Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-12-15
THE GREAT WATERWAY
Which May Connect the Missis-
sippi and the Great Lakes.
THE CHICAGO DRAINAGE CANAL

As ths Nucleus Fer waterway
which It IL Urged Should Ne sur-
vsysd ~ GSvsranent Engineers a.
sBssis For coasidsrinE the Subject
Washin gton, Dec. 12.-Ths merits OF
the project for connecting the Missis-
sslppt river and the great lakes by way
. OF the Chicago sanitary canal was con-
sidered at q special meeting Of the
river and harbor committee, hello In the
private lobby OF the house OF repre-
1sentatives last night. The main pur-
pose OF the meeting was to hear from
= a number Of Chicago gentlemen-mem-
bers Of the Illinois Valley association
who have been identified with the san
1tary canal project, including Lyman
e. Cooley, the eminent engineer; Gel.
Isaac Taylor, of Peoria; Frank Wenter,
OF the board OF trustees of the sanitary
canal, and Henry Mayo, OF Ottawa,
Ills The Merchants Exchange Of st.
Louis was represented by H. r. Whit
more. Senators Cullom and Mason, Of
Illinois. and the entire Illinois deleEa-
ton in the house Of representatives
were also present, the senators and
acme OF the members making addresses
after the technical branches Of the
subject had been presented.
Col. Taylor was the frst speaker.
He pointed out the magnitude OF the
work already done, and explained in
detail the nature OF the project and
the cost up to this time. He said it
was not asked that at this time con-
.gress take UP the work. developing the
full national advantages OF the water
way, but that q survey be made by
government engineers to serve as an
Intelligent basis for considering the
entire subject.
Mr.. L. G. Cooley set forth the engi-
neering features OF the project. He
said the waterway not only would serve
Tor navigation, but Rlsa would develop
horse power worth s2o, 0oo, 900 annual
ly. He maintained that a waterway
connecting Chicago and ST. Louis
would be justified even without the
Mississippi river. owing to the enor-
NOUS commercial development it would
bring about He spoke also Of the ul-
climate development OF extensive navf-
cation, chiefly by barges, between the
lakes AID the Gulf Of Mexico.
Mr.. Mayo, OF Ottawa, Ills. addressed
himself to meeting the statement.
which he said. had been frequently
made, that the movement for a great
waterway was an afterthought OF the
sanitary canal project, with a view to
unloading It on the government. He
said that the state always had kept in
mind the construction Of such a great
waterway, and when the sanitary canal
was projected distinct provision was
made to have II conform to the general
system which the state desires to carry
out in the future. Chicago did. not
then or now seek to unload anything.
On the contrary, the state imposed
conditions on Chicago, adding an ex-
pense of $40. 0o0, 900, in order that plans
Tor future navigation might be carried
out.
Mr.. Wenter, of the board OF trustees
or the sanitary canal, said that when
the question had been presented to the
people OF Chicago they had always
raised their voice for a waterway
which should be not only for the dis
posal or sewage, but also for nayisa-
tion, and the people had invariably as
sented 10 taxation for the full realiza-
zion or the commercial project.
Senator Cullom spoke earnestly I'm
tavor or the survey. There was no
purpose to commit congress to the ex-
penditurs OF $25, zoo, 900, he said. but
only to secure an intelligent INQUIRY
which would serve as basis for future
action by congress. Ever since he was
a boy, the senator said, he had heard
or this project, so that it could hardly
De considered an afterthought of the
drainage product.
Senator Mason and several of the
Illinois members Of the house were
also heard from.