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T
CA
c>
\
V
t
R Link in the Chain
A SHIP CANAL
BETWEEN
LAKE ST. CLAIR
AND LAKE ERIE.
hhtboit;
\VM. (GRAHAM PRINTING CO.
11^^
TABLE 'OF CONTENTS.
Introductory, . .
Report of the Deep Water Way Commission.
Detroit River a Difficult and Dangerous Route.
Is the Construction of a Bridge at Detroit Practicable?
Approxiniate Estimates.
Compared with other Canals.
Rapid Increase of Tonnage and Gain to Commerce,
The Canal a Winter Refuge.
A Transfer and Coaling Point,
Klectrically Lrighted, .
Military Advantages,
A Link in the Chain.
Growth of Canadian Commerce,
Report of Chief Engineer,
Report of Consulting Engineer,
Charter. ....
Address at the Cleveland Convention by Jas. Fisher, Q. C,
M. P. P., Manitoba.
5
9
II
r6
17
19
19
30
22
22
23
?4
25
32
39
55
MAPS AND PLATES.
The Great Lakes,
Deep Water Commission Map.
Detroit River Route, .
Canal Bridges,
Topographical Map,
I'AliK
•
•
5
Opposite
page
lO
11
(t
3'
It
u
3«
54
95"
IXTKODIXTOKV
Traffic on the Gkfat Lakhs.
I'ACiK
5
lO
3'
3«
54
When the I'Vench voyajj^eurs ])a(l<lle(l tlieir canoes and hatteaus
over the 2.5(X) miles of lake and river from the Atlantic shores to
the western extremity of the jjfreat lakes, they fonnd in the eon-
nectinj^ rivers many obstacles to their passaj^e. The (kx) feet
elevation of Lake Superior above the ocean level was by the
conformation of the country mostly divideil between the rapids
of the St. Lawrence, the falls of Xiaj^ara and the rapids of the St.
Mary's River. All these obstacles had to be i)assed by pt)rtajjes,
and when lar<jer vessels than the birch canoe were needed for tlie
rapidly increasinjf traffic, canals had to be constructed arouu'l
them. The wonderful development of the j.jreat west was not
then foreseen and these canals were only built to acconnnodate the
commerce of the time, but as the prairies of the west beijan to
send forth grain, and the ])roduct of the mines to seek a market,
larji^er and deeper vessels were constructed and chamiels had t») be
deepened to allow their i)assa}j^e. So jjreat has been this pro-
jjress that the demand now is for a 2 1 -foot channel, and prob-
ably before many years one of that depth will be constructed not
only through the Great Lakes l)ut also to connect them with tlic
ocean, and wherever possible short cuts will he made to pass the
shoal and crooked channels. This appears to he the problem of
the future, and already the llaylake chaiuiel, a new cut in the
Kiver St. Mary, shortens the distance eleveii miles.
Of all the chaiuiels between the lakes the Detroit River, on
account of its length and sinuosity, is the most difficult and
dangerous, particularly for the long freight vessels now being
introduced, many of them approaching ocean vessels in size,
being upwards of 400 feet in length. As will be seen on the map,
a peninsula formed by Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and the
western end (jf Lake h>ie, has a narrow neck, and although the
present course around it is over 92 miles, the distance across this
neck is but a little over 13 miles, making the actual distance to be
saved by a canal across this neck 79 miles.
The cost of excavating such a canal would be comi)aratively
small, as the land is level east and west, and rises gradually from
a low marsh on the borders of Lake St. Clair to about 50 feet at
Lake Erie, excepting a narrow sand ridge just north of the lake
which rises about eighteen feet higher. It has been proved by
numerous auger borings that the stratum of blue clay which
forms the greater portion of this peninsula is for the whole dis-
tance across from one hundred to one hundred and thirty feet in
thickness, without rock or b(nilders.
( )nly earth excavation therefore will be needed. The canal will
be in direct continuation of the course from the end of the cut at
the St. Clair l-'lats to its entrance. It will be crossed by
four existing railroads, which will necessitate that number of
drawbridges, and three other bridges will be retpiired by connnon
roads. As the difTerence in level between the two lakes is only
three feet, no locks will be retpured. but there will be a guanl
gate at the St. Clair end. for use during construction, and after-
wards when repairs are necessary. The entrance from Lake St.
Clair is shallow, and to obtain a 21 -foot channel through the lake,
three miles of dredging will be necessary. Here also the material
is blue clay. At the Lake Erie end less than half a mile of dredg-
ing will be needed to reach deep water. At this enil it is proposed
to construct a harbor of refuge, which has long been needed, so
that vessels may find jjrotcction from the storms of Lake ICrie at
all times.
