Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-08
FAVORABLE TO HENNEPIN.
Report of the Board of Engineers
The Rock Island Route the
Rest

The Hennepin canal bill is already at
tracing the attention of congress, and
from present indications the opposing
statesmen will have to make more than
an ordinary endeavor TO defeat it this
time. A Washington special TO the Chi
cago Times of this morning. says;
The report of the Comstock board of
engineers on the Hennepiu canal is in the
main acceptable to the friends of the pro-
ject. but there are some parts of it that
do not suit them. The report presents
in very strong light the commercial
importance of the canal, aud shows that
there are no serious difficulties in the way
Of its construction. The board makes no
estimate of its cost. Its cordial endorse
ment of the canal on commercial and
military grounds will prove material
help TO the friends of the canal.
The board, however, leans to the Marias
d'Osier route. This is the shortest and
cheapest, but much of it lies through
such low flooded lands that when Mai.
Benyuard made his survey of it three
years ago in the dryest month of the year
the surveyors were unable to pass over a
good part of the line. Besides there are
no commercial lines at this end of the
-Oute to make use of the canal, and the
mouth of the canal would be in the mid
die of long resch of rapids. Boats
might easily go down these rapids to enter
| the canal at Rock Island, but they would
| no JIf-a 20 ,rn q tho To ha
canal at Marais dOsier In his re-
port Mai, Benyuard. without strongly
deciding in favor of any of the routes.
plainly gave the Rock Island route the
preference for commercial reasons. The
Hamburg report, made year ago, pre-
| ferrcd the Marais dOsicr route on ac-
count of lesser cost, but the commercial
reasons for having the canal end at
| Rock Island were so obvious that Gen.
Newton, then chief of engineers. pre-
fixed TO the Hamburg report a strong
argument for the Rock Island route, and
Gen. Bennett, who was then acting-sec>
rotary OF war, transmitted the reports
with very emphatic Endorsement of the
Rock Island route. There is good reason
to expect that Gen. Duane, the present
chief of engineers, and Secretary Endi,
colt will both cast their influence in favor
Of the Rock Island route. Gen. Bennett.
as chief of ordnance, and therefore deep
ly interested in everything that will cons
tribute to The efficiency of the Rock Isl
ard arsenal, is very anxious to have the
canal end in the vicinity of the arsenal
The board has found out that the i'm,
proyement in the Illinois at Henry made
by the state but with the aid of land
grant was not covered by the stated
cession. 1t is believed that this overs
sight can be remedied by the action of
the legislature. The board is also in
favor Of utilizing the Illinois river TO
Joliet and to Hennepin as a part of the
waterway from the Mississippi to Lake
Michigan. The report of the board of
engineers will probably be transmitted TO
congress in few days The enterprise
has a much better standing before con
gress for this reason than it ever had be-
fore.
JERRY AND THE CANAL.
The Chicago Tribune says:
Mr.. Murphy, who IS In Washington
was yesterday asked if the Hennepin
canal people had given up their efforts
Give up Hennepin?" nc replied.
We give up nothing. Why report has
been made by the engineers in accordance
with the direction, of the river and har-
Dor bill, last session and the report will
soon be before congress, if the govern
ment printer ever gets chance to print
it. Tie secretary of war has promised
to give the committee hearing on Tues
day next. and there Is life in the Hen
Depin yet John c. Dorr. of the citi-
Gems committee, says: We are
awaiting the report of the board Of army
engineers who were instructed TO inves>
tigate the question, and who will report
not only the cost OF the csnal, but upon
its commercial necessity, and am conf>
dent that these officers will report that
the canal Will be of great advantage.