The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-17
THE PROPOSED SHIP CANAL.
The Advantages Indiana's Topography Offers
for Connecting the Lakes and the Gulf.
o the Editor of the Indianapolis journal:

To the Editor OF the INDIANAPOLIS Journal:
During the last session of the Indiana
Legislature Senator Mclean, of Vigo, in
troduced o resolution asking Congress TO
order q survey for a ship canal to mi
the upper lakes with the Mississippi. by
way of the Wabash and Ohio rivers. The
Importance of this proposition to the State
of Indiana Is beyond estimate. and Il
should command tho cordial and active
support of all citizena. During the admin
istrstion of Governor Porter q survey Of
the Kankakee river was made for the
State under my direction. and from the
general knowledge of the topography Of
the northern part of Indiana. obtained dur
ing that survey, / believe that q ship
canal may be constructed at q reasonable
cost from Lake Michigan TO the Wa;
Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
Probably the most feasible route would be
from u point on the lake near the boundary
line between Lake mi Porter counties.
Baum's bridge. thence along the Kankakeo
to Dunn's bridge, thence southwark to the
MOnOn near Medary willie. thence to the
Tippecanoe at the mouth of the Monon and
thence along the Tippecanoe to the Wa
bash. The kankakee at Bsum's bridge is
seventy-fve feet above the level of Lake
Michigan. and at Dunn's bridge it is fifteen
feet above the Tippecanoe at the mouth of
the Monon. From Baum's bridge to Lake
Michigan the distance is less than twenty
i've miles. The summit of the ridge which
divides the waters to the kankakee
and Lake Michigan will not ex-
coed seventy feet above the Kankakee.
The distance from Dunn's bridge to the
the summit on the south side will not ex-
coed sixty feet above the Kankakee. With
the as the summit level of the
canal: and the depth Of the canal made
twenty feet, the deepest excavation along
the entire route would not exceed one hun-
dred feet. and the average depth would be
less than fifty feet. No serious engineer
ing difficulties will be encountered along
will Obstruct In the deepest excavations.
The general topography of the proposed
route may be understood from the follow
ing table of elevations in feet above sea
level:
Summit north of Kankakee approximately. 735
Kankakee river, at Dunn's bridge .-------... 663
summit south of Kankakee tapproximate)- 525
TtppecanOe river. at mouth OF MonOn...-.. 645
Wabash river, at mouth Of Tippecanoe....- 516
the advantage possessed by the Indiana
route over any proposed canal to connect
the lakes with the Mississippi is the abund-
ant water supply which the kankakee
river will furnish for the summit level.
In my report to the Governor, In 1882. the
statements is made that the mean level of
the Ksnkakee valley 10 SO feet above the
ocean. ninety feet above Lake Michigan
and 160 feet above the Wabash at Lafay-
cite. This wonderful river. living far above
the waters with which it is to be connect
ed, Is the outlet of u DRAINAGE basin of moro
than one thousand square miles east of the
point where tho canal will GROSS it. The
needs only to be aroused that Its mighty
power may be used for the benefit of the
State and Nation. j.. L. CAMPBELL.
CR-AwFORDsvILLE, April IA.