The Holly chieftain., 1923-10-18

formed by the dams win be nine feet which Is
the available depth for navigation In the Missts-
Eipp. from Cairo to New Orieans-
The Lockport lock-the picture gives an idea
of Its size reckoncd In skyscrapers-will have
the highest lift Of any lock Of Its size n the world
Al feet. This will enable boats to get from rhe
Desplaines river into the Chicago Sanitary district
channel which affords navigable channel Of u
feet into Chicago-an important link In the I'M
provement by the state Of the 85-mile stretch OF
the Desplanes and Illinois rivers from Lockppr to
Utica and considered the most valuable potential
artery of transportation for its length in the world.
These locks will permit transportation In fleets.
without breaking bulk. from New Orleans to Chi.
cago Of 1900 tons cargo capacity. which Is equal
to 13 average tralnloads In 1920. The waterway.
when completed will have an annual tonnage ca
psicity Of more than sixty million The cost Of
haul by water Is about one-third the railroad
freight rate Of 1921.
The fall from Chicago to Utica Is 14O feet. This
will afford power development at each Of the
dams totalisg 5000 horsepower. nhis. 1t y esii-
mated should net the state an annual income OF
With the completion Of the Illinois Waterway
Chicago will be 400 miles nearer 10 New Orleans
than Is Pittsburgh and there will be five locks on
the Illinois Waterway route as against nfty-four
the Ohio river route Chicago viii have q
ttOSVulile dil-WdtSI EOutt u cuu rIdnCibCO WIN
one barge-to-ship transfer at New Orieans-a sav-
Ing Of over 81 600 per car between Chicago and
Pacific coast ports.
In 1922 1t was planned to proceed with the cpn-
struction Of the Starved rock lock and dam. for
which plans were ready. The site for the lock
had to be acquired. Because Of complications In
title the attorney generals office held II would be
necessary to acquire this land by condemnation
proceedings. The decision Of the county court Of
LaSalle county In this case was adverse to the
state. That work may not be entirely suspended
pending the decision Of the state supreme court,
WHARF the LaSalle county case is on appeal. Gov.
Small has authorized the construction cf the
Lockport lock.
Several questions have been raised In the La.
Sae county case which threaten years of delay In
actual construction. If 1t would be possible con.
struct the waterway at all. II Is contended
That complete detailed plans not only for con.
struction Of the waterway. but for all water power
plants and appurtenances must be prepared and
submitted to the court.
That the court must pass on the suf1ciency Of
these plans and determine II the waterway and
power plants can be built according to the plans
for $200O0.OO0 II
That deailed plans must be submitted TO all the
cities and villages along the route Of the waterway
and must be approved by them.
That all this must be done before the state has
any right to bring condemnation suits acquire
land for any part Of the construction OF the water.
way at any point.
Chief Engineer Barnes contends for the state
that Is physically impossible to prepare detailed
plans for the waterway and water power and sp-
purtenances In advance Of any construction. The
waterway construction for navigation must first
proceed-the locks and dams. Following that will
come details uf wnter power and other appurtenani
construction. The rights Of the cities. contends
the state, is limited to cases where public prvp
erty is affected by construction.
Another complication Is this: The state OF Wis
consin. In AN original Injunction suit filed IN ths
United States Supreme court, contends the Chi
cago Sanitary district Is unawfully divertIng wa,
ter from Lake Michigan to facilitate sewage dis
posa md that this diversion has lowered the hike
level six inches mpairng navigation facilities and
inficting annual loss to lake commerce OF from
S15O.000 TO $1,OO0OOO
The sanitary district officials. challenging these
allegations az matters of fact but granting th.n
for the sake of prompt action. offer to meet the
objections upon which they are based by building
at cost Of S2,5OO.OOO and AT the expense Of Chi
cago. compensating works or floating dams In thu
st. Clair, the Niagara. and the st. Lawrence riv
ers The sanitary district represents the invest
ment of S120000OO0. II was created In 1889 ant
the drainage and ship cannl connecting the Chi
cugO and Despaines rivers was finished In 1900.
In the meantime Illinois and Indiana aided ant
abetted by the War department. are getting read,
for the completion of the Illinois Waterway. Eiub
crate plans are well under way for harbors ~
Lake Michigan at the state line afordlng reship
ping facilities for Great Lakes to Gulf traffic.