NORTHWESTERN
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
EVANSTON
ILLINOIS
THE
ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN
CANAL.
JANUARY, 1851.
PHILADELPHIA:
JOHN C. CLARK, PRINTER, 68 DOCK STREET.
1851.
THE
ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN
CANAL.
JANUARY, 1851.
PHILADELPHIA:
JOHN C. CLARK, PRINTER, C8 DOCK STREET.
1851.
CIRCULAR No. 3
Office of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal,
Philadelphia, January 8, 1851.
TO THE SUBSCRIBERS TO THE LOAN OF 1,600,000 DOLLARS, FOR
COMPLETING THE ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL.
By an order of the Board of Trustees of the 4th ultimo, the un¬
dersigned was requested to prepare a statement of the acts and pro¬
ceedings of the Board for the year ending 30th of November, 1850,
and to cause the same to be printed for the information of the sub¬
scribers to the loan of 1,600,000 dollars.
In accordance with this request, the subscriber submits the fol¬
lowing account of the principal proceedings of the Board for the past
year.
Circular No. 2, dated January 25, 1850, contained a statement of
the acts of the Board for the year ending November 30, 1849. The
present, therefore, will embrace the period between 1st December,
1849, and 30th November, 1850, and for the financial year, as esta¬
blished by the Canal law of February 21, 1843. *
It is known to the subscribers to the loan, that the law of 1843
requires the Board of Trustees to make a report to the Governor of
Illinois, annually, setting forth all the proceedings of the Board, to¬
gether with an account, in detail, of all receipts and expenditures,
the purpos^ for which the last were made, to whom paid, amount,
&c. (fee. Such a report for the past year has been made, and for¬
warded to his Excellency, the Governor, and it will probably be
.'printed for the use of the Legislature; but the statements, schedules,
&c. which accompany this report are entirely too large and too
.numerous to be attached to a paper of the nature of this circular;
.hence, an abstract, only, of the more important documents, which
"■form the appendix to the annual report to the Governor, will be em-
G00383
4
bodied in this communication, but sufficient, it is hoped, to convey-
full information upon all matters of interest to the subscribers to the
loan.
1. The Canal was opened for navigation on the 22d March, a
period earlier by nearly one month than the opening in 1849; the
frost, however, had not left the banks, and it was found to be not
safe to admit the full head of water into the Canal until about the
10th April, but during the interval a sufficient depth was maintained
to admit of the passage of boats drawing three feet.
2. A correspondence has taken place between the Board of Trus¬
tees and the Commissioner of the General Land Office, commencing
in February last, upon the subject of an additional quantity of land
claimed for the Illinois and Michigan Canal, under the principle
established by the act of Congress of 9th May, 1848, granting to the
State of Indiana " a quantity of land, which, together with the land
" already received and holden by said State for the construction of
" the said Wabash and Erie Canal, will make the full amount equal
" to one-half of five sections in width on each side of said Canal."
On the 19th March the Secretary of the Interior decided that the
case of the Illinois and Michigan Canal was analogous to that of the
Wabash and Erie, but as Congress was then in session, it was con¬
sidered expedient by the Secretary to have the additional grant con¬
firmed by law; accordingly a bill was prepared for that purpose and
introduced in the Senate; on the 24th May it was referred to the
Committee on Public Lands, and on the 16th July that committee
reported it to the Senate without amendment; but in the great and
absorbing questions then pending before Congress, no further action
was had upon it.
The Board has recently called the attention of the Commissioner
and others to the subject, and it is believed that the bill will become
a law at the present session of Congress.
The quantity of land received by the State, under the grant of
March 2, 1827, as appears by a report made by the acting Canal
Commissioner, in 1844, was 286,045 acres. The entire quantity
claimed under the principle established in the case of the Wabash
and Erie Canal, is about 326,00Q acres. The balance due, therefore,
to the Canal, is about 40,000 acres.
o
3. The semi-annual interest due on the 20th March, on the loan
of 1,600,000 dollars, was paid to holders of certificates in New York
and in Illinois. No payment on account of the principal of the loan
was made at that time, as the balance to the credit of the fund ad¬
mitted of so small a per centage it was considered expedient to con¬
fine the payment then made to the interest, and to make the whole
payment for the year on account of principal, in October, after the
notes for lands sold in September, 1848, had become due and
collected. This, as will be noticed in its place, was done, and the
payment on account of principal, in 1850, amounted to 15 per cent,
or one per cent, more than was paid on same account in 1849.
