Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-07-18
That Illinois Ditch.
What Uncle Sans Engineer
Says of the Scheme.
NEITHER DIFFICULT NOR COSTLY.

Two Routes Suggested and the Estimate
of Money Required-More River and
IIarbor Estimates-The National RePub-
Iican Committee Comforting on the New
States and virginia--Ohio Politics from
n Democratic Standpoint
WASHINGTON CITY, July ls.-Assistant
Engineer Wheeler, in charge Of the survey
for a waterway between Like Michigan and
the Mississippi submits the following; Be-
tween Lake Michigan and Lockport all pos
sible routes are entirely in excavation, the
marterial to he excavated varying from soft
river and lake deposit at the northern end to
limestone rock at the southern end Sixty
four test borngs were made between the
junction of the Little Calumet with Stony
creek and Sag bridge These borings were
about one-half mile apart, and were put
down eighteen feet below low water in Lake
Michigan.
Two Favorable Routes.
The tests showed two favorable routes be-
tween Blue Island and Sag bridge. one fol-
lowing the old Calumet feeder north of Lanes
island, the other passing south of Lanes isl
and and joining the feeder route five miles
east of Sag bridge They also showed that
previous reports had greatly exaggerated the
difficulties Of these routes. Instead of seven
teen miles Of continuous rock excavation, as
had been previously stated To be necessary
along the route, starting from Chicago forty
six test horings Were made with the same
result-that much less rock excavation is
necessary than had previously been reported.
Not Costly Undertaking.
ha ri hat
navigable waterway between Chicago and
the Mississippi is not likely to prove as diff
cult or expensive an undertaking as has been
estimated The route from Lake Michigan,
near Chicago, to the Mississippi, via Illinois,
is the most favorable route of liberal capaci-
ty, at moderate cost, between the Mississippi
river and the great lakes The expenditure
of an estimated amount of SAP 600 will carry
a channel from the mouth of the Illinois to
La Sale, 100 miles from Lake Michigan,
seven feet deep at extreme low water, which
is ample depth to accommodate the largest
Mississippi steamers that reach the mouth OF
the Illinois, the proposed low water depth
being from two 10 two and one-half feet
gre tier than present low-water depths in the
Mississippi river for 400 miles on either side
of the mouth OF the Illinois The expenditure
of an estimated amount Of 81, 800, 600 will
carry an equal depth from La Sale to Joliet
within less than forty miles of Lake Michi-
gan, near Chicago.
Some More Estimates.
Maj c. f. Il. T. Davis, of the engineer
corps, in his annual report TO the chief OF en-
gineers, makes the following estimates for
improvements on rivers and harbors in
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois for the
fiscal year ending June so, 1874: Cedar
river harbor, Michigan, to complete, SlOS,-
600; Oconto harhor, Wisconsin, 10 complete.
$1,000; Pensaukee harhor, to complete $50
600; Green Bay harbor, Wisconsin, SlO,-
600; Harbor of Refuge, Sturgeon bay, Wis
consin, s., 0O0; Annspee barber Wis, SIS, 600;
kewaunee harbor, Wisconsin, $50 001: Two
Rivers harbor, Wisconsin, 5000; Manito-
woo harbor, Wisconsin, 5000; Sheboygan
harbor, Wisconsin, $4,000; Port Washing
ton hsrbor, Wisconsin, 5000: Harbor of
Refuge, Milwaukee hay, Wisconsin, 5000
900; Milwaukee harbor. 500 900; Racine har-
Dor, Wisconsin, so, OOO; Kenosha harbor
Wisconsin, $50, 0e0; Waukegan hsrbor. Hi
nois, $1,000; Fox and Wisconsin rivers,
Wisconsin, sos, 900; operating and care of
locks AMI dams on Fox and Wisconsin riv-
ers, s62 TO for lS90l