The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-21
LAKES TO GULF
BY BIG CANAL
WILD PROPOSITION TO ABANDON
MISSISSIPPI RIVER SOUTH or
CAIRO AND BUILD GREAT
CANAL TO HANDLE SOUTH.
WARD TRAFFIC.

Washington June 20.--Lakes.to.tha.
Gulf deep waterway enthusiasts are
! looking forward 40 the presentation
of new scheme to connect the inland
seas with the Gulf of Mexico Word
has reached here that plans are being
prepared by Capt. Robert r. Orr, of
Illinois, which contemplate practical
~ the abandonment of the Mississippi
river south of Cairo an dine utilization
of chain of lakes in establishing the
proposed new route. Ii is reported
that a $50000.00 appropriation viii
be sought to put the scheme In oper-
alton.
Capt Orr's figures, according to re-
ports, estimate that the cost would
be about the same per mile as railroad
construction. He would have the work
begun at Lake Borgne and would carry
il norsn to Cairo. dividing the opera
tion into FIVE sections of about one
hundred miles each. From The west.
ern end Of this lake a cut would be
made to lakes Pontchartrain and Maui
repas From these lakes the the chan
mel would follow a course slightly
northwest until Spanish Lake was
reached. when 1t would assume
north trend and parallel the Mississip-
ri river until 1t go TO Cairo, where
connections with the Mississippi and
Illinois rivers would be made. Once
into the river the proposed route
would be that already discussed and
connect with the lakes through Chi
cago's sanitary canal.
Capt. Orr expects to enlist the
Lakes-to-the-Gnlf Deep Waterway As
ISOLATION in the matter and viii ask
that organization to sgport his plan.
This is the logical association TO press
the fight before the next congress,
If one is to be made, for the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress. While |
it is the most representative organiza |
ton of its kind in the country. Is |
to no indiyiduel plan of !
general proposition that the federal |
government should expend $50,000,-
900 year on the work Of general wat.
erways improvement. The congress. /
which counts its members in every
state and territory in the Union IS
endeavoring TO increase It's member
ship so as to further its program at
the coming session of the National
Legislature. Capt. ]. F. Ellison, OF
Concinnati, secretary and treasurer of
the organization, is bending all his en-
ergies to this end.
To return to Capt. Orr's plan, he
estimates that it will require four
years to complete each of the sections.
or twenty years to finish the entire |
Mississippi portion. His scheme to
take the work a section at a time. !
Completing each link throwing Ii |
open TO traffic. Capt. Orr is confident
will work great economies. He be-
lieves that 1t would be possible to Sc
cure big returns from the gigantic
almost from the begin
ming of work, and at the same time
build up new territory and give ship
pers transportation accommodations
which such waterway naturally
would afford
Capt Orr is said to have made
survey and colse study of the
route he has selected. 1t lies east of
he Mississippi and close to the foot
hills, where soil, as he explains it, is
o be found that will furnish a splen-
lid foundation. In addition it will be
possible to use this soil in the con- I
of banks and dikes. The
proposed canal win be fitted with
ocks, but how many the reports do
lot indicate. II is said that Capt. Orr 9
S firmly of the opoinion that it is
heaper to lift vessel than to com
el 1t 10 force its way against heavy
urrent.