The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-05-31
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, MAY 81, 1914.


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! located upon the land of the state, with
! the same hope of profit in view.
> 1t is unnecessary to name all The points
4 where this combined policy was design
ed to apply, but we may remark, that the
plan was comprehensive in character, and
t would, in process of time, have made
: this valley the theatre of active business.
The works have hitherto been prosecu-
ted with view to carry it into execution,
and extensive arrangements have been
made at Lockport, Juliet, Ottawa, &c. for
that purpose. Whether the finances Of
the state justified so comprehensive a
scheme Of Improvements, involving ne
cessariy a very great expenditure, and
whether a plan better suited to the times,
and the ability Of the state, might not
have been adopted, are questions which
we have no occasion to consider.
We find the works at most places Ear
advanced towards completion, and proba-
] my lN"V""tt VI "'U'I H'oNIhV"Iun Nili'-
out more injury than benefit. whatever
may be the plan of future operations.
1t Is now proposed TO abandon the lake
as feeder, and to raise the level of the
summit eight feet, to avoid the expense
OF deep cutting.
This puts new face upon the whole
plan Of policy. excepting 50 far as regards
Ottawa, for new sources OF water must be
sought bolIl tor navigation and mlI pow
er, or the unity OF the scheme must be
relmqulshcd.
The substitute Tor the water of the lake
must he equally abundant and unIalling
to be equally valuable; and 1t 1t falls
shott OF tins lbe power will be diminish !
/ ed, ana The value oil Tie property depen-
| dent upon II impaired.
1t has been ascerlained that the rivers
/ Fox, Calumet, and Du Paige. nav all be
introduced upon the summit, and the
| Kankakee upon the level, next below Jul
| lct. Should the three first named be
employed with adequate feeders to sup
| ply the summit, there would he little rea.
son to doubt, that in any ordinary Stage
of the water, the supply would he annie
for navigation, and a large surplus left for
hydraulic works, unless the navigation
and waste should require more than we
anticipate. There would be, however,
] fl hi 4 a 4.
tanning supply, that from the rivers
would be subject to vary with seasons,
while that from the lake would be subject
to no such vicissiiude. If tie quantity
introduced by such feeders should be
equal to what could be drawn from the
lake, in other words, if it should equal
the capacity Of the canal, then the by
drau'ic power upon the canal from this |
source alone would be equal TO all that
co"'d nave o'eh obtained from The lake,
whIIe the Introduction OF the kankakce
upon lower level, would increase the
power at all miII-siles between there and
ottawa ana mere would thus, by tins
arrangement, he an increase OF power on
the canal beyond what the lake could
have supplied In any ordinary stage OF
'he water we see no reason to question
,u'S a'>"'' 'o' "'e ioN' 'a'ohe'' ana
r -" "'T' "'"'' '"'''''', '~'ooo cuo.c
','' per MINUTE Vt ''eF'aoo"''' "'lch Is
", ~ cS'''''"''' ''P''''y VI we canal. III
"""'""" 10 "''' "c FOX river W',' oe
''""s'' III T"",' " "c"" u ABOUT '"'r'y,
>'A ''',' anu at '''S over may al all
,''"'' ~ '"i'ol'" 'or mn, purposes
'c ,. 1t en,g'' '"e canal nc cnahSe
VI pa" "''' "'''''o'c' "hoer ordinary
'"'""''''''rI' give q greater power ,'ah
! VIal ORIGINALITY provided Tor, II all these