﻿10 
  WATER-POWEE 
  DEVELOPMENT 
  IN 
  THE 
  MISSISSIPPI. 
  

  

  (6) 
  The 
  lessons 
  which 
  can 
  be 
  learne<l 
  nt 
  Keokuk, 
  if 
  the 
  opportunity 
  

   can 
  be 
  availed 
  of, 
  will 
  be 
  of 
  far-reaching 
  importance 
  as 
  supplying 
  a 
  

   basis 
  of 
  information 
  for 
  guidance 
  in 
  future 
  developments 
  upon 
  the 
  

   ^Iississippi 
  or 
  upon 
  other 
  rivei-s. 
  

  

  PRELIMINARY 
  OBSERVATIONS. 
  

  

  In 
  June, 
  1913, 
  it 
  was 
  brougnt 
  to 
  tlie 
  writer's 
  attention 
  that 
  the 
  

   Keokuk 
  dam 
  was 
  being 
  fdled 
  witli 
  water 
  and, 
  therefore, 
  that 
  a 
  portion 
  

   of 
  the 
  river 
  bottom 
  below 
  the 
  dam 
  might 
  be 
  exposed 
  lor 
  observation. 
  

   The 
  idea 
  immediately 
  occurred 
  that 
  the 
  practical 
  stoppage 
  of 
  water 
  

   during 
  the 
  process 
  of 
  fdhiig 
  might 
  cause 
  the 
  congregation 
  of 
  large 
  

   numbers 
  of 
  migratory 
  fish 
  below 
  the 
  dam, 
  including 
  the 
  river 
  herring 
  

   which 
  had 
  for 
  some 
  time 
  been 
  sought 
  without 
  success 
  both 
  at 
  New 
  

   Boston 
  and 
  at 
  Fairport. 
  Mi'. 
  Thaddcus 
  Surber, 
  being 
  then 
  engaged 
  

   upon 
  the 
  investigation 
  of 
  the 
  river 
  herring, 
  was 
  therefore 
  advised 
  to 
  

   proceed 
  to 
  Keokuk 
  in 
  the 
  hope 
  of 
  finding 
  the 
  desired 
  fish 
  and 
  of 
  

   securing 
  needed 
  mussels 
  if 
  beds 
  were 
  indeed 
  exposed. 
  The 
  expecta- 
  

   tion 
  in 
  regard 
  to 
  the 
  fish 
  was 
  fully 
  realized. 
  The 
  fish 
  which 
  had 
  been 
  

   sought 
  fruitlessly 
  at 
  Fairport 
  and 
  New 
  Boston 
  were 
  found 
  abundantly 
  

   immediately 
  below 
  the 
  dam. 
  

  

  After 
  an 
  inquiry 
  from 
  the 
  Mississippi 
  River 
  Power 
  Co. 
  regarding 
  

   the 
  movement 
  of 
  fish, 
  a 
  second 
  visit 
  by 
  Mr. 
  Surber 
  was 
  made 
  July 
  

   10 
  and 
  11. 
  He 
  reported 
  almost 
  incredible 
  numbers 
  of 
  fish 
  lying 
  

   just 
  below 
  the 
  dam, 
  large 
  numbers 
  of 
  which 
  were 
  being 
  caught 
  by 
  

   local 
  residents 
  using 
  hook 
  and 
  line, 
  dipnets, 
  hay 
  forks, 
  etc. 
  During 
  

   this 
  visit 
  the 
  gates 
  were 
  closed 
  on 
  the 
  Ilhnois 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  dam, 
  thus 
  

   leaving 
  the 
  new 
  bed 
  of 
  the 
  river 
  fully 
  exposed 
  where 
  previously 
  there 
  

   had 
  been 
  water 
  3 
  to 
  C 
  feet 
  deep. 
  Vast 
  numbers 
  of 
  fish 
  were 
  left 
  

   stranded 
  and 
  strugghng 
  about 
  in 
  the 
  little 
  pools 
  among 
  the 
  large 
  

   stones, 
  and 
  people 
  from 
  both 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  river 
  were 
  reaping 
  a 
  harvest, 
  

   some 
  with 
  gunny 
  sacks 
  filled, 
  others 
  with 
  the 
  larger 
  fish 
  slung 
  on 
  

   poles, 
  while 
  others 
  still 
  were 
  contented 
  with 
  long 
  strings 
  of 
  fiddlers, 
  

   sheepshead, 
  etc. 
  He 
  estimated 
  that 
  U 
  tons 
  of 
  fish 
  were 
  removed 
  

   in 
  the 
  course 
  of 
  a 
  couple 
  of 
  hours. 
  

  

  Below 
  the 
  dam 
  on 
  the 
  10th 
  and 
  11th 
  the 
  following 
  fish 
  were 
  

   observed, 
  given 
  in 
  order 
  of 
  their 
  abundance: 
  Buffalo, 
  carp, 
  paddle- 
  

   fish, 
  sturgeon, 
  sheepshead, 
  fiddlers, 
  redhorse, 
  bluefish 
  {Cyde/ptus) 
  , 
  

   toothed 
  herring, 
  and 
  hickory 
  shad. 
  Very 
  few 
  bass 
  and 
  cra]>pie 
  were 
  

   taken, 
  though 
  they 
  were 
  rcporte<l 
  to 
  be 
  unusually 
  abundant; 
  no 
  

   Pomolohus 
  at 
  all 
  weie 
  secured, 
  and, 
  according 
  to 
  local 
  informants, 
  

   none 
  had 
  been 
  taken 
  for 
  several 
  days 
  ])reviously. 
  

  

  I 
  visited 
  the 
  dam 
  September 
  22 
  and 
  23 
  and 
  again 
  October 
  11-15, 
  

   1913. 
  The 
  administration 
  of 
  the 
  company 
  courteously 
  granted 
  

   passes 
  for 
  examination 
  of 
  the 
  dam 
  and 
  its 
  works 
  and 
  extejided 
  all 
  

  

  