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^^^^^m^^^mm^y^^ 
 
 
 
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 f / COMMERCE 
 
 A^ ^>^ 
 
 AND 
 
 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE GREAT 
 
 LAKES. 
 
 HV 
 
 Major Henry A. Gray, m. inst. c. e., m. can. soc. c. e. 
 
 Engineer in ClKUgi', Public \Vorl<s of C:iiia(i;i, IMstrictof 
 Western Ontario. 
 
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 COMMERCE AND PHYSICAL FEATUkHS 
 
 Ol IIIK 
 
 GREAT LAKES.' 
 
 1 
 
 ■ I 
 
 11 
 
 >i 
 
 J 
 
 {* 
 
 BV MAJOR HKNKV A. C.KAV, C.i:. 
 
 The constantly increasing importance of the (ireat Lakes for the 
 purpose of commerce having recently caused considerable public 
 attention on both sides of the Atlantic, it is thought that this paper 
 on the commerce and physical features of these waters, prepared 
 from notes and observations made from time to time during the 
 past fifteen years, and from information gathered, during that 
 period, by the vvriter, while filling the position of engineer in charge 
 of the Public Works of Canada in the lake district, will be of 
 interest. The average season of navigation on the lakes is about 
 220 days. In order to give an idea of the extent of the commerce 
 on these lakes, it is shown that the annual average net tonnage for 
 the last five years of the Suez Canal— a world's channel of com- 
 merce, and open every day in the year — was 6,983,167 tons ; the 
 annual average net tonnage of the lock and canal, at Sauk Ste. 
 Marie, for the same period — open only an average. of 220 days in 
 the year — was 6,821,062. The registered American tonnage of the 
 lakes, June 30th, was 1,154,878 tons ; 1,392 steam vessels, repre- 
 senting 736,751 tons, and 2,008 sail, 418,118 tons. The tonnage has 
 more than doubled in the last five years, the increase being almost 
 exclusively in steel steamships of 1,500 to 2,500 tons register. The 
 number of Canadian ves.sels on the lakes is 647, tonnage 132,971 ; 
 valuation, $3,989,130 The total of coast and inland shipping 
 registered in Canada is 7.153 vessels, of 1,040,481 tons register, 
 valued at $31,213,430. 
 
 The sailing vessel has almost disappeared from the lakes. The 
 S(]uare-rigged ship is no longer seen, and only a few of the great 
 cargo-carrying schooners are left. The sailing fleet was succeeded 
 by the " propeller," as it is known locally, with its tow of one or 
 
 ♦Fffisented before the Ciinadiaii Society of Civil Miinincers. 
 
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more cmisorts, and it. in turn, is giving way to the modern steamer, 
 maintained at little more than one-half the cost, while having a 
 carrying capacity quite as great, a speed double that of the propeller 
 and consort, and making two or three round trips for one of the 
 tow Of large capacity and great power, regardless of wind or 
 weather, the steamers of the prevailing type bear their cargoes to 
 antl from ports a thousand miles apart, with the precision of rail- 
 road trains, each of them transporting at once more than ten 
 ordinary freight trains. 
 
 The work of this lake shipping is given approximately by the 
 I'liited States census report, iSgo. The freight movement in 1889 
 on all the lakes was estimated by that report at 53,424,432 tons. 
 The tonnage put afloat since then has increased this movement to 
 1 13,240,5 14 tons Estimates only can be given, because at f)ne point 
 only on the lakes, Sault Ste. Marie, is there an official record made 
 of tonnage movement. The movement through the Detroit river 
 alone, in 1S89, was estimated at 36 203,586 tons. The total entries 
 and clearances, foreign and coastwise, for the port of London that 
 vear (18S9), were 19,245.417 tons; of Liverpool, 14,175,200 tons 
 The estimate of the tonnage movement through the Detroit river, 
 in 1889, was 3,000,000 tons above the combined foreign and coast- 
 wise tonnage of the ports of London and Liverpool. 
 
