Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-10-31
A LARGE SAVING IN COAL,
Benefits of the Henpepin Canal TO the
Tri-Cities.

TrI-GlIIes.
Editor W. l.. Eaton. of the Rock
ford Register-Gazette, who accom-
panied the congressional party on the
trip to the Hennepin canal and Rock
Island arsenal last week, thus tells of
the visit to the western end:
The Illinois congressman went
direct to Rock Island from the June
ton of the canal route with the llli-
nois river, from that city took the
government steamer Ruth and went
through the completed channel on
the lower route of the canal The
canal channel is there an Independent
one along the southern edge OF Rock
river, at the mouth. A stretch Of
four miles of canal, or little more,
passing through as many locks,
reaches the dam built by the govern
ment at the island above Milan to
raise the river level. A 6-foot
dam is employed here, on DO, h
sides of the island. This gives
stretch of slack water naviga-
alton which already reaches the coal
fields and with a little inexpensive
dredging makes the river navigable
for quite reach. Not far above this
point work is now in progress on a
new high bridge, built to replace the
low bridge which was owned by the
city of Moline, opening n large terri
tory naturally tributary to that city.
At the very mouth of the river short
wing dams have been placed in the
river on the north side to concentrate
the current and keep a good channel
scoul ed out where the canal Joins the
Mississippi. AT the upper end of this
4-mile section is a guard lock, which
is open ut low water but closed in all
higher stages to prevent raising the
canal above the desired point This
section of the canal will 90 down to
history as the one having the first lock
ever built of concrete, one of the great
economics which have been added to
the worlds practical arts by the Amer
lean people.
This reach of canal, including the
dams, and the railroad and other
bridges which had to be built in cross
ing already established routes of
traffic, cost within less than $50, coo
of half a million dollars. a few miles
above the mouth of the river the coal
fields of that section, which undeTlie
The entire district, come TO the surface
where the coal can be easily and
cheaply mined. 1t is a line quality of
steam coal and is preferred by the
government to the other fuel supplies
available on the upper river. Al
though the opening of this field to
water traffic cost half million dollars
and has been in use for only four sea-
sons, it is estimated that the entire
outlay for construction has been saved
in the coal bills of the three cities at
the mouth of the river, and the steam
er traffic available at that point, con-
tracts having been placed this season
for a mum Der of extensive consumers
at about 30 per cent of the rates in eN-
istence up to the day the canal opened.
The Illinois members who had the OPP
portunity of visiting this important
public work in company with the SUI
pervising engineer were greatly in
terested in what they saw, and the in
formation thus gained is likely to be
of much Importance to the state when
matters are pending which affect the
early completion and future usefulness
of this canal sVstem.''