Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-04-11

We cut the following from Gil Pierce's
letter to the Valparaiso Vidette. The
proposed canal might help to drain the
Karkakee:
THE PROPOSED SHIP CANAL THROUGH
INDIANA.
There is proposition pending in the
House, the importance of which can
hardly be overestlmated, and which should
receive the prompt attention of our ener-
getic men OF Northern Indiana. This is
TO connect Lake Michigan with the Wa
bash River, and thence with the Gulf of
Mexico, by means of ship canal to the
mouth Of the Ohio River. The project OF
IA canal from Chicago to L4aSalle, where il
would intersect the Illinois river, has long
been agiiated but the distance is Il.
miles, and the expense would be very
great, as the formation of the ground
along the proposed route is largely COM
posed of rock. This great objection is in
good part removed by adopting the lndi-
ana line. From Michigan City TO Laray-
elite il J0mieS. but from point somewhere
near City West or Bailey Town, the dis
tance will hardly exceed so miles. \
number of routes could be chosen, bv
either OF which nature has already done a
large share of The work Running south
froil City West. the line could pass, by
only slight curves to meet difficulties in
the ground, through Valparaiso, and
rom thence directly down the marsh,
passing between HeorUn and Iassinong
10 The Aankakee; or, running farther to
the cast, it could be run down the marsh
lying To the west OF W estville, and from
thence continuing down the marsh be-
tween Tassinong and Black Oak Grove
10 the Aankakec. Other routes could be
selected, but these appear to be The most
favorable and consequently probable
he value of such an improvement to our
part ofthe State is almost beyond calcula
lon, and have just been informed that
the Committee 10 whom the subject wa,
referred has resolved 10 report in favor OF
a thorough survey Of the ground during
The coming summer. Tne following let,
ter, which have received from Genecal
sharks, the energetic Member of Cop.r
.eos from the Ninth District Of Indian.
will be read with inleiest
WASHINGToN, Mar. 2S. -
Cot. Gil Pierce :--Believing that YOU
feel an interest in public improvements in
our State, | desire to call on you, and to
say that the Committee ON Roads and
Canals will report in favor ofthe bill in
troduced providing for Il survey Of a route
lor steamship canal from Lake Michi-
gan to the mouth oflhe Ohio liver. | am
sanGuine OF the success OF the measure,
and III the feasibility Of the work and the
Iuiity Of the canal when constructed.
1t will certainly do more for the trade
and commerce OF Indiana than any other
improvement we could now call into the
State.
1t has seemed to me that our people are
not fully ava ke to the transcendent i'm
portance Of this work 1t will open a shnp
canal from the Gulf of Mexico through the
Mississippi, the canal Lakes, Welland
Canal and st. Lawrence to The ocean. Ii
bisects The national domain with water
navigation BY making 240 miles only of
canal. My impressions of the propricty
II this measure were made on me W hen
quite young, while travelling through that
portion Of the State, and | have not
changed my mind en- the subject since,
and you may believe am anxious now to
see IL tested. Your friend,
JOHN +. c. SHANKs.