Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-16
TRIP OF MARION PROVES PRACTICABHrTY OF CANAL

Chicago newspapers, is causing no
alarm on the part of the engineers. or
the farmers whose land has been af.
fected. The farmers had been inform
ed as to the expected leakage and
they state that the conditions now
that water has been turned into the
canal are just what they were before
the ditch was cut through. The canal
before water was turned in drained
the low land, and when water was
turned into the canal the land was
flooded again. The leak has so flooded
several corn fields that il is impossi-
BILE to pick the corn. There will be
damage bills to pay, but this has been
expected and provided for. and no
trouble is anticipated. AS soon as
the mud has chance to form, it will
coat the bottom of the canal and stou
the leak This will take time, but
the engineers are not alarmed
On Board Marion.
On board, throughout the entire trip
were Captain and Mrs l.. l.. Wheeler:
H. E. Reeves, junior engineer, and the
members of the crew, including Cap
tain John W. Nipple, acting as pilot
until the boat reached the pool as
the stretch between Colona and the
lower end of the canal is known
Mate w E. Swanson, Engineer James
Stedman, Fireman Lawrence Holson
and Cook James Sweeney. Captain
Wheeler had charge of the steamer
cruise. J. B. Bassett, junior engineer
of the United States engineers office
here, boarded the boat at Colona. He
took a fleet of the government steam
ers, including the Rambler, the Fox
and the Mary Mac, and seven office
boats. up the canal Yesterday to Co
Iona. These office boats are TO be used
for lock houses for the present, until
permanent structures can be built on
the western section, and the Mary Mac
and the Rambler are to be the canal
inspection boats. The Fox will return
here.
Captain Wheeler has had charge OF
the canal work under Major Richie
and Mr.. Reeves has also been engaged
i'll the construction work.
In addition to the newspaper men
Major Riches had as his guest on the
trip w. A. Jones OF Chicago. formerly
harbor master at Peoria. Mr.. Jones is
now manager of the Chicago Office OF
the Crew LeviclI company. petroleum
refiners. Mr.. Hoover, editor of the
Sterling Gazette, was also a guest or
the boat, having made the trip from
Colona down.
Whistles are Blown.
The arrivalsof the boat at the land
ing was the signal. for the. joyful blow
ing of Whistles. ringing of bells. ant
other demonstrations in Rock Islant
and Davenport AS soon as the whis
ties were blown crowds of people flock
ed to the river bank, and the sinteEes
in the canal fifch2ex4sfs here was in
Dictated by the enthusiasm of the pee
pie.
Mayor Schaffer was among the frs
TO reach the levee, and boarded tn,
boat and extended his congratulation
to Major Richie and Captain Wheele
on the success of the trip and the CON
pletion Of the canal. Major II. C. Con
nelly was also one of the first to gree
Major Richie on the boats arrival
| Major Connolly was one of the ear
advocates of the Hennepin. and owe
! p years ago worked hard and earnest
! " for the project. As he told of in
cid2nts of those days when the cana
was a mere dream, and expressed hi
deep qualification over the event mark
ed by the arrival of the boat, Majo
! Connelly's eyes moistened, and his al
titude clearly indicated his deep fee
ing of joy at seeing the dream of a
most half a century realized.
The trip of the Marion is the realiza
ttion of dream which people livini
in Illinois and Iowa have had 70
decades. The first material steps tc
ward its construction was taken il
1864, and it was dreamed of even be
fore that time. The progress of tn
work is shown by the accompanyin!
outline.
When the final survey was made, tn,
locks numbered from 30 to So wer
eliminated, and thus there are lock
from l to 30. and from 3 to 81, and ;
big guard lock at the feeder.
Credit to Major Richie.
The completion of the Hennepil
;.. g, ;ot. /
should be given to Major c. s. Richie
After spending millions, the authOr
ties of the government were Amos
ready, year or so ago, to discontinu
the work, abandon the canal, and pre-