, 1862-12-05
Enlargement. Of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal.
AN ABLE AND CONCLUSIVE
DOCUMENT.


plianoe with the request Of the Preaident of
the United States and the Hon. I. N, Arnold
OF the House Of Representatives, and under
leave granted by the War Department for that
purpose, I have made such inquiries and ex-
animation "a my time permitted, In relation
to the praeticabillty. cost, aod military and
commercial advantages OF opening passage
ior gunbosts and armed vessels from the Mis-
s9sslp2i to tho Lakes, by improving the nayi-
gatlon Of the Illinois River and enlargement
Of the Illinois snd Michigan Canal.
Knowing that the subject had been prayi-
ously discussed, in able and eloquent speechea
and reports, and that plans ard estimates had
been submitted to Congress, I thought It
btst, In the first place, to examine the esti-
mates, ard ASCERTAIN upon what evidences they
Tere tonnded.
TIE authors Of these plans and the esti-
ma7es, Mefsrs. William Gocdiug aud John
!. Preston, are respectively the Secretary and
Ergineer OF The Illinois and Michigan Canal
aud In The Office Of thst work, at Lockport,
Illinois, found the data which they had used
an examination Ct which, with full informa.
ton as 70 their sources and preparation, salts.
hen me that, for the purposes Of their report,
!u further surveys we're necessary.
The work naturally divides Itself into three
PORTIONS. and, taking the order In which they
we're presented to me. the first Of these diYis-
ions Is the Illinois River from its mouth to
Lesalle, the terminus Of the present Canal.
ioe SURVEY Of this portion WAS made by
competent engineers. under Instructions Of
the above named gentlemen and by AUTHORITY
OF 'he State OF Illinois. The maps and proiles
have every mark of care and Skill, and dFtbe
surveys were made under circumstances to
secure the greatest accuracy. This SURVEY il
tne 1ounoation Of the plans and estimates for
the improvement.
The mode proposed (and obviously the
Tbs whole distance Is go miles. and he faiI a
little less than twenty eight teet, or an average
OF ere and half inches per mile. Seven
cams anu !ocks are proposed. Fewer than
thsfe might be made to answer the purpose,
be raised throng ghout this entire distance to to
the required height Of atfording channel
capable Of passing steamboats, and vessels
drawing EH feet without oye11owiur
any valuable lands. Grea:er strength and se.
en1ltS can also be more readily given TO the
dams, as they will be of less height. than
Mould be necessary with q smaller number.
!he ELECT upon The river Will be u k.ep its
bed always cst.srcI Tor lis full width instead of
being as now, alternately covered and exposed.
While the occasional ovt:tlsEing Of the con
tlgnouE ;ow lands, will hsrd1Y be increased to
q perccp11hle degree. It is not aut;eIuatcd
that this state Of things will be injurious to
the health OF the adjacent country. On the
contrary. it is thought That this constant
tnllGess Ct lie bed OF the river will be bene-
hclal, N that respect, and that the fears,
Wh.ch hare been entertained in soma quar-
ters, Of i'll effects will not te realized.
The second OF the divisions in the ascend
ing order is that part Of the Illinois River.
between La Sale aud Lockport.
Ihl5 has not been surveyed with reference
to the proposed ,.trk. Its general character
aEd average T;ldth, are however, well known.
The lockage is precisely given by the present
cause, which runs nearly parallel with, and
not far from the river. So that we have data
sufficiently full and accurate for arriving at q
very close approximation to the cost Of the
improvement. 4 survey will be necessary to
dett rhine the location Of the dams and locks
snd the precise quantities of masonry. Bat
this cannot materially vary the aggregate OF
the calculations already made.
We come now to the third division ex:end-
ing from Lockport to Chicago. There it is
canal, en>arging it to the dimensions sic IS Ola Of n
ship aid steamboat canal, 160 feet wide, aud
EeytD feet deep. The original SURVEYS for me
existing cana1, appear to have been made with
m1nnteness aad accuracy, and are yet available
Tor or.estinates Of the cost OF tie proposed en-
lafgenen'. There are, however, u few points
uFcn which there ma7 be some liability to
error.
Mcst Of fhe material excsyated from the
prteent canal yet remain On its banks, OF
course that lying on the side oward which the
Gnlsrgeu en1 is to be made, mnsr be removed.