This canal will be of the p^reatest benefit to navijjators. for by
usin^r it they will not only avoid the (Ianjj;ero»is and difficult
passage of the Detroit River, and the islands and shoals at the
west end of Lake ICrie. but they will also actually save from
fifteen to twenty hours in the round trip.
The time occupied by the larger freight vessels in the trip from
i'.uffalo to Chicago or Duluth and return is from ten to twelve
days, and they make about 20 trips in a season. \ essels of aver-
age speed would save 300 hours in a season by this shorter route,
and thus be able to make an additional trip.
Ki:i'()Ui" oi" i)i-:i:i' waii-.k'W.w com mission.
J.\N1-AKY, iHc;;.
Ill iXt^) C'onmTss passi'il an act autlinriziii!^ tlu' IVcsitk-nt tu
appoint .' coniniission of tlinr persons, who shonhl nu'i't with a
similar ooininission to ho appointi-d l»y tlu' ( ioviTnor-( ii'tu'ral of
tanatla, to consi^liT and n-port npon tlu- f«.'asil)ility of a <lv«.'p wati'r
ciiannt'l thronjj;!! tlu* lakes to tiu' ocean.
The fji'entlenien eoniposin;.,^ tliis eoinniission are:
James 15. .\n).;;ell, |)resi(lent I'liiversity of Michigan.
John I''. Knssel. of Leicester, .Mass.
Lyman I-'. C'ooley, C . L.. projector ami (irst mjLjineer of the
(."hicaj.j(» (Irainajjfe canal.
Oliver A. Ilowland, O. C, M. I'. 1'.. Toronto.
Thomas ( '. Keefer, L". 1^.. of ( )tta\va.
I'homas .Monroe, of C'otean Landing.
Their first report was snhmitted in Jannary, and so much of it
as relates to the Detroit River route is tjiven I)el«»w, toj,'ether with
a copy of a portion of one of the accompanymir plates sIiowiiiil;
the situation of the .St. Clair and l-'rie Ship ("anal:
'"The low water slope of the Detroit River was determined from
i:^au}4;e readinj^s for the months of Juiu' and Jnl\. iK(>5;. as fnr-
nishecl hy Lient. J. I'.. I'avananj^h. Corps of Limincers. ['. .S. A.
( Lt.tter of l'"el)rnary il, |K<>(), Detroit, .\iiih.), in comparison witli
Lake l'"rie for the same periocl. The mean elevation of L.ike
h'rie for June and July, iH<)5, was .vi.*^)! feet above mean title at
New ^'ork City, or ().J6 foot above standard low water. VUv
standanl low water slope for the Detroit River was found by sub-
tracting' o.jG foot from the .i;auf.;e readings. The mean i^aiis^e
readin}.js and the standard low water are ^j^iveii in the following
table:
10
AFfaii (Jaiij^c Staiidan!
Koadiiijr. June Low-
Locality, and July. i8(>5. Water.
Gros:;e Pointc, Lake St. Clair 574.5^ S74-2t'^
'^^'t'*"'^ 574-IO 57.VX4
''•"t-nton 5;2.8r) 572.60
^•''""altar 57i.«o 571.54
Lake Erie, Cleveland 57' -61 57 '-^t
The maps and profiles on a reduced scale of the St. Clair and
l'>ie Ship Canal illustrate the proposed channel fcr shorienin.i;-
the distance on the throuj^h route and avoidin.i^ the difficulties in
the navig-ation of the Detroit River and the west end of Lake-
Erie. They were compiled from the followiii!:; material:
Sketch (with profile) of the Detroit River pas.saj,^' .'ind the St.
Clair and Erie .Ship Canal, by D. I'arrand Henry, Chief
Engineer.
Chart of Lake St Clair, by C S. Lake Survey.
Chart of Lakes Erie and Ontario, hv 1 Ivdro^rapliic ( )rfice.
U. S. N."
. ., .> ■
■r- -' 'f
,.*''
- 4 "
K^mm Pi^UjyJkt^ MTmUM'C^
g^^TCH MAP^AND PROp^^^
SAIMT CLAIR AND ERIE SHIP CANAL
from dais, liy
D. FARRAND HENRY
Tr^actcr anA Chief Engineer
SCAUCB
H«rl*enUl: statute MilM
Vertical: Feet
J»»/g.
7fttf» IVmim^emmmU^.mJUjBmmt,
11
DKTkOlT RIVKR A Dll'FIClLT AND I)A.\(;I<:K(JLS
kOLTK.
