The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-17
The Rock Island Canal.

and Michigan Canal westward from hen q
nepin to the Mississippi River is project l
which has been agitated and discussed III P
Congress, and in the cities, towns. and the Ii
country in this vicinity, time and agaln,yet Il
# seems to have received no life. The
muddle- headed morning newspaper prln- i
ted in this city used to advocate it hercelY, j
and claim that Mr.. John B, Hawley was
the right man to get Papa Government TO
take the money out of the peoples treasury
and build it. Mr.. Hawley was sent to
Congress and he has introduced bill tor
making Papa Govt build it, His whiiome
organ, however, has gone back on him, ana
on the canal too. The project is not one
that excites much interest now, but there
NAV come a time in the no very distant
future when it may have breathed into 1t
the breath of life, and when capitalists ana
people of the northwest may see the impor-
lance of such an outlet and combine their
energies to secure 1t.
The Clinton Herald seems to think that
there is hope for the project, and dlscour-
ses'of the bed of great rivers which itthinks
r once existed, and connects them with tins
canal The Herald is evidently wrong as
r to the proper place for the canal to touch
the Mississippi should it ever be built.
When the Rock river valley is reached the
g canal should follow that stream to the Mis-
in sissippi. The Illinois is not good navi-
Of gable river and never can be, and the pro-
al ducts of lower Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, a
v part of Missouri and Illinois, and great
d territory west will seek this canal here Tor
ey passage to the Lakes. The products
r. above can float to this point much easier
to- than those below can be steamed over the
lis Rock Island Rapids. The canal shoulc
le- follow the Rock river to the Mississippi Il
&c order to become profitable, and accomo
date the greatest number OF people
But we give what the Herald says abou
ter it, as follows:
emit Biologists who are acquainted with tn
10 Typographical formation OF the w est, nav
s' long been familiar with the theory that
ext certain strip of low land, crossing the Ms
not sissinpi at Camanche and eXtendln
on east and west hundreds Of miles, was ono
~ the location of mighty stream, perhal
~ riyaling the modern Father OF waters
the it's extent. its beauty, and its Important
ave lacking only the presence of ankee e
TOR ercv to make it conspicuous as a CONNIE
49, cial outlet" The course of this now hi
'0 den river has been traced from Nlncenne
wit Ind. across Illinois and Iowa and far In
the broad State of Nebraska. How mu,
ort- further east and west this river might
ers, traced, or where its various feeders al
cred ramifcations might lead the lntelilgeht
no plorer if he felt curious enough to Inves
cate the matter, we do not know Wee
IN II know that the teachings,of Western h
Z. tory and geology, and the certain indie
ago tions' even now so generally observed
An to occasion remark from strangers
strengthen the theory that this apparr'
"nel valley once marked the course OF 4
mas iestic : ream. ;.
had At Mechanicsville, Iowa, these indi
ex- tons of the ancient stream are more Gle
= " defined, perhaps, than at any ot
urei' point. though it is easy for the dwellel
this locality to perceive how natural
lev that is which proceeds eastward. II
Bos- Mechanicsville, at the foot of sharply
fined bluffs taking in the flats to
northward Of Camanehe and follov
the course of the Meredosla, RI
main THE original name of thisstream and mi
locent was Marais d Osier, Ia swamp OF willie
roces. but by bad pronunciation and orthogra
;. it has become corrupted to Meredo
hheo from Albany, Illinois to the Rock RI
roces An additional force is given to this tn
gro from the fact that the Indians
atoms mounds along the Meredosla-for
Aeh0NSs those monn1S
repre- Nho~e tr;b b ~ abor;c;nies NAV be slee
pro- in eternal lethargy there, beside t
ID. but waters once wide and deep but now q
lowed, died to mere creek cl lhslE t hin ;ts
groups changes. has gradually closed up the
y, and Great east and west water highway,
for some new caprice OF nature had dema
-. ond the Southern flow of the Western :
orts of system.
Iowa the attention of our readers this HI
ieered stream. Like Rip Van Wrinkle,
all and grander scale it may yet arouse, sha
~...1 its load of drifted sand and dirt, ana
ole"'oo part in the realities OF to-day 1
people brief, this natural water way, so Tar
by the Western Illinois section is concerned,
a sun- cests the entire feasibility OF cont
~ P the Illinois and Michigan canal ives
from Hennepin to the Mississippi
I'd mask Such continuation of that canal hi
Der hour been unthought of; surveys have
yed and made which contemplate the reach
Ia ,noo. the Mississippi at point not tar
iys ih''U Rock Island. But it is to direct att
"A hap to this more natural route, which
make the Mississippi confluence at Il
far northward as Albany. ILL.,, that W
dwelt upon the above facts,
n+s from The Fulton Journal Of last wee
-, tanned well written argument in t
coun'y the extension of this canal, but
close OF have it's termination near Fulton.
month East Clinton, while probably the
,av he of economical passage would be by the
,,,;ob dosia Valley on the line of the
- "".0" rious hidden river. However, to
e. pelng the difficulty of passing the Clinton
to pub it might be deemed advisable to +
presume artificial stream back OF the uaro Nc
o,,,, othor bluffs. and so conduct it into the NJ
any O'1 nj between this city and Fulton.
exercise rate, those acquainted whit to-
Ig" what of the territory over which thu
by them. would run, will agree that the cheal
sworn m most convenient extension OF the
canal would necessitate a junction '
II, VIII no Mississippi somewhere in this local
ublic gen We will not dwell longer on this
VS.: though it is one of the greatest imI
in connection with the various ira
1852 SO ton schemes that are being consld
=. 103,s s7 q Congress and the people. The adj
:. S S7S4s 81 of having the canal tap this rive
- - IIeClaire, to escape the 'angers
Sf4l,2 ~ orI+iaS attending I'll massage OF ste;