 The rapid growth, too, of steam transportation, and the com- 
 petition of lake lines with the railways, have caused continued 
 reductions in the cost of transportation. The cost per ton per 
 mile of carrying freight, an average distance of eight hundred miles, 
 was one and one-half mill in 18S9. The value of all the cargoes — 
 27,500,000 tons-carried on the lakes during that year was over 
 $315,000,000. Had this been carried at railway rates, the cost to 
 the public would have been over $143,000,000 ; by the lake rates it 
 was about $23,000,000 only ; so that transportation on the lakes 
 saved to the public about $120,000,000 in one year But, as to a 
 Urge portion of this tonnage, any possible cost on wheels would 
 not have permitted it to move at all. In such a case, its produc- 
 tion at the point of origin would, of course, have been impossible. 
 That, in turn, would have halted the pioneer emigrant this side of 
 the richest areas of the continent. 
 
 
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 5 
 
 The average distance for wliich freight on the lakes is carried 
 is 5O6 miles. I'rom this, the Census Hureaii estimates the ton 
 mileage for the season of iHiSg to be 15,51^,360,000 tons miles. 
 The aggregate ton mileage of railways for the year ending June 
 joth, i88(j, was OS, 727, 22J, 146, which shows the ton mileage ot the 
 lakes is nearly one-fourth of the total ton mileage of railways in the 
 United States. In no other way could the relative importance of 
 lake commerce be more effectively shown. 
 
 During the season of 1879, grain was shipped from Chicago to 
 Liverpool for 17 cents per bushel, a rate but little greater than was 
 piid for transportation by canal from Buffalo to New York, only 
 ten years before, that is in iSGy. In 1.S90, grain was shipped from 
 Chicago to Liverpool for 9'/ cents per bushel. 
 
 The extraordinary growth in shipbuilding and commerce on 
 the lakes implies corresponding changes of conditions as to popula- 
 tion and production along the thousands of miles of their shores 
 and in the tributary country. Such equipment and use of these 
 waters mean industrial activity and large advance in population. 
 
 1880. 1890. 
 
 Four cities on Lake Superior had population 5.528 'MM? 
 Four cities on Lake Huron and Lake St. 
 
 Clair iSi,6io 304,863 
 
 Twelve cities on I^ake Michigan 734pI<j6 1,502,^)63 
 
 Seven cities on Lake I'>ie 420,685 O75.310 
 
 1,342,019 2,546,983 
 An increase of p jpulation in ten years of 85 per cent 
 The Government of Canada has expended a large amount o 
 money, in some instances assisted by the municipalities, on these 
 lakes in constructing breakwaters, piers, wharves, and in dredging 
 out approaches to harbors and channels entering same, as well 
 as inner basins for vessels to lie in, both for commercial purposes 
 and refuge. Up to the time of Confederation the amount expended 
 by the Public Works Department of Canada for the above pur- 
 poses was $890,699.25, and from that period until the 30th June, 
 1893, the expenditure was $3,439,364 63, making a total of $4,330,- 
 063.88. This does not include the construction of a dry dock at 
 Kingston, nor the Canadian canal and locks at Sault Ste. Marie. 
 Owing to the low stage of water in the lakes during the past two 
 
seasons of navifjatioii, considerable (ieniand has Im'ph madi- ii(>nii 
 tlie Pepartment of rnblic Works of I'anada for dredj-ing out 
 channels at the entrance to many of the harbors, and also for a 
 continuation of the dredging inside the harbors, to enable vessels 
 to enter ft)r the purpose of loadint; and iinloadinf,'. Care had to be 
 exerciseil in directing these operations, from the fact that when the 
 present piers and other works were constructed at the several har- 
 bors, some years ago, these structures were considered (piite safe, 
 and as serving all purposes for which they were intended, if ex- 
 tended and built in from lo to \ \ feet of water, as vessels drawing 
 these tlepths were the largest afloat Recent years have developed 
 a much larger capacity in vessels trading upon the upper lakes, 
 and, consetjuently. a deeper draught. To accommodate this in- 
 creased size and draught, and even to give access to those of less 
 tonnage during the low stage - f water, the dredging required was, 
 in many cases, lower than the foundation of the structures. To 
 obviate the difliculties and danger to the present structures - where 
 the increased depth is required — it has become necessary to pro- 
 tect the piers, etc , by driving sheet-piling along the .sides and ends : 
 this method is the least expensive. The sketch below shows the 
 method adopted : — 
 
 
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 \ 
 
 -aiB — - ■ < « ! 
 
