Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-06-19

and It's direction depends upon the
course of the wind; objects have been
seen to float out of it from the same
point to the river and to the lake. 1t is
incontestibly true that an east wind will
drive the water of the lake through this
gutter into the Piein, and that water
from lake Michigan has been discharged
by this outlet into the Mississippi, and
thence into the gulf Of Mexico. 1t is
equally incontestible that the waters of
the Plein have been driven by the same
channel into the lake: and that these
phenomena may now be witnessed at any
time when the waters are high and the
winds blow hard. 1t follows therefore,
that to finish the canal begun by nature
in this place, would require, as we have
already said, bat little Of skill, time or
expense. On opening the canal how
ever, two difficulties would be expert
enced. |. The Plein would be found
to be above the level OF the canal; its
waters of course would be diverted from
its natural channel and pass by the ca
nal into the lake. 2. Surprising. that
evil remedied by lock to lift vessels in
to the Plein, yet the Fleia during half
the year does not contain water enough
to float boat and so would not become
useful as national highway. To re-
medy this defect of nature in the Plein
two projects subject themselves. /. To
sink the bed of the Piein below the level
of the canal, and thus increase the depth
of the Pleim as well by feeding it out of
the lake as by collecting its waters into
a narrower channel. @ To make the
the canal unite with the Piein lower
down IN its course few miles lower
would be sufficient to give the water OF
the lake a descent into the river, as the
Ptein has a sensible descent in this
place; in SO much that the people OF
Chicago call it = the Rahida," having no
other word to distinguish moving water
from that which stands stiil. e"
OF the Pieia below its point of APP
proach to the lake we would remark that
ithas hardly the attributes of a river, be-
ing in most places without current and
without banks, lying as a sheet of water
in the prairie sometimes mile wide, and
SO shallow that the tall grass appears al
most every where above its surface.
Having said thus much ofthe facility
of communications by the Chicago, we
would now observe that several nther
routes are perfectly pfactic able. |.
From point in the lake south of Chico
go, to enter the Pien below mount Ju-
het, at or near what is called lake du
Page, but which is only dilation ofthe
waters of the Plein. This route would
lay over level prairie through multi
tude of small lakes or ponds which have
neither name nor place in any map.
2. BY canal leaving the lake near It's
south end and uniting with the IAeakiki,
Just above its confluence with the Piein.
Both of these canals would be fed from
the lake, would require few or no locks,
would go over ground of the same soil,
would be SO or 60 miles long, and would
Join the waters of the Illinois at points
from which it is constantly navie,able.
A third route was spoken of, but not
seen by us. 1t would lie between the
7heukiki and the St. Joseph oi:the lake
Information says that it has been prac-
tised by French traders.
You willperceive sir, thatwe have not
spoken of the nature of the soil through
which these several routes would pass
Not being our business to search for and
report upon the practicability of water
communication, our observations were
limited to what fell under the eye while
engaged in another duty. And in max
ing this report to you it is our object to
excite inquiry, not to furnish plans Oh
practical projects. We shall therefore
only say, on this point, that the country
in general and the bed of the Piein, ex-
hibited much loose stone, pebble, and
firm ground.
To conclude, the route by the Chicago,
as followed by the French since the dis
covery of the Illinois, presents at one
season of the year an uninterrupted
water communication for boats of six Or
eight tons between the Mississippi and
the Michigan lake, at another season, a
portage oftwo miles at another, port
age of seven miles, from the bend of the
Plein to the arm of the lake, at another
a portage of fifty miles, from the mouth
of the Plcin to the lake; over which
there is well beaten Wagon road, and
boats, and their loads are hauled by oxen
and vehicles kept for that purpose by
the French settlers at the ChicaS0.'
With respect, sc.
JOSEPH PHILLIPS,
RICHARD GRAHAM.
Hon. J. c. CAuioUN,