The Detroit River, or more ])roperly the straits coiineetinjj^
Lakes St. Clair and lirie, althouj^h tortuous and full of islands,
was of sufficient depth for navigation l)y the early vessels which
followed the canoes and hatteaus, and wliich did not draw to
exceed y feet; but the current was swift, and when the wind was
with it, sail vessels could not beat up stream, and often waited for
days at certain bends, nota])ly Sandwich Point, just below Detroit,
for a favorable wind. Th-- ■ never attempted to run the crooked
and narrow channels ■ nie;htfall, and it was no uncommon
sig^ht to see an hundrvjci sail anchored below a bend, waiting for
wind or daylight.
When steam supplanted sails, time became more of an object,
and many lighthouses were built to aid in passing the more dan-
gerous j)laces, and ranges established, so that the channels could
be run by night or day.
Xor do the shoals and narrow i)assages comprise all of the
dangers to navigation on this river. At Detroit, where it is very
deep and half a mile wide, several lines of ferries, both for the
transfer of pas.sengers and of cars, are constantly crossing.
There are excursion l)oats to tlie park, islands and other resorts;
boats engaged in local traffic between the city and near-by towns;
while the river is dotted with yachts of all descriptions and small
boats without number, to avoid all of which often taxes the sea-
manship and nerve of the best cai)tains on the through craft, espe-
cially when the steamers have one or more barges in tow.
As the channels between the other Lakes were deepened to
accommodate the growing traffic, which called for vessels of
deeper draft, the water in many reaches was found scant, and
improvements were demanded, and from time to time nuich work
lias been done on the river and is still in ])rogress. 'I'he folio wing-
table shows the crookedness of this route.
12
TABLE OF COURSES AND DISTANCES
Dktkoit Rivr.R Rj)i tk kkom iiik Lowkk T.roiiT at tiik St. Ci.aik
Ki.ATs n» Oi'i'o.siTK TIIK Km) ok tiik Siiii- Canai.
In Lakk Krik.
ColKSK TO
nKARI\(;s, DiSTANC K,
Points. , Mtr.Ks.
Grosse Pte. Slioal S. \V
Windmill Point \V. S. \V....
Helk' Isle Lifj;ht .S. \V. J^ .S..
Along Helle Ish- \V. S. \V....
Opposite Detroit \V. ■*, S
\V. S. VV....
" " S. W. 1.. W
Ri
•r Roiif:;c S. \V. I)v S.
S. \V. l)y S. ■■', S.
.S. W. '., S
Hi'iul of Ki<:;liiiiij; Isliiiui...
(jrassy Islaiul S. ■*, V.
Wvaiulolie S. W. l)v W. i, \V.
Mammy juily Kifjlit South
Head of Grosse Isle S. W. Jj .S..
Opposite River Caiiiird
Lit
s. s. !•:
Stony Islanil s. hv ¥.
Lime Kiln S. S. K
S. I)v K
Kiln Crossinji; Soiitl
I
S. S. \V
Opposite Amherstlmrfjli S. liv K. Jy K
Alonp: Hois Hlanc Islaiul S. J, W
S. l)y K
S. \V l)v S. 1., S.
S. I., W
Opjjosite Mar Point S. W
Bar Point Six
S. :t, S..
MIS
s
!■■
S.
I.v
hv S.
l'. S..
'., S.
Entrance to Li
Opposite Colli
Pte. Pelt
Eiitr
Total
'?'•-•
^'^^
I '.J
-I
ter Reef
K. S. K
t
'4
JO
ei- '.
K. hy S. 1
K. N. K..
.J S
e Ship Canal
^
—
From the lower liffht St. Clair Flats throiifih the Shiji Canal to deej)
water, Lake Krie, S. I"). '.4 S.. ^j miles.
13
Tlic (Irossc Pointc slioal at the t'litraticc to tlu- river in Lake St.
Clair is a sand and mud flat, fonncd by deposition of silt from
the St. Clair River and the "l'"lats," and is constantly increasiiifj.
The head of i'elle Isle is a boulder flat, only avoided by a shaq)
turn at Windmill Point, and another at the head of the islaiul.
At Sandwich Point are two sharp turns, and along I'ijjfhting^
Island the channel is narrow and tortuous. Near Grosse Isle
are Ikdlards reef and Stony Island, both rocky shoals. Then
conies the Lime Kiln crossing, long a terror to vessel men, and
not much better even now that a cut has been made through it.
h'or, though the chamiel is 400 feet wide, there is a bend at each
end, and a swift current through it. The narrow channel near
llois lUanc Island and the shoals near liar Point follow, and then
Lake Lrie is entered, where we find Colchester reef and the shoals
between I'oint Pelee and Pelee Island on the course to P.ufifalo
and Cleveland, and a little to the south are the reefs around the
I len and Chickens and other groU])s of islands.
