The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-01-17
a Grand Project.

On the reassembling of Congress, Jmu-
AIRY E, Hon. j B, Hawley, member from
the Rock Island district, introduced I'LL
to provide for the construction of canal
connecting the waters Of Lake Michigan.
the Illinois, the Mississippi and Rock
rivers At first one might infer thai an
immense expense is contemplated Such
is not the case The design is n complete
the intercOmmunication already afforded
by the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the
rivers named Hennepin, on the uHnJi,
river, and Rock Island are the proposed
termini of the main canal, and Dixon and
Sheffield of the Rock river branch or
feeder Upon reference t. the mapof Hi
nois it will be seen that the distances he
tween these points are short The main
line would be about 50 miles long the
branch about 40 miles making total Of
only l25. The width proposed for these
canals and its feeder Is 20 feet at the water
line with depth of not less than six feet
with locks not less than $50 feet in length
and p feet in width. and with "a capacity
for vessels OF at least 2S0 tons burden.
The carrying ont vi this project is in
trusted by the bill to the superinendance
OF the Secretary OF War Army engiu-
7 GERS are tn make the necessary SURVEYS.
and report i'll detail the nature of the
ground, how the work should be prose
cuted, etc, The bill appropriates $1,000
/ 600 for the purchase of the right of way
and for the building Of these canals. The
great bulk Of the bill is taken up in dcS
cribing how the right Of eminent domain
shall be exercised IN acquiring title to the
/ land necessary for canal purposes without
/ infringing upon private rights.
/ Six months from the passage of the iii
are allowed for the preliminary work al
the end of which period the construction
would have to begin. The rules laid down
for gaining right Of way and prDseeutin.
the enterprise are in no way peculiar TIL,
regulation Of charges or tolls Is reserved
tn Congress, as their regulation on the Fru
Canal is reserved to the Legislature of Nev
York
Would the expenditure OF Sl.0J0.O4
for such a purpose be good investment
. W G cannot conceive how any intelIigen
person could hesitate in making an affirma
tive reply 1t would relieve a vast region
from an intDlerant transportation mono
poly The country traversed by the canal
would only be very small part of tn
country benefited by it. Northern low,
and all Minnesota, no less than North
western Illinois, would share in its benefits
OF the two, this project is far more i'm
portant than the Wisconsin and Fox rive
enterprise.
The branch canal would be of use il
keeping mp the supply Of water Beside
tapping the Rock river, it would draw sup
plies from Lake Winnebago At Henne
| pin the Illinois river turns southwark, 81
that the present water communication be
tween the Mississippi aud the lakes is yer,
circuitous. The proposed canal would no
only afford an outlet for the grain of two
thirds Of Iowa and all Minnesota, but
would be Of great use in cheapening fue
in that section. Barges bringing dow
grain could take back coal from our mex
haustible mines If the benefits of thi
project would be peculiar to this State
then Illinois should foot the bill but a
they would be shared by several States,
should be national enterprise.-Chjcag
.I0UyUuI