During the 1890’s and the early 1900’s, several electric lines covered the area of the I and M canal. This first blog will briefly described some of the smaller companies. Any discussion is complicated by the many name changes that occur in the history of the companies.
The Joliet and the Southern Traction was constructed between Six Corners region in Joliet to Aurora. In 1907, the line was purchased by the Joliet and Southern. A second route was constructed between Joliet and Chicago Heights in 1909. The railroad line was then known as the Joliet and Elgin; it was subsequently abandoned in 1923.
There was a small electric line The Fox and Illinois Union Railroad. It traveled between Morris and Yorkville. It ran from 1911–1931.
There was a small electric line the Chicago and Des Plaines Valley Electric Railway between Lemont and the Sag Bridge Cemetery. Not much information is available about this line. There is a mention of the the Chicago and Des Plaines Valley Electric Line as one of many lines consolidated in 1901 to form Chicago and Joliet Electric Railway. This consolidated railroad was sold to Middle West Utilities (Samuel Insull) in 1924 in an attempt save it from failure. However, this was not successful and its lines began shutting down in 1933.
In Ottawa, Illinois there was institution of trolley service in 1889 by the Ottawa Electric Street Railway Co. This was in service until 1899. The Ottawa, Railway, Light and Power Company purchased 8 miles of track from Ottawa Electric Street Railway Co in 1899. This company served Ottawa until 1910.
Finally, there is the electric line in LaSalle. City Electric Network ran in LaSalle from 1891–1902. This became part of the Illinois Traction Company from 1902–1904. Then the Illinois Valley Railway 1904–1909. It was was acquired by the Western Railway and Light as a subsidiary of the Chicago, Ottawa and Peoria Railway Company in 1909-1913. It was subsequently transferred to the Chicago Ottawa and Peoria–Illinois Traction Company1913 to 1923. It was run by Illinois Power and Light from 1923–1926. Service was discontinued in 1927.

Next Chicago and Joliet Electric Railway Company.

Fox River Aqueduct

Hiking

Dry Fox River Aqueduct

The Fox River Aqueduct is the largest of the I and M Canal aqueducts. It is located in Ottawa, Illinois on Champlain St.   The aqueduct is 464 feet in length.  It was built by the Sanger family.  Construction began in 1838 and was completed in the 1840’s.  Construction cost was $100,000.  The support piers were made of limestone and were seven in number. 
     Several modifications were made over the years.  A plate girder bridge was added for the Chicago, Ottawa, and Peoria interurban electric line.  The line was in service from 1903–1934.  This subsequently was converted to a pedestrian bridge.  There was a wagon bridge adjacent to the aqueduct from 1882–1929.  The wood superstructure of the aqueduct was replaced by an iron structure in the 1940’s.  The limestone piers underwent repairs in 1996.
The actual aqueduct was been dry for many years.

Aux Sable lock

     Finances were always a difficult matter in the construction of the I M Canal.  The original federal grant provided the land for the canal plus 90 feet on both sides.  Timber in this area could be sold to raise money.  However this was not found to be adequate.  A new federal bill of 1827 provided large tracts of land that could be sold to raise money.  Once again this did not provide adequate funding.  The state was require to issue bonds at various times to finance the canal project.  These bonds eventually had to be paid off with interest.  Funds were obtained from further land sales, land and water power rents, interest from savings, sales of lumbar, stone, and used machinery.  Once the canal was finished in 1848, revenue was generated from tolls.  There were originally toll houses in Chicago, Lockport, Ottawa, and LaSalle.  The only remaining house is in Ottawa.  The Canal loans were paid off at a reported cost of 6.5 million dollars in 1871.  However, a more accurate estimate of total debt was nearer to 8 million.

     One of the most distinctive features of the Illinois Michigan Canal was a series of multiple locks between Chicago and LaSalle.  The locks were needed because of the 140 feet height difference between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River. The total number of locks varied.  Originally there were 17.  In the 1870’s, two locks were eliminated. 