 Lorn H">Tt l* LCr tL 
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 ^r^-:^i d^_:. _ 
 
 Poe. 
 
 iUiimmiJ.'"" O' C n/>»H%A 
 
 Jiredpi n g 
 rp<i 'I t red 
 
 CH!05> ' 5ggpO|<l ■ 
 
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High Wafvr of I8SS 
 
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 •' 4.0 
 
 
Henry A. Gray 
 
 Hiffh Waf^r of I85S 
 
A. Gray 
 
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C H A RT S HO 
 
 fLUCTi^ATioNs Of j\\z- WatcI • 5 
 
 Lakes Michigan a 
 
SHOWING 
 
 AN AND Huron. 
 
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TRANSACTIONS CAN. 50C. C. C . 
 
 VOL IX. PLATE V 
 
 ■"c: 4.0 Fi 
 
 3.0 •' 
 
 2.0 " 
 
 1.0 '* 
 
With respect to the low staf,'e of water in the lakes, referred to 
 ahove as having caused the Department of i'ublic Works of Canada 
 considerable attention and expenditure of money for dredging pur- 
 poses during the past twq seasons, various theories have been ad- 
 v.ince 1 to account for the several changes in the water level of the 
 lake : it is, however, well established that the fluctuations are due 
 to the variations in rainfall, as the lake levels approximate closely 
 to those of rainfall anil snow. The highest known level occurred in 
 1S3S, when Michigan and Fluron rose 26 inches above ordinary 
 hiijh stage, and Krie and Ontario iH inches. The lowest level was 
 in 1811J, when lirie fell ^}4 feet below its usual plane. Since the 
 hi:,'hest water in 183S, there have been alternate periods of descension 
 and ascension of the lev Is, either five, seven, or eight years in 
 lengths, the seven year periud being most frequent. In order to 
 slnw the fluctuations of the water surface, rainfall, etc , as stated 
 above, the accompanying chart of Lakes Huron and Michigan has 
 been prepared, copied from information compiled from official data, 
 obtained from the II. S. Lakes Survey, and tabulated by Mr. Chas. 
 Grossman, U. S. Ens^meer at Milwaukee. The chart embraces a 
 period from iSOi to 1S94. A careful examination will show that 
 from 18S2 to 1888 the surface of Lakes Michigan and Huron was 
 considerably above the mean level. The water, at the present 
 time, is about the average of the period from 1882 to 1887, and 
 judging the future by the past, it is probable that for several years 
 to come there will be no permanent increase in depth. By this 
 chart, the relation between the rainfall and the stage of the lake 
 can be perceived unmistakably in the spring, autumn, and summer 
 of 1876, the remarkable rise of water, culminating in September 
 1876, corresponding with a period of heavy rainfall. This period 
 was followed by a few months of light rainfall, during which the 
 water fell rapidly. From this time until December, 1879, the rain, 
 fall was, as a general thing, less than the mean, and the water sur- 
 face had a downward tendency. In January, 1880, began a period 
 of heavy rainfall and a rise in the water. From June to August, 
 1881, the rainfall was light and the stage of water a falling one. In 
 September there was the heaviest rainfall known for many years, 
 accompanied by a correspondingly rapid rise in the water. 
 
 
While there is every reason to believe tliat a winter of continu- 
 ally freezing weather, by retaining the snowfall until the thawinR 
 weather of April or May, will teml to raise the summer li;vel ot ihe 
 lake at the expense of the winter level, it is not confirmed to any 
 great degree. The explanation of this is not ditlicult A single 
 week of warm weather in the winter, causing the melting of the 
 greater part of the snow, might be preceded and followed by extreme- 
 ly cold weather, giving a low mean temperature for the month ; so 
 that a cold winter does not necessarily imply the impounding: until 
 spring, in the form of snow, of the winter rainfall. Vessel owners 
 and captains state that the water in the several lakes ru^^^t iiavc 
 decreased and fallen, as it is now found more ditlicult to enter tiie 
 several harbors and navigate the channels. Others have remarked 
 that the deepening of some of the channels lying between 
 the chain of lakes has caused a drainage and lowering of the water 
 in the lakes ; others, that the wearing away of the crest of the 
 rock at Niagara Falls has lowered the water above that point. 
 
