ARCHIVAL C8W H3&5! 
 
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 STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
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 Department of Public Works and Buildings 
 
 Division of Waterways t 
 
 Bulletin No. 10 
 
 Chicago, Ill. 
 
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 (FOURTH EDITION) 
 
 
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 ILLINOIS WATERWAYS 
 
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 A GUIDE FOR NAVIGATORS 
 
 FROM 
 
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 La^e Michigan to the Mississippi River via the Chicago Sanitary 
 * District Canal, the Illinois and Michigan Canal 
 
 and the Illinois River 
 
 Alternate Route via the 
 
 Illil his £nd Mississippi (Hennepin Canal) 
 
 ^ ' ' ... 
 
 ALSO AN 
 
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 Issued in Accordance with 
 
 I v • j 
 
 ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
 jE\ 
 
 f -y\ Approved June 10, 1911 
 
 [Pitted by authority of the State of Illinois] 
 
ILLINOIS WATERWAYS 
 
 A GUIDE FOR NAVIGATORS 
 
 FROM 
 
 Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River via the Chicago Sanitary 
 District Canal, the Illinois and Michigan Canal 
 and the Illinois River 
 
 ALSO AN 
 
 Alternate Route via the 
 
 Illinois and Mississippi (Hennepin Canal) 
 
 ('FOURTH EDITION) 
 
 [Printed by authority of the State of Illinois 
 
1 G 1 H 
 
 e»*°n 
 
 M A N 2 ENGRAVING CO., CHICAGO 
 
 19 2 1 
 
 54500—2M 
 
 
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 PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION OF THE ILLINOIS 
 
 WATERWAYS 
 
 This bulletin has been prepared for the information and guidance 
 of navigators seeking transportation by water between Chicago and 
 the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. 
 
 The present channel for navigation between Lake Michigan and 
 the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, by the Illinois and Michigan Canal, 
 is limited to a depth of about 4 feet. The locks on the Illinois and 
 Michigan Canal limit the size of craft to the following dimensions: 
 
 Length, square stern and square bow. 98 feet 
 
 Length, square stern and model bow. 100 feet 
 
 Length, model stern and model bow. 102 feet 
 
 Width at water surface. 16 feet 
 
 Width at 4% feet draft. 14 feet 7 inches 
 
 Draft (depth over lock sills). 4 feet 6 inches 
 
 Height above water line. 11 feet 2 inches 
 
 HON. LEN SMALL, Governor 
 
 C. R. MILLER, Director 
 
 Department of Public Works and Buildings 
 
 WILLIAM L. SACKETT, Superintendent 
 Division of Waterways 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 
 https://archive.org/details/illinoiswaterwayOOilli 
 
ILLINOIS WATERWAYS 
 
 
 Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, via the Chicago Sanitary 
 District Canal, the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Illinois 
 River, a Distance of 325 Miles. 
 
 Chicago River 
 
 The distance from the month of the Chicago River to the entrance 
 of the Chicago Sanitary District Canal is six miles. The river 
 has a least width of two hundred (200) feet except for a short dis : 
 tance between Adams Street and Harrison Street, where the channel 
 is constricted. This portion will eventually be widened to 200 feet. 
 The depth of the river is twenty-six (26) feet. The route is as follows: 
 
 Illinois River Packet. 
 
Distance 
 
 Miles. 
 
 6 
 
 Starting at 
 
 0.0 Government Light House at mouth of Chicago River, continue past 
 
 0.9 State Street, Dearborn Street, Clark Street, Wells Street and Franklin 
 
 Street bridges to 
 
 1.0 Fork of river. Turn left, avoiding north fork to the right and pass 
 
 Lake Street, Randolph Street, Washington Street, Madison Street, 
 Monroe Street and Adams Street (2.0) bridges, continue past Jackson 
 Boulevard, Metropolitan Elevated, Van Buren Street, Harrison 
 Street, Polk Street, Taylor Street, B. & O. Chicago Terminal Trans¬ 
 fer, Twelfth Street, St. Charles Air Line, Eighteenth Street, Pennsyl¬ 
 vania Railroad, Canal Street and 
 
 4.0 Twenty-second Street bridges, continuing past Halsted Street lift 
 
 bridge, Main Street and Loomis Street bridges to 
 5.5 Turning basin. Avoid south branch to the left, and entrance to old 
 
 Illinois and Michigan Canal at southwest corner of basin, continue 
 straight ahead under Ashland Avenue bridge to 
 6.0 Entrance to Chicago Sanitary District Canal. Avoid west fork of 
 
 river to the right. 
 
 Chicago Sanitary District Canal 
 
 The main channel of the Chicago Sanitary District Canal from 
 its confluence with the south branch of the Chicago River at Robey 
 Street in Chicago to the end of the water power tailrace in Joilet, Will 
 County, Illinois, is 32.35 miles long. 
 
 The dimensions of the channel are: 
 
 Robey Street to Summit, 5.6 miles, 160 feet wide on bottom, 
 226 feet wide at water line, minimum depth 22 feet. The side slope 
 is 1 to 1 on the north and 1 vertical to 2 horizontal on the south. 
 
 Summit to Willow Springs, 7.5 miles, 202 feet wdde on bottom. 
 290 feet wide at w r ater line, minimum depth 22 feet. The side slopes 
 in earth are 1 foot vertical on 2 feet horizontal. 
 
 The grade of the earth channel from Robey Street to Willow r 
 Springs is one foot in forty thousand feet, or 1% inches to the mile. 
 
 At Willow Springs the channel narrows to the walled rock section, 
 extending 14.95 miles to Lockport. It is 160 feet wide on the bottom, 
 162 feet wide at water line. The grade in the rock is one foot in 
 twenty thousand, or 3*4 inches per mile. 
 
 From Lockport to the water power plant, two miles down stream, 
 the channel is carried between levees and the w r ater surface is above 
 the surrounding country. 
 
 Below the water powder plant to the “Upper Basin” in Joliet the 
 channel is 160 feet wide at water line. 
 
 Total distance 
 from 
 Chicago 
 
 6.0 Mouth of Drainage Canal, 160 feet wide on bottom, 226 feet wide 
 
 at water line; continue straight ahead under Western Avenue 
 bridge, passing Sanitary District Electric Substation on left. 
 International Harvester Works on right, passing under Eight 
 Track R. R. bridge, “Bridewell,” city prison on far right, passing 
 under 
 
7 
 
 Total distance 
 from 
 Chicago 
 
 7.5 C. M. & N. R. R. bridge and immediately afterwards the Kedzie 
 
 Avenue bridge. 
 
 8.1 Continue under A., T. & S. F. R. R. bridge. 
 
 9.5 Chicago & Western Indiana R. R. bridge. 
 
 12.3 A., T. A S. F. R. R. bridge. Thence to 
 
 13.8 Summit, beginning of wide channel, 202 feet wide on bottom, 290 
 
 feet wide at water line. Passing under Summit highway bridge to 
 
 14.8 Chicago Terminal Transfer R. R. bridge, large plant of Corn Prod¬ 
 
 ucts Company at Argo on left. Pass on to 
 
 19.1 Willow Springs, beginning of rock channel, 160 feet wide on bot¬ 
 
 tom, 162 feet wide at water line passing under 
 
 19.2 Willow Springs highway bridge. 
 
 23.5 Sag Canal enters on left. 
 
 26.5 A., T. & S. F. R. R. bridge and Lemont Highway bridge. Continue 
 
 passing under 
 
 30.9 Romeo Highway bridge. Continue to 
 
 34.0 Lockport, canal controlling works, bear-trap dam, stoney sluice 
 
 gates on right. Continue past Butterfly dam in center of channel 
 and 
 
 34.4 Ninth Street, Lockport Highway bridge. Continue past 
 
 35.0 Sixteenth Street Highway Bridge to stop at 
 
 36.0 Lock, dam and w r ater power plant. 
 
 Lock operated by Sanitary District of Chicago. No toll. Length, 
 130 feet; width, 22 feet; lift 40 feet. After leaving lock, pass 
 small railroad swing bridge into main channel and pass under 
 high 
 
 37.0 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern R. R. bridge. Use center opening. 
 
