The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-03-01
FACTS ABOUT TUE CANAL.

Though LAID before the Governor in DcCem.
Der last, the report of the Canal Commissions
ers for the year 1913 haa Just been printed, and
" are indebted 10 the Secretary Of the Board
fer Il copy. Many Of the more important facts
it contains have already been laid before our
rG,dcrs, but in the present general interest on
TIE subject Of the canal will bear repetition.
Among such are those showing that the re.
eelpts Of the canal during 1878 amounted to
Si0SS0l2i, and the expenditures Gncluding
disbursements on the locks at Henry and Cop
peras Creeks S90,319S2; balance on hand,
Dee. I, 1877, s40,69J80; balance on hand,
prc. /, 1878, so, 1903. Excess of receipts OF
1873 over 1877, $1S,42330. The following cX.
tracts from the report of superintendent ihon.
as give so clear Il view of the present condition
and wants Of the canal that they cannot fail to
DC read with interest by all the friends of that
important improvement:
AT the CLOSE of the year ending November
Both, 1877, as will be seen by reference 10 my
report to your Board of Dec. t. of that wear,
the rebuilding of lock No 10, at Marseillcs,
had been commenced, and also the rebuilding
OF the Morris aqueduct The material for the
FORMER had been purchased, and mostly cut,
a, cost Of S5,065,44 and that tor the Nor.
ris aqueduct had been purchased, framed and
delivered on the ground at u cost of S69f.04
Work on these two important structures was
commenced as soon as the water was drawn
from the canal, at the close Of navigation, and
prosecuted To complexion lock No. 10 at cost
Of S6,90Ol7, making with the amount paid
last year (S5,0654D total tor this work of
$l2SG56l, and the aqueduct at Il cost of 1888,
"a, making with the sum paid last year ($G94.-
O4) the total cost of this structure, ST ,2S22S.
Early IN the season the west pier of The Fox
river aqueduct was repaired in the same man
ner AS the other six had been during the season
O! 1877, al II cost of S6l2S7.
The east dam in the Dupagc river at Chan
nahon has been rebuilt in substantial man
ner, with heavy dimension stone, similar to
the west dam at the same place. nj II cost of
81 1866.
The dredgc was fitted up, and put At work
early ia the season, and completed the drcdg-
ing in the first level below Lockport then
moved down into the upper river pool of canal
at Joliet, and continued dredging until the
18th OF June. Having finished at that point
II was thought best to lay it up for the balance
OF the season. The total expense of the dredg-
ing was $i6l346
The new repair boats have been built to
take the place of old Nos 9 and 4, at Il cost of
81 1861
One new flat boat for the Ottawa shops has
DCel Duiil at cost Of 300 Fourteen new
lock gates have been buill ANA put in place at
cost Of $4,000. The material for four spans
Of combination bridges had been provided, as
per my last report to your Board, one for the
bridge one mile east of Morris, known AS the
Peacock bridge, two spans for the tow.paih
Drudge at ChannahOn, over the Dupage river
and one over the canal at Aux Sable. These
bridges nave been raised and convicted II n
cost OF $500. This season the material has
been provided for three more canal bridges,
two 81 which have Been framed and raised. one
q, summit, the other II; ChanHahan, at a cos,
OF SyVO. The material for the third is now on
hand at cos, OF $780, and will be put in place
during the coming winter
a new bridge over the Fox river feeder ON
La Sale street, in the city of Ottawa. is very
much needed; and stone for new pler and
the end abutments has been provided. and is
now on the ground, at a cost of 5000 Tb. two
piers and east abutment Of the Aux Sable aoue
duct are so far decayed that they must be re-
paired before the new trunk is put upon them
thss winter. The stone, sand aud cement fog
that purpose have been provided, and are now
on the ground, at a cost of $500
Lock No. ii, the first below Ottawa, has
failed. and the stone, sand and cement for re
building the same have been pro. ided, the
stone all cut and now ON the ground. and the
work Of removing the old lock has been com
nenced. The cos: up 10 this date has been
s3,55703
The Fox river and Vermillion a1ueduct.
2rs an very bad condition anu eau not be
made to stand more than one season more ana
10 that end the lumber and timber for rebuild.
ing Them has been provided, and are now in the
yard at Lockport, and the cost of the same on
The ground at that place Is $11 230.52-my
purpOsc being To frame and deliver the same