The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-08-25
THE ILLINOIS SHIP CANAL.

w u SnI oh'' " Jo"' "-N Wv PN't'N
of Illinois voted upon and ratified the law
1t is not little strange, however, that NJ
sooner was the law passed and ratifeC
than that earnest agitation IN favor OF The
Illinois ship canal which led to It's enact
ment suddenly ceased, and for the last
year, except occasional earnest appeals
by our friend Capt Stackpoie, of Fair
bury, through the columns of the FREE
TRADER, the subject of the Illinois shlT
canal is hardly mentioned IN the news
papers east or west. The Illinois, Iowa anC
Minnesota grangers that held such enthu-
siastc meetings demanding the ship cana
as check against railroad imposition il
the way Of freight charges on their grain
shipments to the east have apparently gone
to sleep; the Chicago, Detroit, Bnilalo
Albany and New York Boards Of Trade
that gave the project such earnest support
a year ago have apparently let 1t slip their
minds; and the congressman representing
the vast district Of country interested in
the enterprise, when they get to Washing
ton next winter, will probably find hardly
petition on the subject before them, aud
jumping to the conclusion that the people
are indifferent to the subject, will give 1t
the goby.
But If the peope-the produce ralsers
INGREDIENTS shippers and business men
generally of the country are indifferent to
the subject, the enemies Of the ship canal
are not so by any means. The result OF
removing the tolls from the New York
canals and making their navigation free
has led to such an astonishing increase in
their carrying business and to such seri-
Gus consequent lDroads on the business
and freight charges of the trunk line rail
road monopoly, that they are watching the
project Of free ship canal to unite the
waters of the lakes with those of the Mis-.
sisslppi and Missouri rivers with the most
jealous attention, and attacking it IN a
variety Of ingenious undc.handed ways.
One OF the boldest attacks Of this kind
appears IN the Inter. Ocean on Tuesday. 1t
Is made under cover OF discussing the sew.
age question of Chicago. II will not do, the
article intimates, tor Chicago to tool away
It's time over the project Of q Commercial"
canal. The geological formation of the
ground between Chicago and Lockport
shows that at one time a large river ran from
Lake Michigan to the Illinois, and only
ceased its flow when either some volcanic
upheaval or the drying up of the waters
raised the narrow barrier, not over 16 feet
high and but few miles wide, that lies
between the Oplain or upper Illinois river
and the south branch of Chicago river
All Chicago needs to do Is to remove this
barrier, and q river is opened from the
Lake to the Illinois valley with fall of
over 60 feet In 60 miles. Though small
at first, this river, with The current such a
fall would give it, will enlarge Its channel
by its own washing out rs rapidly as the
growth of Chicago will need such enlarge.
ment, and of course with such current
in the Chicago river turned westward the
question of Chicago sewage is simply, ef-
Fectually and forever solved The move
nent Of the water in a canal with locks
would be too slow--it must be a strong,
rapid stream, such as the proposed cut
would necessarily open.
The next Insidious attack on the ship
,snal project appears in the newly started
tally paper at Joliet, The Daily Press
This comes IN the form of violent philip
PIC against the canal as conduit of the
Chicago strengthening down upon the
titles of the Desplaines and Illinois val
ey thousand tons day of reeking,
disease bearing filth, laden with death and
scourge, a plagne upon
ong suffering people, fruitful not only of
leath, but of MURDER" &c, &c. 1t is in
he form of a medical disquisition, and
here is hardly disease or infection IN the
catalogue of human Affections that this
elongated cesspoo!" is not charged with
breeding along the whole line of the canal
and river.
or course this argument against the
anal on the ground of spreading infection
in all Its ESSENTIALS humbug. In the
winter, when the canal and river are closely
frozen over, Chicago sewage, passing I'M
Ter the ice becomes foul and poisons the
water and at such a time the flow this way
'ught to be stopped, but when the water Is
pen to the action of sun and AIR, with a
Moderate current, sewage becomes as ,
armless as the mud In the Mississippi
iver. Were 1t otherwise what would save
.ondon from constantly raging pes,ilence I
nd death, seeing the Thames bears through
lie heart Of the city the sewage of dozen q
cities in the aggregate larger than two =