Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-31

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about II miles below St. Paul, dredg
ing the 300-foot channel to It's grade
Of feet A large part of the spoil
OF these dredges was used in length
ening and strengthening spur dams in
the vicinity, the remainder being de-
posted between dams or cast upon
the left bank.
Some construction work was also
done by hired labor and government
plant in May simultaneously with the
dredging. and during the months Of
January and February much work
was done by contract on the ice, ag-
gregating with the open-river work
Is new dams and IA repaired at this
locality
Hired labor work vas performed
above Alma and at West Newton bar
resulting in construction Of 10 dams,
extension OF 81 dams and repair Of
16. Between Winona and Brownsville
and ar Crooked Slough 10 dams were
built, II heightened and "A repaired,
including winter contract work. The
6-foot Improvement from Minona TO
La Crosse, rs miles. is now COM
pleted and with reasonable appropTia
tons the full improvement of the di-
vision Winoua to the Wisconsin river,
30 miles, will be completed in about
8 years. Good progress is being made
all along the river, but the section
above mentioned is the longest regu-
lated, although there are several long
and short stretches where no i'm
provement work will ever be neces-
sary, as in their natural state 6fOot
channel is available.
Between Wisconsin river and lie
Claire. hired-labor operations at and
above Eagle Point and in vicinity of
Wyalusing resulted in construction Of
II dams and pieces Of shore protec-
tons and in the extension OF ? dams
A suction dredge was employed in
pumping sand foundations and in fill
ing deep holes for most Of the dams,
whereby a great saving was effected
BY agreement in the winter months in
this division there were built at var
ious localities II dams, 2 were ex-
tended and repaired
BY contract between CasviIle and
Spechts Ferry. built 10 dams and >
pieces Of shore protection, repaired s
dams and extended l.
Rock Island RanidS {yerk
AT the Rock Island rapids good
progress was made on the lateral
canal to provide 6-foot navigation
over that part Of the rapids from
LeClaire to Hampton pool, about
miles The government mas already
provided a 200-fooJ channel feet
deep over the entire rapids, but The
aforementioned work is intended to
increase this depth to feet, and in
connection with the deep water in
Hampton pool, rock excavation at
Chain, the Moline lock
and pool and additional rock excaya-
ton at Lower Chain. 10 carry the g. !
foot improvement over the entire
rapids On the lateral canal (so-call- !
ed lie Claire canal progress has been /
made in completion of the camp, bar
racks and shops, including the pur-
chase OF locomotives. cranes. track, /
drills and other appurtenances at a
cost Of about $4,000 A coffer-dam
5 $50 feet III length has been pumped
out and rock excavation in the pit, |
which covers an area Of about IS
acres, has commenced The cost Of
the entire work is estimated at 81
300 1000, including the excavation in
the dry Of 10000 cubic yards of rock
In the coffer-dam above mentioned, of
10000 yards In d coffer-dam 10 be
erected extending down to Smith Is
land, and d lock at lower end of
Smiths Island Sub-aqueous excava-
ton OF rock, $4,000 cubic yards, near
lie Claire and below Smiths Island,
will also be carried out. good part
Of this excavation has been completed,
the broken rock being used in
strengthening the coffer-dam. When
completed, this canal, which on &C
count Of the comparatively small
sums that can be annually allotted for
the work will be several years from
now, will be a little over 3 miles long,
$50 feet wide and feet deep at low
est water with a lock at Smiths Is
land $50 feet by so feet, and with
outside wall with crest
elevation feet above low water.
In the division. Rock Island to
hired-labor work was car
ried between Buffalo and Fairport
and below OQuawka A dredge,
Mayor, WAS used for time in build
ing sand foundations for dams, and
during remainder Of season in dredg-
Ing a 6-foot channel in Muscatine
Slough. By hired labor there were
built dams, were repaired, 2
and l piece OF shore pro-
lection. By contract In vicinity of
Fairport, IL dams were built, re-
paired and heightened.
In the division. Burlington to
work was carried on by
hired labor at various localities above
La Grange and at Whitney's bar. re-
sulting in construction OF Z dams, re-
pair of 6, extension of and pieces
Of shore protection. By contract,
work was carried on In vicinity of La
Grange and at Whitney's car during
which 8 dams were built. repaired,
heightened and pieces of shore