It has been assumed il estimating. that This
material 1*as deposited one half on each side,
IA16 may Prove not strictly true.
AGAIN, the amounts Of the different kinds
ct u1aterla1 to be exca7ated for the enlArge-
1nent, are not known with absolute exactne;s.
Gut the estimate, in this particular, are based
upon careful notes, taken during the progra6s
OF tie work or the present canal, and the par
tleular obseryatloi's Of one Of the gentleman
truth. ''~''' WV
Il isnot determined what quantity Of earsby
sediment mag have settled in that portion
OF the earal, which was originally executed
upon the deep cut plan. Whatever it may
be, 1t is offs character to be readily and Cheap
y removed by the iraproved machinery now
| in l1se for euch purposes.
These qualifications Of the exact correct
Eess Of the estimates are not, in my view, OF
| much Importance, but thought it better to
| mt ntion them in order to make as plain an
exhibits as possible ofthe grounds upon which
| they arc based.
lhave no doubt that in the main these esti-
| mates are reliable; much beyond what is
usual IN Similar cases. Care has been taken,
il regard 70 The points OF which there may be-
h&s1e doubt, tc err, If at all, cn the safe Side.
hlessrs. Cooling and Preston have been fol
! Jtara deeply interested in this subject, ana
! A4Ee eLuotu ~ carefully. 1Hey nave Gil the
| advantages .: a minute acqn tintarce with the
localities in question, anu great experience In
| construction on this very ground. They arc
| we'll Known aS engineers of acknowledged
sE1ll and ability, while their character, for in.
teg1ltS, puts them above the suspicion Of Wil.
IEsly nlisrcpfes entiug in any particular.
Having them, {those plans and estimates. J ]
am we'll satisfied that VIC hare before us the
means OF forming correct Judgement Of the
| .practlcablllty and cost Of tue proposed
| work.
I therefore append hereto the estimate
military affairs OF the House of Represents
tlves in their report Of the a0th Of February
Inst, I am fully OF opinion that the p1nn i:
Judlcious and the estimates reliable. Perhaps
some addition ought to be made on account
| Of tie high prices Of labor and supplies, likely
to rule Tor some time to come--the rates OF
which tie estimates were made being those O.
the past year.
The estimate of thirteen millions three
hundred and forty-six Thousand eight hun.
dred and twenty four dollars {SlS, $40, ,s2D may
De fairly regarded, as the pecuniary measure
the plan, cutting down the summit level o
the canal 80 as to draw the needed supply o
water directly from Lske Michigan, and main
tain uniform width Of 16D feet.
Two other plans have been proposed aud es
timated for. The first is to make the CANA
| tou 4eCt "1Ars WILL ieCtshEB On e8Cl U1lA 1bt
feet vide, to enable steamers to pass. The
cstimate for this is eleven millions five hundred
thousand dollars, {$n 500, ,00l)
The other plan is to make the canal 100 feet
vide, but omit cutting down the summit, aud
supply the water from the Calumet, Des
Plains and DnPage Rivers-auy def.
ciehcy (which is almost sure to exist
some portion OF every seeson) to be
supplied By pumping engines and wheels from
Lake Michigan. For this the estimate is mine
millions two hundred aud ninety-two Thousand
tour hundred and forty-four dollars (s9, ,2s3,.
| G4.} The difference Of cost in these plans
orises from the different modes proposed oi
constructing the enlarged canal, the river in
prevemeDt remaining the same in all
TEe saving effected By adopting any other
plan than that OF cutting down the summit to
the whole depth proposed, seems 30 unimport.
ant compared to the magnitude and IMPORT
ance Of the work, and the mode on The most
liberal scale proposed so much superior On
all accounts, that omit the detailed estimates
LOT the others. earnestly hope that, if the
government should determine to execute, OF
even to aid the wo2E, the largest scale bro.
posed may be sanctioned. nythingless thar
should throughout characterize SO iuportani
an improvement,
Pumping to supply the summit level is bu1
an expedlsnt, subject to the constant expense
and liability to derapgement of the machfuer,
By which 1t is effected: while to pour direcolT
into this great channel the abundant vstera b
the lakes ELL make vital union, instead oj
IN uncertain artificial connection, betHeen
the two great systems Of interna1 navigation,
The great military advantages. no!
to say absolute necessity Of communication