ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

The Illinois and Michigan Canal, 1827–1911

A Selection of Documents from the Illinois State Archives

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DOCUMENT 39
LETTER FROM JOHN H. KINZIE TO THE CANAL TRUSTEES CONCERNING ADDITIONAL OFFICE HELP
May 19, 1852

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Explanation

The following table shows the canal's annual toll collections and operating seasons.

Year	Tolls Collected	Opened to Navigation	Closed To Navigation	Number of Days Open
1848	$ 87,890	April 19	Nov. 29	224
1849	118,375	April 20	Dec. 6	231
1850	125,504	March 22	Dec. 6	259
1851	173,300	March 15	Dec. 6	269
1852	168,577	March 29	Dec. 8	255

Of the $168,577 collected in 1852, $104,592 was taken in at Chicago. Of the remainder, Lockport received $9,060, Ottawa $8,765, and La Salle $46,160. Goods and passengers headed south from Chicago were producing the greatest revenue. When the canal opened in 1848 Chicago contained 20,023 inhabitants. By 1852 the figure had reached 38,733. The trustees were willing to pay for temporary help to get the job done but were most reluctant to increase the head count of permanent employees.

For a map of the completed canal route, see Exhibit A.

Points to Consider

What was John H. Kinzie asking the canal trustees to do?
Why was his request necessary?
Who was John H. Kinzie? Describe the man.
Why had it been particularly desirable to have found a man of integrity to be the collector at Chicago?