96 
STATE AGRICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 
“ Since the making of this report in April, General Warren 
has completed his estimates, and has made to the department 
under date of October last (1868), his final and working 
report, from which report we have kindly been permitted to 
make the following extracts. He says : 
* For improving the navigation along the Wisconsin river from Portage 
City to its mouth, I present three plans and estimates: 
‘ First Plan, —All in river, using wing dams and Long’s scrapers, distance 
118 miles, to secure a depth of three feet^ low water navigation, $427,749.37. 
Improvement to be available the second year, the i^oney all wanted the first 
year. Annually thereafter $30,000. 
‘ Second Plan. —To secure four feet depth for navigation at low water, 
twenty-seven miles in the river, ninety miles of canal, seventy feet wide at 
bottom and eighty feet at top, twenty-four miles being in wider places of 
old river bed, locks 160x30 feet, total lock lift 138 feet, sides of canal 
in cuts paved for use of steamboats—$3,206,790.96. In order to finish in 
third year, require $1,603,385.96 the first year, the remainder the second 
year, and $60,000 annually thereafter. 
‘ Third Plan. —To secure five feet navigation at low water, all to be canal, 
118 miles. Canal seventy feet at bottom, eighty feet at top. Locks 
160x35. Total lock lift 176 feet. Sides of canal in cuts paved to allow 
the use of steamboats—$4,164,270.00. In order to finish in third year, 
will require $2,082,130.00 the first year, the remainder the second year, and 
$60,000 annually thereafter. 
* I would urge the adoption of the third plan if means can be raised, pro¬ 
viding, however, at first for only a four foot navigation. The second plan, 
if adopted, should be carried out with a view to being changed to the third 
if required. The first plan, three feet navigation, may have too much incon¬ 
venience for the great amount of transportation designed for this route.”— 
(P. 360, Kept. Sec. War.) 
“ It is then reduced to this, that a low water channel in the 
river of three feet depth can be, had for less than $500,000; 
that a low water channel of four feet depth, partly in the river, 
but chiefly a steamboat canal, paved at the sides, wider at the 
bottom by fourteen feet than the Erie canal, can be had for a 
little over $3,000,000, and that a like channel of five feet depth, 
all canal, can be had for a little over $4,000,000.” 
With such an amount of facts, and so moderate an estimate 
by one of the most competent officers of the government be¬ 
fore them, there ought to be no question on the part of con- 
