, 1874-12-15

iho illinois & Michigan uaua to :l.a Mtesleslppi;
and, of its groat i'annrtnnco, there qan 10 no
houht. Aud. yot. II I qucstion wllotllor Tho
greatest gnol to tho grcntcat tu.nbor wult|l l,o
proMotetl by pressing tta immediate constr,,c.
tun. 10 tho tlony oT nnotlor Improvement which
regartl Oh Of still yroatcr Importance 10 wier
exttnt Of country, hope Tint slinl! rIol DO
charged With attempting to ombarrass its ulti-
10 mako thin canal what 1t should l,o to moot
tho demands ol coinaneroo ut 10 diaant day, 1t
should s hayo suc eapacy ana h9 cot,atructed
H. rleh 81 permanent manner City hnnks being
adapted TO stoam.nAyl:ntion; and thia Wnuld
involve large additional cobt. Dut, II will bo
inquired. why make tho capacity ct this propueod
Improvement creator than tint Of tho existing
the inter canal Tint tho connection must DO
made with Luke Michigan? reply, bocauao tho
t,nao hnn airoady como wllou.. to secure tho
oe,Hoapcat possible transportation by this route,
llarAod aud iss length shortened by extending
thu sanlo kind Of riyer-1nproYomeAt above
Lasalio to near Joliet, tiat is now In
progress {b1it rcry BLOW frogreas) boloH that
largo tho Illinois l. Michigan Canal. and com
rlotc tho rlyor-tmprovement. SO TINT nseambonts
uf lnrEo class niuy pasy freely bot,Yeon Lake
Michigan aud tho Gulf OF Moxico? Dy nslng
nll tha funds obtanab!o from oil sources for tho
main line Of Improvement, would not the ulti-
mnto construction of; tho uoanepin Il Roek
Island Canal, Of tho desired capacity. 10 moro
certainly Hccured7 Nor would littlo do'ay In
tho construction Of this caual DO 10 aerious M
injury to tho country to DO most lirootiy bonctit-
cd by 1t, ns might at ilrat bo supposed When nn
uninterrupted navigation for Btoalnhpatu Of 3
Mrgo clnbB IL obtaiued from nook Inlnmd down
tho alissEBippi to tho mouth Uf tho Illinois, aud
thonco ,p tint river, and through, tho Illinois Il
Michigan Canal to chicago, transportation mllst
beconlo cheap. notwithstanding tho groatly-in-'
creased distance.
/ nm Informed by persons we'll posted In tllia
lfinl Of transportation, that powerful ateAnl-
tug could easiIy tako bargcs ii! tow, carrying
LOU bushels Of grain* or equivalent freight.
, At al! oyontH, u yorY largo amount of freight
could DO thus transported ut moderate cuat,
through close caual, however wcll built. The
Illinois 4 Michigan Cnnal would DO reduced IN
longth 30 as to bo II tniloH nhofter thnn tho
eal,al from Honnopin to lock Inlnnl; whilst, on
fcrt greater ihan on tho whole Iao OF canal mud
river from Lako Michigan to tho mouth OF tho
Illinois Iiyor. 1t will. therefore. ho perceived,
rs before stated, that tho advantages Of tho d.
rect 1oll:o from Rosk Inland for through hisl-
l,esa over tic moro indirect one. aro not 30 great
~ tho map would in1icato, or III might DO sup
pnaed withnut thorough Investigation OF tho
Wh0lo matter.
10 supply a canal Of large capac'ty,. Cl miles
ils longtll, and fec.lnr Of is miles, ,aftoEothcr
I. limo of 102 1nica in 1ongth.-througll coun-
try where tho soil. for m,leh Of tEo dlutal,co, is
quite l,oroliE, will require largo amount OF
wafer 10 lo drawn from Rock ltivcr at Dixon;
but what proportion ot tho wntors Of that rlvor
Mt q luw stage would 10 thtia divotted, hnyo no
menus Of knowing, NOE low it would ntiect the
interests of thoHB living an1 owning property
upon its lan5s below thut point. 7 Bupposo that
It ia wcll-scttled principle that tho State would
saye no right to difelt tho waters to tho injury
Of property y-1odorn, without paying tho dRnagcn
incurred. No suc!l damages Gnu result III reEatt
10 tho supply Of water for tho enlarged md.
shortened illinois & Michigan Cat,a for Luke
Michigan IS too largo pond to bo seriously, or
oycu av,ssiply reduced BY tho aelnaul which
xonld bo nlado upon it. s.,,-.
An inspection of tho map OF tho United States
viii sasisfy any impartial observer TINT thu ter-
minus Of all Improvement designed to nlcet. III
tic moat satisfactory MANNER. tue Future de-
lslnndy Of commerce for thu whole Valley Of tno
MiBnissip1i, 81 vol III for. naval md military
rurpDneH," and fo: which VIC SHOULD be mont
likely 10 secure nrge material aid from tho
United Etato1 Government, Bfould 10 .t Tim
mouth ct tho IliIpoiu rather thuu lsoch River,
however t7onirahln both may bo.
TAI! to SEQ that ADV re'y important advantage
has heou gained for tho Henuol'in Il Nonk 1siItld
Canal BY having it tackled Oh to tho tail Of tito
gigantic System recommended by tho United
Stutcs Senate Transportation Committee, aud
illtlorsod by tho National choap-Transrortatlo
Convention at Richmond. Tic work Inns decided
merits Of ita owr, and it is better that Eyory
tub should utaul gu lis own bottom" Truly
yours, WILLIAM dooDINa.
1sooxroR7, ILL.,, Dec, 49, 1874.