 Warning. 
 
 Curve in channel about one mile below this point and swift cur¬ 
 rent emptying into the “Upper Basin” where the Drainage Canal, 
 the I. & M. Canal and the DesPlaines River come together. 
 Keep to center of channel and steer for 
 
 38.3 Right hand span of Ruby street bridge. After passing under bridge 
 
 keep close to right bank of canal, passing between right bank 
 and timber crib bearing sign “Danger.” Keep to the right. Con¬ 
 tinue at slow speed to I. & M. Canal. 
 
 38.75 Lock at w T est end of Economy Light and Power Company dam. 
 Power plant on east bank. 
 
 Illinois and Michigan Canal 
 
 The Illinois and Michigan Canal is 63.6 miles in length from Joliet 
 to LaSalle, where it enters the Illinois River. In this distance there 
 are eleven locks. Boats of the following dimensions may navigate the 
 
 canal and pass the locks: 
 
 Length, square stern and square bow. 98 feet 
 
 Length, square stern and model bow. 100 feet 
 
 Length, model stern and model bow. 102 feet 
 
 Width at water surface. 16 feet 
 
 Width at 4!/2 feet draft. 14 feet 7 inches 
 
 Draft (depth over lock sills). 4 feet 7 inches 
 
 Height above water line. 11 feet 2 inches 
 
 For rates of toll, lockage, registration, etc., see page 15. 
 
8 
 
 Drainage Canal Lock at Power Plant 
 
9 
 
 Total distance 
 from 
 
 Chicago 
 
 38.7 
 
 39.0 
 
 41.0 
 
 41.3 
 43.0 
 
 44.2 
 
 45.2 
 
 46.6 
 
 47.4 
 48.0 
 
 49.6 
 
 50.3 
 
 50.5 
 
 54.4 
 
 55.5 
 
 56.3 
 
 56.8 
 
 58.6 
 
 58.7 
 
 63.1 
 
 63.4 
 
 64.6 
 
 64.9 
 
 66.6 
 
 69.6 
 
 74.2 
 
 74.8 
 
 78.3 
 
 79.5 
 
 79.7 
 80.2 
 
 80.4 
 
 85.8 
 
 86.6 
 
 87.3 
 
 87.4 
 
 87.6 
 
 87.7 
 
 88.5 
 89.0 
 
 90.6 
 
 90.7 
 
 91.1 
 
 91.2 
 
 91.8 
 
 96.7 
 
 96.9 
 
 98.8 
 99.1 
 
 100.1 
 
 Lock No. 5, lift 9 feet. Collector’s office at lock. Pass through 
 and continue under Jackson Street bridge. 
 
 Cass Street bridge, Jefferson Street bridge, C. R. 1. & P. R. R. 
 bridge and McDonough Street bridge. Marine garage and 
 machine shop on right bank about mile 40.5. 
 
 Brandon’s Road bridge. 
 
 Rockdale, plant of American Steel and Wire Company on right. 
 Railroad swing bridge, flathead mound and plant of Joliet Sand 
 and Gravel Company on left. 
 
 Five Mile highway bridge. 
 
 Rock Run and park on right. 
 
 Bird’s Bridge, highway. 
 
 Dupage feeder on right. 
 
 Minooka widewater. 
 
 Knapp Street bridge, Channahon. 
 
 Lock No. 6, lift 12 feet. Lock through crossing DuPage 
 River to 
 
 Lock No. 7, lift 4 feet 6 inches and Highway bridge. 
 
 Dresden Heights. Junction of the DesPlaines and Kankakee 
 Rivers forming the Illinois River, visible over left bank. 
 Dresden Catholic cemetery on right. 
 
 Highway bridge. 
 
 Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway swing bridge. 
 
 Aqueduct over Aux Sable River and 
 
 Lock No. 8, lift 6 feet 2 inches, highway bridge below. 
 
 Highway bridge, called “Peacock Bridge,” edge of Morris. 
 
 C., R. I. & P. Railroad bridge. 
 
 Morris Highway bridge. 
 
 Aqueduct over Nettle Creek. 
 
 Mt. Carmel cemetery on right. 
 
 “Five Mile Bridge,” highway bridge, half way to Seneca. 
 
 C., C., C. Sc St. L. Railroad swing bridge. 
 
 Seneca Highway bridge. 
 
 Chicago, Ottawa & Peoria Railway Bridge. 
 
 Marseilles’ Lock No. 9, lift 10 feet. Highway bridge below. 
 
 Lock No. 10, lift 10 feet. 
 
 Main Street, Bascule bridge, Marseilles. 
 
 Marseilles Manufacturing Company railroad swing bridge. 
 Highway bridge called “White Bridge.” 
 
 Aqueduct over Fox River. 
 
 Columbus Street, Ottawa, swing bridge. Canal collector’s office 
 
 on left bank. 
 
 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, swing bridge. 
 
 C., B. & Q. Railroad swing bridge. 
 
 Chestnut Street, Ottawa, swing bridge. 
 
 Highway bridge. 
 
 Lock No. 11, lift 10 feet. 
 
 Lock No. 12, lift 9 feet 8 inches. 
 
 Highway bridge. LaSalle County Poor Farm in the left dis¬ 
 tance. 
 
 “Moriarity” Highway bridge. 
 
 Head of “Buffalo Rocks” to the left. 
 
 Buffalo Rock widewater. 
 
 Utica bridge. 
 
 Railroad bridge. 
 
 Lock No. 13, lift 7 feet. 
 
 Railroad bridge, Illinois Traction Company. 
 
 High bridge, LaSalle County Carbon Coal Company. 
 
10 
 
 Total distance 
 from 
 
 Chicago 
 
 100.7 Aqueduct over Little Vermilion River. 
 
 100.8 High bridge, Illinois Central Railroad. 
 
 100.9 High bridge from coal mine. 
 
 101.3 Lock No. 14, lift 13 feet 6 inches. 
 
 101.4 C., B. & Q. R. R. bridge and Lock No. 15, lift 6 feet. 
 
 102.3 End of Illinois and Michigan Canal and entrance to Illinois 
 
 River. 
 
 See page 12 for side trip to State park at Starved Rock. 
 
 The Illinois River 
 
 Two hundred and twenty-three (223) miles to Grafton at the con¬ 
 fluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. There is a fall of only 
 27 feet in this distance, taken up by four locks. Henry and Copperas 
 Creek, owned by the Illinois and Michigan Canal Commission, (toll 
 at each lock $1.50) and LaGrange and Kampsville, owned by the 
 United States Government. (No toll.) 
 
 See page 21 for law r s to regulate equipment of certain motor boats 
 on the navigable waters of the United States. 
 
 U. S. Total distance 
 
 Government 
 
 from 
 
 
 Light No. 
 
 Chicago 
 
 
 
 102.3 
 
 End of Illinois and Michigan Canal. 
 
 1217 
 
 102.3 
 
 Illinois & Michigan Canal light, right 
 
 
 103.1 
 
 Peru Highway bridge. 
 
 
 107.0 
 
 Spring Valley Highway bridge. 
 
 
 110.7 
 
 Marquette, coal chute on right bank. 
 
 
 111.6 
 
 Indiana, Illinois & Iowa Railroad bridge. 
 
 
 115.3 
 
 Entrance to Hennepin Canal through opening on 
 right bank. Range light on down stream side of 
 entrance and sign labeled “Entrance to Hennepin 
 Canal.” See page 12 for Hennepin Canal route 
 from the Illinois River to the Mississippi River at 
 Rock Island. 
 
