Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-01
REA4oN's WORK OF IMPROVE
MENr ON MISSISSIPPI
BROUGHT TO A CLOSE.
WATERWAY FOR STEAMERS
ABOUT oNE-THIRD FINISHED
Government Work Of Making Six Foot
Channel Between ST. Paul and ST.
Louis to Require Many Years
Water Held to Dee per Channel by
System Of Wing Dams.

Clinton. Oct With the close OF
the river work OF the summer season.
one third OF the length Of the Missis
sippi vii! have been Geepened 10 lis
proposed six foot channel at a cost o.
a million and a quarter dollars. The
stretch OF waterway is between St.
Paul and ST. Louis. al the mouth OF
the Missouri work carried on thru
seven engineering divisions with three
steamers, thirty barges half a dozen
quarter boats and ESQ men. This force
has been used in the gathering OF
brush and rock for the wing dams and
closing dams which viii bring about
the permanent deepening OF the water
way.
1t is estimated that TO deepen the
river this length Will take twelve
years and cost se1.o0Q,o0o. Four years
have already passed and a distance Of
about thirty miles in each Of the seven
divisions OF the work is completed. The
movement was really thought out IN
1878 and inauguracsd for a four foot
channel. Four years ago, practica.
trials showed that a six-foot channel
would be required for big traffic. This
work has greatly reduced the width Of
tie river IT places, sometimes 10 onl:
wide enough TO allow the easy passing
OF two large boats. Where formerly
there was l.000-toot stream. the
portion between Genoa Wis, and Win
ona Mimi, there Will be when the
dams are finished from 625 10 80 feet
in width.
Government Plans.
The government quarries much of is
own stone and practically ali OF me
brush is bought on contract for p
cents per cubic yard. The method Of
constructing the dams !s Interesting.
The rock used comes piled high on gov
eminent barges. The brush tied in
bundles convenient 20 handle is to1ed
to position above the proposed dam, the
stone beneath. and the iaterlying space
utilized for the placing Of these ma
terials.
a big donkey engine on barge oper-
ates the rope that keeps the barges in
position to follow the construction.
Thru the medium OF cont-ivance
known as grasshopper, the brush is
triggers. and held down by The heavier
4
bush and rock are laid Until the re-
quired heigh. is reached.
AS each succeeding layer Is added -
the width of the dam II brings IL three
feet farther upstream, so tina. The
structure resembles a leaning tower
and the construction is such that tbs
water sweeping sand and silt 20 the
y dam causes them to form deposits TIA;
hold 1t more firmly in place.
4 For River Traffic
Commercial organizations ali alons
& the river predict big things for the
freight service when the Panama cana
is opened and are Preparing ta5u:ations
to show the cheapness Of water trans
portation. Towing methods ac= being
investigated with government engineers
sent TO Europe to investigate the best
methods IN re. An app op-iation OF
100000 will be used > provide q
string Of model tow boats and barges
probably bull. along the lines of these
in use on the Rhine. Elbe AMI Danuo=
where there IS very heavy traffic and
travel. Most Of the foreign boats burr
low grade of oil instead Of coal, u
supply power.