Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-04-11


III lat marshy country in the ncighhor-
hood OF the 81. Joseph ot' TIE Lake, and
runs Il meandering course wcstwardlv,
passing The southern extremity Of Lake
Michigan "a; The distance of 20 or 3Omiles
from ii. Near tire head OF this river is j
small creek putting into ti,e ST. Joseph.
i.srO' which boats have passed I'm time OF
high water from the St. Joseph TO the
kanSakee.
!'he country through which he Dee
Planes the de Page and The kaukahee RI
Ners take ihcir courses, appears TO he un-
de'and, with "A vast bed of lime stone,
which occasionally makes its appearance
IN ihe Nallles of these rivers, covered with
SOL too hin 10 support vegetation.
Chicago river IS merely an arm of the
lake, dividing itself into two branches at
tie distance of one mile inland from It's
communication with The lake. The north
branch extends along the westerly side OF
the lake about 80 miles, and receives
some few tributaries. The south branch
has an extent OF only 6 or miles, Srtl re-
cclves no supplies except from the small
lake of the prairie aboge described. 4he
river and each OF its branches are osvari-
able widths, from Is to so yards, AMI Tor
. or 3 mics inland, have a Sufficient
depth of waterto admit vessels of almost
any bur,ben. The entrance into Lake
Michigan, However, which is so wards
vice, IS distracted ~ sand bar about
20 wards broad upon the highest parts cf
which the wafer is usuaily no more THAI
two feet deep. The Difficulty of remov-
inn this obstruction would moi be great.
Piers might be sunk OIL both sides of the
cntfance, and the sand rene, ell from be-
tween them. Dy this means tile river
would be rendered safe and councillors
liarbor for shipping; cow nionce
which is seldom e be met with on Tie
shores of Lake Michigan.
The St. Joseph Of the lake is narigable
for battcaux, to very considerable qs-
lance, in all stages of the water.
The ST. M&ry's and St. Jo>ephs of tie
Maurice are rivers OF considerab sizr and
extent. The former, III wet Seasons, is ma
vigablctor pcrogues to Fort st. Nay's,
100 miles from lis confluen; with the
latter, by the course Of the river. lis
branches interlock With those of the Wa
bash and Big Miami. The st. joseph's is
navigable about 60 miles, It's tribntarics
nterlocklng with those of tlie 81, Joseph
offhe Lake, the Kankakec and the Wa
bash.
The Maurice Of the Lake is 100 n,iIesi in
length, and Is navIgable for baticauX and
pcrogucs throughout its whole extent Ia
allsiages OF thc water. About 20 miles
ab0ve lis mouth are the Wolf Rapids
The fall Of the water, Ia never, Is not SO
greal as 10 occasion any very serious OBJ
sir1ct.on 10 the navigation CT the riy.
er.
The courses and rela,fe positions q
the several rivers and creeks E.ay be seen
by recurring TO the plans.
Proposed ta,,Gis and Roaas.-A canal
uniting The waters OF tlic Illinois With those
OF Lake Michigan, may be considered the
first III Importance of any in this quarter
OF the country, ard al The same time the
construction OF itw oulG be attended with
very little EXPENSE compared with i.ie
magnitude OF the Object.
The wafer course which is already be-
tween the river Des Planes and Chicago
river needs but !..t!e mere excavation 10
render it sufficiently capacious for all tlie
purposes Ola canal. ltmay he supplied
VII wafer at all times OF the year, by con-
structlnga am OF moderate height across
the ID Planes, which would give the va
ter Of that river q sufficient al yafion 20
supply canal extending from one TiVcrto
tie ollor. 1t would be necessary, also,
| 10 construct locks at the extremitics Of
| the canal that communicating With CHI
cago river being calculated 10 eleyate a.
| bout g feet, and that communicating with
/ tie Des Planes about feet.
| To render the Des Planes and Illinois
navigable for small boats and fails, re-
curing but small draught ofwater, Eo-
thing more is necessary than the con-
| siructi0n of sluices Of a width sufficient
10 admit the boats to pass through them,
This may be effected by clearing away
| the loose stones from the bottom, aud
forming banks erected wnh stone. two or
three feet high, ON each side ofthe shice.
There are but icw places, however, where
works of this kind would be necessary (;
the extent Of ihe whole probably would
not exceed miles Thus wafer com
munication between the Illinois and Lake
Michigan may he kept open AT all times,
sufficient o answer all the purposes for
which canal Will be wanted, for many
years 10 come.
A cana! connecting tie ST. Joseph Of the
Lake with tie Illinois, by way OF rhc Kan
katee, may be constructed also III "a simi-
lar manner, and with equal facility, except
lhat the distance by this rout Is considers
bly, greater.
There ar various oiher places, where
water communicative may bc optned m
this quarter, bt means Of caaais, 90 great
advantage, ofwhicIi ibe following .e bnt
. small proportion, viz between tn So
Joseph ofthe Lake aud the st. Joseph's +
the Maurice, between the latter end te
81