, 1880-12-11
ILL. Il MICH. CANAL.
Historical Facts in Connection with
the ExtrRvR8nnt Ditch.

the ExtravR4Nht Ditch.
1b ths Editor Of Ths Chicago 1ttbnnE-
SrR1SoFiErp. ILL.,, Dec. D.--At Inst there
seems to bu n hope Of reaching something
llto tleflnlt understanding Of tho relation
TINT exists between tho pcoplo OF the State Of
Illinois md TINT greatest of all Western NIB
surtlitics, tho Illinois Il Michigan Canal.
Even THE Tribune: has bac0lnU Interested
In the subject, ns sec hi Inst Sundays issue
nh editorial approving tho suggestion OF
Stale abandonment md Federal control. l
quote from tl,at editorial:
Ths state Ct Ct Illinols ilas expanded from tiset
to hlat :*ls, MN.0U lipon this Erent work. IT. IS
Fill incon.petc; Thc cannl .,os's NJ m exneraI.
er r. wasne e o e,sy st af o
stcamors tint to business On tho Hrent rivers.
.,..,. Its enlargement ts essential to mnko
uncrs tho Illinois itivor DO suitlclotltly con.
ncotet With the ,,. lake ~ ly this CANAL It
frOtn Chteag0 may be nblo to cnist the MD Ut
Congress- III the completion OF tho slyDr md
cattnl Improvement
Il, another column Of tho Same Issue an
editorial quotes Congressman Henderson rs
saylng: at Is tho intention Ut Illinois Con-
grcssrlcn 10 make n strong effort to obtain
enlng OF tic Illinois Il Michigan Canal dur
LAC CNiAAIE 0CN59lVll VI cuVE4Ea5+
Now Btr, permit so1ne brief criticisms.
During tho sessions OF the Twenty-cigilth,
Twcnty-nlnth, and Thrticth General AS
sembllcs q few Of us made organized but In
etfcct,lal efforts to secure At, accomplishment
Of tito results now SO seemingly popular. But
at every turn wo were met with rebuff. Tho
Executive Department Of the State turned 4
deaf ear; tho railroad nttorneys' lobby
sncered nt tho bare suggestion Or making ulo
Gnnal G;; ad Tlvsr na9ygnbl9i wEo tne Gnal
aaa nH R9ea et N @ thS He 90 ne a as %
gentlemen (oniy one from ChlcagO) who
wnntetl to rescue tho expensive md nauscang
ditch from decay niHl make Of It q National
highway ,wcre hardly allowed to cool their
Finally at tho beginning ot tho 'Thlrty-frst
General Assembly tho project took shape,
md tho following preamble md resolutions.
drafted by myself, passed. both Houses:
m s ' Il e GsnSea soa1 @ Gretdas Ct @ s's e
Sols, provided for ",ho appeint,nent of COM
measures as might 10 requist 70 eject tho COM
ml1ntGatlon By cnnnt md looks between tho llf-
n9; 'ysf a g. lao te tG y 9na 1anuorv
sai;t conmisa!oners. md d1fy Incorporated tic
.WiiEAEAs. ID inn. u. iS1, tbo q sneral Assem-
bly, instructed and empowered tho Governor to
negotiate for loans Of money 70 begin md curry
~ rnnai. on5 VI 6a'a 1'ao'S y "''ohaa"
WitEnEAs; Tho General Assembly. at its scs.
III 11mttni gtutra r. III H., ntoton.s ~ ' inni ~
th!s @ isntsT's''s Sates.wsy; ind oAaos' d, '4AN
blics lid rcGilarly % md lIboraiy anproprjatc
nuneys ont Of tho State Trensury In lid uf snItt
IIlnos 4 Michigan Cann. ~. to tho session Of
dstu wnen sctt!ssnont II fnii was had win tho
ars.ees t,s 9a s rd, a2s t1;a y, a Gaa c hoh
oeS @ oy 'i11 nf ;a' 90 Us Us Saat: ~ a thu
f;nnnr,i Nssentiiv h%s ishcrav % onxnrnnrlntn,i
Other sums. un,t,iils,ng in the axarcsata L, many
millions Of loilnra mora, IN MD nf lilo construc.
W,iEuEAs, Tl.cro exista Il tho minds q a largo
PORTION ct the neuI,to ct th's statS Er!yea doubt
rs rs to to wSnr tho '. ~ Gg Gyer
o r. nayS tno a ot y wy ~ ss6 o Mo
WHEREAS, Tho Federal Government ia reg,,-
larry add iber.,lly providing fur The cons,ri,c-
ton Of waterwnys mt nearly 80 necessary for
tho prolnotion ot the nrts ot pence. OF for beng
@ M. r. l., would y rrose this illuos 4 silehlFaa M
c! whoi s,,o 9ennrTcu m a''u deoenod Into ship
c''I'1 ;1soM liz to senate TIM 1oso ~ t,cnrc-
sertativrs coneurrlnK. That joint committee
jiouso 10 Hereby eoast'tuted, with poxer to ID ID:
day whit, II any, legislation is t,ccessary to pro-
ys TOT st s1n ,n to @ n r9asfa tho az
ts ..,,+ ia ~, .n'i n,,i
9s ~ tpm noss y ln5 tGa' ~ Rrppahry h
il ii consdorSrion con ] Of sioh % oossoh tne FstiorS i
curry ut, md complete tho oniargo1aont Of aid
ssssas ses f saS ssSS S!sn Ss sap"' not Less A
Now, sir, to gather liz Information, ileces.
sary for lntellfgont legislative action anil
of liard la6or Ind bcc1, glyc1l to oycrhauling
tic old w0rnl.euten anti m,isty papcrs store1
In tllo basement OF tic State iIt,usu md bear
ins l,por, tic cnnni. Gov. CulinlIl, Secretary
Harlow, 4. j. Ludlan, Custodian. Of Docu-
tentory LiDf0ry, ex-Supsull,o Justico An
tl,Ony Thornton. ox,Secretary Of tllo iutcrlDr
d. ii. Browning, Auditor I. Il. Needles, and
history Ut the canal, Following tilo appotnt-
n,ent Of the JuiIt Committee, tic frleiils OF
ttl. conal cession, feeling unc0nrnEctI. TO.
pcntetly urged tho COul,nitteo to prompt
actl0n But no progress w,,s mnttc, Snn0tor
.jnck Ioe reprassntetl ti,at body. mil Disbrc.
nj i}Iicnrn. ranrespntoI tfln finrso. M
fnr rs ajiy record is cutlcerne,l. tin
.InInt Cn,ult,lttett t,nyor loII n nlnct]nr.
nf n ttF1ff