The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-24
POINTS FOR THE CANAL.
Maj. W. II. II. Benyuard Has Com.
pleted the Surveys and is Now
Making mp His Report.

When Maj. W. II. II. Benyuard, who
has in charge the Hennepin canal surveys,
was in Rock Island last week, he informed
an ARGUS reporter that inasmuch as he
had not completed the work, he could
give to the public nothing new on the
subject. His work is now flushed SO far
as the surveys are concerned, and he is
engaged in making up his report to con-
gress. The Chicago Tribune has gained
some interesting information from the
Major, and that official is reported to have
said:
The particular advantage to be gained
from this deviation is the avoidance. of
hume small rivers and creeks which
empty into Green river from the south-
ward, and which would be very trouble
some obstacles and very expensive ones
to get rid of. The report will, therefore
show line of survey starting from St.
Peters Marsh, natural basin, about a
mile north of Annawan. and thirty miles
west Of Hennepin and proceeding in Il
northwesterly direction to Penny Creek,
from which it runs southwest to the for
mer junction at Colona. taking in part
of the Rock river for the route, and
thus avoiding the expensive excavation
which would be necessary by the
line south of Green river This
line presents fewer difficulties as an ems
cheering project. and the expenses of
constructing the canal if it should be
adopted, will be considerably lessened
from the estimates given by the line south
of the Green river, and is therefore the
most advantageous of the two. 1t could
be adopted for portions of either the
Rock Island or Watcrtown line previously
surveyed, If this should he thought ex~
pedient
The survey of this season was pro
jected upon the basis of the construction
of canal to be seventy, five miles in
length from point at or near Ilennepin,
on the Illinois river, to the Rock river at
Colona. This would connect the Missis-
sippi river via the Rock river. with the
Illinois and Michigan canal. 1t provides
for body of water of general depth of
seven feet, and it proposes uniform
width of eighty feet for the canal, thus
furnishing water route sufficient in eX'
tent and depth to float fleets of the largest
barges between the Mississippi and lake
Michigan.
That portion of the line from the Hi
nois river to the Feeder Junction, dis
lance of twenty-five miles. is common to
all the proposed lines. AT this point the
Meredosia line DIVORCES to the northward,
the other lines continuing nearly parallel
to the fifty seventh mile from the Illinois
river near Colona, where the Rock Island
lines diverge via Green and Rock rivers
to their termination, while the Watertown
route is continued directly west to the
Mississippi. The feeder from the Rock
| river, which is the source of supply of
water to the proposed canal, probably be-
| cause that stream can be depended upon
| at all stages to furnish II sufficient and re
liable supply of water, is thirty five miles
in length, and has, by the estimates, a
fall of thirty six inches from Dixon to
the main line of the canal The cstimat,
ed cost of the Rock Island route, includa
ing feeder. is about 5000, 900.