The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-12-04

at present, or some equally good reason
for the absence of "greenbacks" must
The subject of foreign immigration
begins to be agitated again by the
Southern press, and some marvellous
accounts are given of the anticipated
arrival of emigrants, which sincerely
trust do not merely "keep the word OF
promise to the ear" but will realize a
genuine and speedy fulfllment.
CHATHAM.
Draining lake Michigan into the Mis-
sISsIPpi.
OF all the cities in the country none
surpass Chicago for great enterprises
The latest is a proposition to deepen the
Illinois and Michigan Canal sufficient-
~ to drain the Chicago river into the
Illinois river, and in fact open up an
outlet from Lake Michigan into the nli-
nols river, SO that the drainage of Chi
cago, instead of stagnating in the Chica-
go river as now, will be carried by a
constant stream of pure water from the
Lake into the Illinois river and thence
to the Mississippi. ls.J
The following interesting account of
this great work we copy from the Re
publican: t'I.4a-.-al .lsp..
The work is divided into sections of
less than half mile each, there being
in all sixty-four sections, or a distance
of twenty-six miles of the canal to be
excayated. The sections are numbered
from Bridgeport, commencing with one,
and running up to sixty-four. From
sectionOne to section thirty-eight there
viii only be earthto be excaVated; from
sectionthirty,ei eight to section rty-four,
rock and earth ; and from section forty
four to section siXty-four, rock alone
The rock in the last eighteen sections,
from section A to section "a is sandstone,
of the same variety as that used for
building purposes in this city. This
portion of the work will be done by
Messrs. Sanger, Steel d Co.; and the re-
manning sections by Messrs Fox & How
EFT & Colvin, the sections running from
S8 to As inclusive. -
The average depth OF earth and rock
to be eXcavated will be eleven feet,
varying from eight feet to fourteen feet.
The breadth of the excavation on the
bottom of the canal will be forty-four
feet, with slope on the sides, in the
earth excavations, of one foot in height
to one foot and u half in BREADTH and
in the rock excavations of one foot in
height to one foot in breadth;, that is TO
say, ut an angle of thirty degrees in the
CuAbd SGGl4Olot duu IOELy-uVe degrees IN
the rock sections. The whole amount
of earth to be excavated will be 9, 400. :
900 cubic yards, or o., 500, 600 cnbic feet;
and the amount of rock, 100000 cubic
yards or IL, $780, 900 cubic feet; and when
thrown ont upon each side of the canal
will raise the surface of the ground
thirty feet above its present level for a
distance of ninety feet on either side OF
the canal.
To do the rock work, which will be
done in the winter season only, nearly
thousand men will be employed. The
earth sections will be worked in sum-
mer, and in winter during mild wealth
er. Ten dredging machines will be
used for this work, and also eight steam
cranes, which will be used for the pur-
pose of hoisting up the earth from the
dredging machines. Both the cranes
and dredging machines will be manu-.
factured in New York and Boston, and
are contracted to be ready by the first
OF February. AT present only two
dredges aIe in operation; two cranes
are, however, almost completed, and
will be at work in short time. Each
dredge- and crane will require twelve
men to.work 1t. - H5a7S5s
~ The following sections are already
completed: so, 90, 81, IS, go, 81 and 81,
and most of the rock sections are par
TALLY, completed. The whole work is
to be finished in three years from next
| spring. The dredging will be carried
oniin sixteen feet of water. When the
work is completed and the locks taken
away there will be a depth of six and a
half feet of water, the fall being one
tenth of a foot to the mile.