, 1862-05-02
ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL
ENLARGEMENT.
April es, 1ses.---Laid on the Table and
Ordered to be Printed.

Nj. Arnold, from the Committee Oh Roads
and Canals made the following
REPORT.
The Committee on Roads and Canals to 1nho.n
tce7e 7cJer7ed sarious memorials d1d petitions
asking for the enlargement Of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal, hdelny had the sanle under
consideration, report:
The Committee have carefully examined the
bill and report mnde to this House by the
Committee on Military AfIairs, and give to
both their sanction and approval.
The committe, without going into any ex-
tended argument on the subject, submit the
following brief summary OF the reasons for
their approval: The TWO great channels Of
commerce from the interior to the ocean, and
lakes and the Mississippi, The value of tile
commerce Of each Of these great channels has
been estimated at from four to five hundred
millions per annul.
There is short port.ge from Lake 51ichi-
gan to that point on the headwaters OF the
Illinois where it eau be made naTigable Of
abont thirty miles. By cutting through this
portage and improving tue river you have q
Ship cunal from the lakes to the Mississippi.
By this short canal these vast channels Of
water communication, the lakes and the Mis-
tfesippi, are connected by steamboat conmu-
nication, and all that portion OF the continent
lying east Of the Mississippi and south Of the
great lakes and River St. Lawrence becomes
| IN island.
This work 1.s been already more than half
accomplished by the State Of Illinois, aided By
| small land grant from Congress, made Us
| cary as 1927.
| ulinels has expended over six millions Of
dollars on this work, which was completed in
| 1913. It now yields an annual revenue of
| about S2c0, 0,000. This would be very largely
| increased By the Improvement of the Illinois
/ river.
| Illinois offers this canal and its revenues to
the United States on condition that Congress
| will provide tic means Of en1arging It SO Us
| to pass guEbo:ts and yC6sels-ofwar from the
lakes to the Mississippi and the ocean, aud
from the Atlantic and Cult OF Mexico to the
lakes.
This is necessary, as 4 military measure, to
place us upon an equality with Great Britain.
She Eas already constructed canal5 which
enabl. her 10 pass gunboats from the ocean
and ST. Lawrence to the lakes.
We are to-day utterly deftnceless against
iron-clad gunboats which she could bring
from hernavy yards in England, through these
canals; and thus the vast commerce Of the
hikes, and the great agricultural products Of
the west, and the wealth ;of the lake towns,
would be at the mercy Of these gunboats.
We are prohibited, By treaty, from, con
structing gunboats or armed vessels on the
lakes Enlarge the Illinois aud Michigan
csnal as PROPOSED, and the gunboats and
mortar boat which have contributed so greatly
to the Success OF our arms in the valley Of the
Mississippi could be transferred at once to
the lakes.
ing out Of tie rebellion, the naval resources
and power of the country would have beer
far g1eater than it was. The 1,200 vessels anG
15,0o0 sailors now shut up on the great lake:
would hare been at the disposal Of the Cor
.. ernment. With the mechanical and mannfac
, turing facilities Of the lake cities, with tht
ship timber, iron, and other materials on TIL
lakes, eunboas would have been made read,
months earlier than they were, and long EFT
This the same skill and valor which have woI
The great victories at Fort Donnelson, 1slan'
, No. 10, and Pea Ridge would long ere thi
have carried our flag in triumph to New Or
leans; the valley Of the Mississippi woul,
havc been entirely reclaimed aud the rebellion
suppressed.
+, tion, are clear in their Judgment that had thi
: chip and steamboat cal,al been in exietenc
= tiuiirg the past year, it would have saved +
e tho treasury in the transportation {
r troops, arms, ordnance, and munitions, aud i
b chlap.nirg and f;,cilitatin! the building {
c gunhoats, and in enabling The arsnics TO Ia.
It commenced operations in the field carlcl
:. more thai, one }7kudred millions ofdoVars. Tn
S value Of this work, in i commercial point {
c ycw, can scarcely he exaggerated, and i!
| value will be constantly increasing with til
| progress Of our in population, agriculture
l, commerce and manufactures.
" It is believed that this work may noT /
IL properly characterized as 4 military, CONNIE
If cial and political necessity, 1t will benet
# every section. To New England it will 1esse
+. the prize Of food, tn New York and Pennsy
II yanja it will give increased trade and con
d nerce, and to tho west it will cheaper eycs
,. article OF domestic or foreign manutActure.
will bind still closer the lakes and the val.e
I, Of the Mississippi, and make the east and Il
1t west one in destiny forever.
IS The only objection which has been su1ses
tHf r. fhfa 1r0rlS "a ira SnnNHE4A6 rh r. rr
20 an alrcady oycrbu1dened treasury.
- This objection the committee hare carefn1
CT considered, and believe that the Interests {
t. its cost will be promptly paid by the tolls
le the canal, and that those tolls viii provide
Is sinking fund which will at an early day di
=. charge the principal, and thus th
It, great national work free always f
the military purposes Of the Goyernmen
having paid for Itself, would become free
the vast and constantly increasing commere
Of the lakes and the Mississippi. It Won
ed save to the northwest in q single year lii
" the past, in lcssening the cost OF transport
ton OF it's staples. more than its entire co:
1t would, the day it Was completed, add
the taxable property Of the nation an amonn
! the taxes upon which, under the pending t:
bill, would more than pay the interest on
III cost. The committee, for these and 9th
II reaeons, earnestly recommend the measure
"a | the favorable action of the House.