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

oa"ho, ana ProDsOly rises al those uihe'
aosut 90 feet above its present surlac
level but as its second banks, al th
point by the traced route, are nearly 5
feet above this surface level, and as th
adjacent country presents no visible in
podIment to the construction of the Ca
nal at this point, it appears practioa abb
TO cross this stream by an aqueduct eS
lending from the second bank Oh on
side 10 the second bank an the aiher,
distance OF, say, 600 feet. Although th
piers necessary to be constructed, 10 sup
port the aqueduct will, in degree, OBJ
struct the natural current of the stream
and thereby occasion a lrning accumu
iation of water above them, yet, as Ih'
squcduct may be raised 10 feet above tn,
estimated rise ofwster, the effect of thu
accumulation, it is presumed, viii be toe
inconsiderable 10 threaten any disastrous
result Were it desired, hewever, to
construct dam across this river, and Oh
each side to connect the Canal to the re.
servoir thus formed, ii is believed that a
position favorable to this view may be
selected: But taking into consideration
the inequable stage OF the water in this,
as also in all the rivers in our route,
whenever it is practicable, i, is most as
sur0dty advisable, IN constructing .b~
Canal, to pass the rivers by aquedncls in
preference to passing thom by dams -
Then, should any part OF the water be re-
CURED to feed the Canal, an inconsidera-
BILE dam at some convenient point, above
the aqueduct, may be constructed, and
the requisite supply OF water drawn from
the reservoir by small side canal OF
sufficient capacity to convey the quantity
OF water required.
The next stream in our route, of suffi-
Client magnitude to claim our attention,
is the river Aux Stables, c. Sc wide,
and, at its present stage, furnishes, in
round numbers, say 10000 cubic feet of
water 10 an hour. Judging from the pc.
sition of the drift wood on its shores, and
in the branches of the timber on its banks,
1t is evident that this stream, al the times
of high water, rises from II to Is ice,
above its present surface level. Here
an squeduct Of about 800 feet long and
90 feet high will be required. Then by
selecting suitable position higher up
the stream and constructing dam across
it, the canal may be fed by it's waters, as
in the case suggested a, Fox river This
river is 90 ms. 48 chs. 81 above Fox ri
yer 43 ms 8 chs, II from the point Of
beginning, and nus. Is chs below the
confluence Of the rivers Des PLANES and
Kank akee, which form the river Illinois.
In passing from the river Aux Stables
8 IN. s. c. SO on the route, we meet with
the ri or Du Page, beautiful stream of
water 66 feet wide, and furnishing
ll4,ooo cubic fee, of water in an hour.
Tie maximum perpendicular rise of the
water OF this stream may be taken at, say
Is feet. Here an aqucduct 800 feet long,
and 90 fee, high, will be required, and
dam and side canal, for feeder, as 10
the former cases.
From the river Du Page, passing on
10 m. % c. 46, where we touched the RI
yer Des PLANES, at Cache island. that RI
yer Is sscertained to furnish 900 Gu
bic feet of water in an hour; then l9 m.
Sc c. 60 further, we reach the point B at
the lord of this river, which here is c.
"a wide, and furnishes $4,000 cubic feet
OF water in an hour. From this point we
proceed on 7 rs, So c. 90 to the head Of
the Chicago river, or narrow arm OF Lake
Michigan, S IN. Q C. long; a natural ca
nal, averaging, say C. so in width, and
having a, no place between the bar at its
entrance into the lake, and its head, less
than IL feet of water.
Il must be observed that as the above
results are predicated on the present
stage OF waters, and as the quantities at
different periods is considerably variable,
and may probably, at some times be low
er than a, present, it is advisable, that on
the route which may be selected by the
commissioners, the results should shew
. surplus of water sufficient to answer
this probable depreciation.
81. The description and nature Of the
earth and rocks on the route traced on
the man.
From the cursory examination the un-
dersiened have been able to give to the
subjects embraced under this head, ha-
wing been limited 10 passing view of
the mere surface of the route, and the
broken sides of ravincs which occasion
aliy presented themselves, they are fully
sensible that they here offer to the com.
missloners a very imperfect sketch of
the varieties Of earth, soil, pebbles and
rocks that would be met with in deli
bers,e, scientific examination of this sec