DEPARTMENT OF THE ARTS. 



ON THE WISCONSIN EIVEE IMPROVEMENT. 



BY W. J. NICODEMUS, A. M. C. E., 

 Professor of Engineering, in the UniTersity of Wisconsin. 



Before speaking of the physical features ol the Wisconsin 

 river, we will offer some general remarks applicable to the 

 whole of North America. Recent surveys show that Lake 

 Winnebago formerly had its outlet southward to the Wiscon- 

 sin river, and since changed to the north through the lower Fox 

 river into Green Bay. It has long been known that Lake 

 Michigan once had its outlet southward through the Illinois 

 river, and that Chicago stands in the old bed of the lake, the 

 southern shore of which is twelve miles south of the city. All 

 the small lakes examined show the same condition, an eleva- 

 tion south of a line drawn from Cape Hatteras on the Atlantic 

 to Cape Mendocino on the Pacific, and a depression north of 

 that line. If this supposition be correct, going back in time, 

 the lake outlets would all be southward, and not northward as 

 at present. Hence we would infer that the Niagara and prob- 

 ably the St. Lawrence rivers (though there are signs of greater 

 antiquity connected with the last), are of comparatively mod- 

 ern origin, which is confirmed by the fact of their abounding in 

 waterfalls and rapids. There is no doubt that Lake Winnipeg 

 was once continuous southward, covering the central portion 

 of the valley of the Red River of the North, and having its out- 

 let down the Minnesota River, and not as now, down the Nel- 

 son river to Hudson's bay. The river bank near the old out- 



