The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-22
These Famous Haunts of Hunters and
Fishers, Are Being Changed
into Farming
Lands.
WORK is PROGRESSING
Engineer Perkins Is In Charge of the
Reclamation Of This District
and is Making Rapid
Strides.

There are many Keokukians who
know the Green Bay bottoms In Lee
county better than they know parts
of their home city. If the hunter
or fisherman lived in the first ward,
he could find his way at night
through the Green Bay bottoms, but
would need guide to pilot him ii
he went to the west end or into the
seventh ward.
The Green Bay was the paradise Of
hunters and fishermen. There was
nothing like it anywhere else in the
land And now they are building
levees and installing big pumping
plant, and in little while they Will
have transmitted that beloved wilder
ness into one of the richest farming
and gardening districts in all the
world After fighting all drainage
projects for years, finally an agree
ment was reached, and now work Is
well under way. Fridays Fort Mad1-
son Gem City has the following on
the progress of this work:
Engineer E. T. Perkins, in charge
of the work in the Green Bay levee
and drainage district, in consultation
with the members of the county
board this morning, after an absence
Of several weeks which hes spent In
search of health in California, drew
up tentative construction schedule
of the work to be accomplished in
this district, and submitted it to the
supervisors for their approval.
The schedule Is complete In all de-
tails, showing the am cunt of work
possible by each machine, where the
machines will be stationed, time for
completion of the certain work, and
the estimated time of the completion
for the whole project. The prelimi-
nary work of clearing is practically
completed and at least IS percent Of
the territory has been put into shape
ready for the construction.
Mr.. Perkins also submitted vouch-
ers, ETC., for the sum of $1,916 for
expenses and salary due him since
his last report. The R. H. & G. A.
McWilliams Co. were also allowed
$4,000 for their bills since their last
report Only 80 percent Of the total
amounts are paid by the supervisors
on each report. the balance being
rendered to the contractors on the
completion of the whole project.
Work Is Described.
Following is descriptive outline
of the construction schedule of the
levee and drainage work:
The work on the muck bitches Is
we'll under way and will be COM
pleted it is estimated, by November
Of this year. 1t will require APP
proximately five months in which to
do this work with the big dipper cap
able of holding IN yards at each
scoop and thus covering the $4,000
cubic yards, or miles at the rate
of ~ miles per month. This work is
being done along the levee from sec
ton 25 to the big slough in section
g. The direction is up stream.
The big dipper will also be used In
constructing the main bitches, which
will be commenced in November. 1t
will be used for all elevations below
526 feet, and has a capacity for hand
ling 10000 cubic yards per month,
and will thus take about three months
to complete the work of removing
some $500 cubic yards of dirt. With
cold weather intervening 1t will be
finished before May 1, 1918.
The IL yard caterpillar machine
vii! be put to work on the levee at
the upper end of Skunk river, and
upper end Of Lost Creek, and also to
assist in the main bitches for all ele-
vations above 526 feet.
The Lost Creek project is expected |
to be completed by December, 1917, |
the Skunk river work by November,
1917. and the work on the big bitches
by May of next year. Some 240,70 !
cubic yards will be removed from the /
above named projects.
The 2s yard drag line will be |
Used in the lower Skunk river levee
work where, starting from Eel island,
some 100000 cubic yards must be
aiken before it's completion in May
If next year.
The 21s-yard dipper will work on
he Mississippi river levee to the
upper end of Big slough, removing
about 100000 cubic yards before it's
in May.
The 2O-inch hydraulic will work in
he Mississippi river from section Is
o Lost creek removing 100000 cubic
eet of dirt in order to be completed
It the same time as the above pro-
ects
The work has been carefully out
ind and detailed by Engineer Per
rims, and thus far is being carried on
hitch or hindrance.