ANNUAL KEPORT—COMMERCE. 
89 
a du3 line passing through Prairie du Chien and the straits of 
Mackinaw. The divide, or portage, separating the Wisconsin 
river waters, putting into the gulf of Mexico, from the Fox 
river waters, putting into the St. Lawrence, is a level sand 
prairie, without rock, and in width, one and one-half miles. 
The Wisconsin, at the portage, is at the summit level. It is 
about seven feet higher than the Fox at the portage, about two 
hundred feet higher than lake Michigan at the mouth of the 
Fox, and one hundred and sixty-nine feet higher than the 
Mississippi at the mouth of the Wisconsin. 
“ Already a canal, at the portage, connects the Wisconsin and 
the Fox, and a slack water communication extending from the 
portage to Green Bay, a distance of one hundred and sixty 
miles, overcomes by locks and dams the fall of two hundred 
feet, and connects the Wisconsin river with lake Michigan. 
The Fox river from its mouth to Oshkosh, on lake Winnebago, 
has a low water channel of about four feet, and from lake 
Winnebago to the portage, of about three feet. At stages of 
high water, boats of three, four and even five feet draft have 
passed from lake Michigan up the Fox river and down the 
Wisconsin into the Mississippi river. As late in the season 
as June, boats of three hundred tons burthen have made the 
passage. In stages of low water, the Wisconsin cannot be 
navigated on account of the drifting sand. 
“ It is proposed that the general government be urged to 
improve the navigation of the Wisconsin river, from its mouth 
to the portage, so that boats of five feet draft may pass with 
facility in the lowest stages of water. 
“ The works of improvement now in operation upon said 
rivers are owned by the Green Bay and Mississippi Canal 
Company, and chiefly extend from the portage to the mouth 
of the Fox. 
“This company will make the navigation of the Fox river 
as good as the government will make the Wisconsin, so that 
the project is narrowed down to the improvement of 118 miles of 
river navigation. 