.'Mthough nuich work has been done towards deepening these
shoals, still the narrow channels formed are very dangerous, and
the long steamers now being built (many much over 400 feet in
length) find the abrupt turns difficult to make, especially at night,
when they have to run by lighted ranges, and accidents often
occur when vessels are meeting or jjassing in the narrow channels.
Much time i^ also lost, as they are obliged to run under check
through a large jjart of the river. After the improvements? now
in progress are completed, giving a 21 -foot diamiel through
Cnited States waters, there will still remain the shoals at the
mouth of the river, which will have to be deepened by the Cana-
dian (iovernment. being entirely in its territory, and even when
the passage of the river is made as ])erfect as possible it will still
be hazardous and difficult to navigate and not to be compared
with the straight and short route through the canal.
X'essels ground on the shoals every year, causing nnich delay
to the traffic and damage to themselves.
In i8(;3 a vessel struck the rocky sides at the Lime Kiln cn)ss-
ing and sunk. Another following was drawn to her by the cur-
rent, and swinging around, blocked the passage for 48 hours.
It was estimated that the cost of detention and repairs that
vear amounted to nearlv $2,000,000. In 181)4 the "Northwest," a
14
large passenger steamer, struck on one of the shoals near Bar
I'oint. and remained there for over twenty hours.
In 1895 a record was kept for ahout two months of the acci-
dents occurrinji^ in this passaj^e. the following being a copy:
At Grosse Pointe.
Sept. 5 — Str. Kearsarge and Sch. Juniata.
16 — Str. City of Berlin.
19 — Whalehack \'o. 117.
22 — Str. I'Vontenac.
23 — Schr. Howgood.
Oct. 5— Str. Bruce.
7— Str. W. 15. Morley.
1 1 — Barge Kitty l'"al)er and consort; Str. Lachlan.
I 1 — Strs. Pontiac and Thompson (whalehack).
11) — l>arges Whitney and Wayne.
Str. Rugel.
20 — Str. Tacoma and Sch. Parker.
24 — Str. Cleo. W. Williams.
At Head of Belle Isle.
Sept. 9 — Str. Jas. I'ish.
• At Mghting Island.
Sept. 5 — Str. Keystone.
At Lime Kiln Crossing.
Sept. 21 — Str. Adriatic.
30 — Str. flelen and Str. ( )gdens1)urg.
At Ballards Reef.
Oct. 22 — Strs. Waldo and Avery.
25 — Strs. Simon G. Murphy and Sam Magee.
At Amhcrsthurg.
Sept. 20 — Str. R. P. Fitzgerald.
15
At Bar Point,
Sept. 3 — Str. Cofiinburg.
17 — Str. City of X't'iiict'.
24 — Str. keuheii Doud.
28 — iJar^c City of Cleveland.
At Colchester Reef.
Oct. 22 — Str. \'ega.
Str. Escanaba.
At Point Pelee.
Sept. 25 — Str. Topeka.
Oct. 16 — Sell. C. L.Johnson.
Some of the above were only detained a short time, while
others were not f^ot off for one or more days, and many had to
be dcjcked before they could ccjntinue their trip.
The cost to vessels and insurance companies durinj^ these two
months was not ascertained, but it nuist have been very heavy.
Many other vessels were detained and lost much time in slowly
picking their way past the vessels aground, often having to come
to anchor until the latter could be lightened off.
Another important point for consideration is the change in the
water level at the mouth of thej river due to the force and direction
of the wind. We have no continuous records at that point, but
we know that an easterly wind often so raises the water in the
trumpet-sha])ed mouth of the river that tlie current opposite
Detroit is reversed, with apparently nearly as strong a flow as
the natural current, which indicates a rise of the water level at
the mouth of four or five feet.
In the same manner a westerly wind depresses the level at this
Mnnt, though not to the same degree.
At lUiffalo, at the other end of Lake Erie, where the conditions
are somewhat similar, the recorded extreme difference between
high and low water is thirteen feet, but as the periodical fluctua-
tions, extending through a series of years, amounts to four or
five feet, the local change, due mainly to the direction of the wind,
may be taken at eight or nine feet. We can, therefore, safely
i i
16
c'Stiniatc that the (k'i)R'Ssinn of thi water k-vcl <Uk' to lucal causes
at the mouth of the Detroit Kiver may l)e as nuich as three or
finir feet.*
This would l)e a serious luatter for a vessel drawinj^ i8 or H)
feet trvinjjf to pass throu}.jh a chaunel 21 feet in depth at the
onhuary staj^je. ( )u the other hand, at ("leveland. nearly oppo-
site the canal and similarly situated on the f.ake. the chanj^e due
to the wind is seldom over one foot, so that it is scarcely possible
that the water in the canal can he lowered by wind action so as
to cause material trouble or delay to navij^ation.
