Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-02-17

The south branch OF the Chicago River
win abe Illinois River. which was for
many years successfully used In com
uerce- As the years rolled BY. how
ever. 10 became apparent that the canal
then constructed was totally made
qlats 20 meet the demands Of ad-
tlnced. modern transportation. The
ago % steam and gasoline has rem
carrd obsolete the boats. locks and
vaterways Of the early part OF the
uireteeuth century. and the Illinois
ana Michigan Canal has rapidly fallen
into li-use- As the result in recent
gears. the demand FOR an adequate
9ararvay between the Great Lakes
end tHs Mississippi River has become
lr.rf-uL
on November 2. 1905. the people Of
th- State by popular vote amended the
Constitution 50 a. 20 permit the issu-
r1-e OF not 90 exceed s2O.eO0. 10000
worth 90 bonds % b. used In the con-
Err1ct.1u OF an adequate waterway.
and Iu the erection. equipment. and
Er .srsuasc- of power plants. locks.
bridges. dams and appliance
Divers plans for the development OF
a waterway between IsockpOrt and
r.cl have been formulated and dis
rrr1 before tire public. but the DIFF
f-err Larislaturcs OF the State have
r.-rr succeeded az yet in formulating
@ for that purpose. and placing
- .rHE fle statute book.
Ia us Judgment the time has ar
r.el Cor prompt action The. Panama
canal H.s been opened % the COM
r--. FOL. the world. As the results
t-.r r.e cost OF trans portntion be-
-.a.- t.e eastern and the western
s.r.asrt has fallen much below the
r-.-" heretofore charged BY the rail-
raa As a result. freight tranc g.
bow being attracted from IS far east
O. ..e states OF Ohio and Indiana % /
a- eastern seaboard By railroad aud
thence ~ waterway transportation 70 ]
ttr Western coast o. the United State /
W.r-e such competition exists. rail- 4
r1af rates viii probably be lowered. .
and who're no competition exists. rail
r11- rates will probably remain as
tlrr row are.
!f On adequate waterway were
opposed between Lake Michigan and
IA Gg.f % Mexico. an immense con-
rrcT wouis. N ny Judgment. Develop
a-l p1'uts a. or near the Great Lakes
throlsE the Sanitary District Canal
ffau chicago 20 Locsport and thence
through a waterway from LockpOrt &c
'he Mississippi River. At the present
time. aaviszbie depth OF over seven
fe-- exists normally for a distance Of
-,2 niles out Of total OF 327 miles
between Chicago and the Mississippi
River Slxty-dve miles On the Illinois
River between LaSaile and the Chi-l
e&so Drainage Canal AZ Joliet Is nov
MATTED 20 a draft OF four and one
hsif feet through the old fossilizeci
Aiiaois and Michigan Canal. with It's
inadequate locks constructed three
CHARTERS OF century ago A channel
% siEht feet in depth - now main
tained IN the Mississippi River from
Cairo % ST Louis with no early pros
pect % being further dseDcned- IL an
siEht-foot depth could De provided for I
an aceguate waterway in the Illinois
River and a portion OF the Illinois and
Michigan Canal between the cities Of ,
[ tea and Joliet. ne would have a va
'eTy<ay % eight feet tn depth from Chi .
ago % the Gulf % Mexico. {
such being the situation. I invited. Z
1at summer. the eminent engineer.
lyman p Cooley. and < J. Kelly. As
itstant chief Engineer Of the Sanitary !
District OF Chicago. Walter A shaw, :
'nsi1eer member OF the Illinois Pub !
ic Utilities Commission. and Leroy I
\ sherman. engineer member Of thsi