 In making these and other assertions and statements these 
 persons seem to forget entirely that the vessels used now are 
 larger, and draw from six to ten feet more water than they did 
 some few years ago, and, consequently, require a corresponding 
 greater depth of channel and harbor accommodation (lenera) 
 Pue, Lieut -Col. of Engineers, U. S. Army, in charge of the Lake 
 District for the American Government, writing upon this subject, 
 states :-" There is no indication anywhere that the waters in the 
 lakes have mysteriously fallen. The long continued series of ob- 
 servation, now available, show that since iS 58 the water level has 
 fluctuated within limits somewhat less than 6 feet, and that these 
 fluctuations were due to the greater or less rain and snowfall. It 
 may be considered, as a fact established, that the lakes are simply 
 great pools forming part of the course of a river, and that they 
 conform to all the laws governing the rise and fall of rivers." 
 
 In 1881, it was stated by the Toronto newspapers that the level 
 of Lake Ontario had been lowered by work done at the Galops 
 Rapids, in the St. Lawrence river, and that the harbor of Toronto 
 had been damaged by it. It was proved, however, that thirty years 
 before the deepening of the Galops channel was begun, the water 
 
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 Mi 
 
Henry A Gray 
 
 LAKE SUPtRIOR 
 
 LoNQitUpiHaL 5e:CT>oN5 or " 
 
 or\ the |irv« of deepest wi 
 
Htnry A Gray. 
 
 LAKE SUPt«IOR 
 
 LAKE HUnON LAKE MICHIGAN j^^^^ £p|£ 
 
 LoNqitUpiHaL 5e:ctioH5 or tHe l-AKt^ 
 
 on the \it\q of deepest w&t«»'. 
 
LAKE 
 4TARI0 
 
 TRANSACTIONS CAN.SOC CC 
 
 VOL. IX PL ATE IV. 
 
 risi-ft 
 
 
 Am of Wa(«r surface 
 
 Area of wa^Bwhed 
 
 Aggfipte jrw of bMi'n 
 
 Lftke Sttftfrinr 
 
 to. MiLt* 
 
 31,200. 
 
 •9 WILK« 
 
 5l,AOO.. ... 
 
 9Q. MILCS. 
 
 AZ.SOO. 
 
 Ltike Uiuvn 
 
 2Z800 ... 
 
 5S,5no 
 
 liokf Afifhi^a/t 
 
 22 4SO 
 
 S7 rnfi 
 
 GOflSO. 
 
 Lakif Eruf 
 
 Lake Ontario 
 
 ...9.960 
 
 r.e-^ . 
 
 22,^00 . 
 
 2i,fiao 
 
 32,660 
 
 28.840. 
 
 r ^W P i— M gW f imw iM 
 
was as low in Lake Ontario as it was in i8t3i. The best authorities 
 on hydraulics show that no harm can result from deepenin« the 
 several channels, for it is a theory of permanent motion thai a change 
 oirc^iiiun being made at any point of a river, its effect is extended 
 up and ilown stream, decreasing as it goes until points are reached 
 where it disappears entirely, and the river remains unaffected 
 
 In the following it is en.leavored to give a part of the latest and 
 most reliable information relating to the Great Lakes. The lately 
 completed lake surveys made by the United States have reduced to 
 exactness much that was previously only approximate. 
 
 The water surface of the Great Lakes, with the land draining 
 into it, presents the total drainage basin of over ^170,000 square; miles, 
 
 assembled as follows : 
 
 Area of Water 
 Surface. 
 Siinare Miles. 
 