IS Tin-: COXSTRI'CTIOX ()!• A I'.klDOK AT DF.TROlT
I'RACTKAI'.LI-?
h'or many years the Canadian I'acitic. ( irand Trunk, and Michi-
.tjan Central Railroads have endeavored to obtain permission to
bridij^e the Detroit River.
The constructif)!! of a tumiel was attem])ted. but after a con-
siderable amount of work the project was abandoned.
Twice a connnission of l'. S. ICnjj^ineer ot^ficers has been ap-
pointed to hear testimony, and report on the feasibility of a
bridij^e, but each time the vessel interests i)rotested so strongly,
and made so g-ood a case, that the re])ort was unfavorable.
There is now a bill before Conji;ress for a his^h bridi^e. which
is also beinj^ stronj.jly contested. Were this canal built, so that
through traffic could take the safer and shorter route, the objec-
tions wouhl have but little weight, and the railroads would be
permitted to construct a hnv bridge.
Tlie current is so strong at Detroit that the river never actually
freezes over, but Hoating ice from the f.ake above forming a
jam among the islands below, the river soon fills with large cakes,
which often pile one upon the other, and freezing together form
a thicker and more solid covering than there probably would be
did the river actually freeze over.
*A Detroit paper of Novenilier 5th, 1X96, had the following under
Jfarine Notes :
"The southwest gale of yesterday and last night lowered the water in
the river ahout three feet. All down hound boats of yesterday were delayed
here until this morning, the water at the Lime Kiln crossing being too low
to attempt passing."
I'lirouj^Hi this iKavv ioo tin- fc-rrii's have tu f(»rc-o a passaj^c. and
so slow and tedious is this work tliat frcij^lit acounndatcs, and it
is not an nnconnnon thinjjf to see from 5 to 10 inilt-s of fn-i^-ht
cars waiting- a passaj^^o.
rasstMiy-tT traffic is also delayed and many persons seek other
routes who otherwise prefer this. Kven in sunnner there is delay,
as tlie trains have to he hroken up to ])lace them on the ferries,
and tinis the transfer is nuich more exjjensive than would he the
crossiiifr ,,f a hridjre. \\\.re it not for this detention, this route
throu^di Canada would he the easiest and hest hetween the West
and the Kast, so that this canal sh<»uld he and is favored hv the
railroads.
ST. CLAIk A\l) LAKF. FJUF. .SHIP fA.VAT.
D.VT.V :
Txtttoni width, 72 feet.
Lower slopes. 2 to 1.
1 Serine. 3 feet wide.
L'i)per slopes, i 1-2 to i.
Accepted Prices :
Excavation. 20c. per cul). yard.
Dredj^injj^. 15c. i)er cuh. yard.
Ruhhle Stone. $8 \wr cuh. yard.
Concrete, $6 per cub. yard.
Timber in place, $30 ])er .M.
Piles, 30 feet, average, $6 each.
Structural .steel, in place, 3c. per lb.
AI'l'ROXI.MATh: h:STl .MATE.
i«>.oi 1,737 *-'• y^li^- excavation canal $3,802,347
488,000 c. yds., excavation gars i.jy,6oo
2,066,722 c. yds., dredging canal 310,008
1.408,600 c. yds., dredging Lake St. Clair. . 210,290
406,000 c. yds., dredging Lake Erie 60,900
$4,481,145
Harbor, Lake I<:rit'. cril). 7cxj feet, at $50. , . $.^5.(xx)
picTs. 3.700 fc'ct. at $16 5,^,j(xj
Docks at jfars and hridj^cs So.ooo
Koad alonj,'^ canal. 10 miles io.(xxj
4 railroad hrid^'-es. stipcrstriK-ttirc Sso.otx)
piers and abutments 60,000
1 lO.OOlJ
3 liij,dnvay bridjj^es. superstructure $27,000
piers and abutments 23,000
5o,o(X)
Cluard j,rate at north end 61 ,(xx)
IClectric 1 Mant.
Lamps and wiring'- $8.o(X)
Power house, euf^ines, etc lo.^oo
1 )vnani( is 3.000
Conductor, 18 miles 42.000
7 bridge motors iH.cxxd
81.500
Land damages, i .600 acres at $50 Ho.ooo
luigineering and contingencies, 10 per cent 501.784
$5.5i().62(;
THE LVCOME.
