Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-25
ENGINEERS PLAN
CAUSES PROTEST
FROM ANDALUSIA
Village Said to Be in Danger OF
Being Cut Off From River
Channel.
GOVERNMENT SHUTS GAPS
Appeal Will Be Made to Washington
to Prevent Move Which Will
Injure the Village.

Andalusia Is in grave danger of be-
ing cut off from access to the steam
boat channel of the Mississippi river
and from ferry connection with Buffalo
which would be practically equivalent
to removing the village and the country
back of it entirely from the map. 1t
is understood that the U. S. engineers
in charge of the river have decided to
close the two gaps between the islands
opposite the village to raise the stage
on the Iowa side and keep the channel
there. Too much water, it is claimed,
now comes down the Illinois side.
| A committee of Andalusia citizens
composed of c. L. Wenks, William
Strohmeier and s. r. Kennedy called
upon Major G. NJ Hoffman, head of
the engineer corps, yesterday and that
official virtually assured the visitors
that the plan had been decided upon.
No contract has been let, however, and
no effort will be made to rush matters
through without a fair hearing. 1t is
understood that the surveys have not
been completed but the engineers
claim they have sufficient data to war
rant the course outlined.
Appeal to Washington.
After the interview the members of
the committee from Andalusia stated
that if they could not carry their point I
otherwise they would appeal to Wash (
ington. 1t is understood that the mat .
ter has already been laid before Con- /
gresham Clyde H. Tavenner.
From Andalusia's standpoint the sit
uation is a desperate one, and the loss
of the business originating there would
be severe blow to the White Collar |
packet line. The village and country
near it. having no rail connection, re-
lies largely upon steamboats, and upon
the Rock Island road at Buffalo to han
die passenger and freight. traffic. With
the gap between the islands cut off
and water diverted to the Iowa side by
means of dams at the head of Smiths
island the village could not be reached
by steamboats, except during high
stages of the river. Even ferry serv-
ice with Buffalo would be practically
out of the question.
Adopt Resolutions.
The protest made yesterday follow
ed a meeting Tuesday evening at Anda-
lusia over which r. E. Reede presided, ,
with B. C. F. Heinze secretary. Reso-
lustions addressed to Major Hoffman
we're adopted in which the following
are made:
Such work carried through would
close Andalusia as a port to river
steamers; would close our ferry and [
shut Andalusia and the country back \
IF the village from nearby railway con- In
lections. In
1--WE refer to the White Collar line
hat there is more freight and passen-
ger traffic to and from Andalusia than L
It any other landing on the river be- &
ween Rock Island, Davenport and Bur 6
ington except the city of Muscatine. II
I'VE further represent that the rock
n the Andalusia slough is two feet II
over than in the Iowa, or so-called u
main channel: that the gap opposite p
Andalusia is sufficiently wide and deep
nd that at comparatively small expense
he Andalusia slough would be navi- .
able to the large river steamers"
May Reopen Controversy. n
1t is altogether likely that the pro- Il
est from Andalusia Will result in an
fort to have the entire plan of river g
between Rock Island and
iuSCdllllc lSNlSCO- pldlAs duOpICu -
hen the first channel Improvement q
.o, ,,,,c,,,,, 81 TO- ,,,b;ot Metz II,ef in
an Is. of course, not responsible, con- III
,mpIates MAINTAINING a channel on d'
lie Iowa side from below Petersen's 'e
land almost TO Muscatine. AS stated =,
the Andalusia resolutions, the rock " ~
the bed of the stream is higher on 40
lie Iowa than on the Illinois side and 'li
lie constant tendency of the stream is al
go to the Illinois side. To counter W
t this thousands of feet of dams
ave been built and much dredging ~
Id blasting has been done at an aggre- W. W.
tie cost of many thousands OF dol "a
RS. With all the work, when the 80
age of water is extremely low, boats ~
e compelled to use the Andalusia =
Ough south of Smiths island for
'out three miles, going back to the 1
wa side through the Buffalo gap.
Hold Money Wasted.
There are those who contend, and
parently with good reason. that all
e money spent on the river between
re and Muscatine has been virtually
Isted and that if the river had been
owed to follow its natural course a /
lch better channel would now exist l
the Illinois side as far as Fairport i
an is now maintained on the Iowa @
e. The contention of the engineers
that the three ports of Buffalo. y
'ntpelier and Fairport would be cut b
If the channel came to the Illinois q
e. but Illinoisans point out that the r
va towns have railway facilities
ich do not exist on this side and Il
I more business is done by river \
It in and out OF Andalusia than
sinates at all three of the Iowa G
Is. b
y,