Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-16

vent the expenditure of the appropria-
tons on hand destroying the possibil-
ity of the enjoyment of years of effort
by citizens of this part of the country,
and allowing the immense sums al
ready spent to go to waste absolutely,
without an effort to complete the work.
and finish the construction OF the
canal.
Major Richie was summoned TO
Washington. and asked if he could
complete the canal with the money
available, and in what time the ditch
could be finished. The engineer re-
sponded that he. could complete the
canal, and that he would have water
turned into the ditch this fall, and put
the first boat through He not only
has completed the canal within the
time set. but he has directed the work
SO that there is still goodly sum of
money for the necessary lock houses.
and a good balance left of the appro-
priation..
Major Richie has accomplished a
number of big featS in engineering
during his military life. His training
was received at West Point, and nc
was commissioned second lieutenant
in the engineering corps of the. army
when he completed his course. Major
Richie was stationed at Galveston from
1897 until 1908, and was given charge
of the construction of the Galveston
harbor and Notifications, credit to
modern military engineering. He was
consulting engineer for the govern
ment in the repair work of Galveston
caused by the damage of the storm in
1900, and the grading which was well
under way when he was transferred
here, is now about completed. The
sea wall, the construction of which he
assisted, is completed and renders the
city absolutely safe against the sea,
one of the greatest feats known to the
science of civil engineering. Complet-
ed it cost S2,000,G00. IS
Major Richie was commissioned first
lieutenant Oct ), 1889; captain, July
5, 1898, and major, June II, 1904, He
is Pennsylvania by birth.
Major Richie has great faith in the
canal, as a commercial project. He be-
lieves the ditch will give a good ac-
count of itself particularly if the con-
Meeting link in the waterway between
Rock Island and the great lakes is es-
tablished between Bureau and Joliet.
Even if this is not done, Major Richie
believes the canal will pay He thinks
lit will, for one thing, reduce the cost
| of coal in Rock Island to SITE at the
leYee. Coal for the steamer Col. A
Mackenzie is being purchased at the
1mines near Kingston for SIPS alton
| This coal, Major Richie estimates, can
! be brought through the Hennepin land
landed at Rock Island on bafges at q
| Cost not. to exceed 90 cents a ton. A
barge under4 present conditions in the
canal could haul 500 tons of coal, and
later $50 tons could be handled on a
barge, and to tow barge either by
! boat or with mules, he estimates
should not cost over $3.50.
| Cement, too, can be delivered in
Rock Island at a much lower cost than
before, because of the canal. Much OF
this material comes from the distric,
at The head of The canal, and the &c
ment and like material can be brought
here by water without difficulty.
The canal, of course, is not expected
to handle the business which now is
handled by the railroads, but it Ger
tainly will result in lower freight
charges for commodities from points
which can be reached by the water
way.
+ When Major Richie assumed charge
of the canal work, there was about {
fifth of the earthwork the most diff
cult portion. remaining, and all of the
locks on the west branch. between Co
Iona and Sheffield, to be built.
! organizing Company.
The canal is certain to be of com
mercial value, in other ways thar
those referred to, and already plans