Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-01-16
WINTER WORK IN
PROGRESS ON ICE
ONUPPER STREAM
Major Hoffman Returns From
Inspection Tour of Con-
struction of Dams.
HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL
Economy and Opportunity for Labor
over Sand Bars Cited as Good
Results % Present Projects.

Contrary 20 the general belief that
mere is no work going on in the i'm
provement Of the upper Mississippi
river during the winter. wing dams.
closing dams and shore projections
are nov under construction on the
upper part % the stream.
Major g.. D. Hoffman. In charge Of
-rs United States engineers Office IN
ibis c.ty. returned from an INSPECTION
Trip Co St Paul and Ia Crosse. Wis.
larc evening Near beth places and
also 90 Montpelier. Iowa. work Is now
r1d-r way and providing the Zee holds
aM be- continued 10 completion.
Ta- work at 81. Paul and Ia Crosse
has rsucled a gratifying stage OF
progress Much Of this work can not
D.. done in the fpring. as the coudi-
tie1s uear the scene Of the labor make
20 Impossible 90 accomplish any good
with che floating plant
Erected on Top Of Ice.
o. consists Of repair WORK 20 dams.
and tle construction % new ones.
principally over shoals and saudbars
The dau- are erected on top OF the
.ee and then the latter = cut away |
Previous work has proven entirely /
.afisiactOry aud very economical. a 4
saving OF 10 per cent being realized.
Major Hoffman said that an the north .
where the snow had disappeared on I
'1e roadway from quarrics. wOrkmeu ]
had constructed TOadbeds Of STOW and .
the stone and brush vas being hauled .
over the track on sleds TO The river
where the dams were being con
structed
a.. W. Durham. principal assistant
engineer of the local corps. last year
wrote a very interesting article on the
winter work. which was published eX-
tcusiveiy. a number OF engineer mag
aziues and other similar publications
printed Il. In the article he explained
iu full detail the nature OF the work.
how IL Is accomplished. its economy.
and the success realized.
This IS the nth winter that work
has seen carried on on the river. At
FIRST IL was only tentative or expert
mental. but 10 has now passed from
That stage. as Il has proved practical
10 was inaugufated IN 1871 az Wiuona
md Dubuque
Cole Winter Needed.
Col Durham explains I'm the account
that a cold winter Is needed and that
10 f1ating plant or machinery Is re-
luired. He stated that only a part
n the river above Rock Island is re-
liable for winter work. as below this
point the winters are shorter.
FOR winter work are selected dams
10 be built over sandbars or In shall
os water. where the floating plant
.a1uct reach \ saving OF seven cents
,er cubic yard. or about 10 per cent.
4 realized In the winter work over d
hat accomplished with the floating !,
liant iu the summer q
ln making repairs OF shore prOtec- O
i-ns or Ia building new. the ice Is n
.ut away as the work progresses In &.
be case OF dam repairs ice Is cut or d
1ued along the line OF dams and be-
sw Ia Tor a width OF 90 10 30 feet and n
hen sunk or removed 20 a distance O
% that there will be 10 unnecessary Is
rei<ht near the opening All new a
ANS are Quilt in the same way ic
The thaw OF the last week = worry
lE the local engineers. because should d.
be- Ice go out. the work would be prac- 3.