 1212 
 
 115.3 
 
 Illinois & Mississippi (Hennepin) Canal light, right. 
 
 
 118.0 
 
 Hennepin landing. 
 
 1205 
 
 122.9 
 
 Sisters Island light, left (below). 
 
 
 129.5 
 
 Henry, State lock (toll, $1.50), highway bridge below. 
 When upper gauge reads 6.0 water is 6.8 feet deep 
 over dam. 
 
 1197 
 
 132.0 
 
 Upper Henry Island, foot; lighted buoy, right. 
 
 
 136.4 
 
 Lacon highway bridge, pontoon. 
 
 
 143.6 
 
 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad bridge. 
 
 
 145.0 
 
 Chillicothe. 
 
 
 147.5 
 
 Rome, head of Lake Peoria. 
 
 
 151.5 
 
 Spring Bay. 
 
 1187 
 
 151.6 
 
 Spring Bay piling buoy, red, left, on piling. 
 
 
 157.7 
 
 Illinois Valley Yacht Club on right bank. 
 
 
 159.4 
 
 Upper Highway bridge. 
 
 1131 
 
 161.3 
 
 Waterworks Point, lighted buoy, black, right. 
 
 
 162.9 
 
 Peoria, steamboat landing. 
 
 
 163.1 
 
 Highway bridge. 
 
 
 163.1 
 
 T., P. & W. Railroad Bridge. 
 
 
 163.3 
 
 Interurban bridge, Peoria. 
 
 
 164.9 
 
 Peoria & Pekin Union Railway Company bridge. 
 
11 
 
 u . s . 
 
 Total distance 
 
 
 Government 
 
 from 
 
 
 Light No. 
 
 Chicago 
 
 
 
 172.5 
 
 Peoria & Pekin Terminal Railway bridge. 
 
 
 172.6 
 
 Highway bridge and Pekin landing. 
 
 
 174.4 
 
 C. & N. W. Ry. bridge. 
 
 1174 
 
 177.6 
 
 Mackinaw River mouth light, left. 
 
 
 180.0 
 
 Kingston landing on right bank. Boats coaled here. 
 
 
 187.2 
 
 Copperas Creek on right bank. 
 
 
 188.8 
 
 Copperas Creek Dam and State lock, 350 feet long, 
 75 feet wide. Lock fee, SI.50. When upper gauge 
 reads 10.0, water is 3.2 feet deep over dam. 
 
 
 195.5 
 
 Clear Lake. Entrance on left bank. 
 
 
 197.5 
 
 Liverpool. 
 
 
 198.5 
 
 Grass Lake, slough on right bank. 
 
 1172a 
 
 199.3 
 
 Thompson Lake slough light, right. 
 
 
 199.6 
 
 Thompson Lake, slough on right bank. 
 
 
 203.2 
 
 Entrance to Quiver Lake and Dog Fish Lake on left 
 bank. 
 
 
 203.5 
 
 Entrance to Flagg Lake on right bank. 
 
 
 204.9 
 
 Spoon River mouth on right bank. 
 
 
 205.3 
 
 C. P. & St. L. R. R. bridge abandoned piers. 
 
 
 205.6 
 
 Highway bridge and boat landing, Havana, Illinois. 
 
 
 205.9 
 
 I. C. R. R. bridge abandoned piers. 
 
 1166 
 
 209.8 
 
 Devils Elbow upper light, right. 
 
 
 211.0 
 
 Entrance to Mantanzas Bay on left bank. 
 
 
 212.2 
 
 Grand Island chute, take right channel. 
 
 
 214.7 
 
 Entrance to Ball Lake, on left bank. 
 
 
 216.3 
 
 Anderson Lake, slough on right bank. 
 
 
 218.7 
 
 Lower end of Grand Island chute on left bank. 
 
 1160a 
 
 221.8 
 
 Sharp Landing light, right. 
 
 
 224.8 
 
 Hickory Slough on left. Entrance to Stewart Lake. 
 
 
 226.5 
 
 Long Lake. Entrance on right. 
 
 
 227.5 
 
 Sangamon River, mouth on left. 
 
 Dutchman’s Lake. Entrance on right. 
 
 
 227.7 
 
 
 228.3 
 
 Browning Landing on right bank. 
 
 
 230.3 
 
 Sugar Creek Island. Entrance to Sangamon Lake 
 through island chute on left. Channel on right 
 of island. 
 
 
 230.9 
 
 Sugar Creek mouth and entrance to Sugar Lake on 
 right. 
 
 
 233.0 
 
 Big Lake, entrance on right. 
 
 1152 
 
 233.1 
 
 Frederick light, right, above. 
 
 
 233.9 
 
 Frederick Landing on right bank. 
 
 
 236.5 
 
 Muscooten Bay on right. 
 
 
 236.6 
 
 C., B. & Q. Railroad bridge. 
 
 
 236.9 
 
 Beardstown Highway bridge. 
 
 
 237.0 
 
 Beardstown Landing on right. 
 
 
 240.5 
 
 Coal Creek on right. 
 
 
 241.7 
 
 Crane Creek and La Moine River on right. 
 
 
 245.3 
 
 LaGrange Landing. 
 
 
 247.9 
 
 U. S. dam and lock at LaGrange. No lock fee. 
 
 
 250.3 
 
 Kamp Creek on right. 
 
 
 251.1 
 
 Meredosia and entrance to Meredosia Lake on left. 
 
 
 254.3 
 
 Meredosia Landing on left. 
 
 
 254.4 
 
 Wabash Railroad bridge. 
 
 
 259.9 
 
 Naples Landing on left. 
 
 1147 
 
 260.9 
 
 Naple’s daymark, left, below. 
 
 
 264.0 
 
 Wabash Railroad bridge. 
 
 
 264.6 
 
 Griggsville Landing. 
 
 
 269.9 
 
 Florence Landing on right bank. 
 
12 
 
 u.s. 
 
 Total distance 
 
 Government 
 
 from 
 
 Light No. 
 
 Chicago 
 
 
 275.4 
 
 
 277.0 
 
 1138 
 
 277.5 
 
 
 282.4 
 
 
 284.5 
 
 
 284.6 
 
 
 289.2 
 
 
 293.5 
 
 
 294.0 
 
 
 297.1 
 
 1121 
 
 299.8 
 
 
 300.0 
 
 
 304.3 
 
 
 305.9 
 
 1112 
 
 306.3 
 
 
 307.0 
 
 
 310.3 
 
 
 310.7 
 
 
 311.4 
 
 
 317.0 
 
 1101 
 
 324.4 
 
 
 325.3 
 
 
 325.5 
 
 Montezuma Landing on right bank. 
 
 Bedford Landing. 
 
 Pilot Peak Bend light, left. 
 
 Chicago & Alton Railroad bridge. 
 
 Grand Pass. 
 
 Pearl. 
 
 Apple Creek, mouth on left. 
 
 Kampsville Landing on right bank. 
 
 U. S. dam and lock. No toll. 
 
 Hurricane Island, take left channel. 
 
 Hurricane Island buoy, black, right below on upper 
 reef. 
 
 Diamond Island, take right channel. 
 
 Hardin Landing. 
 
 Head of Mortland Island. Take left channel. 
 Macoupin Island lower buoy, black, right, end dam. 
 Macoupin Creek, mouth on left bank. 
 
 Head of Helmbold Island. 
 
 Otter Creek, landing on left bank. 
 
 Twelve Mile Island, take right channel. 
 
 Head of Eight Mile Island. 
 
 Illinois River mouth light, left, above (on gravel 
 point in low water). 
 
 Grafton, Illinois, left bank. 
 
 Illinois River mouth (U. S. Gage). 
 
 For guide to Mississippi River and its tributaries, apply to 
 Division of Publications, Department of Commerce and Labor, Wash¬ 
 ington, D. C. 
 
