The evening Argus., 1867-01-15
From the Chicago Republican.
Reck River Improvement and Rock Island
Canal.

Every feasible means of expanding and
perfecting the means of water eommuDica-
ton between the Mississippi and the lakes,
and ell faess and figures bearing thereon,
have general interest at all times, and
special value at present. A correspondent
sends US the following suggestions
Toward the north there is already uninter-
rupted navigation from Green Bay to Lake
Winnebago. Into the latter falls the Fox,
nsvigable to point only one mile and half
distant from the Wisconsin, which pOurs a
generous stream into tho Mississippi. Across
this narrow neck of land there is already G
cana, easily capable of being enlarged. At
a triHing expense Lake Winnebago and Hori-
icon may be conneoted-the latter the grand
reservoir of Rock Rivsr,-wish water sufi-
oiens, according to Colonel Worrali, to sup
ply two ship canals. To connect the Hudson
with Lake Eria required a lockags of 688
feet in 800 miles. The Illinois at Hennepin,
according to the recent survey, may be con-
nscted with the Mississippi at Rock Island
with lockage of only 288 feet, and through
o country where the cost of construction, as
compared with the cost of the same length of
the Erie, Is almost nominal. There will only
be required length of main canal of 65
miles, with a navigable feeder of 38 miles, or
103 miles in all, to extend the Erie canal to
Rock Island. Nor are these the only physi-
cal advantages we possess. The local enter
prise and necessities Of Rock Island demon
strste the facility with which this line may
be constructed. But this canal, whether
constructed by the government the state, or
private enterprise, will not look at local needs.
but will be built in the interest of the entire
country, upon the most feasible and cheapest
route. Is there q better route than the one
proposed by the Rock Island convention
Twelve miles below Fulton, and a short
distance below Albany, Il deep and wide bay
on, CALLED the Marais d. Ogse, sets back from
the Mississippi some ak miles In southerly
direction, thsn bears to the east six miles
further, and extends to the Rock river For
| nine miles 1t is now navigable. There s but
little difference in the level OF the Marsis d.
Ogee and the Rock, at the point where they
meet. When the Mississippi is high it's wa
ters enter the Rock through the Marais d.
Ogee, and when the Mississippi is low and
the Rock high, the waters of the latter pass
through the same channel. A distinguished
engineer of our acquaintance, last summer
passed in a canoe from the Rock river to the
Mississippi through this bayou. From the
summit level west of Hennepin, near DEVILS
Slough, & line run In a northwcsterly direc-
ton, near the mouth of Hickory Creek, would
Rock river, about 16 miles from the mouth of
the latter. A canal can be built through
this hayou with very little expense, as the
york can be mostly done by dredging
Practically nine miles of it are ALREADY CON
structed. This line would cross the sGreen
rlVer at point where the expensive acoue. |
quot OF 5oO feet, now proposed near Colona /
would not be needed The feeder from the
ROCK river, also. would strike ii 10 the north !