Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-10-24

from port to port the varied products
brought down rivers and canals
from the interior, conveying them to
ships at the deep water ports for
trans-oceanic transport, or, as raw
material. to the manufacturing cen
tiers of this country, and bringing
from these centers along the shore,
to coast towns and up rivers, their
manufactured products for distribu-
ton. Then paint in broad outlines
the developments involved in these
plans, described by their advocates
as gigantic in their effects. yet com
paratively simple and inexpensive OF
execution.
Tracing his proposed chain OF
coastal waterways from their begin
ming near the northeastern extremity
of the United States, we find first a
projected ship canal across the pen
insula that connects storm-swept
Cape Cod with the mainland Since
the days of the Pilgrims, when trad
ers trudged across this neck of land
on their way TO New Amsterdam
there has been talk of this canal.
Congressman McNary of Massa-
chusetts has introduced several bills
providing for the survey of route,
and, anticipating the government. a
private company backed by promi.
nent capitalists has Been reported
ready to go ahead with its construc-
ton.
Long island sound and the waters
around New York afford a protected
passage to Raritan bay and river. 1t
is proposed to connect Raritan river
with the Delaware river, either by
enlargement of the present canal or
by a new route. At the last session
of congress a survey was ordered
looking to the purchase and enlarge
ment by the United States of the
Delaware and Chesapeake canal.
With this ship canal completed, the
chain of waterway will thus have
reached Chesapeake bay. Thence 1t
is to run from Norfolk by means of a
canal, for which a route has been
surveyed, and by way of the Sounds
of North Carolina to Beaufort Inlet,
thus obviating those foes to mariners,
Cape Hatters and Diamond shoals.
Nature has largely provided a pro
tected way south from this point to
Jacksonville, Fla, running via VIII
mington on to Cape Fear, Winyah
bay. Charleston and Savannah.
Only slight excavation and deepen,
ing Of existing channels remains to
be accomplished on this section Of
the route. From Jacksonville a
canal has been projected across the
peninsula of Florida to connect with
the Gulf of Mexico. In the southwest
a great movement is gathering
strength to urge upon the national
government the construction of a
canal seven hundred miles in length
from the Rio Grande along the coasts
of Texas and Louisiana to the mouth
of the Mississippi Senator Nor
gan of Alabama has further forecast
the extension of this canal via
MODtie anu L GuSdNOld DAYS " L iOAAud
there to complete the encircling chain
of water by connecting with the cut
across that state.
The people of the Mississippi val
ley are clamoring for the execution
of a project for which the plans are
already drawn which shall give a
nine foot { .annel fre-n the great
lakes to the Gulf VIA the Chicago
drainage canal and the Illinois and
Mississippi rivers. Projects are like
wise under way for the widening Of
the Mississippi to its source, and for
the improvement of the Ohio. the
Tennessee and lesser tributaries of
the Father of Waters. 1t is estimated
that this will bring into contact with
the coastwise canal navigable water
ways $4,000 miles in length and in
addition thereto the whole chain of