4. The rates of toll for the year 1850, were, substantially, the
same as those adopted for 1849: on a few articles they were re¬
duced, in the belief that the revenue, by and by, would be increased
by inviting larger quantities of the reduced articles to take the Canal
rather than other avenues to market. The Board, however, think it
too early to introduce any very important reductions in the rates of
toll without the most conclusive evidence that such reductions will
ultimately promote the interests of the Canal.
5. The third annual sale of Canal lands and town lots was com¬
menced in Chicago on the 10th May, in accordance with a resolu¬
tion of the Board, duly advertised in, January, and the sale was con¬
cluded on the 17th May, after all the unsold lands and lots had been
offered, as required by the law of February 21, 1843. The whole
number of lots sold in Chicago, Lockport, Joliet, Du Page, Kanka¬
kee, Morris, Ottawa, and La Salle, was 325. The value affixed to
these lots by the appraisers of Canal lands was 69,504 dollars, and
they produced at the sale, 82,750 dollars.
The number of acres of Canal lands sold 'at same time was 6443.
The valuation was $37,701.60, and they produced $40,212.18.
Sale of town lots, as above, 82,750 00
„ lands, do. 40,212 18
Aggregate of sales in May, 1850, - - - - $122,962 18
or $26,659.54 greater than the sale of May, 1849.
6. On the 18th of May, the Committee designated in the regulations
6
of the Board to examine the accounts of the Treasurer, consisting of
the President, the State Trustee, and the Secretary, certified that
they had performed that duty, and that vouchers had been rendered
and examined by them, amounting to $122,976.17, for expenditures
made by the Treasurer, between the 9th of May, 1849, and the 30th
November, 1849, making together with all vouchers previously ex¬
amined by the same Committee, and passed to the credit of the
Treasurer, an aggregate amount of $1,691,042.37, exclusive of pay¬
ments made on account of the interest and the principal of the loan
of $1,600,000, receipts for which are contained in books on file in
the office of the Secretary, and which in time will be audited and
certified by the Committee appointed for that purpose.
7. The semi-annual interest due on the loan of $1,600,000, and 15
per cent, of the principal of the same, was paid in New York and in
Illinois, on and after the 20th of October; details of these payments
will be found in the statements appended to the Treasurer's report.
8. A few leases of water power at Lockport and at Joliet, have
been made, and it is probable that ere long, additional leases will be
applied for, inasmuch as there does not exist in the valley of the
Illinois river or its branches, mill power so well situated, so constant,
and so free from interruption, as that afforded by the canal and some
of its feeders.
9. The canal was closed by ice on the 6th of December, making
the period of navigation of the season of 1850, 259 days, against 224
days in 1849.
Having thus detailed, in chronological order, the more important
measures of the Board during the past season, we proceed to exhibit
the details of the operations of the several departments of the work,
and the results thereof.
10. Receipts and Expenditures for 1850.
The report of the Treasurer, with the statements attached to it,
exhibits the condition of the fund on the 30th of November, 1850,
and all the moneys received and disbursed during the past year, will
be found in detail in the schedules attached to the report, made to
7
the Governor of Illinois ; the nature of all expenditures will there
be seen, to whom paid, &c. &c.
