn plant CTS with looms and harrows with dynamOs.'
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