The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-26
TRAP, GUN AND ROD
BY TOM MARSHALL.

Providence never walks out or quits
his job! The Walking Boss cannot
formulate plans ahead, calling a strike
for designated hour. The grand old
Mississippi River. guided and controls.
ed by the hand of Providence, has for
unknown centuries. been flowing on
to the sea, with sufficient unbridled
power to operate the machinery Of the
middle west.
Mans inventive genius created the
turbine wheel. which operated and re-
volved by the ever flowing current of
the river now produces an electrical
current of 100000 H. P, which can be
increased to an unlimited amount,
Power is transmitted to st. Louis and
intermediate points, up river as far as
Burlington. Iowa.
Necessity for Dam.
To place under mans direct control
this mighty power, it becomes neces.
sary to construct dam across the
Mississippi River at Keokuk, Iowa,
where the lower rapids were formerly
located, menace to- boats and the
graveyard OF many fine steamers.
Locks around the rapids at this point
now makes navigation absolutely
safe. The dam backed and permanent
ly raised the water in the river for
a distance of approximately SO miles.
Much adjacent property along the
banks Of the river and island was in
undated. necessitating condemnation
and purchase.
The Green Bay District, about IL, 900
acres of Iowa's richest farming land
was converted into Cooper or Keokuk
Lake by the back water. Houses of
one and two stories are now standing,
silent sentinels. representing aban-
doned homes. the depths of water in
vading the houses being regulated by
the food gates Of the dam at Keokuk.
Build Levees.
This territory is soon to be reclaim
ed by the dyke and drainage pump
routes. Levees are now being built, In
fact are nearing completion, pumps
throwing streams four feet in diane
ter are now installed, which when
started ring the death knell or the
passing OF the best open duck territory
In the Mississippi Valley. Since the
inundation this lake has been the
mecca for duck hunters. A telegram
from my old friend Mute Bever, Dep
uty Game Warden for eastern Iowa,
advised me Of the prospective arrival
OF northern ducks. The next train
carried Walter Howey. Managing Ed
itor OF Chicago Herald Exeminer and
the writer to Fort Madison, Iowa. With
arrangements all made In advance, we
embarked on the speed launch Mime
tonka." for an up-river trip Of seven
miles to the entrance to Cooper Lake.
The continuous standing of back wa
ter over the low lands has killed all
vegetation. trees and buck brush have
succumbed, are now dead and suffer
Ing decay.
Studded with Nets.
The river is studded with wing and
bait nets, marked by bouys; carp, bur
falo and rough or coarse fish are the
objective. Nets are operated under a
boundary license issued by the State
Of Iowa, which permits fishing In the
Mississippi river with a seine or net
with a mesh not less than az inches.
In the interest Of fine or game fish.
the mesh should not be less than four
inches.
Arriving at Coope Lake. we were
comfortably quartered in the summer
home OF Mr.. Bever, immediately ad.
jacent to the shooting and fishing ter.
ritory. Fishermen when pulling in
seine and failing to catch a fish, term
the draw water haul" We failed
to score single duck, due to the warm
weather. Anticipation. the light house
constantly within the vision of all
hunters, buoyed our spirits. while the
opportunity to commune with nature
and daily with life in the open. brought
us back to Chicago. declaring the trip
a success.