The Arvada enterprise., 1923-10-18

itation and electric power but not yet a channel
for commerce
They would see New Orleans with its slogan
The second port of the United States" and Its
S2O'UO.OOO new harbor
They would see the Great Lakes teeming with
commerce, but not yet with path to the sea the
mississippi with Its barges but not yet a path to
the Great Lakes.
They would the East and the West vari
ance over the Great LakesSt Lawrence route to
the sea. They would see Illinois and some Of her
neiEhbor states at variance over the Great Lakes
Gulf route via the Illinois Waterway.
They would see In Illinois itself legal compcs
tions which threaten further delay
But they would see looking with the eyes Of
the 1872" nation-builders, 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 ut Lachne the chan
neling OF the st. Clair fats be repeated in the
mudhanks OF the Illinois.
The Illinois river. which flows into the Missis
sippi above Alton. Is connected with Chicago and
the Great Lakes by the Illinois and Michigan
canal which begins nj LaSalle. This canal was
completed and opened In l848 II contributed largely
to the initial growth Of Chicago and aided In the
development Of northern Illinois. Until 1887. when
the railroads able to haul greater tonnage
and the state unable. because Of the restrtc-
tions In the constitution Of 1870 to enlarge II to
greater capacity It carried . commerce that paid
Ity right Of way 10 ststed to be now worth SIG.
ONOOOO
1t was the necessity Of more adequate channel
Of navigation and water transportation from Chi.
caRo to the Gulf that impelled the people Of n.
linos to In 1908 the twenty bond
issue for the purpose Power development was an
important factor In the hnal selection Of the river
route against an attempt to enlarge the canal.
Following the bond issue authorization 10 lue
all efforts to get action In the Legislature wers
blocked BY differences Of opinion and political
jeaouses In 1915 the legislature agreed On a
bill Incorporating plan for the work. which No
came a law II provided for locks Of q minimum
width Of Is feet and Z length Of $50 feet Tho
chief Of engineers Of the War department refused
TO approve the plan on the ground the size Of
locks was but little Improvement on the old canal
and that a water power scheme was psrainOunt
This refusal resulted In q delay Of four yesru
more. In 1910 Superintendent Sackeit had q con.
ference with Gen. William N. Black, then chief
of engineers. and succeeded In working ou, an
agreement with him. This was Incorporated in
the law OF 1919 pissed by the Fifty.hrs, general
assembly. Puns for the work ty ii. @. Hsrusa
chief engineer. who had been In government serv.
Ice In connection with the construction Of the
Pnnnmu canal. gnned approval of the chief OF ~p.
gineers OF the War department and secretary Of
war In March, 1920. nfter hve years Of effort fol-.
lowing the first enactment by the general assembly
The pan approved provides for the Improvement
" the Desplnnes river from lockpOrt to It's mouth
eight miles west Of Joliet nt It's confluence with the
Knnlnkee river, the two forming the Illinois river
and of the Illinois river from TINT point to Utica
where the present nnvignbls winter OF the river In
reached. This will be don. by construction Of
four dams creating nnvlShblc pools and i've locks
compared with fifteen locks In the old Illinois
and Michigan canal The locks VIII be the same
width Ms the locks Of the Pnnnmn canal. 40 feet.
but coo feet long. or twothIrds the length u the
locks of the Panama cnnnl. These locks are ,hOnt
two city blocks In length and nearly half block
In width They will have u depth Of "a feet over