Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-01-18


6 from the foot OF the rapids of the Illinois
D to the ford oil the Des PLANES, is proba
) oily rock, il is presumable that wherever
: the canal may be located, 10 the requl
: site excavations, lodges OF rocks will IN
tercept the line and present themselves
8 to view above the bottom OF he canal
hence in estimating the probable expense
: OF ext AVIATION, TINS supposltlon should b'
a duly regarded.
The principal Ingredient IN the com
position OF these rocks, especially those
in(the lodges, is sand some however
are silicious and very hard, which is al.
most invariably the case With those loose
stones on the surface; some arc calca-
reous and same are apparently pure
sand, and are readily decomposed b. a
| light stroke Of a hammer. In the vi
cinity oil Fox river, and between that
stream and the coal bank, there are Sc
yeral of these Lodges, and on the surface
we observed frequent clusters Of stones
apparently thrown together by art. ha-
wing considerable thick coat of calcs-
reous substance, containing a perfectly
silicioas nucleus. In the bluffs Of the
Illinois about one mile and ali half be
low the Little Vermlliien, is, 10 all APP
r,@arauco, an cAtcnst'c UUuy or 5r4y li--, .
stone, and in the bluffs OF the Bes PLANES,
above Mount Toilette, large quantities of
similar stone are exposed to view. AT
several other intermediate points we
discovered species of calcareous
sand stones, toierabIy hard granular
in their texture. and wall probably
make lime but of very inferior qualify.
However from The lodges OF grey lime
stone, above noticed, and from the bed
OF lime stones. near the bank OF the RI
yer Chicago, from which the inhabitants
of that section of country, obtain their
supply OF this article, ii is supposed a
sufficient quantity of lime and building
stone may be procured fer the construc-
ton ofthe locks that may be required on
the canal.
4t,s 1H- brnhaIIe Quon,itp nfe rcn ~
tions, em6ankmentS and grabbing on the
different routes
What the undersigned denominate
=" " - NV N"Seot 81 V WV al idiibbo W hIIh
may be given to the upper part of the
route lying between the head of the Chi
cage river, and a point in the river Des
PLANES, near the head of isle la Cache,
or Cache island. FroU, this poin, 10 the
mouth OF the Little Vermillion, all the
routes are ihe same, excepting in that
from A to III, by which it is contemplate
ed TO use the waters OF Lake Michigan
alone for feeder BY this route alter
passing the river Des PLANES, by an
squeduct at II, the canal will commune
cate with the principal line at K, and
thence proceed TO the mouth of the Lit
tie VermiIiion. To avoid JsotoIogy anu
ciroumlocution in our subsequent OBJ
servations, relatively TO the variations
here indicated, we will denominate the
route from the head of the Chicago by
the ford of Aux PLANES at B, and thence
by K, TO be the first route thai from A
to P, thence along the bed Of The river 10
Cache island, and thence to |, K, SC. to
be the second reute that from A to S,
thence in the bed OF the river to Cache
island, and thence by |, K, &c. TO be The
third route: that by A Cache island,
|, K, &c. TO be the fourth route j.: and
that from A TO II, K, sc. to be the TIN
route.
BY taking the first route, the whole
line OF the commuDi, alton must be form
ed by dams, aqueducys, excays ions. and
entertainments. Nov, if We suppose
IL cF tha dtcta p,tlaa n he
embankments 80 of it, or miles ex-
cayalion in rock, (Which is supposed in
each case 10 be liberal allowance) and
1920 feet of aqueducts, and 500 feet OF
dams, the remaining part OF the distance
will fall on ground easily excavsted.
Then by assuming the ACTIVITY and de-
clivi,y of tie surface to be .quable,
superstition that may be nearly realized
in the ultimate location Of the canal, it
is believed tho deep cuttings that will be
absolutely required, will be compensat-
ed by supposing the whole capacity of
the canal, to wit: 40 feet wide at top,
% leet wide at bottom, and feet deep
to be excsvated. The small quantity Of
timber to be met with, on the route
traced on the map, all lying below the
diverging lines at Cache island, the
quantity of grubbing, in all the cases
here considered, will be the same which
we suppose to be, in all, miles.
Assuming the above estimates as data,
the whole line being 81 ms. 2 C. 81 we
have on this route,
Excavations in earth, 8s ms. IS c.26
do /, rock q