Griggs courier., 1888-03-30
FROM THE LAKE TO THE GULF.

A synopsis of CONGRESSMAN Pl1mbs Re.
port the Hennepin Cana, Scheme,
Upon Which the House Committee
Looks With Favor.
WASHINGTON, March 21.-The House Conn
mittee on Railways and Canals has finished
the consideration of the Henncpin canal
ploject and yesterday verbally agreed to
adopt the report prepared by Mr. Plumb
uu.l
The report Of Colonel Plumb begins with an
elaborate presentation OF the phys cal facts
that are presented for the consideration of the
committee, giving the extent, population and
resources of the Mississippi valley
and the immense system of nat
ural waterways that traverse it. 1t then
describes the lake system extending for l.S0O
miles along the northern part OF the
United States, and touching as it does New
England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 1t
pom out the fact that the Illinois river
is natural canal from its mouth to
La Sale. having fall of only twenty feet
nlne inches that entire distance and follows
the course of the river up to Lake Joliet, where
| the fall of the river is said TO be not so large
but that 1t can be easily overcome by impro. e.
ments. The fact is alluded to that it is only
twenty nine miles through the obstruction
or ridge which stands in the way of the
waters OF the lakes flowing as they
once did down the valley OF the Desplaines
| RIVER and the Illinois river. The cost
of making a channel through the obstruction
| is said to- he greatly reduced by using the Des-
| PLANES river 10 within s:N miles of Chicago. The
| report then goes on to describe the two schemes
that proposed for carrying out the improve
ment. One which it LEI ms the propeller scheme
| contemplates Il channel of sufficient depth to
| take lake craft through from the lakes To the
| Cult OF Mexico curing certain / ortous OF the
year. and would require cutting through the
obstruction OF a channel 200 feet III width and
10 feet i'll depth 100 feet wide by % feet deep
TO secure II flow of water at the rate OF
| two miles Ter hour. elnal To GnoOD cube feet
per minute, which is i'll accordance with the
plan suggested 10y the delegation from Calc.>so.
THE olue. plan is called the RIVER steamboat
scheme. which contemplates an extension OF
the improvements NOW II existence III the llli-
nols RIVER up TO LAX" Joliet, and up the Dcs-
planes river tn the canal of the
capacity, the LOCKS beng 350 feet in
length by seventy live feet III duh with
! seven feet OF water. The objecl is TO make 1t
I.practicable 10 carry river steamboats, OF 1900
tons burden through from New orleans to Chi
cago. The report also loint> out what IS called
the Sag" route by way of Lapes Island and
| Blue Island to South Chicago. The report also
sets forth in detail the proposition made by
Chicago parties that that city would do ITS tuFl
share IN max M the cut through the obstruc-
ton of capacity sufficient 10 secure the out
flow of large quantity OF water in order to
benefit the drainage OF the city, Be
sides pointing out the advantages
which would to the States east
OF the Alleghenles wen as those IN the
Miss ssilpi valley in commercial point OF
view from the construction of the canal, the
report makes reference TO its great mpor
tance from Il military or naval standpoint liy
existing treaties the United States Is not per-
III tied to have gun-boats upon the lakes, and
al .4st IN is made to the fact that whereas En-
g.auu stead ly increasing the depth of the ca
Gals connecting with Lake Ontario as to al
mt of the passage of gun boats OF Il lar. .
class. the United States is without this witcl
way. totally unprepared to meet any foe upon
cqu II terms III case of Il conflict. In !. single
military contest with any other nation the re-
| port says, the cost of the canal would be more
than betrayed by the advantage which would
be derived from 1t IN IL military sense.