FROZEN RIVER CUT OFF WATER IN 1917

In December 1917, unusually cold, icy weather bombarded Southeast Missouri, causing parts of the Mississippi River to freeze, resulting in the water company's inability to produce water for all its users.

The water shortage affected at least half of the Cape Girardeau area over a period of several days. Today, we wouldn't think much about cold weather affecting us in such a drastic way. But during the early part of the century, a large portion of the power supplied to the Cape Girardeau area depended on the Mississippi River.

"We are not dependent on the river locally the way we used to be," said Kevin Priester, water systems manager at Alliance Water Resources. Early in the century, most of the power for the Cape Girardeau area was produced locally by steam plants, which were powered by the river.

Unusually cold weather during December 1917 froze patches of water on the Mississippi River, including parts of the river near Cape Rock. At the time, there was an intake pipe and pumping station in that area. As a result of the ice, the river was so low that there was no water at the end of the intake pipe at the pumping station.

Many citizens, as well as city officials, were upset about the water shortage because the water pump at the pumping station was not up-to-date. A new and updated pump had been scheduled to be installed months before.

City officials blamed the water company and its employees for failing to install the new pump before winter set in. Officials complained that because the water company employees had put off for so long installing the new pump that by the time the new station was needed, it was extremely difficult to get labor. The weather had become so cold and disagreeable that workers refused to help.

The water company in turn blamed the city officials. It claimed the only reason the water company failed to comply with the new contract was because the city permitted it to. Water company employees felt that city officials should have exercised their authority to get the new pump installed on schedule. They blamed the city officials for not doing their jobs. The water company felt that if all that had been done, the city would not have had any problems with the water supply. The new pump was eventually installed, creating a more up-to-date water supply system.

Currently, the residents of Cape Girardeau don't have to worry about extremely cold weather affecting their lives in such a draxstic way. The community is no longer as dependent on the river for its water. In fact, most of us would be lucky to realize the river was frozen at all.

"When the water levels are low and the temperature is below freezing, there is certainly a chance that the combination of the two could result in parts of the river freezing," Priester said.

Several years ago, that did occur, said Priester. Water levels for the river were extremely low, and the area experienced extremely cold temperatures during the winter months. As a result, the Mississippi River was frozen all the way across in some parts. But the ice remained on the river for only a few days and did not affect the water supply.