Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1904 — MAY DIG 14-FOOT CHANNEL FROM ST. LOUIS TO CHICAGO. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAY DIG 14-FOOT CHANNEL FROM ST. LOUIS TO CHICAGO.

A 14-foot waterway, connecting St Louis and Chicago, to permit passage of heavy-draft lake vessels, is projected by go United States government by utilizg the Mississippi and Illinois rivers and Hie Chicago drainage canal. Snrveya have been made and maps drafted by the corps of engineers located at* St Louis and Chicago, and the reports of the surveys are about to be forwarded to Washington. The surveys are for a 14(oot channel, which will allow the large ake grain and ore whalebacka to reach St Louis, as well aa some of the pas-

senger steamers. The average draft of the lake boats is twelve feet In the projected route the Mississippi Is utilized to the mouth of the Illinois river. The channel continues up the Illinois to a point above La Salle, where it runs into the old Illinois and Michigan canal, which is completed and in operation from Hennepin to a point near Chit engo. After following the Illinois and

Michigan canal it make's connection with the Chicago drainage canal, which it follows to Chicago, and finds its terminus in Lake Michigan. At present the government is building a canal from Chicago to the Mississippi, but it has only a seven-foot channel, which dpes not permit navigation of heavy draft steamers. It is known as the Illinois and Michigan canal. Work was started on it in 1890, and still continues, more than $7,000,000 having been expended. It is completed from Chicago to a point west of Hennepin and from Rock Island, Its western terminus, east for about fifteen miles. In the eurveye of the new route chia canal has been used from Hennepin to the Chicago drainage canal.

ROUTE OF PROJECTED WATERWAY.