Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-08
Very respectfully.
DAN c. KINGMAN,

those OF AnQ6luSld DIS We'll DIS VI OlACA
places.
Very respectfully.
DAN c. KINGMAN,
Chief of Engineers, u. S. Army.
The second paragraph foregoing, I'M
der quotation, contains in the main
the report of Major Hoffman, the dis
trict engineer a. Rock Island, to the
chief of engineers. In one omitted
portion OF the report the major says:
The south channel on which Anda-
lusia is situated has never been the
main channel of the river. being much
INSTRUCTED by rocks and sand bars so
as to make it unnavigable by larger
boats except at high stages of water"
This appears somewhat at variance
with the opinion of old river men
who assert that years ago the Illi-
nois channel now called the Anda-
lusia slough by the government en-
gineers was preferably much used by
the large steamers. In another por-
ton of his report, here omitted, Major
Hoffman says that the "Andalusia
slough is not sufficiently wide for the
main channel" Large lumber RATS
required elbow room though little
depth and could be best handled in
the north or Iowa channel. The time
for towing of lumber and log RATS has
passed 1t would be worrying to the
raft pilots nowadays to maneuver
their craft among and past the num-
erous wing dams in the main channel
of the Mississippi. There is no place
in the Illinois channel where the larg-
est steamers could not successfully
pass each other, or could not have
passed the other before the engineers
caused placing of distractions to the
channel. In his report the major in
cidentally remarks that in 1913 there
were upward of 20 places Of less than
1-2 feet in the Illinois channel as
against six such places in 1878.
The cutoff" mentioned, between
islands $40 and 321, is the gap oppos-
lite the village of Andalusia. The
landing pier at Andalusia would have
been useful had it been constructed
higher and wider. OF the pumping of
mud and sand, i. e., the dredging, we
landshoremen fail to see econ
omy in pumping mud and sand
into the channel of few rods dis
tant and from where it is washed to
cause obstruction elsewhere instead
of being dumped ashore, and, If nee
essary. riprapped.
Major Hoffman in his report says.
1.-The six-foot channel having been Sc
cured from head of island 81
(Smith's) to and below Fairport, it
would not be permissible to close An
dalusia chute either at its head or be-
low Andalusia." He also says in sub
stance that through the cutoff from
Andalusia to the head of Smiths is
land is part of the six-foot channel
project.
The people of Andalusia-of west
Rock Island county-haYe conceded
and are willing TO concede that the
work planned by the government en-
gineers was for the best interests of
the entire navigation interests of the
Mississippi river: That is why there
was no objection filed against con-
struction of the dam across the ILL
nois channel below .Andalusia in 1884;
that was our mistake. We do not
propose to be caught mapping again.
When three well known gentlemen
from Andalusia, representing Anda-
lusias cftiIe..s visited the district en-
gineer's office last June they were
told that they the engineers
had orders to create six-foot
channel; that it would not make any
difference what our congressman and
our U. S. Senators would do or would
try TO do. the order to establish the
sixfoot channel would be obeyed il
| necessary by closing the Andalusia
chute and reerection of the dam at
Andalusia. The people of Andalusia
and west Rock Island county are glad
that a six-foot depth has been obtain.
ed in the Iowa channel, but they will
not willingly permit further wrecking
of their interests by spoilation OF the
Illinois channel. Very truly
r. E. REEDE.
| Special rates on the ladies' and chill