 List of lights, buoys, and daymarks on the Upper Mississippi 
 and its tributaries will be sent free of charge to any master or pilot, on 
 application to Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C., Light¬ 
 house Service. 
 
 To Starved Rock State Park 
 
 Total distance from Chicago—102.3. 
 
 Distance up the 
 Illinois River. 
 
 0.0 End of Illinois and Michigan Canal. Turn upstream into the 
 Illinois River and continue, passing under 
 
 1.4 Highway bridge. 
 
 2.2 C., B. & Q. Railroad bridge. 
 
 2.3 Illinois Central Railroad bridge. 
 
 3.2 Vermilion River, mouth to right. 
 
 6.4 Utica Highway bridge. 
 
 6.7 Take right fork around island to landing at 
 
 7.5 Starved Rock, State Park. 
 
 The Illinois and Mississippi Canal 
 
 (HENNEPIN CANAL) 
 
 The Hennepin Canal is 75 miles long from the Illinois River 
 entrance to the Mississippi River at Rock Island, Illinois. The canal 
 feeder, from the junction to the Rock River at Sterling, Illinois, is 29 
 miles long. The normal dimensions of the canal and feeder are 80 
 
13 
 
 feet wide at water surface, 52 feet wide at bottom, and 7 feet deep. 
 Increased width is provided in a number of places where the canal is 
 in embankment. 
 
 The locks (thirty-two in number) are 170 feet long between 
 gates, 35 feet wide, and 7 feet deep over the mitre sills at standard 
 stage of water. 
 
 The bridges on the main canal have 17 feet clearance at standard 
 stage of water, and those on the canal feeder have 12 feet clearance. 
 Telephone wires, etc., have a clearance of 27 feet on main canal, and 
 22 feet on canal feeder. 
 
 (This is a Government canal and there are no tolls or lock fees. 
 See page 17 for law, rules and regulations for navigation of this 
 canal.) 
 
 The route is as follows: 
 
 Total distance from Chicago to Canal entrance—115.3. 
 
 Total distance 
 
 
 along Hennepin 
 
 Canal. 
 
 
 0.0 
 
 Illinois River entrance. 
 
 0.3 
 
 Lock No. 1, lift 9 feet. 
 
 1.3 
 
 Lock No. 2, lift 9 feet. Pontoon bridge at upper end of lock. 
 
 1.6 
 
 Rock Island Railroad bridge. 
 
 1.8 
 
 Highway bridge No. 1. 
 
 1.9 
 
 Lock No. 3, lift 9 feet. 
 
 3.5 
 
 Lock No. 4, lift 9 feet and aqueduct at upper end. 
 
 4.3 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 2. 
 
 4.6 
 
 Lock No. 5, lift 8 feet. 
 
 6.2 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 3. 
 
 6.4 
 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway bridge. 
 
 6.4 
 
 Lock No. 6, lift 10 feet. 
 
 7.2 
 
 Lock No. 7, lift 8 feet. 
 
 7.5 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 4. 
 
 8.2 
 
 Lock No. 8, lift 8 feet. 
 
 8.4 
 
 Lock No. 9, lift 8 feet. 
 
 9.2 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 5. 
 
 10.2 
 
 Lock No. 10, lift 9 feet. 
 
 11.0 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 6. 
 
 11.0 
 
 Lock No. 11, lift 9 feet. 
 
 11.7 
 
 Lock No. 12, lift 8 feet. Aqueduct at upper end of lock. 
 
 12.4 
 
 Lock No. 13, lift 10 feet. 
 
 12.6 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 7. 
 
 13.1 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 8. 
 
 13.2 
 
 Lock No. 14, lift 10 feet. 
 
 13.8 
 
 Lock No. 15, lift 10 feet. 
 
 14.0 
 
 Lock No. 16, lift 11 feet. 
 
 14.2 
 
 Lock No. 17, lift 10 feet. 
 
 14.3 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 9. 
 
 15.0 
 
 Aqueduct No. 3. 
 
 15.3 
 
 Lock No. 18, lift 9 feet. 
 
 16.0 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 10. 
 
 16.1 
 
 Lock No. 19, lift 10 feet. 
 
 16.7 
 
 C., B. & Q. Railroad bridge. 
 
 17.1 
 
 Lock No. 20, lift 11 feet. 
 
 17.4 
 
 Lock No. 21, lift 11 feet. Also small farm lift bridge on low 
 
 
 end. Summit level. 
 
 17.9 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 11. 
 
 18.5 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 12. 
 
 19.0 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 13. 
 
 21.4 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 14. 
 
14 
 
 Total distance 
 along Hennepin 
 Canal. 
 
 22.2 
 
 23.0 
 
 23.0 
 
 25.1 
 
 26.0 
 
 27.0 
 
 27.8 
 
 27.9 
 
 Chicago & Northwestern Railroad bridge. 
 
 Emergency gates. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 15. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 16. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 17. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 18. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 17a. 
 
 Feeder Junction on the right. Twenty-nine miles to the Rock 
 River at Sterling. 
 
 28.3 
 28.9 
 
 30.5 
 
 30.8 
 
 31.6 
 
 33.1 
 
 34.6 
 
 35.2 
 
 36.5 
 
 37.4 
 
 37.9 
 38.0 
 
 38.5 
 
 39.6 
 
 40.7 
 
 41.5 
 
 42.8 
 
 43.3 
 
 43.5 
 
 43.7 
 
 45.7 
 47.0 
 48.1 
 
 48.1 
 
 49.2 
 
 50.3 
 
 51.5 
 
 52.6 
 
 53.6 
 
 54.7 
 
 54.7 
 
 56.9 
 57.0 
 
 58.1 
 59.5 
 
 59.5 
 
 59.7 
 
 60.1 
 
 61.7 
 
 61.8 
 68.0 
 
 70.6 
 72.1 
 
 72.1 
 
 73.2 
 75.0 
 75.1 
 
 Highway Bridge 18a. 
 
 Lock No. 22, lift 9 feet. End of Summit level. 
 
 Aqueduct No. 4. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 20. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 21. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 22. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 23. 
 
 Aqueduct No. 5. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 24. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 25. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 26. 
 
 Lock No. 23, lift 11 feet. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 27. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 28. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 29. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 30. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 31. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 32. 
 
 Aqueduct No. 6. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 33. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 34. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 35. 
 
 Lock No. 24, lift 11 feet. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 36. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 37. 
 
 Aqueduct No. 7. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 38. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 39. 
 
 Lock No. 25, lift 8 feet. 
 
 Lock No. 26, lift 9 feet. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 40. 
 
 Aqueduct No. 8. 
 
 Lock No. 27, lift 8 feet. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 41. 
 
 Lock No. 28, lift 8 feet. 
 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad bridge. 
 
 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad bridge. 
 
 Highway Bridge No. 42. 
 
 Lock No. 29, lift 11 feet. 
 
 Entrance to Rock River. 
 
 Moline wagon bridge. 
 
 Lock No. 30, Guard Lock. 
 
 Milan wagon bridge. 
 
 Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad bridge. 
 
 Lock No. 31, lift 6 feet. 
 
 Lock No. 32, lift 12 feet. 
 
 End of canal and entrance to Mississippi River. 
 
15 
 
 Rates of tolls and lockage established upon the Illinois and Michi¬ 
 gan Canal and the locks at Henry and Copperas Creek in the Illinois 
 River: 
 
 On freight boats on the canal, per mile, 3 cents. 
 
 On pleasure boats on the canal, per mile, 5 cents. 
 
 Lockage at Henry and Copperas Creek on all boats of 150 tons or 
 under shall be $1.50, and this charge shall be made at each lock. 
 
 Boats entering the canal for the first time are rerjuired to pay a 
 registration fee of $2.50 if not exceeding 40 feet in length. Boats over 
 40 feet long are required to pay a fee of $5. 
 
 The registration fee is required to be paid but once, and registra¬ 
 tion is good for life of the boat as long as she is in existence under 
 her original name. 
 
