134 Eclitorial.

_ most favorable crossing to the valley of the Susquehanna, which

it enters at or near the great bend of that river.

“Pursuing a westerly and almost level course through the fertile
valleys of the Susquehanna and Tioga rivers, the route crosses
the head waters of the Genessee, having in its course intersected
the terminations of the Ithica and Owego Railway, and the Che-.
nango and the Chemung canals in New York, the great Susquehan-
na canal in Pennsylvania, and several other points that afford im-.
portant facilities for intercommunication.

“ From Genessee river, our route enters the valley of the Allegheny,
and proceeds along that river, which affords a navigable communi-.
cation with Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania canals, and the Ohio
river. From the Alleghany, the route intersects the outlet of the
Chatauque lake, by which a communication may be established with
Lake Erie, and proceeds to the head Waters of the French creek,
in Pennsylvania, from whence it again communicates with the
Alleghany and the Pennsylvania canals, on the one hand, and may
be connected with the harbor of Erie on the other.

“ The benefits which would result from the construction of a rail-_
way,on the route which we have thus far followed,and its capacity
to multiply the elements of individual and national prosperity, can
be best appreciated by those who have carefully observed the ef-.
fects of such improvements; but that portion of the route which

A remains to be considered, offers to our view results of the highest

and most invaluable character. ‘

.“ From the western branch of the Alleghany, We proceed in a
direction nearly parallel to the shore of Lake Erie, and entering‘ the
northern counties of Ohio, intersect the great canal of that State on
the portage summit. A free and rapid communication is thus es-.
tablishedboth with the lakes and the Ohio river.

“ From the Ohio canal, the route proceeds in a Western direction,
near the forty-first parallel of latitude, along the fertile table lands
which separate the tributary streams of the Ohio from those of the
great northern lakes. Having entered the State of Indiana, We.
‘pass the head waters of the VVabash, intersect the route of the
canal which is to unite the VVabash river with the lakes, enter the
State of Illinois, and passing near the course of the Kankakee,
arrive at the iteacl of steam-boat nav2'gat2'0n on the Illinois river.

V “The Illinois, which is soon to be connected by a canal with
Lake Michigan, affords good depth of Water for steam-boats, with
acurrent so slight, as to be, in many places, hardly perceptible. It:
affo1*ds excellent navigation for two hundred and fifty miles, thro-ugh.‘