Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-08-26
CONCRETE WALLS
FOR BIG MUDDY"
DEPUTY LABOR COMMISSIONER
MAS STARTLING PLAN TO
AID RIVER.
ENGINEERING ONLY PROBLEM
convlets Used to Do All the Work,
and Costs Met by Sale of Lands
Redeemed From River
Bed.
Jefferson City,

Jefferson City.
Deputy Labor Commissioner John L.
Bradley of the bureau of labor sta
~tistics, who has studied the peculiari-
ties of the Missouri River, suggests a
plan Of improvement which is prob
ably more easily accomplished than
the digging of the Panama Canal, a
task which years ago was pronounced
impossible. If carried out by Missouri
it would solve the convict labor prob
lem, prevent the future flooding of
all Missouri lowlands, maintain a deep
water channel the year through, and,
best Of all, pay for itself.
The undertaking, while gigantic, is
only a matter of engineering skill, and
a good portion could readily be car
ried out and completed in four or five
years.
The Bradley plan is to build a con-
crete levee along the Missouri River
from the Iowa line to the place where
this stream flows into the Mississippi.
1t would be high enough and suffi-
GENTLY strong to withstand the great
est food and the heaviest pressure Of
water which can occur. Convicts could
be used for the work, and since build
ing concrete levees is a new industry,
one created by the state, it would not
conflict with any class of work now
being done by free labor. The state
would be put to the expense Of erect
ing a huge cement plant within the
walls of the ~penitentiary, but this and
all other river-improvement costs
would be met through the sale by the
state of bottom lands rescued from
} river bed, which now belong to the
federal government. Missouri River
bluffs would furnish free material for
the state cement plant, the farmers
owning them being only too glad to
allow them to be used for this pur-
pose, since the proposed concrete
levees would forever protect their bot
tom lands.
Deputy Bradley suggests that such
levees need not entirely be of cement
work the inland portion being made
up Of rip-rap, macadam and gravel,
with the river exposed portion of con-
crete s feet thick, and laid deep
enough under low water level to pre-
vent undermining at any stage of the
Missouri. Behind the rip-rap is to be
a backing of sand and soil pumped
from the channel of the river. The
same to be 100 feet across to give it
sufficient strength to hold the rip
rap and concrete well in place against
any possible pressure.
Old steamboats, and barges bought
by the state for that purpose, and re-
constructed into floating prisons by
convict labor would house the con-
victs after working hours, and when
properly guarded would be as safe as
the penitentiary now is, and be more
sanitary. The merit system could be
put in force for the benefit of con
victs detailed for river improvement
work, the promise being held out to
such that a certain number of merit
marks bestowed for diligent toll and
good behavior would win a parole.
There, also, the merit system, to an
extent, could prevail. A day of labor
for %convicts could then be eight hours,
with eight hours for educational and
recreation purposes, and eight hours
for rest.