Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-03-13
THE CANAL.
Congressional Argument for It's
Construction,
(REpoRT OF COM. ON CANALS, 1886 }

ouDLlilicu d ItpOIU from WHICH we
quote. 1t is a very important matter
and worth looking into,
The Illinois and Michigan canal ex-
tends from Chicago and the waters of
AXE Michigan southwesterly to the
city OF LaSalle, a distance of 90 miles,
and there connects with the Illinois
River improvement. This canal was
built by the state of Illinois, aided by
grant Of lands from the United States,
and has been in successful operation
since its completion in 1917. 1t is 60
feet wide at water line, with a water
depth Of 6 feet. The total cost of the
work was $6,557,6Sl.5O. 1t has been
the practice of the state to operate the
canal on the policy of low tolls, and yet
its net receipts over operating expenses
amounts to 50, 500, 691.7 "A.
BY an act of the legislature of Hi
nois, approved April %, 1882, "the Hi
nois and Michigan canal, its right of
way and all its appurtenances, and all
rights, titles, and interest which the
state has in any real estate coded to the
state by the United States for canal
purposes" was coded to the United
States upon the express condition that
the grant should be accepted within
five years, and that thereafter the said
canal should be maintained as a ma.
tional water way for commercial pur-
poses, to be used by all persons with
out discrimination, under such rules
and regulations as congress may pre-
scribe. This act was ratified by a large
majority of the voters of the state, at
the election of November 7, 1882.
The proposed canal from Hennepin,
on the Illinois river, to the Mississippi,
is designated as the Illinois and Missis-
sippi river canal, and is known as the
"Hennepin canal" 1t has been sur
veyed by authority of the FOrty-seventh
congress, under the direction Of the sec
rotary Of war, and the United States
engineers report "a perfectly feasible
route" for a canal 50 feet wide at the
water-line, with ! feet of water. When
completed direct water communication
will be secured between the Great
Lakes and the waterways of the east to
the Mississippi river on the west and
the Gulf Of Mexico on the south. The
length of the line from Hennepin to
the Mississippi at the mouth of Rock
river, is 74.5 miles. A feeder 81 miles
in length is to be built extending to
Dixon, on Rock river. and called the
Rock Island route. Major Benyaurd,
in his report, says of the dimensions Of
canal and locks
1t is proposed TO make the caual and feeder
50 feet wide on the water surface, and z feet
deep, with slopes Of l OF II. The locks for
the main canal are 10 feet long and 80 feet
u,tIa Ttnaa lattnr Jtn IA rara aIn,taJ
after considering the question Of low-water
navigation on the upper Mississippi, ss affect
ing barge transportation. The hull measure
ment OF the larger size barges adapted TO the
passage Of the locks, Is, according to the Gus
tom-house authorities, about 800 tons, though
with deeper water afforded by higher stages Of
the river, and also ~ the proposed dimensions
of the canal, such barges can, with the box
top, carry over 60 tons; but we had to be
governed by the minimum drsught Of the
boats at the most uniavorable stage of the
main river.
The same lock dimensions Tor the Hennepin
canal were also adopted by Col. Macomb In
the report OF 1874. In connection with the sub.
ject OF transportation routes to the sea-
o rd.
The estimated cost of constructing
this canal and feeder. including right
of way, is ST, 1890. 81; the estimated
cost of charging the Illinois and Michi-
gan canal, 50, 1919. 10; total, $S,91l,-
8O9.S2. This estimate is for the o n
%structiOn of what is known as the Rock
Island route. which is recommended
by the committee.
The proposition in the bill is to ac-
cept Of the protfered grant of the Hi
nois and Michigan canal made by the
state of Illinois on the terms proposed,
and TO construct, under the direction
Of the secretary of war, the Illinois and
Mississippi river canal Called the Hen
nepinl thus connecting the great water
systems of the east and west.
Your committee deems it unnecesSa-
ry to enter more fully into a descrip-
ton of the proposed canal in this re-
port. but would respectfully call the
attention of the House TO considera-
tions in favor of the passage Of the
bill.
The four great departments OF in
dustry which give employment to our
people are agriculture, mining, manu-
Vs. ~ SchiibchSo, u ehdp 10
the duty of the government TO promote
and protect each of these branches by
wise and appropriate legislation is
acknowledged by all, and it must be
conceded that the cost Of ~transports-
ton is a factor of the highest import
ance not only to these industries, but,
As we nope to show, to the whole
country.
In discussing this question it must be
borne in mind that the agricultural
districts which furnish a surplus of
wheat, corn, oats, and barley, lie west
of the A~lleghanies, and for the most
part these cereals are produced in the
great valleys Of the Mississippi and
Missouri and their tributaries. The
distance, then, that these products OF
the farm must be transported TO find a
market is very great, whether that
market be tu-l,ahed by the more
sterile eastern portion of III own
country or abroad. whether in New
England OK ureat Britain. It ;s, more
over, apparent that to the producer
every dollar of the cost Of transporta-
ton he is obliged to pay in reaching n
market which might have been saved
is a burden laid upon him without a
compensation, and for which there Is