The tolls being placed at the proposed rate of three cents i)er
registered ton. would amount to $660,000 for the 22.cxx),ooo tons
assumed to pass thnntgh the canal.
Toll on 22,000,000 tons, at 3c $660,000
Interest on $8,000,000 bonds at 5 per cent $400,000
( )perating expenses 50,000
Maintenance 50,000
500,000
Net income . .' $160,000
Equal to 8. per cent on $2,000,000, the amount of the Canal
Company's capital stock.
19
COM I 'A Ri: I) WITH ()THi:r f.wAi.s.
rill- St. Clair and ICric Shi)) Canal will he 72 firt \vi<U' on the
IxittDin. Tlu- si(k' slopes 2 Ut 1, makiii;^ the water surface 156
feet, with a depth of Ji feet. There will he a heriue .^ feet wide
five feet alxtve the water, and the upper slopes will he I 1-2 to 1.
Turnouts or "(iars" will he provided, hesides ample spaee at each
end. h'or the pur])ose of comparison the follow inj.j data in regard
to some other important canals is jjiven:
The Suez Canal is KS miles lonjr. havinj.j a depth of j6 feet.
The width at hottoin is 72 feet, and side slopes of 2 to I. Its
cost was nearly 'l.4(xj.txx) per mile. The tolls in 1HX5 were
reduce<l to $i.(>c) per ton.
The L'orinth Canal is 37 miles lonjf, with a hottom width of 72
feet, and a depth of 26 1-4 feet, and cost .S4.{)57,(xx) per mile.
The .\ortli Sea and I'laltic Canal has a lenjj^th of 61 1-2 miles
(I its prism is such that a war vessel havinj.^ a width of 7 J feet
d drawinjj^ 26 feet can safely pass throuj.jli. It cost $f) 10.^)88
])er mile.
The N'orth Holland Canal is 16 miles lonjj. with a depth of 23
feet. It has a hottom width of Hi) feet and at the surface 1S7
feet. It cost nearly $i.cxxj.o<xi per mile.
The Manchester Canal ccjst ahout $i.,^o(J,cxxj per mile, and is
35 1-2 miles long, with a depth of 26 feet and a hottom width «tf
120 feet.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal is 20 feet in depth, with a
hottom width of 96 feet and top width of 150 feet. Ahove water
the slopes are 1 1-2 to i. It is 31 1-2 miles lonjj;^ and cost ahout
$445,000 a mile.
In iHijo the cost of maintenance and operation of the St. .Mary's
I'alls Canal was $45,417.
RAIMD IXCRKASK I\ TOX.XACiK AXI) CMS TO COM-
MERCE.
an
an
Every increase in the depth of channels has been followed hy
a corresponding increase in the Lake tonnage. As Lake craft
always load to the last possible inch over the shoals, all vessels
built during the time the improvement cjf channels is going on.
■HOM
•20
arc calciilati'<l in sucli diim'nsioiis as to avail tlninsflvcs ol tlii"
(k'C'por water, so that every increase in the (lc])th of tiic channels
has been followed hy a proportionate increase in the tonnajije,
and thonf»h the nninher of vessels registered is not nuich jjfreater
than it was twenty years a<,^o, the totniaiie has lary'ely increased,
as the channels have been j^radnally deepened from (S feet to (>,
IJ. 14 and now K) feet. When, therefore, the 21-foot deep water
channel is completed, the increase will be more raj. id than durinj^"
past years.
'rhron,!.;h the I )etroit River passes almost the entire traffic of
the lakes, the only notable e,\cei)tion b.'inj^- that between Lake
Superior and the ports on Lake .Michi,y;an. In iS()() the tonnajj^e
retfisterec
1 at .\
merican ])orts passing' throu
h the Detroit River
both ways was Ji .r)K4.(X)() tons, in iSc)^ it was J^.oi)!.''^!^") tons,
and in 1X1)3 26. iO^.och) tons. In i(S()(j this will ci'rtainb increase
to _?().( )(X).( XX) tons.
( )f this tonnage about one-tenth enti-rs and clears at ihe ])ort
of l)(.'troit. so tliat it will be well within bounds to assumi' that
2().(xx),(H)() t; ns will prefer to pass tlu-oujuh the canal, rather than
take the difficult and danj^crous mute throui^h tiie river, liut
the additional tri]) whicli the use of the canal will allow will add
about ten ])er cent to this tonnaiie. and as the canal can be coni-
l)leted and in operation within two years from the time the work-
is connnenced. we may safel\ estimate that the registered toii-
naiL^e which will then pass throuj^h the canal will amount to at
least 22.ooo.O(X) tons.
