The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-09
THE CA AL.
Opinions of two prominent
men of Chicago.
How it will benefit the
Garden CITY.

''Well. Mr.. Harrison, you, of course, as
one bound to 90 to the Hennepin conven-
ton. know all about the advantages and
prospects of the scheme; can you give me
some points on the subJectY.
Yes; I have been called upon, and
promised to deliver an address before the
convention on the subject, but that is the
very reason | don't want to give away my
| powder beforehand.
But there's nothing like a good intro
duction-'
well. if l must | must, and will com
mence by saying that | think that, so far
as the ultimate influence upon our prosper
ity is concerned the Hennepin canal, if
built. would be more beneficial to us and
our commerce than would the deepening
of tle Illinois and Michigan canal even, or
its Improvement in any way. In the long
run and in the distant future, with the eX-
Dectation that [ have that Chicago is going
| to be one of the greatest cities in the
world of course the Illinois and Michigan
canal will be of more benefit to Chicago
but for immediate results the Hennepin ca
nal will be more effective in attracting
commerce directly here than the other
THE DIRECT ADVANTAGES
''What will be the immediate advant-
ages flowing from it?'
1T will cheaper the freightage on five
railroads. | hold that benefits that will
result Immediately from the canal are not
so immediate themselves as will be the
regulation of the freight tariffs, This
canal would bring freight from the Missis-
sippi all along from Keokuk to st, Paul
and would therefore, regulate freight
| rates on the Burlington and Quincy, the
Rock Island, the Illinois Central the
Northwestern, and the Chicago and St
Paul Road, The Upper Mississippi is a
sluggish and pellucid stream and, there
fore, barges could be made and built to
| to float on the canal, and could be lowed
/ back and forth all the way from St, Paul
| to Keokuk with perfect safety, The
| freight from all the tributaries of the
Mississippi could be brought upon these
barges to Chicago at greatly reduced prices.
| Lumber and heavy freights would return
on them Railroads would soon feel the
effect of this competition, and would be
compelled to lower their rates. and there
fore | am greatly in favor of it."
VIII there be any serious difficulties in
an engineering way in the construction of
the Candl?'
From what | understand there will not.
1t will not be Il costly canal and the en-
gineering difficulties to be met are such as
Ctu easily NC ONGANOIAiC. L ilC CdIliI can 8Ct
a good feeder from Rock River that will
supply it with water. This route from
Hennepin to Rock Island is apparently
natural bed for a canal. There was a time
when skiff could start from the Illinois
River in time of floods and 90 all the way
from the Rock river to the Missippi. 1
learn that this canal runs through fiat
prairie. 3nd that there viii only be a very
short distance where any deep cut viii be
necessary at all; distance, in fact, Of only
about eighty rods, where Il cut of some
thirteen feet VIII be necessary. All the bal
ance of the canal will run through low
lying prairie, and will only require from
one to three locks in the whole distance of
sixty-five miles from Hennepin to Rock
Island.
THE COUNTRY BENEFITED.
What other sections of territory be
sides that on the route of the canal will be
benefited by it?"
Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, Iowa,
Northern Missouri, and the northwestern
part of Illinois would be benefited by it."
''What do you think are the prospects
of Congress lending a financially helping
hand in the scheme?"
my own opinion is that the building of
the Hennepin Canal, the deepening and
widening Of the Illinois and Michigan can
al, and Of the Eric canal, and the extern
sion of the James River and Kanawha can
al, and the canal across Florida win be
ultimately accomplished by the United
States Government, and the way to get
any one of them done is by making the
doing of one hinge upon the doing of an
other. National legislation of this kind
cannot be obtained without this species of
semi robbery"
A. 90 Al,
scheme, do you think, in the event Of its
being impossible to get the National Gov
eminent to assist it?"
If we cannot get the General Govern
ment to do it, we ought to get the State to
aid both of the canals. think the State of
Illinois is rich enough to do both, but
think it is easier to get the United States to
do ii than the State
THE HON. JOHN WENTWORTH.
In all that affects the real interests of
Chicago. il may always be taken for granted
that the Hon. john Wentworth is helping to
push forward in one form or another, and
consequently a reporter for the Inter Ocean
visited him in his office to get more infor
nation on the subject. With the modesty
that becomes Long John" however, he
forbade the reporter to put him down"
The result Of the interview may neverthe
less be given, and was substantially as fol
lows:
The Hennepin canal scheme proposes,
first to DIG a canal from Hennepin, in Put
nam county, on the Illinois river, to Rock
Island, on the Mississippi. The latter
river, however, to make the canal available
as ship canal will have to be deepened
considerably. 1t is also proposed to deep
en- the Illinois river from Hennepin to
LaSalle. From the latter point it is pro
posed to construct q canal to Chicago
The country from Hennepin to Rock Isl
and a distance of only sixty-five miles,
presents no insuperable obstacles to the
cheap construction of canal. In fact, it
is low-lying all along, ] understand, and
specially favorable for such a work The
advantages of such a canal by such
route, passing, as it does, through a rich
farming country all the way, cannot be
doubted. For one reason it viii be advan-
tageous as an offset against the railroads
and their heavy tariffs"
What do you think are the prospects of
the scheme for being pushed through2"
THE prospects ought to be good, for if
ooprrrncu will pot old IVA ,,oooc,,,o