Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1875-10-23
THE ILLINOIS RIVER IMPROVEMENT
What the Messrs. Macarthur arr Doing in
That Vicinity.


that william and Archibaldl Macarthur
of the firm of Macarthur, Smith s. Co.,
of this place, were angaged in building a
large lock and dam at Copperas Creek
upon the Illinois River. under contract
from the general and state. government.
We then gave small idea of the magni-
tude and character of the work. The
Chicago Journal of last week gives an
account of excursion to the lock and
general description of the work, which
we reproduce, as not only giving an idea
of the general Importance of the i'm
provement, but as showing what Che
boygan firm is doing:
"Last Tuesday morning party Of gen.
tlemen met by appointment at Peoria,
and during the day proceeded in a
steamer in steamer down the Illinois
River to Copperas Greek, distance Of
twenty miles, to inspect the great public
improvement there in progress. The
party consisted Of Gov. Beveridge, Con-
gressmen Ford, Henderson and Camp
bell Canal Commissioners Utley, Brain
ard and Anderson; Hon. George M.
Bogue, member of Congress from this
county; Col. w. III. Haskell, of the Am
boy Joltri,dl; D. r. Ballou, of Kendall
County, Trustee Of the State Insane Asy-
lum at Jacksonville, and the writer
hereof. Other members of Congress and
the Legislature were expected, but-ow-
ing to the rainy weather, we presume
failed to put in an appearance.
Much has been said i'm the press, i'm
Congress and in our State Legislatures
in regard to the COpperas Creek lock
and dam,' and yet no one can obtain
anything like a just idea of the extent, or
importance of the work without visiting
the locality where it is in progress, and
inspecting it in person. The object of
the improvements now making in the
Illinois River by the general and the
state governmtnts is to render that i'm
portant stream. which connects the wa
ters of the Mississippi with those of the
Illinois and Michigan Canal, and. by
means of the latter, with those of Lake
Michigan, of Il sufficient depth through
its whole length to insure uninterrupted
navigation during at least eight months
in the year. enabling Mississippi River
steamboats, to reach la Slle, and there
connect with the canal for Chicago. The
| first step in this great work of internal
| Improvement was the deepening of the
canal, which was completed in 1871; the
next step was the construction of n lock
and a dam in the riverat Henry .thirty-two
miles above Peoria, which now gives an
ample depth of water i'm the channel be-
tween that point and In Sale; the next
step was the cOnssruction OF Of a similar
lock and dam at Copperas Creek, sixty
miles below Henry, by which an ample
depth of water will be given to the riv-
er's channel between that point and
Henry. The lock at Coppcras Greek is
now rapidly approaching completion,
and the work on the dam at that point
! will be proceeded with next year.
The Canal Commissioners and their
engineer, Mr.. Jenney, astonished the
party Of visitors by showing them one of
the most massive and perfect samples of
heavy masonry to be found i'm this coun-
try. The lock, which is being constructed
on the north bank of the river, is stu
pendous affair. The two parallel walls,
resting upon a solid foundation of piles
and heavy timbers, are each 476 feet long
and from ten to nineteen feet long, with
supporting buttresses every ten feet.
The dimensions of the lock inside the
gates are: Length, $50 feet; width, 70
or, to give the reader clear idea of the
size of the work, it may be stated that
a fleet of twelve large canal boats can be
accommodated inside the gates of the
lock at one time. 1t would be difficult
to conceive of stronger or soldier ma
sonry than is found in this great work,
which is built of Joliet stone. The lock
walls, which will be surmounted with
towers, are nearly finished, and the mas
sive gates will be put in ere long. About
200 men are now employed upon tie
work, which is in the hands of Archibald
Macarthur, of Chicago, who, by trans
fer of the contract. some weeks ago, sue
ceeded Willard johnson, of Fulton, n.
Y, the original contractor. 1t is wor-
thy of special mention that the entire
cost of the lock. when completed, will
not be over 100000, which is $4,000
less than the limit fixed by the law au-
thorizing the work.
The construction of the dam across the
river, which at that point is $50 feet
wide, will be proceeded with next year
the contractor will get out the material
for this purpose during the winter. The
dam will cost between $4,000 and $7O,-
600.
The completed lock at Henry, above
mentioned, is the same size as that at
Copperas Creek-a huge work of solid
masonry that will, PRESENT appearances,
survive the ages. This completed i'm
prOvemert works to the entire satisfac-
ton of all concerned. The object in
view has been successfully secured.
These great works are but parts of a
series of similar works which are needed
and will doubtless sooner or later be
constructed on the Illinois River to its
mouth. When finished they will render
the Illinois one of the safest. best and