 The toll of 5 cents per mile covers all lockage charges on the canal. 
 
 On boats of more than 150 tons measurement, lockage shall be 
 charged at the rate of 1 cent per ton measurement, and this charge 
 shall be made at each lock: Provided, That on boats passing through 
 the locks in fleets of two or more, engaged in regular traffic, requiring 
 only a single lockage, the lockage charge, by ton measurement, or 
 otherwise, may be divided between said boats at each lock. 
 
 The lockage of cabin boats in tow of steamers or canal boats, 
 shall be 25 cents each; fuel boats in tow of steamers, 50 cents; row 
 boats in tow of steamers or canal boats, 10 cents each. 
 
 No lockage on boats shall be made for less than $1.50. 
 
16 
 
 LaGrange Lock and Dam 
 
17 
 
 LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE USE, ADMIN¬ 
 ISTRATION AND NAVIGATION OF THE ILLINOIS AND 
 MISSISSIPPI CANAL, 1908. 
 
 THE LAW. 
 
 Extracts from Acts of Congress. 
 
 The River and Harbor Act of June 13, 1902, contains the following section: 
 
 “Sec. 11. That section 4 of the River and Harbor Act of August 18, 1894, 
 be, and is hereby amended so as to read as follows: 
 
 “Sec. 4. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of War to prescribe such 
 rules and regulations for the use, administration and navigation of any or all 
 canals and similar works of navigation that now are, or that hereafter may be, 
 owned, operated or maintained by the United States, as in his judgment the 
 public necessity may require; and he is also authorized to prescribe regulations 
 to govern the speed and movement of vessels and other water craft in any public 
 navigable channel which has been improved under the authority of Congress, 
 whenever, in his judgment, such regulations are necessary to protect such 
 improved channels from injury, or to prevent interference with the operations of 
 the United States in improving navigable waters or injury to any plant that may 
 be employed in such operations. Such rules and regulations shall be posted in 
 conspicuous and appropriate places for the information of the public; and even’ 
 person and every corporation which shall violate such rules and regulations shall 
 be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction thereof in any district 
 court of the United States within whose territorial jurisdiction such offenses may 
 have been committed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500, or by 
 imprisonment (in case of a natural person) not exceeding six months, in the 
 discretion of the court.” 
 
 REGULATIONS 
 
 1. Works to Which These Rules Apply .—These rules apply to the use, admin¬ 
 istration and navigation of the Illinois and Mississippi Canal lying m the coun¬ 
 ties of Whiteside, Bureau, Henry and Rock Island, in the State of Illinois. 
 The lands acquired and owned by the United States are held for the purposes of 
 navigation, for sites for government structures and for the accommodation and 
 use of employees of the United States. Trespassing on said lands is strictly for¬ 
 bidden, and all persons are hereby expressly warned under penalty of the law: 
 
 (a) Not to cut trees, dig up and carry away earth, sand, gravel, or rock, 
 injure or deface fences, locks, bridges, culverts, telephone lines, or any other 
 structures belonging to the United States, or post or paint advertisements 
 thereon, use dynamite for any purpose, erect temporary or permanent structures, 
 or deposit refuse matter of any kind. 
 
 (b) Not to permit horses, cattle, sheep, hogs or other animals to run at 
 large on any portion of the said lands, including those used as public highways. 
 
 (c) Not to ride or drive along or upon canal embankments, except where 
 such embankments are intended as public highwaj^s. 
 
 —2 I W 
 
18 
 
 (d) Not to enter upon these lands for the purpose of hunting or taking of 
 game by any means, except with written permit from the assistant engineer in 
 charge of the operation of the canal; and then in strict accordance with the game 
 law r s of the State of Illinois, except that for the protection of the canal banks, 
 hunters authorized as above and canal employees may kill or take burrowing 
 animals at any time. 
 
 (e) Not to sell or cause to be sold upon these lands nor upon any boat w r hile 
 in the canal any spirituous or malt liquors. 
 
 (f) Not to fish within 100 feet of any fishway or lock, nor to take fish from 
 am r fishway, and not to fish with nets of any kind within canal grounds. 
 
 2. Controlling Authority. —The movements of all floating craft within the 
 canal itself or at or near any entrance to the canal, and the movement of traffic 
 over movable bridges shall be under the direction of the canal authorities. 
 
 3. Boat Signals. —Pilots or masters in charge of boats, on coming within a 
 half mile of a movable bridge or lock, shall signal for passage by one wffiistle of 
 ten seconds duration: Provided, that if the boat lands within this limit the 
 signal shall be given wffien it is leaving the landing. Boats must be brought to a 
 full stop two hundred feet from each movable bridge or lock, and not brought 
 nearer until signalled to do so. Pilots and vessels while in the canal will be 
 subject to all the rules and regulations of the United States relating to pilots 
 and vessels on western rivers. 
 
 4. Railway Signals. —During the season of navigation the passage of trains 
 over the movable railroad bridge shall be directed by the interlocking system, and 
 no one shall pass a train over said bridge, except as directed by such signals. 
 Trains must not be made to pass home signals w r hen the same are set against 
 their passage, or to stand on the derailing device while waiting for the bridge 
 to close. 
 
 5. Highway Signals. —Before a movable highway bridge is opened, the high¬ 
 way shall be closed by a wooden bar at each end of the bridge. When the bridge 
 is opened at night a wffiite light shall be displayed on the wooden bars. Street 
 cars and teams must not be driven on the bridge after the bar has been placed 
 across the highway at either end of the bridge until the bar has been removed 
 b} 7 the bridge tender. 
 
 6. Precedence at Locks. —The order of passage of boats through a lock shall 
 be determined by the lock tender, w 7 ho will see that the spirit of the rules 
 generally stated, is carried out with reasonableness and fairness to all. No boat 
 or tow r shall be made to obstruct the passage through a lock, or the approaches 
 thereto, nor shall any boat be made to enter a lock before another of the same 
 class arriving before it from the same direction. When several boats await 
 lockage the upbound and dowmbound vessels shall be made to alternate in the 
 order established by the lock tender. Among boats of the same class ready for 
 passage at the same time, the first to arrive shall be given priority in entering the 
 lock. Among boats of different classes the order shall be as follows—Boats bound 
 upstream alternating with those bound downstream. 
 
 (1) United States boats, (2) boats carrying United States mail, (3) steam 
 and motor passenger boats, (4) tow 7 boats and tow 7 s, (5) unregistered barges, or 
 boats without motive power other than sail or animal. 
 
 Provided,, that when it is necessary to break up tows, the parts of tows 
 requiring separate lockages shall be considered separate boats, and shall take their 
 turns in accordance wfith above order of precedence. 
 
 Boats that fail to enter a lock with reasonable promptness, after being author¬ 
 ized to do so, shall lose their turns. 
 
 Small pleasure boats, skiffs, fishing boats, and other small craft, will be 
 locked through morning at one lockage and evening at one lockage, and, as a 
 rule, separate lockages at other times for such craft will not be made, but such 
 craft will be locked through at other times with large boats, and will take advan¬ 
 tages of suitable opportunities without notice from lock tenders. 
 
19 
 
 7. Passage of Movable Bridges. —Regular scheduled trains have prior right-of- 
 way over the railway bridges as against boats passing along the canal. When two 
 or more boats meet in the vicinity of a swing bridge, each must be so maneuvered 
 as to pass through the opening on its right. No attempt shall be made to pass 
 a boat through a movable bridge until the bridge is fully opened. 
 
 Boats moving in the canal shall have precedence over street railway cars, 
 teams and vehicles. 
 
 8. Mooring in Locks. —All boats when in locks shall be moored by bow and 
 stern lines to the snubbing posts provided for that purpose. Boats must not enter 
 or leave the locks until the lock gates are fully in the gate recesses, and the lock 
 
 tender has given the proper order. 
 
