, 1876-05-09
FOX-I,1YEK IMPROVEMENT.

pEA-GAEEx.
FOX-R1YEK IMPROVEMENT.
Facts in Regard to tho Work, and
konie Figurcs to show Its Import
Rnce.
specta. Corrt,pond.nee n The CAfeaao rrfauns.
PORTAGE C1T1, Wis, May G.-"postagc, 9. "a
carrying place Of milo3 bctwccn the Fox and
W.sconain Rivers. which run from southwest 10
northeast. Tie former empttes into Green
| Bay and tho latter INTO tho Mississippi. Tho
| Government has Just connected the rivers with
| u CANAL and Ia about procaottnE with the im-
provoments VI tho rivors.
| Probably no project Inns been 10 constantly
boforo tho people Of the Northwest tho last few
years. IL sho odor Bsates tits not now topic;
for Jesse Lawioy, OF Canandaiguh N. j., wrote
several papers, about 1911. earncBtly advocating
tie connection Of tho Great Lakes with the Mis-
eigsippi; mud 40 attracted Ue Wit Cltutona at
tontion 10 tho asb]eot. In year Clinton Was
poiittonirc thc New Yorl; Legislature for ap-
preparations 10 bulld tho Eric Caual. ~Join tho
Great Iakos with the Hudson by watcr-chan-
ne" said hc, .'aud buffalo and Chicago, which
IL o moro fort, will contain population oil
100, 900 oach within fifty yours" Tive years be-
fore water was lot into tho canal Now YORK roso
from tho third in rank among the States to tho
to tlfs tivor improvement; and. Ia 1888.
tho Secretary Of War recommended 1t to
Congress-, mud = survey was ordcred lanoa
were donated; Commercial Couveutio pa were
held In Chicago. Dubu luo, 81 Louis. and kco-
kpk aud, oeen rs la.o Oh 1870, tho Governor OF
Now York mado special mention OF II in his uos-
aago, :. "a Il work in which tho people Of / lis
State hare Joep Interest,"" Erastus Corning
aud IIoratlo Seymour woro Interested for u num-
beg Of yoars IN tho plan, and received largo
grants Of lind but nothing Of Importance Was
dono. It required largs outlay of money, sud,
beyond q little scratching -horo aud thorc. they
!eft tho ontorprso N tue rene % condition N
bought thom out for about S30o,uoo
aud allowed them to retain oil their granite, It
| Immediately mado appropriations. and has aiucc
prosecuted tho work with Huch "viEor that il
| III now tho custom to spoil tito word with
two "E's."
Tho design is to connect tho two rivers With
canal. lredgc tho Fox 70 or 80 milaa. md
either wng-lan, or cauu the Wisconsin, and 10
make complete water-routs 70 New YORK v'a
tha lakes. A large sum has already boon OK
ponded, nnd the cannl ACROSS tls portage Of
1uilen Is about finished. Tho dredging OF tho
For s not lnatter Of very mitch d!lllculty: it
is nero uechnnicnl wor5, and Wi! involve
considerable expense; but tho real trouble
Ia in tussling with tho rapid curents and shit
best effected ty wiug-dams or cana1i Twelve
| mj,ca OF the former lnyo been built below this
! place /; Ant as might bo expectoI. there iB lha
usual variety OF opinion AZ 10 their merits.
| Many Of tho river mon hnfo become greatly
pruiltdtccd against then, Oh account Of tho leu
aud fleshcts washing thcm out. and tho deposit
lng OF sand-bars IN new positions, thus con-
s!aatly requiring new dams they eay. tuIsuo,.
thom OIL a dirk night. Al ate Of tue opin'ou
= that tho canaI would be tho hest ar
: rangoment. II 1t can be eecurod. hlhl.-
+. tien. Warren reported plan. rcar ol
, twosiaco, in favor Of canal to 10 built a1ont
4 tho bark Of the riyor 10 Aaye q fcet Of nayiga
: t,on at low wator; to DO 1lS n,llos ~ length ~
0 feet vide nt tho bottom, and " as tao top ant
: to cost Il. 900, 900. Tue adsosAtcs Of the wing
d dams claim TINT snoy llayo uoen built and sue.
