Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-03-19
wAteR LEVEL IN THE LAKES.
spesuiasloa - TO the Result Of Openin'
The Chicago Drainage Canal.

spsculstIoa - 60 the Result Of Opening
he Chicago Drainage Canal.
The Itobable effect Of the opening OF
the Chicago drainage canal upon tho
water ldvel Of the great lakes has been
the sub ect of discussion ever since that
tremendous project took shape. A cry
Of alarm was raised several years ago
when ihwas announced that the diver
sion Of Iwater from Lake Michigan In
anything like the quantity required TO
oil thel canal then being constructed
across Illinois to the Mississippi valley
would seriously interfere with tho navi-
cation d. the st. Clair and Detroit riv-
ers and RENDER it impossible for heavy
draft v3ssels to enter most Of the har-
bors ON tho lower lakes. The Chicago
engineets have done their best ever since
to dispd that belief. They have main.
tanned that the taking from the lakes OF
all the water that will ever be required
for the, canal will not lower the lake
level more than three inches. and the
Chicago newspapers have all Endorsed
tho opibions expressed by the Chicago
engineets. as n matter Of course.
Professor q. Frederick Wright OF
Obcrlin|c college. who has perhaps made
more careful study Of the geology and
geography Of the lake region than any
| other MAN in the United States, does
not agrlc with the Chicago engineers,
however. Professor Wright shows that
the quAntity Of water required to be
turned into the drainage canal when II
| is first opened will be equal TO about
per cenI Of the quantity that now flows
over Niagara When the population OF
Chicago reaches 2, 900, 600, the law un-
der which tho canal was constructed
provided that the quantity OF water
passingl through il shall be doubled.
That mbaps that at least 10 per cent rs
| much Water rs now passes over niagara
will beIdiverted from the lakes 10 the
| Mississippi Major RufIner Of the corps
OF engineers Of the United States army
cstimatls that when the drainage canal
| Is first Opened the result will be TO lower
the lev II Of Lakes Michigan. Huron and
| Eric apil the connecting rivers at least
| nine inthes, and that when the canal Is
| operatct 70 its full capacity the fall in
| the watbr level will DO Is inches. This,
Professor Wright says. may have but
little eject in the rainy season, but dur
| ing thellate summer and autumn he Is
| certainlthat il will seriously interfere
| with phvigaiion He declares that the
vessel owners and all who are interested
in tho commerce Of tho lakes should
realize the danger and do all they can
TO avert il. AS n preventive measure he
| suggestE that dam bc constructed
across Aho lower end Of Lake Superior
| nj the 'iSoo. which will raise the level
Of that lake two feet and store enough
water during the rainy season TO supply
| the lcwlr lakes during the late summer
and fall
Professor Wright says that the level
OF the hikes is such that IL tho continent
were td dip 80 feet 10 the west all tho
water which now goes over Niagara
would flow over Illinois and into the
Mississ )ppi, and II the dip were 100 feet
10 the north the water OF the lakes
would 10 through Lake Nipissing mot
the Ottawa river, and tho Niagara
would become dry.
Cett.inly his suggestions are worthy
tho attention Of lake men and vessel
owners and an investigation should bo
started 10 determine what the actual
effect \ the opening OF the Chicago ca
nal VIII be. Chicago ought not TO 10
depriv'h Of this means Of disposing OF
its scwtgc. but IL there is any way OF
preventing such serious interference
with the navigation Of the lower lakes
rs is threatened action should BE- taken
nj oncdto avert it.-Cleveland Leader.