The balance reported as unemployed and available,
on the 30th November, 1849, was stated by the
Treasurer in the last annual report, at - - $122,162 78
From this amount is to be deducted a sum of $6,146.36,
erroneously carried to credit of receipts, on account
of the loan of $1,600,000, as explained by the Trea¬
surer in his report for 1850, say - - - - 6,146 36
Balance available, 30th November, 1849, - - $116,016 42
Add amounts received from following sources, during
the year ending, 30th November, 1850, as appears
by the Treasurer's report, viz :
Sale of Canal lands and lots, - - 263,907 04
Tolls received in 1850, ... 125,504 25
Interest and exchange, ... 4,718 96
Sale of old materials, &c., - - 196 65
394,326 90
Total, to be accounted for 30th of November, $510,343 32
The amount expended during the same period, by
statement of Treasurer, was as follows ;
Payments on account of principal and in¬
terest, oil loan of $1,600,000, between
1st of November, 1849, and 30th of
November, 1850, ... 331,794 86
Maintenance and repairs of Canal, inclu¬
ding damages by freshets, &;c. - 56,415 20
General expenses and contingencies, 23,324 01
Canal lands, land damages, &c. - 12,270 51
Tolls, collectors and inspectors, draw¬
backs, &c., &c., - - - - 6,097 28
429,901 86
Balance to be accounted for, ... $80,441 46
Of this balance, $63,894.86 is deposited in the American Ex-
8
change Bank, New York, at interest, and the residue, $16,546.60, in
Illinois.
A schedule attached to the Treasurer's report, contains the weekly
returns of tolls received by each collector during the year, to wit:
Chicago, $87,425 48
Lockport, - 4,986 98
Ottawa, - 5,879 61
La Salle, 27,212 18
$125,504 25
Schedules containing details of payments made in New York and
in Illinois, on account of principal and interest, on the loan of
$1,600,000, in 1850, are attached to Treasurer's report.
In order that all the receipts and expenditures, from the organiza¬
tion of the work under the Board of Trustees in 1845, to the 30th
of November, 1850, may be exhibited at one view, the following
table is introduced :
Classification.
Eeceipts.
Expenditures.
Loan of $1,600,000, - - $
1,569,198 75
$857,094 78
Construction of Canal and feeders.
2,132 25
1,429,606 21
Canal lands, damages, &c..
759,661 80
46,714 51
Maintenance and repairs.
1,015 74
170,534 77
Interest and exchange.
53,363 07
2,714 35
Tolls, 1848, 1849 and 1850, -
331,763 88
12,286 80
General expenses and contingencies.
3 00
117,745 61
Aggregate receipts and expenditures, $2,717,138 49
$2,636,697 03
Balance of receipts, as before stated, - - . $80,441 46
The amount of the notes remaining unpaid, for lands and lots sold
in 1848, 1849 and 1850 (excluding forfeitures for non-payment of
instalments), is $328,009.25, due in one, two or three years, re¬
spectively.
11. By the report of the Secretary of the Board, it will be seen
that between the statement of the disbursements in 1850, as made
by the Treasurer in his report, and that made by the Secretary,
9
there is a discrepancy of $2,968.75, growing out of a payment made
on account of the loan of $1,600,000 in 1849, but not charged in the
expenditures of that year, as stated in the Treasurer's report of this
year.
Statements have been rendered with the annual report, containing
lists of canal lands and town lots, sold in May, 1850, showing the
appraised value of each lot sold, and the amount produced, viz:
6,442 acres of land valued by the Canal appraisers at $37,821.00,
produced at the sale $40,212.00; and 325 town lots in Chicago,
Lockport, Joliet, Ottawa and La Salle, valued by the appraisers at
$69,504.00, produced $82,750.00. Also, a statement containing
a general account of all the lands and town lots conveyed to the
Board of Trustees, the valuation as affixed by the appraisers of
Canal lands, under the laws of February 21, 1843, and February 8,
1849 (the last reducing the valuation on the unsold lots in La Salle,
as explained in report of 1849), prices at which the lands and lots
were sold in each of the years of 1848, 1849, and 1850, finally, the
quantity of lands and town lots remaining unsold on the 30th of
November, 1850, with the appraisers' valuation of same attached.
The following summary will exhibit the general result which this
last statement furnishes ; first, Canal lands :
Years.
Acres.
Valuation.
Sold for.
1848,
45,625
$208,021
$210,775
1849,
6,985
41,358
41,912
1850,
6,443
37,701
40,212
Aggregate,
Unsold,
59,048
$287,080
$292,899
172,721
$812,153
Second, Town lots in Chicago, Lockport, Du Page, Kankakee,
Morris, Ottawa and La Salle :
Years.
Number of lots.
Valuation.
Sold for.