 Lake Superior 31,200 
 
 St. Mary's River 150 
 
 Lake Michigan -^2,450 
 
 Lake Huron and (ieor- 
 
 gian Bay 23,800 
 
 St. Clair River 25 
 
 Lake St. Clair 410 
 
 Detroit River 25 
 
 Lake Lrie 9,960 
 
 Niagara River 15 
 
 Lake Ontario 7.-4° 
 
 .Vrea cif Waier 
 
 Shed, 
 Square Miles. 
 
 .\(iKre>;ate Are.i 
 
 iif Hasin, 
 Sijuire Miles. 
 
 51,600 
 
 S2,8oo 
 
 800 
 
 950 
 
 37.700 
 
 60,150 
 
 31,700 
 
 55.500 
 
 3,800 
 
 • 3.825 
 
 3,400 
 
 3,810 
 
 I,2U0 
 
 1,225 
 
 22,70,1 
 
 32,660 
 
 300 
 
 315 
 
 2 1 ,600 
 
 28,840 
 
 174,800 
 
 270,075 
 
 95.275 
 
 The combined areas of the lakes exceed the area of England, 
 Wales and Scotland. 
 
 The accompanying figure is a carefully drawn chart of the 
 lakes, and compilations showing area of water surface, water shed 
 and aggregate areas of basin ; line of greatest depth and longi 
 tudinal sections on that line, with heights and depth referred to sea 
 level. The length of shore line of the lakes and their connecting 
 rivers is about 5,400 miles. The elevation of the mean surface of 
 the lakes above mean sea level is as follows : — 
 
 Lake Ontario 2461",, feet. 
 
 Lake Erie 5T2^c, 
 
 Lakes Huron and Michigan 581 i^o 
 
 Lake Superior 601/,, 
 
lO 
 
 The difference of zo^ feet between Lake Superior and Huron 
 occurs in the rapids of St. Mary's river ; the 8j*, feet between Lal<es 
 Huron and Erie, mainly in Detroit river. The difference of 326 
 feet between Lakes Krie and Ontario occurs in the vicinity of 
 Niagara Falls, and is principally assembled as follows :— 100 feet in 
 the five miles of rapids between Lewiston and the lower Suspen- 
 sion Bridge, 10 feet in the rapids between the Bridge and the Falls, 
 160 feet at the Falls, 50 feet in the rapids immediately above the 
 Falls, and 6 feet in the upper Niagara river. The mean depth of 
 Lake Superior is about 475 feet ; the deepest point marks a depth 
 of 1,008 feet, or 406 feet below the level of the sea. Lake Huron 
 has a mean depth of 230 feet and a maximum depth of 750 feet. 
 Lake Erie is comparatively shallow, havmg an average depth of 
 less tnan 70 feet and a maximum of 210 feet. Lake Ontario has a 
 mean depth of about 300 feet and a maximum of 738, or nearly 500 
 feet below the level of the sea. The channel of the rivers connect- 
 ing the lakes seldom exceeds the depth of 50 feet. If the lakes 
 could be drained to the level of the sea. Lake Erie would disappear, 
 Lake Huron reduced to quite insignificant dimensions. Lake Michi- 
 gan to a length of about 100 miles, with a width of 25 or 30 miles, 
 Lakes Ontario and Superior, although with diminished areas, would 
 still preserve the dignity of their present titles as Great Lakes. 
 
 A chemical analysis of water taken from the deepest part of 
 Lake Superior failed, under the application of delicate tests, to 
 indicate the presence of salt. The beds of the lakes away from the 
 vicinity of the shore lines, and at depths exceeding 100 feet, are 
 almost invariably covered with clay. Specimens from the deep 
 soundings of Lake Superior were invariably soft clay, varying in color 
 from red to yellow and blue. In the deepest parts, the drabs and 
 bluish tints predominate. The temperature at the deepest points 
 varies little from *'" mean annual temperature of the surrounding 
 air. The temp "-ature ^ Lake Superior at depths exceeding 200 
 feet varies but sliguL^ iiom 39° F. In Lake Huron, at depths of 
 about 300 feet, the temperatures in the months of June and August 
 were 52" F., while, at a depth of 624 feet, the temperature was 
 42^^ F., the surface temperature being 52" F., and the air 64" F. 
 The mean annual rain and melted snowfall of the several lake 
 
 
 ) 
 
 ^\ 
 
 •^Kgmf-^ 
 
 mm 
 
 mm 
 
II 
 
 basins is as follows : La'^e Superior, 29 inches ; Lake Huron, 30 
 inches; Lake Michigan, 32 inches ; Lakes Krie and Ontario, 34 
 inches. This is about equal to 31 inches on the entire lake basin. 
 The following represents ilie .T.eiage discharges at the outlets of 
 the lakes : — 
 
 Lake Superior, at St. Mary's River 86,000 cubic ft persec. 
 
