The Rock Island Argus and daily union., 1922-07-22

s1n1DotAJy pon4 - Miian 70 Con-
IA, looo vnfsro q llill creek and
s6slA slsasA will b secured h : |
nat6 1urvey ordered by the board =
endznoefp for rivers and harbof1 I0f
sNfleA Major General lansing Il.
- q chiek.
Conmuuication to Congrsasman
NJ i. Graham from Major General
B&1cA reviews the Milan situation
ndd states that the decision Of the
bc2rd II 70 establish ! large sized
aR1ettvo Sand catch ct the old
1u6ath Of MIL creek, provide Tor
creating . temporary pond there a.
lOW water 20 that dredge can enter
from the canal and pump deposits
ACROSS the canal IN Rock river. Al
low I fairly clear dow down South
slough which should scour out and
! enlarge the existing section, and
build . levee from Fifth street to
the bridge below to the height OF
Water street above.
The field survey is ordered be-
fore. . fnal decision can be reached,
and will be made shortly. 1t is ex-
pected that the report will be sub
mitted to congress In sufficient time
for members to consider 1t at the
next session.
History Of the Milan situation as
followed by the board Of engineers
u related by General Beach to Mr..
Graham as follows:
"very careful consideration Is
being given by the board Of en-
gineers for rivers and harbors to
the reports of preliminary exami-
nation and survey submitted by the
district engineer in compliance with
the river and harbor act of June s,
1920, and close study is now ap-
preaching completion which it is
hoped will not only be satisfactory
to the interested parties in Milan
and vicinity, but will effectually
/. dispose of future flood damages in
any way attributable to the con-
structiOn OF the Illinois and Mis-
sissippi canal.
The district engineer was in
! favor Of the creation Of board Of
disinterested engineers to consider
all the facts and thereon to arrive
at amounts, II any, that should be
paid to owners of property to rep
resent past, present and future
damages.
1T was by no means certain that
any satisfactory arrangements
could be thus effected, and the chief
OF engineers, accompanied by you,
made a<special trip to Milan with
view Of ascertaining what plan
had best be followed. 1t appeared
plain that what the people Of Milan
desired was final solution of the
problem, and their request that
deterioration OF the South slough
channel should be guarded against
was given special consideration.
Drainage District Separate.
Considerable delay has beer
caused through. the proposal to or.
ganize q drainage district with .
view of compieto flood protection Il
all adjacent lorland, extending Il
the Mississippi river. This provet
further complication TO an al
ready complex problem and re
Quired consideration Of the question
Of again diverting Mill creek bacl
into Rock river by the construc
ti0n OF 4 syphon aqueduct at tn,
old mouth or otherwise. Thougl
final decision has not been made,
now appears that the Milan situa
Zion. should be settled more or les
Independently of the larger ques
- tion, a. 1t appears doubtful whethe
the rather infrequent flooding fror
Mississippi river rises will war
rant the construction OF expensiv
levees along that stream and tn
installation and operation of one O
more pumping plants to dispose 9
interior drainage.
I'm its consideration Of the mat
ter, the board OF engineers drew u
a number Of plans, and sent it
resident member to Rock Island t
discuss them with the district en-
gineer.
''One plan was the constructio,
OF . syphon, aqueduct above men
toned to return the flow to Roc
river and practically restore condi
tiOns to those existing before tn
canal was built This plan was no
only very expensive but had tn
obvious disadvantage Of again ex
posing Milan to floods from Rocl
river. unless levees were bull
along the creek to or even beyon,
the Rock Island railroad. The dis
posal OF. ice also promised man,
difficulties.
Another plan proposed by tn
district engineer was to turn Mil
creek eastward from Water stree
bridge into the pool above lock Nc
80. Here again, an extensive leye
system would have been required
ice flows might gorge and Great
damaging Overfows, and the chan
mel east OF the bridge would con
stantiy tend to fill up with sand.
Compronlse Plan.
"A compromise plan provided 10
. sand catch near the old mouth q
MIL creek and . large syphon-cul
vert under the canal, so arrange,
that sand deposited could be flush
90 out into Rock river leaving u
now past Milan comparatively ire
OF sediment, without which tn
channel through South slousl
would tend to enlarge instead Q
deteriorate.
The nnal plan considered, vhicl
seams most favorable, 10 to estah
ush . good sized effective san,
catch at the old mouth Of MI
creek; 70 provide for creating
Temporary pond there at low wats
% that . dredge can enter from Ii
canal and pump deposits across tn
canal into Rock river: to allow
1iriy clear Aow down Soat