LOCK 9 Marseilles

LOCK 9 Marseilles

     The images included are of Lock 9 in Marseilles.  This is the one feature that helps to identify this area as part or a canal.

The bed of The I and M Canal. Marseilles

Canal bed I and M Canal Marseilles

     One of the canal towns along the course of the Illinois Michigan Canal is Marseilles.  Unfortunately, there is little water in the canal in this area. It is difficult to even recognize this region as having been a significant waterway in the latter half of the 19th century.  To reach the canal site, travel west on highway 6.  Make a left (south turn) on  Chicago Street.  Travel 3 to 4 blocks and you will reach the canal.

Gephard Brew House

Gebhard Brew House

Gebhard Bottle House

     After the completion of the Illinois Michigan Canal in 1848, there was fairly rapid growth of the canal towns.  Breweries appeared in Peru, LaSalle, Ottawa, Morris,  and Joliet.  By the 1850’s, most canal towns had at least one  brewery.  Their number grew and peaked in 1875.  The local brewers faced no competition until the 1880’s.  Larger brewers sought to gain a national market.  The development of pasteurization ,refrigeration and depots allowed the shipment of beer by the railroad to most of the town’s along the canal from breweries in larger metropolitan areas.
     One of the most successful local brewery was Gebhard Brewing Company in Morris, Illinois.  This was founded by a German immigrant Louis Gebhard 1866.  The brewery building was constructed in 1880.  Their products became well known because of their quality.  Hops, malt and barley used in the brewing process were transported on the I M Canal.    The brewery closed in 1919 due to Prohibition.  Later on the brew house was used as a flour mill.  Currently there are 2 remaining empty buildings–Bottling Plant and the Brew House.

Nettle Creek Aqueduct Current State

Top photo current photo Nettle Creek Aqueduct.
Bottom photo current state of the Illinois Michigan Canal Gebhard Woods State Park
     Located just off Ottawa Street in Morris, Illinois is Gebhard Woods State Park.  This 30 acre site was originally owned by Mrs. William Gebhard (the beer brewing family).  It was subsequently purchased by the Grundy County Rod and Gun Club in 1934.  Sale price was $1500.  A game fish rearing pool was added to the site by the club.  Subsequently, the property was donated to the state to be maintained as a park.
     During the depression several improvements were made by the CCC.  The landscape was cleared.  Two additional spawning pools for fish were constructed.  Hiking trails were developed.  Multiple shelters were constructed.
     The park is bordered on the south by the I M Canal.  Currently there is little water in the canal; it is weed filled.  On the north border is Nettle Creek.
     At the site where the canal crosses Nettle Creek is the aqueduct.  This was originally constructed in 1847.  It has been rebuilt several times.  In April, 2013, the aqueduct collapsed during a severe rain storm.  It has remained in this state ever since.

     A common problem in the history of canal construction in the United State States in the 1700’s and 1800’s was the lack of adequate financing.  Private financing was typically a failure due to the size of the canal projects.  Attempts to involve the federal and state governments were met with mixed success.
Many projects once started either were never finished or completed in a modified fashion.
     Similar problems faced the Illinois Michigan Canal.  The first bill authorizing the I M Canal in Congress  in 1822  provided the land needed plus 90 feet on both sides of the canal.  Several attempts to raise the necessary capital to begin construction were failures.  A second bill in Congress in 1827 increased the size of federal land grants on both sides of the canal.  The intention was that this land could be sold to provide funds for canal construction.  However, in 1830–1832, land sales totalled $18,799; expenses were $14,700.  At least some individuals were having second thoughts and leaned to construction of a railroad.  A bill passed in Congress in 1833 allowed for the use of federal land to build a canal or a railroad.  State legislature reaffirmed the decision to build the I M Canal.  In 1836, the state of Illinois floated a $500,000 bond issue to provide funds for canal construction.
    Finally, construction began in 1836.  Construction continued until 1841 despite financial panic of 1837.  The state was forced to use creative financing–selling junk bonds and paying contractors with scrip promising to pay owed money plus interest when the state obtained the money.  Finally, all construction ceased in 1841 when the state defaulted on interest payments on bonds.  Construction did not resume until 1845.
    