 Lakes Michigan and Huron at St. Clair 
 
 River 225,000 " " 
 
 Lake Erie, at Niagara 265,000 '\ " 
 
 I^ake Ontario, at St. Lawrence River 300,000 " 
 
 If the average discharge of the lakes passed through a river one 
 mile wide with a mean velocity of one mile per hour, such river 
 would have a depth of 40 feet from shore to shore. 
 
 The v'lume of water in the lakes is about 6 000 cubic miles, of 
 which Lake Superior contains a little less than one-half. Perhaps 
 a better idea of this volume may be obtained when it is said that 
 it would sustain Niagara Falls in its present condition for about 
 100 years. 
 
 The principal changes in the elevation of the lake surface are 
 those due to the wind and to rainfall. 
 
 During pronacted autumn gales, waves have been observed 
 which, through reliable means, measured from 15 to 18 feet above 
 the normal i)UrraC;,-. The second class of variation are those due to 
 rainfall, as before stated. The last ten years show a tendency to 
 irregularities which may lie due to changes in rainfall and water- 
 shed, produced by the rapid destruction of the forests which, ten 
 years ago, covered the basin of the upper lakes. Observations made 
 by the U.S. Survey have established the existence of small tides 
 which, at Chicago, had an amplitude of ij4 inches for the neap 
 tide and about 3 inches for the spring tide. There is still another 
 class of oscillations called seiches, which have been n'ready ob- 
 served in the Swiss lakes, and for which a solution, in a lespects 
 satisfactory, has not been offered. Whenever the lakes are suffici- 
 ently free from the disturbing action of wind to permit observation, 
 a quite regular series of small waves, or pulsations, can be detected, 
 which have an interval of about ten minutes from impulse to 
 impulse. These pulsations seem to occur almost without cessa- 
 tion on Lake Superior. Besides having tides in common with 
 
 ^\ 
 
 m 
 
 
 'Qi^:»> 
 
 
12 
 
 the ocean, the lakes have well-defined land and lake breezes, the 
 breeze from the lakes landward commencing in summer at 8 or 
 lo o'clock a.m., and continuing until sunset, and the breeze from 
 the land lakeward from g or lo p.m. until sunrise. 
 
 For about one-half the distance across the continent the waters 
 of the St. Lawrence system divide the Dominion of Canada from 
 the United States. The boundary line, beginning on the St. Law- 
 rence in latitude 45 degrees, passes through the middle of Lake 
 Ontario, Erie, St. Clair. Huron, the St. Mary's River and Lake 
 Superior, to a point on its north shore, 124 miles east of Duluth 
 and Superior, the western end of Lake Superior. Lake Michigan 
 is wholly within the territory of the United States. These great 
 lakes contain more than one-half the area of all the fresh water (jf 
 the globe. They make up the largest system of deep water inland 
 navigation on the globe. No other inland water may bear upon its 
 bosom so vast a commerce, or touches, as this does, the vital inter- 
 ests ot so many millions of men. Lying, in general direction, east 
 and west between the 41st and 47th parallels, they penetrate the 
 tide water on the St. Lawrence. The western extremity of the 
 system, the head of Lake Superior, is 1,700 miles only from the 
 waters of the Pacific. It is 2,384 miles from Belle Isle, at 
 the mouth of the St. Lawrence, and 4,618 miles from Liverpool. 
 
