The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-10
THE HENNEPIN.
Gen. Newton, Chief of Engineers, Rec.
Ommends the Rock Island
Route.

The Hennepin canal question is waxing
warm. Its friends in Washington are
putting forth every effort to convince the
members of congress that it is national
necessity to cheaper transportation. The
introduction of the bill by Congressman
Murphy designates the Rock Island
route, aud if congress allows an appro>
priation, it will be with the distinct I'M
Outstanding that the terminus OF the
canal shall be at or below Rock Island on
the Mississippi river Mr.. Lewis letter
TO the ARGUS yesterday shows that Mo-
line still expects to secure favorable recs
IGNITION for one of the upper lines. He
took advantage of his reply to the charge
against him of filing a paper at WashingN
ton, in regard to the Milan Water
Power, to give general review
of the canal question in general tenor
unfavorable to the Rock Island route. 1t
is needless to say that the ARGUS does
not coincide with Mr.. Lewis opinion.
The individual merits of the different
routes have been so thoroughly discussed
that it is unnecessary TO go over them
again, however. And what can Mr..
Lewis expect to gain now by agitating
which is the most feasible route? The
Rock Island route has been recommends
cd in the bill before the house upon the
decision of the engineers who made the
authorized surveys. Mr.. Lewis harped
considerably upon the Milan water
power syndicate" and entirely ignores
the Moline water power com
pany. Our Milan correspondent in
another column fully explains this
question, however, as does the fol-
lowing dispatch which was sent to Wash
ington soon after Mr. Lewis filed his
paper
Rock ISLAND. H., March Al. II.
Murphy, House of Representatives
Washington, ID. C.-No option given,
talked Of or asked for on Milan water
power. II Lewis mas filed such statement,
it is false and without shadow of foun-
daiion
G.. W. SEARS, Pres. Rock River W. P.
Co.
THos. MURDOCH, Mayor Rock Island.
ii. MCCULLocn, Pres. Milan Council.
JOHNSTON n Sons, w. II. GEsT.
Ben HARPER. CORNELIUS LYNDE,
B, DAVENPORT, J. W. STEWART,
r. j. ROBINSON, JOHN PEETz,
ID. b. SEARS Sons.
The Chicago Times of today contains
a half column special in regard to the
canal. 1t says "the report of the last sur
vey was submitted to the house yesterday
and referred to the committee on railways
and canals. The report is rather disap-
pointing to the friends of the canal for
the reason that Maj. Handbury pursues
the curious policy of strongly favoring
the Marais d'Osier route, while the SUR
vey he was reporting on, was limited to
the Rock Island route. His reasons for
recommending the Marias d'Osier route
are so insignificant that the chief of en-
gineers simply brushed them aside and
recommends adherence to the Rock Isl
and route.
Considering the great Importance OF
the PROJECT and the words of the act au,
thorizing the original survey, Gen. New
ton suggests that the Rock Island route
be adopted, in view of its offering com.
mercal facilities superior to those of
other routes considered in the report. y
The efforts to get WATERFOWL, in the mid
die Of the Rock Island rapids, selected as
the outlet Of the canal, were msinly made
by Engineer Lewis, of Moline, whose pur-
pose it is not difficult to divine. He has
urged that dam at WATERFOWL, to
make the pool or basin there
needed, would greatly improve the
water power at the Rock Island arsenal.
Maj, Haudbury thinks this is true, but
he understands Lewis motive, for he adds
that it would greatly enhance the value
of the franchise OK the Moline Water
Power company, and he remarks on the
fact that curiously enough, this seems &C
have escaped the attention of Lewis, fol
he nowhere alludes to it. Gen Newton
dismisses all this discussion by saying
that he does not think the utility OF the
government water power q. the arsena
will be affected at all by the selection OF
any of the outlets for the canal"