 9. Injury to Walls and Fixtures. —The owners and masters of boats shall 
 be held responsible for the cost of repairs of injuries to locks or other structures 
 due to carelessness in handling their craft. They must use great care not to 
 strike any part of the lock or sluice walls, or any gate or appurtenance thereto, 
 or machinery for operating the gates, or the w T alls protecting the banks of the 
 canal. 
 
 All boats using canal must be free from projecting irons or rough surfaces 
 that would be liable to damage the locks or any part of the canal, and they must 
 be provided with suitable fenders to be used in guarding the lock walls, etc., from 
 injury. Lock tenders shall notify owners or masters of boats of projecting irons 
 or other parts of their boats liable to do damage to the structures, and after an 
 interval of one week from date of such notice, the engineer in charge may 
 refuse to permit such boats to use the canal until the required changes have been 
 made. 
 
 Boats must not be moored to telephone poles, shade trees, fences, or any of 
 the structures of the canal, but must be moored by bow and stern to the snub¬ 
 bing posts, provided for that purpose or otherwise. 
 
 10. Handling Gates and Bridges. —No person, unless authorized by the lock 
 or bridge tender, shall open or close any bridge, gate, valve, or in any way inter¬ 
 fere with the employees in the discharge of their duties; but the lock tender 
 may call for assistance from the master of any boat using the lock, should such 
 aid be necessary, and when rendering such assistance, the men so employed shall 
 be strictly under the orders of the lock tender. Masters of boats refusing to give 
 such assistance when it is required of them may be denied the use of the canal 
 by the engineer in charge. 
 
 11. Speed in the Canal. —No boat while in the canal shall be raced with, or 
 crowded alongside of another, or moved at a greater rate of speed than six miles 
 per hour. 
 
 12. Meeting or Passing in the Canal. —Boats moving at a rate less than six 
 miles per hour must slacken speed and permit a boat moving in the same direc¬ 
 tion at a higher rate to pass. Steam and motor boats meeting in the canal will 
 ordinarily pass to the starboard. Steam and motor boats meeting or passing 
 boats tow T ed by team or men must pass on the side opposite the towpath. 
 Where boats being towed by teams or men meet in the canal, the upbound boat 
 shall take the towpath side. The towpath is on the south side of the canal 
 from Lock No. 1, to Lock No. 22, and on the north side of the canal from Lock 
 No. 22, to Lock No. 29. The towpath on the feeder is on the w r est side. 
 
 13. Permissible Dimensions of Boats. —The lock chambers are 35 feet wide 
 and 170 feet long. Boats less than 35 feet wide and less than 150 feet long can 
 pass through the locks. The standard depth of water is 7 feet. A boat must not 
 attempt to leave or enter a lock when its draft is greater than the depth of the 
 water on the miter sills, as shown by the gauges at that time. 
 
 The clearance under the bridges at standard stage of water is 17 feet on the 
 main line and 12 feet on the feeder. There are movable bridges at Locks Nos. 
 2, 21, 22, 26 and 31, and at Milan, Illinois. Boats must not attempt to pass 
 these bridges until signaled to do so. Levels will not be lowered to accommodate 
 boats higher than the above standard clearances. 
 
20 
 
 Telegraph and telephone wires or other wires or ropes of any kind crossing 
 the canal must be at least 27 feet above standard stage of water on main lines, 
 and at least 22 feet above standard stage on feeder. Wires crossing the canal at 
 or near Milan, Illinois, must be high enough to allow the highest steamboats 
 to pass. 
 
 14. Refuse in the Canal. —No ashes, cinders, slag, refuse or obstructive matter 
 of any kind shall be dumped, cast out or unloaded in the canal or locks or 
 approaches to locks. Ashes, cinders and other like materials from boats must 
 be deposited on the towpath or transported entirely out of the canal. Refuse 
 or offensive material of any kind must not be deposited on the canal grounds. 
 
 15. Delays in Canal. —No boat, barge, raft or other floating craft, shall be 
 tied up in, or in any way obstruct the canal or its approaches, or delay entering 
 or leaving the locks. Permission to tie up boats for some hours or days in the 
 canal shall only be given by the officer in charge or his authorized representative, 
 and boats so using the canal must be securely moored by bow and stern in 
 places assigned them and be promptly removed on due notice. 
 
 16. Rafts. —The passage of “bag” or “sack” rafts, or loose logs or lumber 
 into or through the canal is prohibited. 
 
 17. Use of Canal as Winter Harbour. —Boats, barges and other floating craft 
 may use the canal as winter harbor at such points as authorized by the officer in 
 charge, or his representatives. Owners of craft thus afforded a harbor must as¬ 
 sume all risks of damage. Boats and other craft must be securely moored by 
 bow and stern at indicated points and must be removed in the spring. 
 
 18. Cutting Ice. —Permits to cut ice will be sold at a uniform rate of SI per 
 1,000 square feet of surface. Application for permits should be made to nearest 
 canal official. 
 
 19. Removal of Obstructions. —In case of any boat, vessel or other craft 
 
 or raft sinking or grounding in the canal, or otherwise obstructing it, the officer 
 of the United States in charge of the canal, or his representatives, shall have the 
 right to take such possession of such vessel, boat or other craft, or raft, as shall 
 
 be necessary for the purpose, and remove it, and no one shall interfere with or 
 
 prohibit him from doing so; or do anything that will tend to interfere with or 
 
 prohibit him from doing so: Provided, that the officer, or agent of the United 
 
 States, may, in his discretion, give notice in writing to the owners of any vessel, 
 boat or other craft, or raft, obstructing the canal aforesaid. 
 
 20. Definition of Trespassers. —All persons not employed by the United States 
 about the canal, or not at the time necessarily present by reason of their engage¬ 
 ment in commerce by water, or not passengers temporarily landed from boats 
 while passing through the canal, found upon the grounds and works, without per¬ 
 mission, will be deemed trespassers thereon: Provided, that, without permission, 
 boats shall not land excursions or picnic parties on United States lands or works 
 and that if such parties be so landed, they shall be held and deemed to be tres¬ 
 passers. 
 
 Lounging, visiting, or remaining in or about any office, house yard, shop, shed, 
 lock, bridge, dam or other structure belonging to the canal is forbidden. 
 
 21. Persistent Violations of Regulations. —If the owner or master of any boat 
 persistently violates these regulations after due notice of the same, the boat may 
 be removed from the canal and thereafter refused passage through the locks by 
 the officer in charge. 
 
 22. Statistical Information. —In accordance w r ith the Act of Congress of 
 February 21, 1891, upon each passage through the canal or upon each trip in the 
 canal, if it is not entirely traversed, the masters or clerks of vessels or boats 
 shall furnish in writing a detailed statement of cargo and passengers carried, using 
 blank forms furnished by the United States. 
 
 This statement shall be handed to the lock tender at first lock passed. In 
 case no lock is passed, the statement shall be mailed to the office of the United 
 
21 
 
 States Assistant Engineer in charge of the operation of the canal at Sterling, 
 Illinois. 
 
 Failure to furnish this statement will cause the offending boat to be refused 
 passage through the canal or any part of it. 
 
 23. These rules and regulations shall supersede all those previously made for 
 this canal, or for any part of it, and shall be in force from and after April 15, 1908. 
 
 Robert Shaw Oliver, 
 
 Acting Secretary of War. 
 
 Approved April 8, 1908. 
 
 Department of Commerce and Labor, 
 Office of the Secretary. 
 
 Washington. 
 
 Department Circular No. 226. 
 
 February 15, 1912. 
 
 Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection Service. 
 
