The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-06-07
CONCLUDED.

Il 4
SEcoND-"7hat the Cost ofMe Compile
ton of the Canal wouM not erceeC
100000 doilars."
The practicabllity of uniting the wa
ters of the Mississippi with those Of the
great northern lakes, became question
of some interest at quite an early day.
1t was known to the first French trav.
ellers from Canada, that both the Illinois
river and the Wisconsin tributaries of the
Mississippi, had their sources in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the waters of lake
Michigan, and in 1863 Father Marquette
passed in boats from the lake through Fox
river (or Green Bay) and the Wisconsin
to the Mississippi, and returned to the
lake through the Illinois river and (prob-
ably Chicago creek.
Both these routes were subsequently,
used for many years by the fur traders, in
their expeditions among the Indians, in
passing between the lake and the Missis-
sippi. At certain seasons of the year.
when the streams were high and when
treshcts prevailed, they were enabled to
pass from one river to the other in their
boats, at other times, short "p,rage"
of from one and a half to three miles was
necessary, the boats and contents at such
times being carried across from one stream
to the other upon the backs of the men.
AT the present day, even, large body of
water brought down by the Des PLANES
river (the main northeastern branch of
the Illinois is discharged through Mud
lake into Chicago creek, and thence into
lake Michigan. Such a striking feature
in the formation of the country, between
the lake and the river, attracted the atten-
ton of the earlier travellers and settlers,
and the project Of uniting the waters by
means of canal soon became an object
of great interest and of great importance,
in the estimation of those who looking
forward to the period, when the fertile
regions watered by the Mississippi and
the lake. would be covered with dense
and industrious population, requiring
means and facilities, by which the pro-
ducts of the rich soil could be transported
tot market.
One of the very first steps taken by H.
llnOls after it became state, was to Sc
cure the construction of canal, "belwecn
the navigable waters of the Illinois river
and lake Michigan; - and the first sue
cessful effort towards the accomplishment
of this object was secured in 1922, when
congress authorized tie state to construct
canal over the public lands, and granted
to 1t for that purpose, strip or belt of
ninety feet in width on both sides of the
same. Subsequently, board of commits
soners was appointed and organized, with
instructions to examine the route of the
proposed canal, and to cause survey and
estimates Of the cost of the work to be
made and laid before the Legislature of the
state for its consideration. In 1925, i've
plans and estimates were submitted by the
commissioners, in accordance with the
preceding Instructions the estimates va
ried in amount from 639, 900 to 7l6 900
dollars. In the year 1927, congress made
still further and more importan, grant;
it gave to the state Of Illinois every alter
nate section of land (640 acres) lying up
on the line of the contemplated canal, and
extending five miles in width on each
side, amounting in the aggregate TO abou,
2S4, 900 acres.
- In 1929, new board of canal commits
sioners was organized, and they were au-
thorized to cause the canal to be cons,ruc-
ted, and TO dispose of the lands granted
by congress, to provide means for carry
ing on the work. In the following year,
experimental surveys were made by
party of engineers acting under the orders
OF the war department; but their investi-
cations were confined principally to the
question of praclicabilty of the canal,
supply of water, &c. In the year 1899,
other surveys and estimates were made
under the authority ol the state, and the
sum of 4,Oi3, 900 dollars was stated bv
the engineer to be necessary for the con.
struc'ion Of canal forty feet wide, and
four feet deep.
1t was not until the year 1886, howev-
or, that any very efficient measures ap.
pear to have been adopted, Cor the proper
prosecution of this grea, work "a new
board of commissioners was organized in
thai year, with authority to construct the
canal; an experienced engineer was ap.
pointed, further and more minute surveys
we're Instituted and estimates in detail
were furnished, Of the probable cos; of