The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-26
no STOP FLOODS.
Plan to Relieve the Mississippi of the
Overflow.


Fort Worth, Tex, Sept. ga big
canal project, which has been talked
about in Texas for some years, has
again been revived. The idea was to
dig a ship canal from some point on the
Mississippi river across the intervening
country, connecting river with river
and using the rivers as far as practi-
cable, terminating the canal in eastern
Texas, and thereby obtaining an in
land waterway from the Gulf of Mexico
to Lake Michigan. This plan has late
~ been referred to by Chicago, St.Louis
and other northern newspapers
]. Jansen, formerly of the army of
Norway, who first suggested a canal
on the west side of the Mississippi riv-
err, connecting Galveston with Chicago.
is now in Texas from an extensive tour
through Mexico, Central and South
America. Mr.. Jansen said that four
years ago he advocated the building of
such a canal, and said it could be con-
structed for 100000
1T would he said, "be a factor in
caring for the flood waters and prevent
the Mississippi inundations The ca
pacity of the canal would be equal to
the task of discharging the food water
If built on the plan outlined. 1t would
convert the flood water, which, when
uncontrolled, is a dreadful destroyer
into an obedient servant of mankind
and, besides the advantages for freight
ing purpose, it would irrigate the south
west and change the country into the
garden of the world. The plan contern-
plates storage lakes, to be constructed
at suitable points, and all else that be-
longs to a gigantic national or interna-
tiOnal canal"
Mr.. Jansen described the canal the
Russian government is building to con-
meet the Black sea with the Baltic The
great Russian canal is to have a total
length of nearly 100 miles, BY making
use of the rivers the artificial construc-
ton will be reduced. Construction on
the Russian canal began last June and
1T Will be open to navigation in 1902 1t
IS to have depth sufficient for battle
ships of the largest size, going at a
speed of six knots, and entertainments
or masonry, so thf erosion will not de-
StrOy the waterway. The entire system
will be lighted with electric IainDs so
that travel and traffic will be continued
at night as well as day The canal will
begin at the Riga and follow the course
or the river Duna as far as Dunaberg
and from there an excavation is to car
ry it from Lepel to the Beresina aIong
this watercourse to the Dneiper and
then down this river to the Baltic sea-
BY using the rivers the artificial con-
struction has been reduced about 125
miles. At the ends of this canal are
the cities of Riga on the north and
Cherson on the south.
Mr.. Jansen said that the great south
western American canal will not cost
as much as the canal Russia is making
ours Is proposed for peace, not war but
in case of need cruisers could move in
land from the Great lakes and descend
into the Gulf of Mexico, and when the
Nicaragua canal is built, it would give
the western cities an even show with
the Atlantic seabOard in a race for the
Pacific. The rivalry of Chicago with
New York would no doubt, secure the
support of the former city for the pro-
ject.