.\s the carr\ iiu
ca
pacily of the lakt' steaim-rs is jj^enerally liftv
percent, in excess of thi'ir re,L;istered tonna^^v, and as on the other
hand the up loads are lighter than the down, it will be fair to
assume that tlu' freight in l>otli directions is e(|ual to the les^is-
tered tomiaj.;e. The average freit^lit charj^es amount to nine-
tenths of a mill per t<in-mile; therefore the frei}.;ht charj:;es on
22,cxx).cxx) tons carried a distance of T<) miles — the distance saved
l)V
takin
y the canal route
-W(
)uld amount to $i.5()4.2cx). At
three cents per re.Ljistered ton — the conteni])lated canal toll — the
amount to be paid on the 22,000.000 tons would be $660,000.
Deductinj.;- this fnwn the savinj;" made in freiijht charges on the
79 miles shorter distance, the net jjain to the vessels usiny the
canal would be $(kH--0(' ^^^r tli^' season, or in tabular form:
•21
l''rt'ijj^Iit charpi'c's on jj,(X)0.oo() urns for ~<) niik's. at o- 1<>
mill per ton-iiiilc $1 ,5(')4.j(X)
Toll oil 22,(XT(i.o<x) tons, at ,^c. pi-r ton (W'O.txx)
W't
savinti for the season to vessels nsinu' eana
1.
.SiK)4.^(K)
'i'o this nnist he added tlie protlt on tiie extra trip they will he
enabled to make.
The indneement, therefore, offered to vessels nsiiiL;- the eanal is
not only the avoidance of the dan,t;erons navi,y;ation of the Detroit
River, and a reduction in insurance rates, hut an actual cash
honus.
Till-: CANAL A WIX'Tl-.K RI-.ITCI-
Durini;- the winter months, lake vessels have to la\ up in M)me
convenient harl)or, where they will not he disturbed b\ storms
or runninji' ice. .\umbers of them moor to the piers at Detroit,
and often, after the river has been covered witli ice for weeks, a
thaw and a storm cominj;" toi^ether the ice is l)nrken it]), and,
crashing,'' alonj.;; with the current, does serious injiu'\ to tluin.
The canal will make an ideal refuse, as vessels could la\ up
aloui;" its whole len,!.^th entriely i)roti'Cteil from storms, and the
closing;' of the t^uard s^ate at the upper end would prevent all
injur\ from running;- ice.
Near such a wiiUer harbor as the can.al will afford, a ship vard
and dry dock should be built, the ni'arest one at preseiU beiuji;" at
Detroit. This would also Ite
■reat benetit to vi'ssels at
seasons, as in case of accidi'ut repairs c(juld bi' made with the K'ast
(leti'Utiou, since vessels would nut rcMpiire ti
to reac
h tl
U' \anls and (ir\ doc
^uch d
iiUt
ck
thiir course
could
\)v con-
structed \i'r\ easib on the h w lands bordering; on j.aki' .^t. I lair
at a minimum cost.
A.^ .\ TU.\.\SIT;:K' \.\I) Ct ) \LI\(i STATh )\.
jo the i n habit ai Us of the I'l'u insula tliis canal wi mid be a j;ieat
boon, brin]H"in,i;', as it would, water tr.ansportation to iluir do ir>,
and purchasers for all sorts of L^'irden ami farm pro(hu-e.
.Maimfaclories would also be estal)lishe<l at the points of rail-
road connt'ction, where du'\ could a\ail tlu'Uiselvi's ot both lanil
m^mmm
00
and water transportation, and liave every advantaj^e in freight
rates. The transfer of freiji^lit to and from vessels and cars would
he made at a minimum of lahor and cost. lUit as a coaling sta-
tion the advantaj^es of this canal would l)e pre-eminent. The coal
ports on the south side of Lake ICrie, Cleveland, Ashtahula. and
others, are hut little over fifty miles from the canal, and coal could
he delivered for nuich less than at Detroit. In fact, if proper
freija^ht hoats were constructed, coal trains could he transported
without hreaking hulk, and could be unloaded directly on the
canal wharves.
The throujjh-freifjht steamers generally take on coal at lUiffalo
for the whole trip, on account of cheapness, and because there is
no intermediate port where they can conveniently coal. lUit as
soon as the pro|)er coal boats were built they need only take ])art
of their coal at I'.uffalo. and complete the su])])ly at the canal, thus
leavinjj;' space for more frei}i;ht. ( )n account also of these facilities
the canal docks would be the transfer station for all the coal used
in a lar.i^e portion of Canada.
