The Dolores star., 1923-10-26

itation and electric power but not yet n channel
for commerce
They would New Orleans with its slogan.
The second port of the United States" and Its
S2OOoO,GO0 harbor.
They would the Great Lakes teeming with
commerce, but not yet with a path to the sea the
Mississippi with its barges but yet a path to
the Great Lakes
They would the East and the West at vari-
ance over the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence route to
the sea. They would Illinois and of her
neighbor states at variance over the Great Lakes.
Gulf route via the Illinois Waterway.
They would see in Illinois itself legal complica-
lions which threaten further delay
But they would see, looking with the eyes of
the 1929 nation-bullders, within the space of ten
years one great path leading TO the Atlantic and
Europe and another great path to the Gulf lead
Ing to the Panama canal and South America.
Doubtless this vision will be fulfilled What was
done at the 500 can be done at Iachine: the chan
neng of the st. Clair flats can be repeated In the
mudbanks of the Illinois
The Illinois river, which flows into the MissiE-
sppi above Alton, is connected with Chicago and
the Great Lakes by the Illinois and Michigan
canal. which begins nt LaSalle. This canal was
completed and opened in 1913. 1t contributed largely
to The initial growth of Chicago and aided in the
development of northern Illinois Until 1897 when
the railroads were able to haul greater tonnage
and the state unable because of the restrc.
tlons in the constitution of 1870 to enlarge II TO
greater capacity 1t carried a commerce that paid
Its right of way is stated TO he now worth Sl5-
100000.
1t was the necessity of adequate channel
of navigation and water transportation from Chi.
cago TO the Gulf that impeIled the people of H.
linos in 1903 the twenty-million- dollar hooa
issue for the purpose. Power development wac an
important factor in the final selection of the river
route against an attempt to enlarge the canal
Following the bond issue authorization in 1oos
all efforts to get action in the Legislature ,yare
nv of .,fn,,
jealousies. In 1918 the legislature upread nm .
bill Incorporating plan for the work which oa
came law. 1t provided for locks of n minimum,
width of 55 feet and length of $50 feet Tho
chief of engineers of the War department rcfused
to approve the plan on the ground the size N,
locks was but little Improvement on the old cor,,
ana mat water power scheme was paramount
lhis refusal resulted in delay of four ve,r.
more In 1916 Superintendent Sackett had a con-
ference with Gen. William NJ. Black tb.n ,hin,
of engineers and succeeded In workInu o, ~
agreement with him. This was ncorporoted In
the law OF 1919 passed by the Fifty y-firs general
assembly. Plans for the work hy NJ G. Rarues
chief engineer, who had been In government .as
ice in connection with the construction NJ ,h
Panama canal, gained approval of the chic, NJ on
glneers OF the War department and secretarv n,
war in March, 1920, after five years of effort ,oI
lowing the first enactment by the general assemb,v
The pan approved provides for the Improvement,
or the Despanes river from Lockport TO its rnoutb
eight miles west of Joliet at its confluence Win IN.
kankakee river, the two forming the Illinois river
and of the Illinois river from that point tn Jtica
where the present navigable water of the river ia
reached. This will be done by construction n,
four dams creating navigabe pools and five locks
compared with fifteen locks In the old Illinois
and Michigan canal The locks will be the saine
width as the locks Of the Panama canal 40 feet.
but 600 feet long, twothIrds the length OF the
locks Of the Panama canal These locks are ,bont
two city blocks In length and nearly half a block
in width They will have u deDth Of IA feet over