, 1859-06-15
Steam Navigation on the Illinois
Canal.-The Deep Cut.

II is with much interest that the progressive
classes of society al.rdys look upon the initia-
tory steps in all great Improvements. The
spirit Of progress has always had to contend
will, old-fogyism, aud always will. The old
fogy would not give up his raft for FuEton's
steamboat, but stuck tenaciously to his ship.
He would not trade his yoke Of oxen for loco
motive, because the latter was "tmprdeficable,'
aud the former, though slow, was perfectly safe.
An old-fashioned cradle, in his estimation, was
4 good deal better than one Of NcOormick's
rcapcrs. He onre ridiculed omuibusses, and
preferred walking to bussing; but, finally, be
consented to put his foot into it, and became,
gradually, quite in lore with the thing That
suited him, and he could not MiHk Of being
run of the track by railroad cars, even though
drawn by horses; and he battled for his stages
until the rails were down and the cars in full
blast. Thus his hobbies arc going going! but
he h.s always zone more left" lie now insists
upon making himself ridiculous by pitting his
iul1occnt old liorse-whicll las been faithful 50
grass-against modern improved steam-en-
gine u tourse he will contend for his pony,
and nobody is ut all astonishcd-lor people
have conc to look for old fogy's opposition, as
thing inevitable.
But, seriously, how absurd it is to contend
that horse power Gun compete, successfully,
with steam, in the accomplishment Of any task
Of fn,agnitude-such as conveying heavy mer-
chandisc for long distances By laud, river, Lake
or canal. Ioujusty remark, in your paper Of
the 10th, that Mr.. AlcGinnis might hare learned
If he does not already know-that steamboats,
can be prodtably used on the Illinois and Michi-
gan Canal. The reports Of the New York and
Eric Canal are conclusive on this point. The
practicability Of steam navigation on our canals
has also been demonstrated beyond all doubt,
in this State. The experiment, rs such, Was
entirely successful, notwithstanding the decided
disadvantages under which it was made. Full
toms steamboat has been improved upon consid-
ably. It is not all impossible to improve upon
the steam canalboats first used upon the ILL
nois and Michigan Canal, rs indicated by the
remark Of "Expcrimcntor," in speaking Of ono
Of those very first attempts She has had
kind of mongrcl hybrid career running occa-
sionally upon the Illinois River aud very rarely
through the Canal. Her appearance at The
present time affords the best evidence in the
world Of the difference between theory and
practice" Make the required improvements,
and it will prove profitable as well rs praetica-
bic, even in the present condition Of the Canal.
But an estimate made upon this basis g1ves but
.;,4 ,F,. So 1,o
accomplished, in the way Of canal navigation in
Illinois, or Of the immense pccuniary benefits
to be derived therefrom, both By the State and
by the city of Chicago or, what is p, ,e-emincnt-
ly important, the sanitary benefits to. be de-
rived by the commercial emporium Of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal as it was originally
commenced is, us slip canal. But
small amount If cxcavating, comparatively
speaking. yet remains to be done, to giye
channel from Chicago to New Orleans, nayiga-
bic by sal vessels and steam-tugs. Gone tug
can do the work OF sersral horses in the way of
towing canal-boats.} This would dispense with
the expensive pumping apparatus employed ut
Bridgeport to kcep-watcr in the Canal. The
water would flow freely from Lake Michigan
through the Chicago River and down through
the Illinois aud Michigan Canal into the Illinois
River, thus carrying the filth from the city sew
ers down the Canal, Instead of into tho lake,
into our water-works, into our tea and coffee, as
VIC no'c have it. This will obyiatc the necessity
OF removing our watcr-works, which will ineyi-
tably have to be done in few years ii the city