, 1866-01-25

The Proposed Cannl obsta eles and oh.
1eetions to the Undertaking.


teetions to the Undertaking..
Correspondence Of The chicago Tribupe.1
MOLINE, Ill, Jan. 20, 1866
know TINT It Is up hill business to oppose
my fcheine that Is popular with large class
of Influential people, and that II man has
my popularity to lose BY such IN attempt,
he is quite sure for the time being to lose il !;
yet haying little to lose, I venture, thonxh
under some trepidation, TO say something
respecting the late canal movements in this
part OF the State And nrst, from the state
mcnt Of, DR.. Parry at the Gencseo meeting, it
appears that fort y-three locks will be required
between Rock Island md LaSalle. II 50, tho
expense Of building those locks must be ycry
great, and the time employed in passinr
them long, and the expense of tending aud
keeping them also great. Besides, as Mr.
Fulton, at Geoesco remarked, It would re-
qsire a,as : iargc supply Of water to pass ships
Now It Is a very serious question whether
this water can be obtained. Green River ia a
very sluggish stream, containing very little
water in an ordinarily dry season, and Rock
River contains small volume of water In q
veIy dry season, even near Its mouth, and The
volume is much less at Rockford. uI am not
mistaken, much Of the country between Rock
ford and Sheffield contains a sandy and 0ray-
ely subsoil, ard II 80, The water would be
mostly, II not all, absorbed before it could
reach the latter place. I recollect q case
somewhat in point. Some thirty years ago
canal was cut about four miles, from the Kan
kakee River to the St. Joseph, near South
water to mill already built In sure auticipa.
ton Of an abundant supply. But 10. when all
vas ready no water could be male to reach
the mil, asst was all ahsobed BY the loose
sandy soil on Its way. 1t was 4 losing expert
ment on small scale, but only a drop In the
bucket compared with the failura or the ri.
gantic scheme proposed, when 1t should be
found that many mlliians OF Uncle Sans
means had been used, aud not the farners
{tor whose benefit every thing is done now-a.
days. but only contractors and sharpess bcne.
htted. Shonld the thing prorca failure, many
nice farms on the route would be spoiled By q
biz (dry) ditch, that could only benefit farmers
LIVING near sWamps, and spectators In swamp
laud. Another tmportand consideration I
think, Is, that the spur OF this movement is
the extoTtlon of the railroad companies, But
have not these companies the power by re-
ducdnc their fcights, by building broad gauge
roads and capacious freight cars TO tale tic
VIZ WIND ont otits sails? a canal can be earallable.
but little over halfthe season, md not In vim
Ter when farmers have the most time. to cct
their produce to market Suppose. then that
ntter the canal Is dug, the locks made, water
plenty, and all things ready, II shall be found
that It will be better that the produce >aud
merchandise be sent over railroads, where is
your great pile Of money gone Une3s Sam
can OF course bear II, as he has borne many a
heavy load befores Some will be made rich.
but not the farmers.
According To The Geneseo resolutions, the
people will be- taxed by the Supervisors for
the expense of the preliminary survey, wheth-
CT they desire 1t or not, as this IS The most
convenient way Of '.raising The wind" when
any doubtful scheme Is set on foot, aud should
not be the drst object for which money tns
been forced from the people by tax, that haa
proved Of no possible bcne8tto them
II "