Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-09-20

pbN L. htNDEhSDNs
eat moment to merchants and farmers and
all others who handle or consume the
ea:th's products. Where railroads have
competition by water their freight charges
are about half of what they would be
when such competition does not exist.
According to carefully prepared figures
it is shown that in 1880 the New York
Central railroad received .OOSS per ton
per mile; the Philadelphia & Erie, .OO5G;
the Lake Shore. .OO75; the Michigan Cen
trial, .O0S42; and the Pittsburr. Fl
Wayne Il Chicago, OO76. All these roads
have water competition, sometimes close
and direct, in other cases not so direct. but
still competitor. The difference will be
seen when it is made known that in the
same year referred to the c., B. e O
charged .Ol2O ton per mile; in the year
1879 the Chicago & Nnr'hwasto-9i 70
ceived .O1020; the Milwaukee and St
Paul, O176; the Rock Island, O121. The
Erie canal in that year realized .OO49.
Those who are in position to know
and who have given close attention to the
matter, have estimated that the states of
Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Minnesota
pay for freight on grain alone the large
sum of $3,4S2. 6S7 yearly The figures
for the state of Illinois are not at
present at hand. but they will bear
the same ratio. And all because
water communication was not accessible.
The estimate made is upon grain alone it
must be remembered and to this must be
added every other material and product
which require transportation. These
vast sums are yearly drain upon the
people of all classes who are shippers
and consumers, and will be saved to
them by the construction of the Henue>
pin canal. Besides, this large appropria-
ton will be spent in this section by the
people to whom 1t is paid thus adding
to the benefit of the community during
the time the work is in progress.
To all who in anyway aided in bringing
this enterprise up to its present state, the
thanks OF the people are due. Those who
were in congress have had their actions
toward it carefully watched and heartily
applauded. Those who labored on the
outside in other channels will receive
equal commentator.
HISTORY OF THE GREAT PROJECT.
The first official act leading to the con,
summation of this great waterway pro
Ject was the Cedlng to the general gov
eminent by the Illinois general assembly
the action being sanctioned by the popu !
lar vote or the people-the Illinois and |
Michigan canal, extending from Chicago
to Hennepin. This was done with the
understanding that the general govern
ment will accept the grant and complete
the canal 0Or which the SURVEYS have
been made,) to a point on the river at or
near Rock Island The length of the I'm.
built link is only sixtY-five miles. This
is what is meant by the Henhepin canal,
and by the route decided upon the cost
is estimated at SG.G72, 800. By an act
of congress, passed August IL, 1882, an
appropriation of $4,000 was made for
surveys of three practical routes for the
canal between Hennepin and the Missis-
sippi river. The work was completed bv
Major ". II. Ii. Benyaurd, and estimates
furnished. AS is stated the -ost ot
construction of the Rock Island route
the most Notwithstanding feeders and
the right of way, will be S6,672 800.
This amount covers the estimated cost of
the canal and feeder from Rock river to
the summit of the canal-each eighty feet
in width at the water line and seven feet
deep including locks 10 feet in length
and thirty feet in width. with capacitv
for vessels of at least go tons burden.
The practicabiity of the canal construc-
ton has been thoroughly investigated by
the best of engineering talent At the
instance of citizens of Illinois and Iowa,
Col. j. o. Hudnutt civil engineer of
eminence, who is quoted in the Report
of the Select Committee on TRANSPORTS.
tion Routes to the SeabOard," presented
to the senate of the United States
on April "a. 1874, made tie
first survey OF the Hennepin canal
route. In his report of that survey, rem
dered with estimates in 1866, Colonel
Hudnutt so unequivocally endorsed the
project as one of easy accomplishment,
that he asserted that "this would be the
cheapest canal constructed in the United