 To collectors of customs, supervising and local inspectors of steamboats, and 
 
 others concerned: 
 
 Your attention is invited to the following Act of Congress approved June 
 9, 1910: 
 
 An Act to amend laws for preventing collisions of vessels and to regulate equip¬ 
 ment of certain motor boats of the navigable waters of the United States. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
 States of America in Congress assembled: That the words “motor boat” where 
 used in this Act shall include every vessel propelled by machinery and not more 
 than 65 feet in length, except tugboats and tow boats propelled by steam. The 
 length shall be measured from end to end over the deck, excluding sheer: Pro¬ 
 vided, that the engine, boiler or other operating machinery shall be subject to 
 inspection by the local inspectors of steam vessels, and to their approval of the 
 design thereof, on all said motor boats, which are more than 40 feet in length, 
 and which are propelled by machinery driven by steam. 
 
 Sec. 2. That motor boats subject to the provisions of this act shall be di¬ 
 vided into classes as follows: 
 
 Class 1. Less than 26 feet in length. 
 
 Class 2. Twenty-six feet or over and less than 40 feet in length. 
 
 Class 3. Forty feet or over and not more than 65 feet in length. 
 
 Sec. 3. That every motor boat in all weathers from sunset to sunrise shall 
 carry the following lights and during such time no other lights which may be 
 mistaken for those prescribed shall be exhibited. 
 
 (a) Every motor boat of Class 1 shall carry the following lights: 
 
 First —A white light aft to show all around the horizon. 
 
 Second —A combined lantern in the forepart of the vessel and lower than the 
 white light aft showing green to starboard and red to port, so fixed as to throw 
 light from right ahead to two points, abaft the beam on their respective sides. 
 
 (b) Every motor boat of Classes 2 and 3 shall carry the following lights: 
 
 First — A bright white light in the forepart of the vessel as near the stem as 
 practicable, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the ho¬ 
 rizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light, ten points 
 on each side of the vessel, namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the 
 beam on either side. The glass or lens shall be of not less than the following 
 dimensions: 
 
 Class 2. Nineteen square inches. 
 
 Class 3. Thirty-one square inches. 
 
 Second —A white light aft to show all around the horizon. 
 
 Third —On the starboard side a green light, so constructed as to show an 
 unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed 
 
22 
 
 as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the 
 starboard side. On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an un¬ 
 broken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed 
 
 as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the 
 
 port side. The glasses or lenses in the said side lights shall be of not less than 
 the following dimensions on motor boats: 
 
 Class 2. Sixteen square inches. 
 
 Class 3. Tw T entv-five square inches. 
 
 On and after July 1. 1911, all glasses or lenses prescribed by paragraph (b) 
 
 of section 3 shall be fresnel or fluted. The said lights shall be fitted with in¬ 
 
 board screens of sufficient height and so set as to prevent these lights from 
 being seen across the bow and shall be of not less than the following dimensions 
 on motor boats: 
 
 Class 2. Eighteen inches long. 
 
 Class 3. Twenty-four inches long. 
 
 Provided, that motor boats as defined in this Act, w’hen propelled by sail 
 and machinery or under sail alone, shall carry the colored lights suitably screened 
 but not the white lights prescribed by this section. 
 
 Sec. 4. (a) Every motor boat under the provisions of this Act shall be pro¬ 
 vided with a whistle or other sound producing mechanical appliance capable of 
 producing a blast of two seconds or more in duration, and in the case of such 
 boats so provided a blast of at least two seconds shall be deemed a prolonged 
 blast within the meaning of the law. 
 
 (b) Every motor boat of Class 2 or 3 shall carry an efficient foghorn. 
 
 (c) Every motor boat of Class 2 or 3 shall be provided with an efficient 
 bell, which shall be not less than 8 inches across the mouth, on board of vessels 
 of Class 3. 
 
 Sec. 5. That every motor boat subject to any of the provisions of this act, 
 and also vessels propelled by machinery other than by steam, more than 65 
 feet in length, shall carry either life preservers, or life belts, or buoyant cushions, 
 or ring buoys or other device, to be prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce 
 and Labor, sufficient to sustain afloat every person on board and so placed as 
 to be readily accessible. All motor boats carrying passengers for hire shall carry 
 one life preserver of the sort prescribed by the regulations of the board of super¬ 
 vising inspectors for every passenger carried, and no such boat while so carrying 
 passengers for hire shall be operated or navigated except in charge of a person 
 duly licensed for such service by the local board of inspectors. No examination 
 shall be required as the condition of obtaining such a license and any such license 
 shall be revoked or suspended by the local board of inspectors for misconduct, 
 gross negligence, recklessness in navigation, intemperance, or violation of law on 
 the part of the holder, and if revoked, the person holding such license shall be 
 incapable of obtaining another such license for one year from the date of revo¬ 
 cation: Provided, that motor boats shall not be required to carry licensed officers 
 except as required in this act. 
 
 Sec. 6. That every motor boat and also every vessel propelled by machinery 
 other than by steam, more than 65 feet in length, shall carry ready for im¬ 
 mediate use the means of promptly and effectually extinguishing burning gas¬ 
 oline. 
 
 Sec. 7. That a fine not exceeding $100 may be imposed for any violation of 
 this act. The motor boat shall be liable for the same penalty and may be seized 
 and proceeded against by way of libel, in the District Court of the United States 
 for any district within which such regulations as may be necessary to secure the 
 proper execution of this act by collectors of customs and other officers of the 
 Government. And the Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Labor 
 may, upon application therefor, remit or mitigate any fine, penalty or forfeiture 
 relating to motor boats except for failure to observe the provisions of section 6 
 of this act. 
 
 Sec. 9. That all laws and parts of law r s only in so far as they are in conflict 
 herewith are hereby repealed: Provided, that nothing in this act shall be deemed 
 to alter or amend acts of Congress embodying or revising international rules for 
 preventing collisions at sea. 
 
Sec. 10. That this act shall take effect on and after thirty days after its 
 approval. 
 
 Regulations. 
 
 Under the Secretary of Commerce and Labor this act is to be enforced by 
 collectors of customs and other officers of the Government. All violations of 
 the navigation and steamboat inspection laws which come to their notice must 
 be reported to the department regardless of mitigating circumstances, as authority 
 to mitigate and remit the penalties under the laws mentioned is vested solely in 
 the Secretary of Commerce and Labor. 
 
 Lights. 
 
 1. The lights provided for in section 3 of the act above are running lights 
 for motor boats subject to the provisions of the act in lieu of the lights pre¬ 
 scribed respectively, by article 2 of the act approved June 7, 1897, entitled, “An 
 Act to adopt regulations for preventing collisions upon certain harbors, rivers, 
 and inland waters of the United States;” rule 3 of the act approved February 5, 
 1895, entitled, “An Act to regulate navigation on the Great Lakes and their 
 connecting and tributary waters;” and rules 3, 5, 6 and 7 of section 4233 of the 
 Revised Statutes, governing western rivers. The penalty for failure to carry such 
 light is a fine not exceeding $100. 
 
 2. The lights provided for in section 3 are not in conflict with the anchor 
 lights, lights for pilot and fishing vessels, and other lights provided in the acts 
 above cited. Thus, the anchor light for motor boats on inland waters will re¬ 
 main as prescribed in article 11 of the act of June 7, 1897, as follows: 
 
 Article 11. A vessel under 150 feet in length when at anchor shall carry 
 forward, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding 20 feet above 
 the hull, a white light in a lantern so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, 
 and unbroken light visible all round the horizon at a distance of at least one 
 mile. 
 
 Collectors of customs and others will observe that the penalties for viola¬ 
 tions of existing laws not in conflict with this act remain unchanged. 
 
 3. Where motor boats of Class 1 carry a white light forward and aft and 
 regulation side lights instead of two-color combination light forward and white 
 light aft as required by the act of June 9, 1910, collectors of customs and other 
 officers, until further notice, need not report such lights as violations. 
 
 4. No penalty is incurred by motor boats for a failure to carry lights be¬ 
 tween the hours of sunrise and sunset. 
 
 5. If a motor boat, through temporary disablements of the machinery or 
 lack of gasoline finds it necessary to proceed under sail, the white lights should 
 be extinguished and she should proceed with her colored lights only. 
 