- ccssfuiIy operated OH tho Vlsuta and ottor river,
In Europe. 4 largo and entlusiaa!lo InoetlnH
. presented 1or nignaturoB. pettlonnE Congress-
: for tho constrc.ion Of an ample canal asoag tho
II Wisconsin aud It IL probablo TINT th'a pian vii
!, soon taLo dccls.vo shape md direction.
- It IL q fact not to bs donnl that only a11al
b mart OF the cropa raised III these live North
10 weatorn Htatos tisd their way to market. IL
j. 1917 $50 600 0a0 DnHhcs OF corn aud whent wcrt
=, RACED, Ono hundred mi,iions woro used 70
y Lomc-conaumption and, OF tho Immense sur
plus, bus ZIG, 0v0. .O0O were sh1ppod from Altlwa
o kcc uud Chicago; and, n'stsug liberal ossl
d mate for what may have becn shipped from othe
ar placeB, thuro woto lU1 900 not moved frou
~ tbs grana1tes. And, NO trunk Inns lad under
y tako1 to have moved that grain. each runnn1
y eighteen staius 4 day, With tWenty cars to TIL
y traiu, nights. and days, md Sundays, witt
}. no accidents, or delays ut tho ei!ngs, It wou
~ have taken them Two years aud hatf to hav
!. dono 1t. Corn was worth 80 eants hushel Y
70 Nov York; but ths farmer tn Iowa waA only hbl
:, to get Is conts, even alter la'g = ~ mlles =
J | tho railroad, and this wa, Just half itB cost +
10 him. Fifty conta wAA thus couaun,cd on eyer
busl,el In iro,gslt commission. aud storage; AM
~ II waa no wonder tAat they uHtockad tldl
~ gfauasiDs and used tho corn for fuel aB ! re
4 ! 20 4tedIy Aaw them do that year. Wheat va
~ worth $5l per ton tue farmer rocoiyod +97 a
y tie AliaaiBslppt .
!, These statistics bring up question Of vis.
these i've Asatoa,-Il!lnois, Iowa, Miunesots
70 70 Nebraska, and WISCONSIN. They raiso tlr
y " Of tho entre WhsAt aud cofu crops OF tho Unite
" 6tatss. How can they SooAEo sure aud cllea
- - tsanaportaton2 Tho ngstRtlou OF this luessio
~ brought tho Granger suuYuutcut to taa aurtac'
~ thrue yoass ago ita objact las Leen to tight t
~ ~ railroads md secure cheap ratea through ~
AZ AZ Lb2,HIAturva INat we hayo Heea that tho road
~ market, were tlieir tariffs neror 10 reasouhb!e
rho oaY solution 81 tho m.sh'seted problem
tthro0sI sns systS to- ,o 81 rnn Ry.1 naS
y proyomsut. The 100000. uoo Of unosporto
~ crops could 10 moved by canal luess Ill
VI bargcs III hundred days, aud l. bushcl u whey
would 10 worth to tla farmer III Iowa 81. 30 |
watoT. sGaiust 97 con,s by ralt. There would
ssvinK OF IL ceutH = tWshcl GA casn. at
Ilu0.U0O 900 OH the whole wLeat aud corn croi
T, OF Tho Northwest III year. ,
''' but there ~ cuoaRh Ior 10th cana!a aud raI
I'd roads to do. The latter wste very busy In ~
Al iu moving 10, O00 0UJ OF bushels; aud, with Il
ed Improvement o! Tho county, uAd tho oxHana!1
~ Of tho territory. the prod,tcts OF the Northwc
80 wtll ta EreutlY III excaan VI what tluy Alva hu4
ne At any previous Lituo. 1t ought nj to tRka vo
be much calculation 10 show TINT. With chea tran
we Lortat,on, sud people dying III Euso.>o for Wa
uR | Of b.oadstury. ilo hlnpplnK facilities VI Il
,rss couutry ars Vi taul. Wien slay allow su;a VI
11 buluod. AGATE.