     The original plan for the Illinois and Michigan Canal called for a so called “deep cut”  in the Summit Division.  This was the section from Bridgeport (at the eastern most canal at its origin) to Lockport.   The reason for this was to reverse the flow of the Chicago River into the canal to provide a water source.
     As the construction of the canal ground to a halt because of financial difficulties, an alternative plan was proposed by the chief engineer William Gooding.  This new plan was the shallow cut.  This would be a less costly alternative and would help in the completion of the canal.  This plan consisted in less deep excavation of the Summit Division.  Two additional locks were constructed–one at the junction of the Chicago River and the I M Canal; the second three miles north of Lockport.  At Lock 1, there was a steam driven pumping station.  This pumped water from the Chicago River into the canal.  A feeder canal was constructed  constructed from the Calumet River to the I M Canal.  This was an additional water supply.  The date of the completion is confusing. Some state 1552 others 1848–1849.
     In the 1860’s, the city of Chicago was growing rapidly in population.  As a result of this, there was contamination of the water supply from Lake Michigan.  Contaminated water flowed from the polluted Chicago River into the lake. There were outbreaks of cholera from this contaminated water supply. 
    When solutions were being proposed for this problem,once again William Gooding showed up as a consultant.  Ironically,his proposal was a deep cut in the canal from Bridgeport to Lockport.  This would reverse the course of the Chicago River and water and its pollution would flow into the I M Canal.  Locks 1 and 2 were removed.  The Calumet feeder canal was closed. All this work was completed in 1871.  This proved to be a temporary unsatisfactory solution. Ultimately this was replaced by The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.  But this is a story for another blog

   Probably one of the premier manufacturing companies in LaSalle in the 1850’s to the 1970’s was the Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company.  This was founded by Edward Hegeler and Friederich Matthiessen. These two men met in Germany while attending the Freiberg Mining Academy in Saxony. They were trained as mining engineers and metallurgist. They recognized the potential opportunities for the Zinc Industry in the United States. With this potential business plan in mind, they migrated to the United States in 1856.

In 1858, Matthiesen was studying the zinc industry in Wisconsin. Hegeler was in LaSalle investigating coal opportunities. They eventually chose LaSalle as the site for their Zinc smelting plant. Several factors affected their decision: 1) nearby transportation modes ( the railroads, the Illinois Michigan Canal, and the Illinois River). These were needed to provide access to the ore and to deliver their finished product; 2) Accessible coal and zinc ore deposits.
Construction began in December of 1858. The smelting foundry was completed in 1860. In their process, they used a Belgian type smelting furnace. In 1866, zinc rolling mill was built to produce sheet zinc. They incorporated as Matthiessen and Hegeler Zinc Company in 1971.

In order to process zinc ore, large quantities of coal were needed. It was because of this need that the company purchased coal rights in the areas around their plant. They also brought experienced miners from England, Scotland, Wales, and Austria to work the mines.

In 1881, Edward Beveledr developed a furnace that trapped the sulfur fumes and generated sulfuric acid. This was an efficient system that decreased coal use. Thus the company also became a producer of sulfuric acid.
Matthiessen Hegeler became a big player in the zinc industry. It held this position for years.
They also were known for the positive relations that they had with their employees.
In 1924, the Hegeler Carus family bought out the Matthiessen family. Like many other local businesses, they were negatively affected by the depression. It was not until the 1950’s that there was a resurgence in the business. M and H obtained interests in eastern states. They purchased two large processing and manufacturing plants. Money problems and foreign competition had a negative affect on the business. In 1961, zinc smelting was ended. Sulfuric acid manufacture ended in 1968. Their was a brief unsuccessful attempt to switch to aluminum manufacturing in the 1970’s. However, the company ceased operations in 1978.
A black mark on the facility in later years is a designation as a site of contamination by the EPA.