The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-04-02
THE ILLINOIS RIVER AND CANAL.

cratic shoulders.
THE ILLINOIS RIVER AND CANAL
| me commissioners of the Illinois and Mich.
lgan Canal have received official notification
from the proper department at Washington
that IVY the appropriation OF S250,OO0 in the
river and harbor bill Of the late congress rs
we'll as by the appropriation Of $4,000 a
year ago, S3toJ, 600 are now ready 10 be sP.
Piled to the improvement of the navigation OF
the Illinois river The intention of the com.
missioner5 is TO proceed at once to take steps
| for the erection, under the supervision Of the
War Department, of a lock and dam on the
river a. Beardstowp, the estimated cost of
which is $3500OO, and for which. therefore,
the appropriation is amply sufficient. This
will make the third lock and dam on the river,
the complete improvement of which, to give
the stream minimum Of q fee, of water at the
dryest season, contemplates two more dams at
cost Of $3.50, 900 each aud which, no doubt,
now that the general government has taken a
hand in the business will in due time be con.
structed.
| AS akin to this subicc.,-for the improved
| Illinois river is but an extension of the Hi.
moi. q Michigan cansl--and therefore appro.
pris,ely IN this connection, We may as well at
tend to the following strange attack upon the
canal in Emory's Dasly Pe0rian. Says that
sheet:
"a bill sppropriatlng $4,000 annually to
the Illinois Il Michigan canal passed TO a
third reading in the Illinois house last Tues
day. Is there no man or company to whom
the state can present this old ditch and cut OIL
the expense OF maintaining 1t for useE'
For Peoria paper this is certainly an ex
traordnary delIyerance. 1t was but little
over two years ago that Peoria was filly as
wild as Ottawa, Peru, Lacon, &c. and even a
little more SO, IN demanding like appropria-
ton from the legislature for the canal, on the
simple and common sense ground that the
canal, though it even failed TO pay its running
expenses, was such an absolute necessity to
the whole country from the mouth of the Hi.
nois river to Chicago in maintaining q suffi
cien. competition with the railroads TO keep
leave 1t al the mercy of the railroads would
be lnexcuseble folly. Without the canal, il
WIS commended, Peoria and the people for $50
miles north and south Of her. must pay double
their ordinary freight charges on lumber, on
grain, building stone, &c, amounting to hun.
dreds Of thousands year; and there was M
limit to the indignation of the Peoria orators
against the railroads that were striving to fss.
ten this eXtortion Oh the canal and river dis
rict by drying up this old ditch"
But the editor Of Mr. EH.ory's Daily shows
his lack Of information as we'll IS of sense In
point of fact, though 100000 we're appTopria,
ed two years ago IN aid Of the canal, not a dol
lar Of the money was used or even expected &c
be used. II was simply intended, AS the ap
preparation now asked for Is intended, as q
lcautionary fund to enable the canal To NAN
tain itself should the violent effort Of the rail
roads % three years ago be renewed &c
dry n up Under the impression that naviga
ItiOn upon the canal must stop the moment 4
ceased to pay its own running expenses, III,
railroad. actually commenced carrying grain
from La Sale and points below to Chicag,
for nothing, and lumber in the other direction
at like ruinous rates, solely 10 break down ib,
canal. But when the Legislature stepped II
and showed the railroads that the canal would
I've kept open though 1t cost $4,000 or ever
$4,000 year more than it earned they saw
that their war upon il was useless and it wa
, dropped then and there. Nor is there any
danger that the war will he RENEWED Will
the legislature keeps up this balance wheel 4
protect the canal; and since, without any &C
tual cost TO the state IL serves 10 save such vas
sums :ha! the people would otherwise hsye 4
pay in nigh freights 1t is TO be hoped it will
he long time before the advice of such foil
as this scribbler in Emecy's Daily is taken an,
the canal surrendered TO the railroad monopc
lists and cormoranis