1848,
2,244
$505,124
$554,864
1849,
341
65,877
70,974
1850,
325
69,504
82,750
Aggregate,
Unsold,
2,910
640,505
708,588
3,029
333,864
B
10
Recapitulation.
Valuation. Sold for.
Lots and lands sold, - - . $927,585 $1,001,487
do. do. unsold, - - - 1,146,017
Next in order in the Secretary's report, is the statement of the
agent of Canal lands.
This report embraces an account of the agent's proceedings, from
the date of the last printed annual report (1st December, 1848), to
the 30th November, 1850, including an account of moneys received
for rents, stone, timber, &c., and accounted for by him, amounting to
$4,077.94, and a statement of the condition of the leases of Canal
lands and lots; sales of stone, old materials (remains of work prior
to the organization of the Board of Trustees), trespasses on Canal
lands and timber, rents, fallen, or down timber, &;c., &c.
A statement appended to the report by the Secretary, contains a
list of all articles of property cleared at the several Collector's offices,
during the year 1850, viz: at Chicago, Lockport, Ottawa and La
Salle.
The aggregate number of miles passed by boats navigating the
Canal in 1850, was 333,141, equivalent to 3,501 boats through the
entire Canal.
The aggregate number of miles travelled by passengers, was
2,967,384, equivalent to 30,910 passengers through the entire Canal.
Taking some of the same articles transported on the Canal in 1848
and 1849, and comparing them with the quantities transported in 1850,
it will be seen where the increase is, and where the decrease in the
articles enumerated has taken place, for example :
1848.
1849.
1850.
Pork, barrels.
3,428
9,398
12,933
Salt, ,, " "
- 32,656
58,853
24,609
Sugar, pounds.
3,219,122
4,218,298
5,680,324
Merchandise, pounds.
4,948,000
9,176,943
10,372,623
Wheat, bushels.
- 454,111
579,598
417,036
Corn, „ -
- 516,230
754,288
317,674
Coal, tons, -
5,416
7,579
3,361
Lumber, thousand feet, -
15,425,357
26,882,000
38,687,528
Tolls received.
$87,890
$118,375
$125,504
11
The last schedule accompanying the report of the Secretary, con¬
tains the names and occupations of all officers and agents, in the ser¬
vice of the Board of Trustees, on the 30th of November, 1850.
12. The report of the General Superintendent of the Canal, con¬
tains an account of the operations in his department for the year
1850 ; in it will be found all the information required in reference to
the management of the Canal, the working expenses, interruptions by
freshets, &;c. It will be seen that two breaches, producing serious
interruption to the navigation of the Canal, have occurred during the
past season, one on the morning of the 19th of August, and the
other on the evening of the 20th of August; both occurred near
Morris, upon the twenty-two mile level: the first breach was through
the tow-path, and was comparatively not so serious ; that is to say,
about 100 feet in length of the bank was washed out to the depth of
41 feet below the bottom of the Canal, requiring about 8000 cubic
yards of material to repair it; this was effected on the 31st August, and
by means of a dam thrown across the Canal at the lower end of the
basin in Morris, boats drawing three feet of water, were enabled to
reach that place from above. The second breach was a very serious
one, involving as it did, the destruction of the Nettle creek aqueduct.
During the day and night preceding these disasters, there had
been an extraordinary fall of rain, stated by one who measured it, to
be between eleven and twelve inches ; and as the entire drainage of
the country is received into the Canal at the upper end of this
twenty-two mile level, and for a distance of about one-third the
length of it, the wastes which in ordinary times have been ample to
discharge the surplus water from the Canal, were not sufficient upon
the occasion stated, to relieve the banks.
Nettle creek aqueduct, was a structure composed of cut stone abut¬
ments, built upon a pile foundation with a timber trunk ; the water
way for the creek being thirty-five feet wide by sixteen feet high,
the abutments were undermined by the flood, and for a distance of
eighteen feet in length, the piles were carried away, and the space
between the abutments washed out to the depth of five or six feet
below the foundation.
A temporary structure upon trestles was put up with the least
practicable delay, but it was not until the 15th of September, that the
work was sufficiently advanced to admit the water into the trunk.
