Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-02-14

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and its enviIons, for the purpose of as
/ pertaining The best mode Of Improving
III, and making it accessible for steam
boats at all stages of water. These
Surveys having been executed by Mr..
Samuel G. Wiltse, and the result
! communicated to me; after careful
investigation ofthe subject, have the
honor to submit the following report
and estimates, accompanied with maps
Illustrative Of the same.
The harbor at present, situated as it
is on one of the collateral branches,
or channels of the Mississippi, appears
to be approachable only by the tor.u,
Gus sinuosii:es Of Grant River Slough,
I.or, by the shorter, and little less OBJ
liectionable meanderings Of Swift
Slough. The channel Of the formcris
obstructed at numerous points by
shoals. or bars, formed by deposits of
Tits. The removal of this would re-
Guire a. great amount Of dredging to
make it nayigable at low wafer, and
the annual operations of dredge boat
would, in all probability, be indispen-
sable TO keep it at Il proper depth. In
"a channel so long and crooked, IT is
difficult TO form correctidea what the
result might be in case it should be so
improved. The removal Of the bars
as they now stand might cause the ac-
formulation Of deposits in other places,
and the work of one season might be
fcounteracted and rendered useless by
the result of the succeeding one. Ii is
highly important too, that boats in as
bending the river should have an easy
! egress from the harbor, aud that there
should be the same facilities for the
ingress of boats descending. And as
the Improvement of this channel only,
cannot afford these, the project Of ma
king il navigahle should be abandon
ed.
1 The channel Of Swift Slough is nav
igable for boats of light draft at near
" all stages of water. and the APP
i proach to the landing after leaving IL
is only liable to be obstructed at the
4 point A, in Grant River Slough, where
4 the water, as indicated by the sound
! ings, was only four feet deep at the
time the soundings were made. 1t
therefore appears that but little is re-
quircd to be done to make the water
of sufficient depth for the present
/ The objections TO this improvement,
! however, are the same, though in a
less degree, as those offered to the i'm
provcment of Grant River Slough.
i 1t appears. TOO, that the sand-bar
situated above the island B, and ex-
tending nearly to the mouth of Ferry
Slough, is rapidly approaching the
island. The soundings show that
/ there is merely sufficient water at
present for boats TO pass at G, when
the river is very low, and the deposit
of few more years may efectua.ly
close the ingress.
RI The existence Of this bar, located as
it is, will render the duration Of any
improvement which can be made in
connection with the Swift Slough
very uncertain. Itwould therefore be
advisable to adopt some less precari-
Gus means of attaining the desired re-
suit; and the most feasible plan which
presents itself would be direct cut
FROM the Mississippi river to Grant
River Slough, as represented on the
accompanying maps The surface of
the water in the Mississippi at the
point ID, was nine inches above the sur
face Of the water in Grant River
Slough at the point +, when the sur
I veys were made by Mr.. Wiltse; and
the distance from ID TO Il, being but
three thousand two hundred feet, there
would consequently be current of
sufficient velocity to prevent the accu-
mutation Of any deposit in the bed of
the canal. The course from the outlet
or point e, TO the landing place being
very direct, the force Of the addition
al quantity of water from the canal in
! to Grant River Slough, flowing as It
would with its accelerated velocity
would have tendency not only TO
keep the channel Of the slough clear,
but would probably deepen it at the
point F, where it is at present most
shallow. A beneficial result might
also be anticipated throughout the en-
tire length Of the slough.
The canal from the Mississippi viii
Be approximate at any stage Of water,
I for boats ascending or descending the