Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1895-05-17
THE wArER IENEL In THE LAKEg.
From the Cleveland Leader.

From the Cleveland Leader
The probable effect Of the opening
OF the Chicago drainage canal Upon
the water level Of the great lakes has
been the subject OF discussion ever
since that tremendous project took
shape. A cry Of alarm was raised sew
eral years ago when it was announced
that the diversion Of water from Lake
Michigan in anything like the Quanti-
ty required to ill the canal then being
constructed across Illinois to the Mis-
slssippi Valley would seriously inter-
fere with the navigation Of the St.
Clair aud Detroit rivers and render It
impossible for heavy draught vessels
to enter most of the harbors on the
lower lakes. The Chicago engineers
have done their best ever since to dis
pei that belief. They have maintained
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
the opinions expressed by the Chicago
engineers, as a matter of course.
Prof. G. Frederick Wright of Ober-
lin College, who has perhaps made a
more careful study of the geology and
geography of the lake region than any
other man in the United States, does
not agree with the Chicago engineers,
however. Prof. Wright shows that
the quantity of water requited to be
turned into the drainage canal when
it is first opened will be equal to about
i've per cent. of the quantity that now
flows over Niagara. When the pOpu-
lation of Chicago reaches two millions
the law under which the canal was
constructed provides that the guam
tity of water passing through It shall
be doubled. That means that at least
10 per cent. as much water as now
passes over Niagara will be diverted
from the lakes TO the Mississippi.
Major RufTner of the Corps Of Engin-
eers OF the United States army esti-
mates that when the drainage canal is
first opened the result will be to lower
the levels of lakes Michigan, Huron,
aud Erie and the connecting rivers at
least nine inches, and that when the
canal is operated TO its full capacity
the fall Ia the water level will be
eighteen inches. This, Prof. Wright
says, may have but little effect in the
rainy season, but during the late sum
mer and autumn he IS certain that it
will seriously interfere with naviga
tion. lie declares that the vessel
owners aud all who are interested in
the commerce of the lakes should
realize the danger aud do all they can
to avert it. AS a preventative meas
ure he suggests that dam be con-
structed across the lower end of Lake
Superior at the "Soo," which will
raise the level Of that lake two feet
and store enough water during the
rainy season 10 supply the lower lakes
during the late summer and fall.
Prof. Wright says that the level OF
the lakes is such that il the continent
were TO dip ffty feet 70 the west all
the water which now goes over Mag
ara would flow over Illinois aud into
the Mississippi, and II the dip we're 100
feet to the north the water OF the
lakes would go through Lake Nippis-
sing into the Ottawa River, and the
Niagara would become dry.
Certainly his suggestions are worthy
the attention Of lake men and vessel
owners, and an investigation should
be started to determine what the
actual effect Of the opening Of the
Chicago Canal will be. Chicago ought
not to be deprived OF this means of
dlsposlng of its sewage, but If there is
any way of preventing such serious
interference with the navigation OF
the lower lakes, as is threatened,
action should be taken at once TO
avert il.