Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-27
CANAL TO CHICAGO.
More OF the Advantages of the
Great Waterway.
FUTURE PLANS FOR ITS DEEPENING
1t WIN Eventually be Made Navigable by
Lake ships-Headquarters for Eastern
Right OF Way-some Farmers Object

Ao Snips-noooquefters for Eastern
Right OF way-some Farmers Object
ing.
Going further into the subject of
the construction of the eastern end
OF the Hennepin canal, reviewed a
few days ago in The ARGUS, the Chi
cago Tribune Of today has the follow
ing:
BY the construction of the Henne-
pin canal, a distance of nearly six
hundred miles will be saved to the
shipping interests of all towns on the
Mississippi river above Rock Island
and OF the northwest in a water
route to the Chicago markets. At
the present time it is necessary for
all river craft upon arriving at Rock
Island to double down the Missis-
sippi river and back on the Illinois,
and as these rivers for a distance of
800 miles parallel each other the
trade has been placed at a great dis
advantage. This route has also
many other objections, among them
being the rapid descent OF the Mis-
sissippi river between Rock Island
and the mouth of the Illinois river,
and also on account of the latter
river being low and sluggish. When
the Hennepin canal is finished be-
tween fourteen and eighteen DAYS
will be saved to the river craft in
making the trip from Rock Island to
Chicago, and also many dangers of
the present route will he avoided.
In addition tc the grain trade it is
considered that the canal will be an
easy outlet for the lumber interests
OF Wisconsin, the timber of which is
sawed at mills along the streams
that empty into the Mississippi river.
The remainder of the route to Chi
cago after passing through the Hen
nepin canal will be by way of the
Illinois river to La Sale and from
there into the city by the Illinois
and Michigan canal This route will
be used until the Chicago drainage
canal is completed, when that will
be substituted. Until that time only
the small boats can make the entire
distance owing to the narrowness of
the Illinois and Michigan canal.
The act of congress provides that in
case the Chicago drainage canal is
ultimately used, the Illinois and
Michigan canal. which the state of
Illinois rendered the general govern
ment, will be both deepened and
widened.
Plan Is for a Ship Canal
The right of way for the Hennepin
canal has been laid out with view
OF accommodating ships and the
| largest boats that move on the Mis-
| sissippi river. In case of war it is
intended that the canal viii be suffi-
GENTLY large to allow the government
gun boats to pass through into the
great lakes in case the St. Lawrence
river could not be used. With this
idea IN view the embankments along
the canal will be thrown up at an
average width of 500 feet. Between
these for the present. however, the
channel will be fixed at so feet, being
wide enough for the accommodation
OF the ordinary canal and river craft.
The water in the remainder of the
distance between the entertainments
will be shallow, not having a depth
OF over one or two feet. The depth
OF the channel proper will be about
nine feet, but the emban kments are
So arranged that it can be deepened
should it be found desirable.
The canal leaves the Illinois river
at point about two miles above
Hennepin. At this point a ridge sep
arating the river from Spring Lake
will be cut through. In Spring Lake
channel will be dredged, and on one
side either a bridge erected or en-
bankment thrown up to he used as
towpath. Spring Lake win be used
as basin in which canal boats can
| accumulate until sufficient number
is secured to be taken up the river.
The first lock will be located 1,SOO
feet from the river. and will have
lift of nine feet. TO the next lock. a
distance of mile, the embankment on
the north side will be Is feet high.
or nine feet higher than the one on
the south side. This is necessited on
account of the Illinois river over
flowing its banks every spring. At
the end of the stretch another lock
will be placed, taking the canal out
Va e'S zach VI hASh "dleI.
The K. /. d P. railroad is crossed
at distance from the Illinois river
of one-half mile. The railroad tracks
will have swing bridge. At the
west end the canal will parallel Rock
river for short distance and enter
the Mississippi at the mouth of Rock
river. The summit level of the ca
nal will be supplied by a feeder from
Rock river which will run from
point near Dixon. The eastern end
of the canal will be reinforced by
feeder from Bureau river, which as
yet has not been located.
As soon as the timber and brush
are removed from it, this section will
be thrown open and work on it
started at once. The contracts will
be let Sept. 20. A second force fol-
lows these men and puts in SUBJ
stantial barb wire fence on both
sides of the right of way. This fence