Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-04-24
WESTERN TOPOGRAPHY & RESOURCES.
ILLINOIS CANAL.
IRON THE JOURNAL OLA rnAvr11r,


Through the Great Western Lakes and do.un the
Illinois Riuer, in July, .qugust, and September.
1892.
CATER experiencing considerable priyations
and dangers in travelling by land from Green
Bay to Chago, distance of about two hundred
and thirty miles, was amply comp ensated by .
view Of the latter place, which presents so much
for interesting observation. Nature has in store
so many and so great advantages at this spot,
which can be easily realized by unlocking them
at a moderate expense, that any great, length
of time wi II not, according tothe progress of
improvement making in our country, continue.
before great attention is attracted to it. Not
many years will elapse before Steam Boats will
freely pass and repass to and from New Orleans,
through the Great Western Lakes by the Hi.
nois River.
The garrison of Chicago is about thirty miles
from the southern extremity or head of Lake
Michigan. The shores of this end Of the lake are
sandy, indicating, as the whole country does.
its former submersion, and as it is here narrow,
it will be more Or less subject to the force and
effect of the great northern and eastern winds,
which will of course make difficult to form
harbor here.
The width of the Chicago River at the gar
rison, covering less than one acre of ground,
where its depth, on the 18th September was
about or S feet, is 50 yards, which is very near
the mouth.-The mouth of the Chicago often
choaks and shifts the channel, and it is believed
to be impracticabe to make good one by Dill.
ing. Hence. it is inferredby some, that great
difficulties and rsques will attend the operation
of excavating the ground constructing the
works either here or at the Kennimink, NEARLY
the same size, about 10 miles further south.
for the purpose oftaking the water out of the
lake, to cannectTit with the Illinois. II is even
doubted whether insupcrabe difficulties will
not be presented to navigation contemplated
by this canal by the choking up Of both the
Chicago and Kennimink But all agree, that
the only permanent supply of water for this
canal must be from the lake. This comedies
with my own opinion, subsequently formed
after leaving Chicago, and descending the lii.
nos. When the gradual descent of the fl-
nos River, through a country which can be
easily excavated, is considered, no serious OBJ
stacle to the completion of this canal exists sx-
cept the one above named.
At the portage at Des PLANES, at the head of
Chicago Creek, the difference between the two
levels Of the Des PLANES and the Chicago las
surveyed) is said to be or z feet.
The Chicago subsidies so much, in dry time,
that its he'd is then entirely fed by Lake Mich-
gan, there being no springs to supply it 10,
Wimetts about miles, which is the head of
About half mile above the garrison the Chi
cago forks into two branches of nearly an equal
size; the northern extending near twenty miles,
They both maintain nearly an equal depth and
width for about two miles, and the southern
branch to Wimetts, viz: a depth Of Is or 90
feet. after, crossing the bar at the garrison
This south branch forms again about half miie
this side of where the portage commences.
Part of this found to be marshy and miry
ground. The marsh. or, as it called; 'the
lake." where this branch begins. or is lost, is
about one and half miles long. From here
the waters turn to the Des PLANES, and the
rcputed distance from the garrison, at the mouth
of Chicago to the Des PLANES, is from twelve
to fifteen miles. At the head of Chicago Creek,
when waters are high, small portion of them
turn towards Lake Michigan. but more towardi
the Illinois, and altogether that way in time OF
law water
After arriving at The Des PLANES, we descend
ifabout forty five miles, on and near its bank,
when we arrive at the head of the Illinois.
formed by the FUNSTON Of the Kankakee and the