Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-07-27
SOME HENNEPIN HISTORY.
Was the Route Adopted Always
the FavOrite
A Claim That the Law Alone Pre-
vented the Adoption of the
short Line Long Ago.

The Davenport Democrat claims that
ever since the discussions have been in
progress over the respective merits of the
different routes for the Hennepin, the
southern route, which has been adopted,
and the Robinson route in opposition to
it certain parties have been disposed to
intimate that the crossing of the river to
the south side and the location of the
canal there, was done in contravention of
the design of the projectors of the first
routes and in contrayention, likewise. of
the dictates of good engineering, and
merely to wreck spite on the parties in
terested n..having the canal located on
the northern side of Rock river. 1t has
been openly alleged that points have been
strained to carry the canal across the
river. and that no one ever thought of
placing it there until these unfortunate
disputeslcame on to vex the smooth
course of the work.
These assertions, says the Democrat,
which are more implied than dir ct, are
credi,edsin some quarters, but they do
not deserve moments consideration.
There isismple evidence to back the as
sertion that the canal would probably have
been located on the south side By the
former surveyors if the law had permitted
that location.
= 49,
of Engineer G. A. NJ. Liljencrantz. now
in the Office of Captain Marshall IN chi.
cago. Mr.. Liljencrantz was engaged on
the surveys for the canal in 1885 SO, and
is competent authority, as well as an
excellent engineer. he wrote letter to
gentleman there a few days
ago, in which, among other
matters, he discussed the assertions above
mentioned. He says, that in the first
place, he understands that years ago Gen.
Wilson spoke of the possibility of locat-
| ing the canal on the south side of Rock
river, and that ins1ss5 when he, Mr..
LiJencran;z himself, discussed the feas-
ieiity of a route there with Maj. Ben
yusyd, the latter responded that such q
route had already been suggested, but
| that the river and har5or bill, under which
the work was then being done, limited
the mouth of the canal TO point At or
! above Rock Island, and therefore rendere
useless any labor spent in considering
the south side.
| The Democrat concludes:
The last river and harbor bill. the one
under which the recent surveys were made
| located the mouth of the canal at the
mouth of Rock river, thus allowing far
| greater elasticity to the route above the
terminus. and enabling the engineers to
| consider the southern route which the law
had prevented them looking at before.
| That they would have crossed the river
| long ago, and located the canal as it is
now located there is no room for an in
telligent doubt, but they could not Go it.
! That Capt. Wheeler, or any of the
other men interested in the making of
the latter survey, are alone in consider
| ing the southern route practicable and
preferable to the other is another error,
for Mr.. Liljencrantz expressed decided
! preference for it, from the standpoint of
sn engineer. He has been over the
ground in all the vicinity, and is thor
oughly familiar with it all the way
through. and his opinion is good. He
ia supported furthermore, by other engi-
neers who are also well qualified to speak.
The southern route had practical recog-
milton long ago, and It's survey was not
the WORK of any man or men, who might
have been sFited. in order to obtain re-