Rock Island Argus., 1895-09-24
DEEP WATERWAYS
Important Convention Meets To.
day at Cleveland.
LAKE LEVELS WILL Be- DISCUSSED

"A warm contest Expected Dy the
Windy City Delegates ON That Question,
Which VIII BE Met vigorously-How to
Neutralizc the Outflow.
CLEVELAND, Sept. 24-Many prominent
members Of the International Deep Wa
terways association have already arrived in
the city to attend the annual convention,
which commences this afternoon. Messrs.
Frank Wenter, Isham Randolph, Thomas
L. Johnston, +. J. Ward, George Dawson,
William Boldenweck and Lyman +.
Cooley, Of Chicago, are here to represent
the Chicago drainage canal. President
Wenter will deliver an address Wednes-
day evening, illustrating it with stereop-
ticon views. Engineer Ward said that
he believed the first thing to do was to
construct dams and weirs to maintain the
level of the waters of the great lakes. He
would dam the water of Lakes Huron
and Superior and also Niagara river. He
thought it could be done at cost of
81, 100000. The Chicago men expect a
vigorous attack on the drainage channel
and are prepared to defend that big ditch
with all their eloquence.
Looking For a Stormy Time.
Randolph is reported rs saying: eyes,
we are looking for a rather stormy time.
This will be too favorable chance for the
opponents of the upper lake interests to
let pass. The matter has been given
place on the programme under the head
ing: Control of the outflow and levels
of the great lakes system Several papers
will be read. but of the authors l know
only Mr.. Johnston, of our board here, and
Mr.. Wisner, of Detroit, who has always
taken our side in previous discussions.
As to who Will lead the opposition am
not informed. Major Ruffner, the big
gun of the other side, has, you know, been
transferred to the Pacific coast, and I
Imagine that that is too long range for
him to do much execution now.
Action Likely To BE Taken.
''Thc only positive action taken, doubt
less, will be the adoption of resolutions
commencing the subject to the joint COM
mission recently authorized by congress
and the Canadian parliament. There is
nothing in that action we care to oppose,
as we are not AFRAID of investigation. Any
resolutions adverse to the canal would
certainly be resisted because of the possible
moral effect that action by such "A conven-
ton might have, and we shall try to pre-
sent the case in its true light. On ac-
count of their nearness to the convention
city the lower lake region will probably
be well represented numerically, but Chi
cagois certain OF support from the upper
lake region and FROM the Mississippi val
ley, including Pittsburg and vicinity"
Argument of the Drainage Board.
Assistant Engineer Johnston, who has
spent much time in the collection of data
on the subject of lake levels, will represent
the drainage board in the discussion. In
an interview at Chicago he said: "There
are many ways of restoring the lake levels
and neutralizing the increased overflow.
A dam across Niagara would check it, and
dams at the mouth of Lake Superior
would make of that body a great reservoir,
water from which might be used to
cqualizc the level of the lower lakes. Con-
gress could better afford to undertake this
improvement, beneficial to the whole
northwest, than to limit the value of arti-
fetal waterways like the drainage canal
l shall emphasize the point that as the
Chicago canal is navigable like the Others
have mentioned, the possible advantages
to commerce would well compensate for
the inevitable evil effects.
Many Fancies and Delusions.
at is almost undeniablc that the ques-
ton of raising or lowering the lake levels
is in the same category as an eclipse of the
moon. 1t creates great variety of popu.
lar fancics and delusions. From this most
of the interest arises. The attitude taken
is not exactly misrepresentation. 1t is,
you might say, cross between misap-
prehension and a fad