ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL, an artificial navigable water-course con necting lake Michigan and the navigable waters of the Illinois river, and allowing of the passage of vessels from the gulf of Mexico to the gulf of St. Lawrence by using also the Welland canal, which forms a navigable channel from lake Erie to the St. Law rence river. In 1825 it was estimated that the canal, about 100 in. in length, would cost abort V00,000. In 1833 new surveys and estimates were made placing the cost of a canal 40 ft. wide and 4 ft. deep at $4,043,000; but nothing definite was attempted till 1836, when the plan was altered and estimates were made for a canal 60 ft. wide at the surface, 36 ft. at the bottom, and 6 ft. deep, costing $8,654,000. Work was commenced in June, 1836, and continued till Mar., 1841, when it was discontinued for want of available funds. In 1845 an additional $1,800,000 was raised by the sale of lands owned by the canal. It must here be stated that in consequence of a change of plans the entire cost fell within the estimates which had been made, so that at the opening of the canal in April, 1848, the entire expenditure had been $6,170,226. When completed the eastern terminus joined the s. branch of the Chicago river, five in. from the mouth of
the main stream. A direct line is pursued to the valley of the Des Plaines, the main eastern branch of the Illinois river, a distance of about 8 miles. It then traverses the valley to the mouth of the Kankakee river, a distance of 42 m., passing through the towns of Lockport and Joliet, and receiving water from four feeders, Calumet, Des Plaines, Du Page, and Kankakee rivers. The canal now follows the valley of the Illinois river to its terminus, La Salle, passing through the towns of Morris and Ottawa, receiving water from Fox river; the whole length being 96 miles. The water at La Salle is 145 ft. lower than lake Michigan, and the descent is accomplished by means of 17 locks, varying in lift from 3} to 10 feet. The locks are 110 ft. long by 18 wide, giving passage to boats of 150 tons. One effect contemplated and secured by this great work has been the purification of the water in the Chicago river, formerly almost stagnant, with a scarcely perceptible current into lake Michigan, and retaining much of the sewage of the great city; hut now flowing freely in the opposite direction toward the Mississippi and the gulf of Mexico.