The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-28

llOJEc|I 70 Be
BEFORE HOUSE


UashingtOn, - 81 Oc& Cen
- will be asked on its return
~ to grant permission for the !
estruction Of the unifying link In
q Illinois river waterway. extend
n for approximately seven miles
foye La sale and connecting the
~oiects undertaken by the state
~ federal governments.
B var department engineers, with
- approval OF Major General Fans
- II. Beach, recommended several
nonths ago that the projected ii
1eot channel now being dredged In
IA Illinois river between LaSalle
snd its mouth be extended to a short
disance above Utica, where 1t will
eounect with the 8-foot channel now
rnder construction by the state and
eonnecting with the Chicago SAM
nry canal.
with the assistance OF most of
ihe downstate congressman, Cen
ersl Beach and his aides will again
make an effort TO gain from the
house committee on rivers and har-
bcss approval of a bill providing
TOR the LaSalle- Utica extension. A
favorable report from the commit
tee is expected to be following by
immediate passage of the measure
in both houses.
Authorization of this completing
Ink will give downstate Illinois the
best assurance of a complete water
way system from the Great Lakes
to the Mississippi which it has re-
ceiyed in long years OF effort. The
figures now on file at the war de-
partment here on channel seven
feet deep and 200 feet. wide from
Utica to ST. Louis, including that
portion of the Mississippi between
the latter city and the mouth of
the Illinois, indicate an estimated
cost of s736,0O0 and SAT 900 for an
nual maintenance.
Cannot Reach Agreement.
Major General Beach has made
II clear in his discussions of CO.
operation between the state and
the war department that frank dis
agreement still exists between them
regarding the diversion of water
from Lake Michigan into the Illi-
nois river. The government engi-
neers insist that the sanitary dis
trict abide by the original ruling
Of the secretary Of war, limiting the
flow into the river to 4,167 cubic
feet per second. This ruling is now
.twenty-odd years old, and inasmuch
as the sanitary district takes radi-
cal exception to it, the decision
seems to fall upon congress, which
has thus far shown little inclina-
ton to act in the matter.
Levee Work Neglected.
Reports made by engineers now
conducting survey work along both
the Mississippi and Illinois rivers
indicate that slow progress is being
made in the construction and
strengthening of levees on both
rivers, despite the disastrous floods
of last spring. This is said to be
due to the small area embraced in
Individual drainage districts, max
ing difficult the floating Of bond is
sues and other necessary financial
arrangements for the carrying on
OF levee work. -tl ..-
Examinations and surveys Of the
Mississippi at both Dallas City and
Nauvoo are being made under au-
thorization of the rivers and har-
bors bill passed shortly before the
adjournment OF congress, with a
view to improving harbor facilities
at both places.
Major General Beach has also in
dicated that his department will
probably repeat the work it did last
year in preparing an lice harbor'
at Quincy for the winter months to
take care Of Mississippi river ship
ping.
Supreme court attaches here ara
still awaiting settlement by Attor-
ney-General BrunGage of Illinois
and Acknowledgement Morgan OF
Wisconsin upon satisfactory date
for the hearing of the suit brought
]. by the latter against Illinois in the
name Of Wisconsin to prevent fur
Their Withdrawals of water from
Lake Michigan.
The war department is also
awaiting the outcome Of the SQUAD
BILE between the two states as a
possible solution Of its disagree
ment with the sanitary district. II
the decision should be in favor OF
Wisconsin, Illinois would be oblig-
ed to limit the sanitary district in