South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-23
ARMY ENGINEERS
PLANNING CHANCE
IN CANAL ROUTE
Would Save Money On Railroad
Crossings Near City-TaIk
of Ship Canal for Army
Purposes.

That so far as the government itself
is concerned. while commerce would
profit accordingly. it is a ship rather
than a barge canal that should be
built from Lake Michigan to Lake
Erie. was conceded Thursday by En-
gineer r w. Stevens Of the II. $.
army. who is making the survey of the
South Bend route. just now engaged in
figuring out the actual cost OF con
structiOn.
The subject preached by Richard
Elbel, head Of the local lake TO lake
canal committee. on the ground that
in case OF war with Great Britain II
would be desirable as "A means Of
reaching Lake Michigan and the 500
with the American fleet, met with
agreement, but" said the engineer,
wars are pretty much a thing of the
past, and you Will probably have TO
take a barge canal. if anything, and
develop into "A ship canal after expert
ence has demanded it,"
Plans Change of Route
Engineer Stevens is figuring now
on changing this northern route a bit
10 the southwest OF the city, a
means OF obtaining better crossings of
the railroad. The canal, according to
Fhis present anticipations, should strike
from the vicinity OF Prairie and Ewing
avs. to the vicinity OF Chamberlain
lake and continue south Of Lydick to-
ward Michigan City, instead of touch
Ting IsyOick. He believes a great saw
ing OF expense in building would re-
suit from this change of route, par
fticularly with regard to railroad
. crossings west of the city, and asserts
that expense is one OF the things TO
be looked out for. with regard to the
prospects Of obtaining a canal build
ing appropriation from congress.
Figuring on Cost.
Engineer Stevens, head Of a transit
party of four, is working in the vicin-
ity OF Lydick at the present time.
Thursday the engineer, with "A com
pany of local people. including Mr..
Elbel and City Engineer Moore. went
over the territory 10 which the route
is proposed to be changed. The old
route will be followed along the foot
hills to the east of the city, and TO
the south. but TO the southwest viii
reserve the turn 10 the northwest a
couple miles more distant Engineer
Stevens estimates that il Will take
probably a month to work out the
change and make figures on the build
ing cost. Then he Will move on to-
ward Michigan City.
Regards Canal As Certainty.
Engineer Stevens regards the Lake
Michigan to Lake Erie canal as an
eventual certainty, though whether
the northern or southern route Will
be used he cannot state. He looks
upon IL as a part OF "a great canal syS-
tenn that will eventually be worked
out as "A part of the lakes TO the gulf
project, now being revived inChicago.
IF these were ship canals he says,
United States fleets could reach Lake
Michigan both from the Atlantic and
the gulf. from the former by way of
the Hudson river, Erie canal. Lake
Erie and Lake Michigan instead of
having to pillow up through the De-
troit and St Clair rivers. always un-
der cover of the Canadian shore bat
teries.
But then" he adds, they will
probably be barge canals first, and
especially this one" and incidentally
he paid a compliment TO Pres Wilson
on his "watchful waiting policy with
Mexico. pointing to it as another evil
dence that wars are no longer "A ne
cessity.