 6. The aft light should be higher and so placed as to form a range with 
 the forward light, and should be clear of house awnings and other obstructions. 
 
 7. The law does not specify the size of lights to be carried on motor boats 
 of Class 1. Such lights should be large enough, however, to accomplish the 
 purpose intended, and it is suggested that the illuminated portion of such lights 
 or lenses should not be less than 3 inches in diameter. 
 
 Whistle, Foghorn and Bell. 
 
 8. No size or style of whistle, foghorn or bell (except the bell for Class 3) 
 is prescribed, provided it is available and sufficient for the use for which it is 
 intended. The word “efficient” must be taken in its ordinary sense, considered 
 with reference to the object intended by the provisions in which the word ap¬ 
 pears, namely, the production of certain signals. 
 
 9. A mouth whistle capable of producing a blast of two seconds or more 
 in duration which can be heard for at least one-half a mile has been held to be 
 in compliance with the law. 
 
24 
 
 10. Fognorns can not take the place of whistles on motor boats of Classes 
 2 and 3. 
 
 Life Preservers. 
 
 11. Every motor boat not carrying passengers for hire must have life pre¬ 
 servers or life belts or buoyant cushions or ring buoys or other device, which 
 should be of types approved by the Board of Supervising Inspectors, sufficient to 
 sustain afloat every person on board. This includes members of the crew, chil¬ 
 dren and babies. 
 
 In addition the department authorizes life preservers and buoyant cushions 
 for motor boats not carrying passengers for hire under the following conditions. 
 Each life preserver or buoyant cushion shall be capable of sustaining afloat for 
 a continuous period of twenty-four hours an attached weight so arranged that 
 w’hether the said weight be submerged or not there shall be a direct downward 
 gravitation pull upon such life preserver or cushion of at least 20 pounds. If a 
 buoyant cushion is furnished for more than one person, its capacity must be 
 proportionately greater. 
 
 No such life preservers or buoyant cushions stuffed or filled with granulated 
 cork or other loose granulated material and no pneumatic life preservers or 
 cushions will be approved. 
 
 Planks, gratings, floorings, cars, small boats in tow, etc., are not approved 
 as substitutes for life preservers, life belts, buoyant cushion or ring buoys, but 
 wooden life boats may be used, provided their dimensions shall not be less than 
 4 feet in length, 14 inches in breadth, 2 inches in thickness, and made of well- 
 seasoned white pine, or of any other wood not exceeding white pine in weight 
 per cubic foot. 
 
 Samples of other substitutes for the articles mentioned must first be sub¬ 
 mitted to the Supervising Inspector General, Steamboat Inspection Service, for 
 examination and approval. 
 
 Motor boats carrying passengers for hire shall carry one life preserver of 
 the sort prescribed by the Board of Supervising Inspectors for every passenger 
 carried, and the person in charge must be duly licensed. 
 
 Motor boats hired at launch liveries carrying any person in addition to the 
 person operating are construed as carrying passengers for hire. 
 
 Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus. 
 
 12. No specific means of promptly and effectually extinguishing burning 
 gasoline are prescribed. Besides the usual extinguishers are suitable chemicals, 
 salt or sand in sufficient quantities will serve the purpose. The salt or sand 
 (preferably the two mixed) should be kept in a pail or receptacle ready for im¬ 
 mediate use, and may be marked “Use only in case of fire” 
 
 The following fire extinguishers have demonstrated a capacity for extin¬ 
 guishing burning gasoline and are approved by the department: Alert, Babcock 
 No. 1, Bonner, Child’s, Coston, Durkee, Ever Ready, Gold Medal No. 1, Hay¬ 
 ward, Keystone, Protector, Pyrene, Paragon, Royal, Salvage. Stempel, Safety, 
 Success, Underwriters No. 6. 
 
 All motor boats, irrespective of length, must be so equipped. The act de¬ 
 fines the words “motor boat” as including every vessel propelled by machinery 
 and not more than 65 feet in length, except tugboats and towboats propelled by 
 steam, and those words when used in the act, and especially in sections 5 and 6, 
 must be given that meaning. 
 
 Licensed Office and Inspection. 
 
 13. In lieu of the inspection of steam vessels now provided by sections 4417. 
 4418 and 4426, Revised Statutes, it is now required that after due inspection or 
 personal observation the design of the engine, boiler, or other operating machin¬ 
 ery of motor boats more than 40 feet in length and not more than 65 feet in 
 length, propelled by machinery driven by steam, shall be approved by the local 
 inspectors. 
 
All steam vessels more than 65 feet in length are subject to inspection as 
 heretofore. 
 
 Motor boats propelled otherwise than by steam of above 15 gross tons car¬ 
 rying freight or passengers for hire, but not engaged in fishing as a regular busi¬ 
 ness, are subject to inspection whether under or over 65 feet in length. 
 
 The only officer required to be carried on motor boats within the contem¬ 
 plation of the Act of June 9, 1910, is the licensed operator provided for in the 
 Act. (Subject to change in event of the passage by Congress of a bill now 
 pending which requires licensed pilots and engineers on all motor boats 40 feet 
 or more in length when carrying freight or passengers for hire or engaged in 
 fishing as a regular business.) 
 
 Documents and Name. 
 
 14. All motor boats of over 5 net tons engaged in trade must be docu¬ 
 mented; that is to say, licensed by the collectors of customs. Vessels under 5 
 net tons are not documented in any case. The license of the vessel obtained 
 from the collector of customs (designated a document) is additional to and 
 must not be confounded with the license required for the operator of a motor 
 boat. 
 
 Documented vessels must have name and home port on stern and name on 
 each bow. Tonnage measurement is necessary only in case of vessels requiring 
 to be documented. 
 
 While the law does not require it, the department recommends that the name 
 be conspicuously displayed on undocumented motor boats. 
 
 15. Motor boats are required to have on board two copies of the pilot rules 
 to be observed by them, which will be furnished by local inspectors of steam 
 vessels on request. Copies of this circular should be inserted therein. 
 
 The following is a tabulated statement of equipment required on the respec¬ 
 tive classes: 
 
 NOT CARRYING PASSENGERS FOR HIRE 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 Combination light for¬ 
 ward; white light aft. 
 
 White light forward and 
 aft and colored side 
 lights. 
 
 Same as Class 2. 
 
 Section 4. 
 Whistle 
 
 Whistle, bell and fog¬ 
 horn. 
 
 Same as Class 2. 
 
 Section 5. 
 
 Life preserver or life¬ 
 saving device pre¬ 
 scribed by act. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 Section 6. 
 
 Means for extinguishing 
 burning gasoline. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 CARRYING PASSENGERS FOR HIRE. 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 Section 4. 
 
 Section 5. 
 
 Section 6. 
 
 Class 1—Combination light 
 forward; white 
 light aft. 
 
 Whistle. 
 
 Life preserver; 
 licensed operator. 
 
 Means for extinguishing 
 burning gasoline. 
 
 Class 2—White lights for¬ 
 ward and aft 
 and colored side 
 lights. 
 
 Whistle, bell and fog¬ 
 horn. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 Class 3—Same as Class 2. 
 
 Same as Class 2. 
 
 Same as Class I. 
 
 Same as Class 1. 
 
 In addition to the above, two copies of the pilot rules must be carried on 
 all motor boats. 
 
 Benj. S. Cable, 
 Acting Secretory. 
 
State of Illinois 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND BUILDINGS 
 Division of Waterways. 
 

 
JO I, I E T 
 
 DISTRICT 
 
 POWER 
 
 
 lockport 
 
 navioation channel between 
 LOCKPORT ANO JOLIET 
 
 ISIS 
 
 NIT 
 
 State of Illinois 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND BUILDINGS 
 
 Division of Waterways. 
 


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