Letter to the Editor

Life on the Mississippi River

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

To the Editor

Life on the Mississippi River. Growing up on the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau, Mo., I never thought of the river as anything more than a big river that was muddy, smelled and caused problems with flooding every spring.

My wife and I decided to learn more about the history, what life on the river was like, and its usefulness today.

We decided on a 166 mile round trip from Le Claire, Iowa near Quad Cities to Dubuque, Iowa.

We cruised the river for two days in a river boat called, "Twilight." A three-deck 300 passenger replica of an elegant Victorian style steamboat of a century ago.

Mark Twain would have called this steamboat a "floating palace."

As we cruised, we realized what a treasure we have in this mighty river. The fourth longest in the world at 2, 350 miles. The river has so much power and beauty.

In the 18th Century, it was the highway for French fur traders and business men; the most notable Frenchman by the name of Pierre Menard. Steamboats would race to holding station to be the first to pick up products to transport down river to St. Louis and New Orleans. Today it moves products such as corn, molasses, coal, fertilizer--just to mention a few. Products are moved from Minneapolis/St. Paul to New Orleans and vice versa on 600 and 1200 foot barges.

Locks and dams from Alton, Ill. to Minneapolis, Minn. control the flow of the river. Lock & Dam 12 and 13 can only accommodate 600 foot barges, 1200 foot barges pass through twice. Alton, Ill. is the last lock from there to New Orleans.

The locks and dams tame the river and turn the river into a wide expanse of water, creating a lake-like effect, even clears the muddy water. The beautiful homes and structures at water's edge are protected from flooding by locks and dams.

The captain pointed out all points of interest, and bird life, and the nesting and soaring bald eagles. Some of the major manufacturing facilities we passed along the way: a 3 M plant (Scotch Tape), ADM plant --Archer, Daniels, Midland and a huge ethanol refinery.

Some islands, looked like fresh fallen snow with snowy egrets, white pelicans covering the island.

Blue herons, cormorants, ducks and geese were seen along the way along with river otters, the river hills, granite bluff, and different styles of bridges added to the beauty of the river. As it was many years ago, we picked up entertainers up and down river.

Entertainers, telling river stories, banjo players playing that Stephen Foster music, blues singers, added to the nostalgia of the trip.

The river provides a perfect setting for festivals. We encountered a very unique festival called "Tugfest." As the name implies, two rival towns Le Claire, Iowa and Port Byron, Ill., stretch a one-half long 750 pound rope across the river and have a tug-o-war. River traffic is stopped for three hours.

As we pulled into port, the sound of the calliope signaled the end of an exciting, educational journey.

We learned from this adventure that the river can be a curse, with flooding, crop damage, lives lost and loss of personal property. On the bright side, it provides recreation, moving of vital products and a water supply for many towns. It is definitely the "Mighty Mississippi"--all 2,350 miles.

Flavian Halter

Poplar Bluff, mo.