 The range of this water system, it will be observed, is entirely 
 withm the limits of the north temperate zone, on the line on which 
 population has most freely moved westward, where final settlement 
 is most compact, and where climatic conditions insure <he largest 
 returns to capital and labor. Lake Superior, the head of the sys- 
 tem, alone receives the waters of 200 riveis. One hundred and 
 fifty miles northwest of Port Arthur and, Duluth are the fountains 
 of three of the great drainage systems of the continent. Physical 
 conditions there send flowing waters northward to the ocean 
 through Hudson's Bay ; southward, through the Mississippi Valley 
 and the Gulf of Mexico, and eastward, through the lakes and the 
 St. Lawrence. For commercial purposes, the northern drainage 
 system has not yet been utihzed ; but flowing water will forever be 
 a potent instrument of commerce, southward and eastward, be- 
 tween the interior and the Atlantic coast. 
 
 
 I 
 
 &' 
 
 Al 
 
 MM 
 

 13 
 
 Such are the peculiar and the favoring physical conditions 
 under which two great peoples of English tongue occupy, side by 
 side, the North American continent from ocean to ocean, using in 
 common this continental water-way, and by treaty stipulations in- 
 terchanging with each other the use of improvements inside their 
 respective boundary lines. From both sides, then, of this conti- 
 nental boundary line, inevitably and forever, will come here for 
 transit into the world's commerce, the products of the vast plains 
 and the mountain region of the far Northwest. On this line, also, 
 to a large extent, will be made the commercial exchanges of the 
 Pacific Slope, Australia, China and Japan. 
 
 i 
 
SHEET NO. 6 
 
80» 
 
 7S» 
 
 TC 
 
^^ww g^L/^ r% T 
 
*rTfw i^L/^ n r 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA 
 
 Longitudinal section 
 OF theGreat Lakes andConnecting Rivers. 
 
 40" 
 
 MSL 
 
 ABOVU J«rt LEVEL 
 
 60/ f err. 
 
 ABOVE Se.* LEVEL ABOVE 3 CM LEVEL 
 
 LAKE 
 SUP£/>iO» 
 
 won FSer aeeP 
 
 ABOVE SKA LtvtL 
 SeiriEj. 
 
 AGARAF;?/^^ 
 
 
 mL^ 
 
 2'Hf££T. V 
 
 L.ONTAmOl ~ '^O^gjf. 
 
 BOSfEET DE£f 
 
 SEA LCVEt 
 
 BELOW 
 
 300' \S^* '■«>'*'- / 
 *07 fEfTy- — 
 
 400' 
 500' 
 
 BELOn 
 SEA LEVEL 
 
 .3S3rtnZ 
 
 To acconi/iaiuj report on Effect of CtuxMgo Drabuuge Canal on levels of 
 Great Lakes and comuectiiig Rivers" by order of 
 
 Honorable JohnCostigan. 
 
 Minister ofMarina und Fiskeries 
 Canada. 
 
 The ]Dp(mii%m^e Mdimm of tH^w. 
 
 ' — witti Uie. — 
 
 M(EsFimhu(mIUmmm mM Mm^m^ ippiMirem. 
 
 Out. Cocmida. April 1896. 
 J.LRO'HANLY.C.E. 
 
 30« 
 
 80° 
 
 76- 
 
 70» 
 
 4 
 
SHEET, NO. 2. 
 
'( 
 
 186A 
 
 1865 
 
 !j v,i 5..3 3— 3 y ;>^ y 
 
 1866 
 
 ni'fF 
 
 :: 5 =-3^- ="'3.- ' '- 
 
 1867 
 
 a'^=£'?'a^ •;: 
 
 
 C 5i',= 5-tt :S^ 3 y -'.ij' 
 
 1868 
 
 1869 
 
 i^s^?^^. 
 
 = '^iS c.(3 3^ 3 tT'j 2 3 
 
 I 
 
 1870 
 
 
aiiniiaf 'XVbtet £c>v<?reuivc.> tai\ 
 
 top of tJ\^ u)ei>t ujaa of tJVc.6fux) Cji;^ 
 Cf£4>e[Wj(L^.tfi€/ ptoie of tcf«/u aux^ 
 
 lefcA^^uut fot. uKJtcA^ teA>eLt> -art 
 
 ,att/tC/ cxrnkieclUrrt 
 
 of tlic/ cttixctt unifi; UW 1 tWe'L Cuyuftotfa at 
 h tli€/ city ^eto oj" ^/taclc4>..^i>cpfiy "Wc tei. of 1838 coi/ru ixLed 
 
^a i\ Q Site/. 
 
f ' 
 
 I 1894 
 
 8|a 
 
 \r*T^3F>AAS(ri'^P.^ 
 
 IMP I 
 
 
 isae. 
 
