April 1996
the monthly newsletter for people who Jive, work or play on the Upper Mississippi River
Vol. 4 , No. 4
$2. 75
Racing for the Homs
Snapshot of the River's Health
By Lee Hendrix
By Reggie McLeod
On July 4, 1996, hundreds of thousands will
The most thorough study of the Mississippi
gather under the shadow of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis to enjoy air shows, ferris wheels, fireworks, food and bungee jumping. In the early afternoon, three authentic steamboats - the Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen will blow whistles, play calliopes and dock along the cobblestone levee. To the casual observer, the brilliantly festooned steamers will provide an interesting change of pace; to the river enthusiast, it will mark the 126th anniversary of a remarkable event. In 1866, steamboat Captain John W. Cannon decided to fulfill his dream of building the biggest, fastest steamer the river had ever seen. Capt. Cannon, a southerner, wanted to honor General Robert E. Lee by naming the boat for him. This presented a problem, however, to accompany the grand
River to date reveals a complicated picture of pollutants in the water and river bottom sediments. But the study' s 140page report is not a gloom-and-doom exercise in scientific jargon; it's an attractive and accessible snapshot of the river, full of insights and interesting facts. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected water and sediment samples over a five-year period. From July 1987 to June 1990, the research vessel Acadiana began its sampling cruises about 60 miles upstream from St. Louis and headed to the mouth of the river, including side trips on several major tributaries. However, after the Greenpeace ship Beluga released its study of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in 1989, Senator Rudy Boschwitz, a Republican from Minnesota, pressed the USGS to extend the study to the Twin Cit(Snapshot continued on page 3)
In 1866, steamboat Captain John W. Cannon decided to fulfill his dream of building the biggest, fastest steamer the river had ever seen. opportunity. All of the top shipbuilding companies were in the North, and the name of Robert E. Lee was not exactly popular in places like New Albany, Indiana, where he had the boat built only one year after the end of the Civil War. Fearing volatile Yankee fanatics would torch anything bear(Race continued on page 4)
WHAT'S INSIDE ...
River Map Dissolved Contaminants in the Mississippi
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Current Events Striped Invader, Pass the Corn
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River Calendar & Almanac Crane Count, Earth Day
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