The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-12-27
From the Chicago Democratic Press.
Of the Illinois River.
LETTER FROM WILLIAM GooDlNG, ESQ.
CANAL OFFICE. LoCKPoRr, !

To tie Editors Of tile Dem. P,ess Now |
that the principal lines of railroads con-
ccutcrirg N Chicago or diverging thcrefrom !
and threading the whole of the Northwest
crn States, are either completed or II. such Il
condition as to secure their completion in a |
short time. it may be well u inquire what
other pubic work can be constructed which
will II oSt eifectually promote the interests
of our State and that city in whose wonder
ful growth and prosperity all lilInoi>ans feel
such just pride. Even with the facilities
which Chicago already possesses she would
doubtless, in time, become the largest inland
city on the continent. But If ii can he clear
ly shown that hc- prosperity may he great
ly accele,a ted 10y improvements practicable
at rational cost, | am sure that her enter
prislns and wealthy citizens will exert them
selves to execute them.
It.is now generally conceded that such an
! improvement as will enable vessels Of 500 or
! 900 tons burden to pass from Chicago to
! the Atlantic, viii, in a few years, be made,
As it will bc absolutely necessary to accom-
/ MEDIATE the rapidly increasing commerce of
/ the Lakes, whether "A direct trade with Eu-
rope, without trai shipment, be advisable or
not.
\ railroad from Chicago to the Pacific by
! one of the several routes which have been
suggested, is also only question of time
/ Important as these two great enterprises
/ doubtless are for the full development Of our
vast resources, they are, in my opinion, far
/ less SO to the immediate interests OF the city
/ OF Chicago and the State of illinois than the
proper improvement of the Illinois River,
and ultimately, an increased capacity of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal.
The time Is now so near at hand when the
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some plan should, if practicable, be made
without delay for this important improve
ment. That the Illinois River, as it now is,
cannot be relied upon as a commercial tho
rOnghare, everybody understands. That
the navigation of our Western rivers gene
Z rally, (as you have frequently stated in your
paper,) is every year becoming more and
more uncertain either from the improvement
of the country which they drain, or from
some other cause, is also doubtless fact
But admitting all this, II does not by any
means follow that these rivers must be alto
ce;her abandoned channels of commerce,
and railroads ez,tireiy take their place. For
our principal agricultural products lumber,
Goa, stone and other heavy and comparative
~ cheap articles cheap transportation is the
great desideratum, and it requires no argu-
mcnt with our business men 10 show that
transportation upon good nayigable river
or canal OF large capacity is cheaper than
upon any railroad.
For years past various plans have been
discussed for the Improvement Of the navi-
cation of the Illinois River, but it is unne-
ceSsary TO recap tuate them now. Suffice
1t to say, that so far a. have been able to
collect the present opinions Of = majority Of
those who haye given the most attention TO
tiiS g1lipcf fu.v nbpuf fellows
!. The Improvement must be made by a
Joint Stock Company under a charter from
the State If ut all, as neither the State nor
the General Government vii appropi late
money enough 10 make and keep up i pro-
per improvement.
> II must be 50 made IS % secure at al
times a depth o; water not les than Xix
feet SO that cana! boats fully laden can pass
to any point Of the river or down the Hi
nois to the Mississippi River without 3D.
structon or hiudranec.
). There Is no other possible plan To Sc
cure this depth of water a; any rational
cost, or within any reasonable tune, except
by locks and dams, and there IS no doubt
water enough in the drycst seasons without
any additional supply 10 make this sack
water improvement, entirely practicable.
/. It w0n.i not. probably, require more
than ten dams and lp-hS AMI THESE dams
woul! no:, on an average. be required to lie
buJt Eq.q lti Z q! ~, II 4itjjt sttcj - lie
and 800 feet long in the clear. rs to pass
lirge class of boats if not the very largest
| steamboats, which ply between NV C.l.sns
and ST. Louis.
6. lie cost of such an improvement, y on i
not exceed three millions Of dollars and The
time required 10 complete il from the com
rnercemeIt would not be more than tnO
gers.
:. With favorable charter, the stock TO
make this improvement would be readily
subscribed and many of the best men in our
State would take hoG o! the matter in car
nest.
Whilst the foregoing opinions are sub
s;antay those that arc expressed by ma
iprIty OF those gentlemen who have most
thoroughly investigated this subject, there
are others equally interested who dilicr from
these views. Perfect unaniuIty cannot, Of
course, be expected, but it * exceedingly de-
srable that the friends to the Improvement
should, As far as practicable, agree upon some
plan before the meeting OF our Legislature,
now close at hand.
If the river be improved as above sug-
gested, the company must derive its profit
upon their Investment by charging tolls up
on freight in the same manner as is usual
upon canals.
The business OF the Illinois and Michigan
Canal could be quadrupled, even with its
present capacity, without scarcely any in
crease of expense, aud its capacity may be
greatly increased at a comparatively small
cost. Any necessary increase Of capacity
would doubtless be given as soon as the in
provement Of the river would warrant it,
But Ill who have given any attention to
this subject, must agree that the first move
to be made is TO secure the proper improre-
laent Of the Illinois Rirer. This is certain
" within the present means of the country
directly interested in the proposed improve
ment, and it ought no. to be longer delayed.
When this important object shall have
been accomplished, it will be soon enough
to demonstrate how the largest class of Mis-
sissippi steamers can be passed from La
Sale TO Chicago, how this direct trade be-
tween the lower Mississippi and the Lakes
would increase the prosperity of a vast re-
gon Of country, and finally that the cost of
the enterprise will not then be too great for
the objects to be accomplished by it.
Yours, &c, WV. GooDING.
The eminent success which has attended
the Canada Reciprocity treaty is set forth in
the Presidents Message. It,has doubled the
trade between the two sides af the boundrv
line. 1t was triumph of liberal diplomacy
and Of the modern free trade ideas over the
exclusive policy Of former days.
The question naturally occurs, why canot
the same policy be excnden so as to embrace
the rich and productive islands Of the West
Indies-British, French and Spanish? The
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