The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-13
THE CANAL.
biography.

The report of the Commissioners of the ILL
nois and Michigan canal upon the operations
for the wear 1879 has just been printed, and we
are indebted to Superintendent William Thorn
as for copy,
The commissioners are "grattied" IN being
able to report that navigation upon the canal
was uninterrupted during the season of 1879,
and that the financial oatcOme Of the year Is
all that could be hoped for The receipts
amounted to $lll,743, against StOS,sO5 for
1873 beng an increase of S2,03S. The increase
of toll receipts, however, is not II far index OF
the increase of business on the canal, as the
tolls had been greatly reduced. The real in
crease is shown in the number OF clearanccs
issued in 1879 against those of 1873 and the
increased number of tons transported. The
ccarances of 1878 were 1920 and of 1873
4 ijs; the tons transported in 1873 were 5oS,
1902, against GG9, $50 in 1879. On account of
the necessity of rebuilding so many locks aud
bridges during 1879, Uhc board being afraid
to venture upon such repairs earlier on ac-
count Of the uncertainty whether the state
would appropriate money to keep up the ca
nab, the disbursements for the year amounted
to the large sum of $l05, GG94O, beng within
score 81 Of the total receipts, OF course
these heavy repairs being made the disbursc
mcnts hereafter Will be much smaller, SO that
the canal can again be run at the usual eX-
pense of $4,000 to $4,000 u year. The
finances of the year show net receipts over dis
burscmentS $G,013.57 cash on hand at end of
previous year, 59,l20l9, leaving cash on
hand 1st of December $50, 1876. The Board
take pleasure in reporting that they had no
occasion to call for any part of the 100000
fund placed at their disposal in the state treas
ury by the last Legislature. That appropria-
ton, however, had Its intended effect all the
same; it put stop to the railroad war on the
canal.
In reference to the condition of the canal
between Bridgeport and Lockport and the
troublesome question of how to get water
enough through the canal to cleanse Chicago
river and keeping that stream from becoming
such a stink.hole as to be ruinous to the health
of the city, Mr. Superintendent Thomas says,
in his report:
When the water was let into this level, the
lake was three feet and over higher than it is
now, or has been most of the tall months, leav-
ing that much less water in the canal Navl
CATION has been badly interierred with on this
account. This difficulty | expect to overcomeI
by the use of two dredges the coming season,
but the flow of water through the canal can
not be materially increased by dredging alone.
EItAer the whole length of bottom must be-
lowered, or the water at Bridgeport must be-
raised In my Judgment il was a great mis-
take that the old hydraulic works and lock at
Bridgeport had not been preserved, for with
those works, it Is well known, the water could
be raised at that place to any height desired,
and at a very trltling expense, compared to the
of the work and its worth to the city
of Chicago.
With those works restored, and the canal IN
its present condition, with an expense not toI
exceed S75 per day, all the water in the south
branch could be kept nearly as clean as the
lake itself; the navigation of the Summit level
be made good, and all complaints about stink
done away with. Little or no dredging would
be needed rs the high stage of water in the ca
nal would prevent the banks from sliding in.
| seems to me the city of Chicago and your
Board should Immediately take steps to IN
luire into the subject.
Mr. Thomas, however can only intend such
an expedient as temporary. 1t is evident, in
half dozen years more, when Chicago may
have doubled its population, it will be folly
to talk of carrying off enough water in the
present canal to keep the water Of Chicago
river pure, especially IN winter, when the evil
is greatest. There can evidently be no effect
i've, permanent cure of the evil save in the en-
largement of the ditch from Bridgeport to
Lockport TO to'the dimensions Of ship canal.
The annual report of the C., b. y T. railroad
has Just been issued, and shows that it earned,
!. 81, 1 AsE I,ailn. OF owned and