The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-18
DAILY ARGUS.
Id. pAEYonrA, yR., ADTToA
"wednesday Evening. ..Apr1i Ao'
The improvement OF
Rock River.
HOW TO OPEN WATERlCOMMUNICA-
TION BETWEEN CHICAGO AND
THE MISSISSIPPI,
PRACTICAL ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
OF THE PLAN.
&.
THE ENTIRE COST OF THE WORK A
TRIVIAL SUM AS COMPARED
WITH ITS ADVANTAGES.
Survey AND DESCRIPTION OF THE
PROPOSED ROUTE,
SATISFACTORY SOLUTION OF THE
TRANSIT PROBLEM.
IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT TO
CHICAGO.
&C., &c, s.,
SURVEY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE
PROPOSED ROUTE,
A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION OF TIKI
TRANSIT PROBLEM.
IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT TO
CHICAGO.
sc. SC, s.,
DIXON, ILL.,, April IA.
To the Editor of the Chicago Times:

To the Editor of the Chicago Times:
As the transit question seems to be the alb
sorbing topic of interest to the people of the
northwest, or to those particularly who are
located northwest of Chicago, hope you
will pardon me if ask to make statement
of project that not only would benefit our
farmers and business men In the beautiful
valley of Rock river, as well AZ those on the
upper Mississippi, who are under the necss-
sity of employing that great stream to trans
port the vast and increasing products OF that
new country to market, bus would also re-
dound to the continuance of the past and
present growth and prosperity of your great
city of Chicago, from which sources, it L am
not greatly mistaken, Chicago derives its
principal support and business.
In times Of prosperity our farmers, and, in
fact, our business men, did not take the time
or trouble to investigate the question whsth-
or they were paying extravagant rates OF
transportation 80 long as they found q bal
snce of cash in their pockets, even though
that balance might be small. But the mat
ter becomes truly alarming, when, after a
half years labor in anticipation of receiving
something therefor to supply their families
with the absolute necesssries of life, they
find that they are really much poorer than
when they planted their crops one year ago /;
thinking. Their minds are most thoroughly
convinced, whether correct or not in their
conclusions, that they are suffering greatly
from exorbitant railroad charges.
They have also become satisfied that there
IL no hope of more favoroble terms from these
roads until they are forced to yield them by
competition.
They also seem to think that. when it can
be obtained, water transportation is tar pref,
cradle to rail, az affording greater and cheap
or facilities than can be afforded by rail.
roads, and, with this view, the people have
met together In grave council upon the ques
tion.
First, a mass meeting was held in Dixon,
appointing delegates to meet In convention al
Rockford on the 22d of February, at which
meeting full report of a survey of Rock
river, from its mouth to the state line, wss
presented. This survey was made by au-
shortly of the state of Illinois In the year
1888, during the great internal improvement
system. From this survey it is plain to see
that Rock River car, with comparatively small
expense, be made nayigable. / thing / can
not do better than give the engineers report
The report says:
The length of Rock river, from its mouth
to tho state line, is 165 miles. The first
obstacle met with is the lower rapids, oppo-
site Rock Island city, AMI three miles above
the mouth of the river. The length of these
rapids is three-quarters of q mile the fall in
this distance 10 81 feet. A canal of LOCO
rapids; q guard lock will be required at the
entry of the canal, and lock of u feet lift
at its termination. The bed of the river is
limestone, and would probably answer fol-
the construction of locks.
From the lower rapids to Prophetstown
there is good navigation, with four and q
half feet of water, the width of river varying
from 800 to 1000 feet. The fall from
Prophetstown to the head of the rapids is
%, 08 feet in SO miles average velocity of
current, three miles per hour. Opposite
Prophetstown the river is shallow for 1900
feet, the channel varying in depth from three
to four feet. This part OF the river can be
easily improved by brush and gravel dam,
$50 feet long, feet high, extending from
the north side to small island opposite
Prophetstown.
From Phrophetstown to the foot of the up
per rapids. (now Sterling) the chsnnel Of
the river has feet of water velocity of cur.
rent 81 miles per hour, fall 24.l2 feet in &c
miles. This brings us.to the upper rapids
(Sterling,) where the river expands to Loco
or l,3OO feet; length of rapids IA miles
fall 8.24 feet. The bed of the river is COM
posed of a sandy ealcarous rock, with smooth
surface. Plan of improvement: Build dam
as far down the rapids as the bottom of the
river and the elevation of the north bank will
allow. Leagth of dam required, 900 to l ,0OC
feet; elevation from the bottom of the stream
not to exceed 10 feet; canal to be made
from che dam to the foot of the rapids by an
embankment made in the river, about 1000
feet long. The dam will be of suficien,
IN thn Il
head of the rapids, thus giving sufficient
depth of water without excavation. The ter
minal lock will require lift of 9.74 feet.
From the upper rapids toRockford, 63 miles
the only distractions are three movable sand
bars. having for very short distance 81 OF
feet OF water. These may be removed in {
short time by frequent passages of steam
boats, OF by making wing dams $50 to 2O(
feet long and to 4 feet high. The width o
tho river between the upper rapids and Rock
ford varies from 600 to 800 feet, fall 81 .9]
feet in 6S miles; average velocity three mile