, 1870-04-27
v,scoBsiY RIYER INPRoVEnEHr.

The Washington despatches tell us every |
day that the Governor OF this or thAt State,
tie Mayer Of this or that city, OF tho Con- |
stable of this OF that village has had
hearing before the House Committee On
Commerce, urging Congress ia vote public
money to open = water communication, by
way Of the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers,
from the Mississippi River to Green Bay.
This is An old measure, once tried. then
abandoned aud, noE tLat there Is gea-
cral grab at the public funds, revived As
long agu Us 1s46, Congress voted a grant of
land to the then Territory ot Wisconsin,
which, by subsequent Legislation, WIS made
c1na to Eve sections, or $500 acres. OF
land per mile from ihe mouth Of Fox nirer
to the point where the Portage Canal
was to connect the same with the Wiscon-
sin River, and for the whole length
Of the canal. With the proceeds Of this
grant Of Land there were some artificial
improvements put upon For River, making
it navigahic ut times, within certain dis
tnnccs. for small steamers a connecting
ditch vss dug to the Wisconsin River, and
thea TIC whole work fell dead No man
could rut'a cannl boat on tho route and
enrn enough 10 pny for the foed Of his
mules.
During the tnentJ-four years that have
elapsed the Wisconsin River, which WAC
then IL N unoecupied region, laa expasi-
enced the fato Of ali rivera along whose
tributaries the hand Of cultivation has been
busy. 1t hes lost it- supply of water. Ex-
cept at Seasons Of freshsts, the Wisconsin
RIVER Is no longer nAyigable, even for rats
Water will not run up stream there any
better thaa in other places; and ths natural
supply going down stream il wholly
Insufficient and is daily becoming
less. 1t il proposed to build
locks on this Wisconsin Rives 10 keep the
water in and then it is expected that the
commerce, which now pazscs over three or
four railroads in that State, viii leave them
md take to tho eAter route From the 6ut
to the last. there has been 4 continual
demonstration of tho uttss folly OF the
xtolo scheme, and that any money spent
thereon will be wasted. In 1867, Congress
appropriated SACK 10 build and operate a
snac and dtedge boat on The Wisconsin
River; hut the operstions Of thxt boat hy
renewing the distractions, serves only to
let tho water run out faster.
The Engineer Corps recommend an
appropriation of S11a,000 for one years
work on The river; bnt TINT work viii no.
supply xnter, nor make river nnvigable
which will never be narig.hle again- Ths
whole expenditure is ! nero job to put
some money into the hands Of somebod,
Who wants 8 contract. But the Governor.
of Iowa and Wisconsin are now before Con
grees praying for an appropriation OF none,
10 establish water route from tho Aissis
sippi River to Green Bay. Except for 1
few weehs each year, in the season o
f,pshet, boz 1C ycars Of age, by sollini
m his pants, can wade the Wisconsin Rive
without vetting his clothing. All tn
money in Nr. Boutwells pstent ssntin1
fund vii not make tha. river narigsble
Then, the cAnsl Will cost s.. COX, 600 more
and it vii tAke from 90, ,oO0. 900 to 81, o0o,
600 additional upou Fox River to open III
route for \ canal bos4. The tolls on th
canal viii not pay The lock keepers wages
uuch less pay for the annual re
pai1s- We know thAt the advocate
OF this measure only ask for on
OF two millions now, but, when tha. none
shall be expended, the question viii be pit
rs it is now put in tho case Of thn Loni.vl1
Canal, "Wn you let the millions you ha,
spent already be lost for want Of fe
ri1liuna noresn The fale Of the who
schema caa b read IN the Das Main
River improvement. where most rnngni