On the Wisconsin River Improvement. 147 



near, the height of the water at the time, that of the last high 

 water, and the most noted high or low water mark ascertdned. 

 Besides the parties who ran these main lines there were two 

 subordinate compass parties who surveyed the minor channels 

 making connections with the main line as often as possible, a 

 cross section level party and a sounding party. The object of 

 this survey was to determine the practicability of improving 

 the river so as to form part of a line of communication by 

 steamer from the Mississippi Eiver by way of the Wisconsin 

 Eiver, Upper Fox, Lake Winnebago and Lower Fox River to 

 Green Bay, and thence with the lakes. For this improvement 

 Gen. Warren submitted three plans. 1. By means of a series 

 of wing dams, etc., and the use of Long's scraper, so as to 

 make it navigable for boats drawing three feet water. Esti- 

 mate $42S,000. 2. By use of natural channels in connection 

 with side-canals of sufficient width and depth for steamboats 

 drawing four feet water. Estimate, $3,207,000. B. By means 

 of a canal designed for steamboats drawing five feet water, 

 built along the valley, alternating from one side of the river to 

 the other, as circumstances demand, and using the natural bed 

 of the river for crossings. Estimate, $4,164,000. 



In 1871, Col. Houston, U. S. Engineer, was directed in ac- 

 cordance with these plans to improve the navigation of the 

 river at those points where the proposed canal was to cross the 

 river, and in doing so to determine the practicability of im- 

 proving the river itself. The proposed canal starts from a 

 point on the canal now connecting the Wisconsin and Fox 

 rivers, near Portage City, where it connects by a lock with the 

 river. The canal then commences on the opposite bank of 

 the river and proceeds on the right bank to a point about 56^ 

 miles below Portage, when it again connects with the river 

 by a lock. Commencing again on the left bank opposite it 

 proceeds to a point 88f miles below Portage, when a similar 

 crossing becomes necessary, and then proceeds on the right 

 bank to Prairie du Chien, when it connects with the Missis- 