 JSSL 
 
 
 a Oil' 
 
 J89& 
 
 
 ms. 
 
 I 
 
 iSM 
 
 i^^nqFry't^ds 
 
\ I 
 
SHEET, NO. I. 
 
 1859 
 
 HtIsJj 
 
 »7)rB!3CO'sS>h(r^ 
 
 M 
 
 I860 
 
 1861 
 
 3 - 3 a< 'v O J? 
 
 
 1862 
 
 =15, 
 
 nf 
 
 f iff "3-^3^ 
 
 nil^)ndi 
 
 
 1 
 
 1863 
 
 
 
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 " dS»-?r?jC3V2vs>o<?i 
 
 3ri XuMtofeee. 
 
m 
 
 1865 
 
 
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 ==i^5.^?a 
 
 =5 E^ 5-t^ =^ 3 3^^,,^^ 
 
 1867 
 
 
 
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 1868 
 
 
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 1869 
 
 
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 1870 
 
 
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Q^itnuGLl iVcAet ZexHif Cntv^ taJke^ 
 
 tyruc 
 
 on'3)X itap^WWwmAe MmXiv .aide. €^9optaA.Si. wmru^oWiiA. at ^yUilujtuAJfcee "Ww (feuu|1iW.top of wtdieA^tuMe, ecu* 
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 coMuLcUwi tu-ii/L lAu) p^^ijrve/. i i I I I 
 
 3fi^p€a*te of te^.cA^'rMs«/J'.o^ umle/tCeaw£d (m;Xa^,eJ5a(Wrvid a p£«/ae 6.19 Jt-t^^Eou/ tfie ft-ead of a ^lot i/ru:A> 
 froCt ietuUd iyiiloJmmdtttioTv tocfel3ft,S.'W of c^otttc^e cut 9^oUGUiMi;rt.3'ftu>9^'C«uae umA oHaiffvcd bj/ cuvkiiru/m^ 
 t/VcdcWi/n^tl'Leiuontl^fl^cki/rieckL^ cund OUaj^axM. 1874'tfLe wvdLitAJy in. 5xiJ!c€<> cJ3u;uiTL>aAwi91lix;<Vu^t 
 
 \A>iyt^ 'Cevet .a;rul ij' iftxii aA^uynxjxtum. ii> juAjk^mI it u/i?i .coiacule untPb tfte |vta/ae of Uj«>\mat 
 Jot Saice 3lLlciUcm/v. 3/ /ftig^ wttUA^ of 1838 wu^ cu^ nutcfi. ahav^ \i\A laeon. te/i/eE* (f SuaktSiWimx. 
 
 tluAmgi JAc. TOomtlU' of cJu/ae 3tity cwxol GLaguAt 1874^ cu) it umxA otrove tlV«/ mco/a -teA^et 0^ £afcc.- 
 
 -4— -u- 
 
!)IIicfii<|<Mv art6 S^uuxi 
 

 1891 
 
 
 I s\oSoLd /OTUi JUTMXA tiJur\JQ J\AM€\i/>** by 
 
 otde'L o/ 
 
 HdHORABLE JOH^ 
 
 31Iim6tM/ of Oltcuine 
 
 1892 
 
 
 r^. 
 
 1893 
 
 W%%^.% 
 
 '■^rt^n^V'.^^i^ 17,1^1 
 
 
 4pltU/ 1896. 
 O'HANLY, C. 
 
 1894 
 
 T)FdBrRrS>dW3tS 
 
 JcrnsPQ 
 
 COST/GAN. 
 Ccutuxxioj. 
 
 1895 
 
 5^ 
 
 il^ 
 
 jrer 
 
 
 I