Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-12-07
OTTAWA F|NANC|ER
WRITES ARTICLE ON
I'LL. DEEP WATERWAY
AL r. scHocH STORY m JOUR.
NAL OF COMMERCE TOUCHES
MANY NEW PHASES DEALING
WITH LAkEs-To.GULE LINK.

The much discussed Illinois deep
waterway Is approached from several
new angles In an article written by Al
+, Sch9ch, Ottawa nnnnclcr, and pub.
lishcd this month in the Illinois Jour.
nal Of Commerce. Mr.. Schoch IS
chairman of the Illinois Chamber Of
Commerce waterway committee, and
FOR scores Of yearo having been u
stnunch friend and ally of anything
pertaining to rehabilitation of the Hi
MOS river. knows his i9bjcct from bc-
ginning to end.
Aside from the employment feature
offered by immediate work on tho i'm
provement, the waterway, Mr., Schoch
says, viii place Illinois on an equal
footing with the scaboard elites OF
both the Atlantic and Pacific.
His article says
This Is q story OF vital Interest TO
tho G,OoG,00O people In Illinois. to the
state that ranks third In population In
America, to the Ctate of agriculture,
industry, commerce and possibly the
future center OF world business. 1t
will come when the word IS flashed
around the world that water IL turned
into the Illinois river waterway to
provide the central states with water
transportation and put them on a
basis for foreign shipping equal to
the Atlantic and Pacific seaports.
why this wonderful task was first
undertaken, the present situation and
the future outlook, should grip every
man and demand his attention, HIS
support and his confidence to do this
one great thing for America and Hi
nois. The theory of community life
that Is fast spreading in this country,
that which helps one helps all is
aptly applied to this project, and 1t is
this enthusiasm. this generous, un.
stnting, unusual motive why the III.
nois Chamber of Commerce waterway
committee is behind this project; the
men giving their personal time, spend
ing their own money, and in serious
way developing a movement that
should result in the final completion
of the waterway that has been the
dream of the people of Illinois for the
last fifteen years.
Ten cities have followed the re-
quest made at the annual meeting of
the state chamber, and resolutions
urging Governor Len Small to let con-
tracts for the completion of the wa
terway have been unanimously adopt
cd and forwarded Ito Springfield.
There are many reports coming from
other state ORGANIZATIONS far distant
from the canal, that similar action
will be taken.
Governor Small has outlined the
conditions confronting him. and VIII on
the committee from the Illinois Cham
Der of Commerce calls at the execu-
tive offices in Sprngfield-which will
be within short time-t is expected
that some definite plan will be decided
upon.
Eat the Chicago meeting a repre-
sentative from Mayor Thompson's Of
flee was present, and from further in
formation received through the gov
ernor's office it is very apparent that
Chicago is wide awake to the Stua-
ton and taking every opportunity to
cegsity of building the Illinois water,
way.
THE committee Of FIVE authorized
to arrange for conference with the
governor and his staff comprises H.
r. Aiken. Joliet; Evan L. Reed. Ster-
ling; Frank Sanders, ottawa; Adolph
Decatur, and r. G. Rennick.
Peoria, who. together with delegates
from the Illinois Chamber of Com.
merce and from as many ether cities
in the state as possible, will journey
to the capital.