12
Two breaches through the dike and the tow-path upon the sum¬
mit level, occurred in September; the effect of these was to admit
the flood water and a quantity of deposite, from the Des Plaines
river into the Canal, but the detention to boats did not exceed twenty-
four hours.
The supply of water for the Canal, except on the Joliet level, for
a few days in June, has been sufficient. The streams fell to their
low water stage unusually early, say about the first of June, and at
that time there was but three feet of water in the Illinois river, at
Spring creek bar, five miles below Peru.
The pumping engines were in operation 191 hours, and the wheel
233 hours, during the season. The total quantity of water raised
by both engines was 99,031,000 cubic feet.
Appended to the Superintendent's report is an abstract of pay¬
ments made in 1850, for maintenance and repairs of Canal and
feeders, amounting in the aggregate to $58,415.19. Of this sum the
General Superintendent remarks, that the breaks at Morris and on
the summit level, cost about 9000 dollars, and that the further sum of
9000 dollars was expended for the construction of works not pro¬
perly belonging to ordinary repairs, but considered necessary for the
successful use of the Canal.
The following table is extracted from the General Superintendent's
report; it exhibits the cost of maintenance and repairs in each of the
years 1848, 1849 and 1850: deducting from the gross sum for each
year the cost of extraordinary repairs rendered necessary by
freshets, value of tools and materials purchased and on hand, in each
year, &c. The balance will show the sum properly chargeable to
ordinary repairs.
1848.
1849.
1850.
Total maintenance and repairs.
$43,197
$70,922
$58,415
Deduct items enumerated above,
6,744
26,999
19,996
Cost of ordinary repairs.
$36,452
$43,922
$34,418
Average cost per annum, of all expenses.
-
$57,511
„ „ ordinary repairs.
-
38,264
13. In reviewing the operations of the season of 1850, we shall
find in an examination of the returns of articles transported on the
13
Canal a very unexpected result, viz. that wheat and other bread-
stuffs, instead of passing through the Canal, from the Illinois river
to Lake Michigan, have taken the opposite direction, and large quan¬
tities have been drawn from Michigan and even from points as far
east as Buffalo, for the supply of the Saint Louis market, the prices
there having been such as to create this unlooked-for diversion; a
consequence of this has been to withdraw from the Illinois river
articles of food, in large quantities, which ordinarily would seek a
market eastward, via the Canal and the lakes.
For example, between the opening of navigation and the 31st
August, the wheat and grain which was shipped at Chicago for Saint
Louis was equal to 265,000 bushels, and the quantity arriving at
Chicago, in the same time, less then 40,000 bushels. Again, the
quantity cleared at La Salle, in 1850, was but 161,000 bushels
against 290,000 in 1849. In the article of corn this is still more
striking; the quantity cleared at La Salle, in 1850, was 104,000
bushels against 632,000 in 1849. This condition of the trade pre¬
vented boats from Chicago, with lumber, salt, and merchandise, down
the Illinois river, from securing any return freight.
In addition to this untoward circumstance, cholera made its ap¬
pearance again; the water in the Illinois was unusually low from
the middle of May to the middle of August; the interruption to the
navigation at the busy season of the year by the breaks in the Canal,
and finally, the uniform higher prices paid in Saint Louis for pro¬
duce than in Chicago.
Notwithstanding these serious drawbacks, the general result of
the operations of the year exhibits a small increase in the revenue,
of from 118,395 in 1849 to 125,504 in 1850, with the prospect that
the business of 1851 will be more favourable than that of the past
year.
14. It has been brought to the notice of the Board of Trustees,
that a company known as the "Aurora Branch Rail Road Com¬
pany," chartered on the 9th February, 1849, to construct a rail road
" from the town of Aurora, in the county of Kane, to some eligible
" and convenient point in the county of Du Page, and there to con-
" nect with the Galena and Chicago Union Rail Road," claims, under
its charter, to extend a branch from Aurora to Ottawa, La Salle, Slc.
and it is understood that measures have been taken by those in-
14
terested in the Aurora Branch Rail Road, to have the stock taken in
the contemplated " branch" from Aurora to Ottawa, &;c. with a view
to the actual construction of the road.
