Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-26
DEEP WATERWAY IS.
GIVEN OFFICIAL 0. K.
Of j. S. ENGINEERS
LAST STUMBLING BLOCK TO CON.
STRUCTION OF ILLINOIS LINK
Or GULF-TO.LAkE ROUTE E.E.
LtEvEO WIPED AWAY-BAkE Il
MAY ISSUE EARLY PERMIT.

MAY ISSUE EARLY PERMIT.
Word from Washington today indi-
Gates the deep waterway, long i0a'
tered In the hearts of progressive OF
iaWans as the one greatest olening
ter the city's advancement and
growth, Is nearer reality than at any
rtma in the past half century, al
which time possibilities OF tlansiOrnr
ing the Illinois River into IA connect'
ing lnks for the great lakes and th1
Gulf OF Mexico frs sprung from th3
breasts OF loyal boosters OF the valley
and has tbeen campaigned loT ever
since.
That the efforts OF those old TIM
ers,'' whose ranks have been lapluiS
swelled by an easily converted newer
generation, are about to mee' VITA
success Is shown BY the actlon taken
At the nations capital yesterday by
The war department engineers ~
., X ing the $40 &C., 900 rehabilitation
uian adopted 10Y the last legislature at
Uae suggestion OF Governor LoWden
William l.. Sacket:, superintendent
OF Illinois terwayS, was present al
me hearing before the engineers
watch resulted in their putting thelf
stamp of approval on The LoWden ldah
Tor improving the Illinois River an |
transforming it into channel over
which good sized GOATS can navigate
Much credit Tor the success 6. III"
nearing Is due the Morris man and
the actiye pals he prayed in gettiHe
the proposal iadorseu BY The war d ~
Lafxment ,cniefs
Arthur Sears Hennins, Washingto's
cSrres londenl for the Chicago III
b,lne, in an article to mis- paper OF tni,'
morning says:
illinois will get its waterway The
dirt should be flying by next spring on
the connecting link In the lakes fo-tht
gulf project, which means cleape.
TRANSPORTATION and increased business
for Gnicago and tributary territory.
This appears to be the certain out
come of conference today DctWeei
war department engineers and three
Illinois officials rank J. Bennett, d.
rector OF pfyoiic wornsf W. l.. sacket.,
superintendent OF waterways, and ",
Il Barnes, chief engineer.
Following the con erence, Col.
Harry TAyior, head Of the river and
haroor division of the army enginee.'-
ing department, announced that the
engineers would recommend to Secrf =
1ary Baker that a permit be granted.
The three Illinoisans mad been
nj Ia in ~
ule engineers were in doubt. They
gave Col. Taylor the desired intorma-
ton and agreed to forward drawings
and specifications lacking in the plan
originally furnished.
1T developed that the war depart.
ment engineers mad misunderstood
certain phases Of the plan. 1hey MAJ
considered requiring that the State o.
Illinois furnish detailed engineering
plans before consenting to the iss'l-
ance OF a permit.
In today's discussion they learns
that Mr.. Barnes already had Worke
out the L,ans in more detail than they
supposed and is ready TO furnish
everything desired.
THE question of the diversion OF
water from Lake Michigan has been
settled to the satisfaction OF Col. la
lor. The secretary Of war. upon the
recommendation OF his engineers, re-
fused a permit for The Dunno water
way plan few years ago on the
ground that the diversion OF add
tional water from the lake was threat
ened e...4. ..
Citizens of number of Michigan
1 ali itiltj a
peared before Secretary Baker at that
time to protest against the possible
lowering of the laketleNel.
The present plan has been Worke'
out In such manner that Col. 1ayIo'
said he was satisfied that II conten
plated only the use OF such water a.
normally would flow through the chan
mel. None of the Michigan interests
which protested against the Dunno
plan have objected as yet 10 the Low
den scheme, and the prospect is that
permit will be granted by Secretary
Baker without a hearing. r.
THE question of the develpomer'
OF water power also has been salts
factorily adjusted. The I.owden plan
in the view of Col Taylor is primarily
only an incidental feature. while tn,
Dunno plan emphasized the wate'
power development to a greater ex
tent 4.
sE"The Illinois officials promised t!
4 forward the additional data early ney'
week 1t is probable that the ensi
neers' recommendation will be before
Secretary Baker within the next tw'
or three weeks. Unless unexpected
opposition appears he vii! issue tn
Z permit without mach delay.
illinois officials then will be in {
= position to proceed with the actua
, construction of waterway between
: l.ocKport and Utica, as authorized un
der the $20,GO0,G0O bond issue az
! proved at the last session of the leg
islatalre.'