The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-02-22
WABASH AND ONO CANAT.

. ~ - "oAith9tOHs DdVlSSS COQn
W lndiana, on the subject of the Wabasl
and Ohio Canal, from which it will be per
ceived that our friends in the interior ar,
/ fully alive to the Importance of the project
sod have set forth in their proper light, the
true grounds upon which the grant of land.
IS asked for, and rightfully expected from
Congress.
We have hitherto RETAINED from discus
sion of the relative merits of the two schemes
for extending the Erie and Wabash Canal ia
a narigabie point on the Western waters.
because we did not wish TO embarrass the
success of either measure, while there was
a prospect of both receiving the aid of Con
gress. But as it seems now decided that
one or the other mast succumb, IT is high
time for the friends of the Canal to sneak
out in its behalf. We shall therefore pro.
coed TO state, as briefly. as we can the reas-
ons why the Canal should have preference.
In the first place, the certainty of its ac-
comprising fully and entirely the great end
for which the thoroughfare was intended. viz /:
the opening of a direct inland communca-
lion between the lower Ohio and Mississippi
valleys and the Northern Atlantic cities nv
way OF the Lakes, forms an argument in IA
yor OF the Canal which the warmest friends
Oft fhe II liver rooooy ;,o1oaoh =. IL. ~
once De cicsea, and the whole question be
comes one of dollars and cents-of ditch
ing, embanking. bridging-until the work is
done and finished efiectually, permanently.
certainly, as two and two make four. Now
can any unpreiudiced man say the same of
The klrert Have not all the reports which
have been made upon the subject, expressed
doubts of the practicability of any plan fer
making The River permanently navgable p
A reference to Mr.. Burr's Report, in 1887,
which is very properly alluded to by our
friends at Washington, will convince any dis
interested reader that he at least had little
hope Of any great improvement ever being
effected IN The general course of the River.
II IS fact, established, too, by his report.
that the friends of tue River themselves had
50 little confidence in the possibility of inn
proving the channel in the lower sections.
that they had suggested a ship canal from
The Grand Chain 10 Mount Vernon. thus
cutting off a portion of the River entirely.
aud had actually obtained survey of the
route, with the estimates of cost, Sc. which
are given in full in the report. This being
The case, can any one suppose for a moment
NH 7Tnc TrTeiIJis OF The RIVER would have
suggested the construction of a ship canal
lions of dollars, if they had believed it pos
sble to render the Wabash navigable at "a
cost of six hundred thousand dollars2 as tits
now asserted can be done; or, indeed, that
they would ever have proposed such an i'm
niction Of the utter inspoSsibility of doing
any thing with the River. This proposition
TO supercede the River by ship canaI--the
most costly Of all improvements-furn
as strong an argument against the improve
ment of the River as need be required, since
it is direct abandonment Of the question;
but strong as it Is, we are willing TO overlook
il altogether, and try tic River by its real
merits.
| According 10 the Reports Of Surveys, made
| by the Engineers, as also the Reports of the
Stale Board of Internal Improvements, the
Wabash River runs through an extensive
valley of light alIuvial formation, but little
4 elevated above the bed of the river, and sub
liect TO constant foundations during ordinary
periods OF high water. The general absence
Of stone, and the lightness of the soil com
posing the banks, render them liable to con
slant changes-one side yielding TO the force
iof the current, while the other is receiving
deposits at some point Immediately below
) By the constant operation of this process
through broad plain of aIluvial land, the
river has in many places changed its be,
entirely, leaving inland lakes and bayous
e often two or three miles distant from the ri
: yer, where once the main channel existed
n Such being the character of the stream-an,
we believe no unprejudiced man will Dispute
: 1.-THE idea of attempting to improve it b
artificial means seems almost preposterous