It is not to be supposed that the Legislature intended that the
grant to the " Aurora Branch Rail Road Company" should confer
any authority upon that Company to construct a rail road from Chi¬
cago to La Salle, the beginning and the end of the Illinois and Mi¬
chigan Canal, yet practically, this would be the effect, if the avowed
object of this Company should be carried out.
The State has too large an interest in the Illinois and Michigan
Canal, to suffer its legitimate business to be diverted from that chan¬
nel, by acquiescing in this extraordinary assumption of authority on
the part of the Rail Road Company; still as the Company have un¬
dertaken to assert their claim to this right, the Board of Trustees
has protested against such an exercise of power, and it has brought
the matter to the notice of the Governor of the State, praying him to
lay it before the Legislature, in order that that body may, by some
declaratory act, protect the joint interests of the State, and of those
who contributed the means to complete the Canal; nothing can be
more clear, than the injurious effect which would be produced upon
the business of the Canal, if this road were allowed to be con¬
structed between Chicago and La Salle; but in addition to this conj
sideration of the interest of the State in the matter, it is believed
that the Legislature will sanction no such violation of vested rights,
as the construction of this " branch " rail road would produce.
Estimate of the Revenue for 1851.
Notes receivable in May and September, for lands
and lots heretofore sold, say - - . - $250,000 00
Sales of lands and lots, to be made in May, 1851, say 20,000 00
Canal tolls, 1851, say ------ 160,000 00
Interest, rents, «fec., &c., say . - - . 4,000 00
Add balance in Treasurer's hands, on the 30th of No¬
vember, 1850, as by his report, - - - - 80,441 46
$514,441 46
15
Estimate of Expenditures, 1851.
Maintenance of Canal and feeders, ... - $45,000
Repairs before opening, 10,000
General expenses and contingencies, - - - - 25,000
Canal lands, &c., - 10,000
90,000
Payment on account of principal and interest, of loan
of $1,600,000, say 350,000
$440,000
WILLIAM H. SWIFT, President.
APPENDIX.
Board of Trustees.
William H. Swift, President, Philadelphia.
David Leavitt, Treasurer, New York.
Joseph B. Wells, State Trustee, Chicago.
List of Officers and Agents employed by the Board of Trustees of
the Illinois and Michigan Canal, in service Nov. 30, 1850.
Name.
W. Gooding,
E. B. Talcott,
E. S. Prescott,
W. W. Saltonstall,
J. Galloway,
A. J. Mathewson,
Joel Manning,
H. M. Singer,
W. Whaley,
A. Guthrie,
L. W. Claypool,
J. H. Kinzie,
D. L. Hough,
S. Gooding,
A. F. Dow,
S. H. Macey,
L. D. Davis,
M. Kehoe,
Occupation.
Secretary,
General Superintendent,
Agent Canal Lands,
Clerk Secretary's oflSce,
State Trustee's clerk,
Surveyor and Draughtsman,
Clerk Canal Lands,
Ass't Superintendent and Inspector,
do. do.
Steam Engineer,
Assistant Agent Canal Lands,
Collector, Chicago,
do. La Salle,
Assistant Collector, Lockport,
Assistant Collector, Ottawa,
do. Bridgeport,
do. La Salle,
Porter, State Trustee's office.
Compensation.
$2000
2000
1100
1250
800
1000
2
700
700
2
500
1500
1450
400
400
400
500
20
>>
jj
00 per annum.
00 „
00 „
00
00
00 „
00 per diem.
00 per annum.
00 „
25 per diem.
00 per annum.
00*
00*
00
00
00
00 „
00 Y^Av YnnnfTi.
yy
yy
* Including allowance for clerk hire.
I
16
Lock Tenders.
Royal Fox, -
A. J. Hobart, -
S. Finch, -
R. Wright, ...
P. Haynes, -
J. Voorhees, -
John Temple, -
Ira Potter, ...
John Nicholson, - - -
James Curtiss, -
C. Robbins, -
W. H. Niles,
H. Mayhew, . . .
$300 per annum.
»»
JJ
»»
99
99 99
99 99
99 99
99 99
99 99
99 99
99 99
The Trustees receive an annual compensation of $2500 each.
The term of office of the present Trustees on the part of the sub¬
scribers to the loan, terminates on the 28th of May, 1851.