Recent developments seem to show that both oil and j^as will
be found alou]"- the line of the canal, which would make it a very
desirable place for manufactories.
h:LI-:CTRICALLV LK iHTKl).
The canal approaches will be easy of access. At the north end
the dredj^ing- in Lake St. Clair will be i,on feet wide at the outer
end. and this approach will be well buoyed and lijuiited at \Ui^\\i
by electricity. At the south end there will be a harbor of refu<;e
on Lake h'rie. the entrance to which will be joo feet wide, with
an ample basin for waitinjj or delayed vessels. Tlie whole lenj^nh
of the canal will be electricall\' lijj^hted with arc lamps, so that
passage by night will be easy as by day. .\t the outer end of each
entrance there will be a lighthouse.
Al)\AXTA(ih:T() CA.XADA l-RO.M A MlLl'rAR^■ I'OLXr
()1< Xll'AV.
liesides the conjmercial advantages above enumerated, tiiis
canal would be of great strate.8[ic importance to Canada in case of
war. From the ocean to Lake Eric the canals and locks are en-
•23
tircly within Canadian territory, so that ji^unlioats could easily be
run up to that lake, and as the treaty of (ilient only permitted one
liritish and one American ifunhoat to be constructed or used on
the Lakes, tliere would be nothing to ()])pose them. I'.ut a l)arge
sunk at the Lime Kiln crossing in the Detroit River, or at other
ixtints where the channel narrows, would bar the passage from
Lake Erie, whilst if this canal were constructed, they could easily
reach Detroit and the upper lake cities. Also in case of the desire
to transi)ort troo])s for active service in the Western Canadian
Provinces, the American (lovemment could refuse to allow Cana-
dian or Uritish troops to be transported, as they did at the time of
the Riel rebellion, when Canadian troops were not permitted to
pass through the American canal at the Sault Ste. Marie.
A LINK I.\ THI'XIIAI.X.
l'"or many years those interested in the navigation of the Lakes
have worked for a deep water channel through the Lakes to the
ocean. .Many meetings have been held an<l a society formed to
further this ])roject. and now it is
:ed that only two or
complete the 2 1 -foot
iounc(
three obstructions have yet to be removc(
channel through the Lakes. The importance of this work is seen
when the probable increase in the carrying capacity of the lake
fleet is considered. It is stated b\ competent authority that while
a vessel drawing 14 feet can carry from 2,5(10 to 3,(xx) tons, if it
drew 20 feet it could carry from -1.5(K) tt
,(XK) tons.
All
\essels
built within the past few years have been constructed with a liigli
freeboard, so that when the deep water channel is comi)leted they
can take advantage of it and deei)en their draft, l-reight charges
can then be materiallv reduced and still leave a good jjrotit to the
earner.
This canal will be a very important link in this chain, giving.
as it does, a short, straight channel from Lake St. Clair to Lake
l'".rie, while no matter how much mone\ and time is expended on
the improvement of the Detroit River, that will always be a long,
crookeil and dangerous
route, beset with shoals, not onl\ in die
river, biU also in the west end of Lake l""rie, where many miles
have to be covered before open water and clear sailing is reached.
24
(iROWTH Ol" CANADIAN' a)MMI':KCK.
Attention has of late been called to the valley of the Red River
of the North, and the jj:reat Northwest, where the soil and climate
seeni admirably adai^ted to the growth of the hard wheat, now
preferred in the modern "roller process" of millinj;.
in his address at the Cleveland meetinj,^ of the Dee]) Water
Convention. Mr. Jas. iMsher. M. \\ T., of Manitoba, said:
"1 come from a Province in the Northwest of which, perhaps,
the people here know very little, but it is unsurpassed in the wide
world for richness of soil, for the luxuriance of its grasses, for the
beef it produces, and for its wheat. We have the land of the
britjhtest sunshine and the most deliij^htful climate. It is cold
u]) there, but we tlon't feel it. ( )ur wheat fields extend a thou-
sand miles bevond our Province and i.2(x:) miles beyond the city
of Wimiipe^"."
This j^reat country was only opened u]) for settlement by tlu'
construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and yet in i(S()4 it
exported 30.(X)0,ooo bushels of wheat and the same amount of
other crops. The natural outlet of this jjfreat wheat belt is by
rail to Port Arthur, and thence by steamer direct to Montreal.
l)Ut now most of this i)r()duce j^oes by the way of Duluth and
I'uffalo to New York, 600 miles further froni Liverpool. I'y
the latter route the ^nuu has to be handled four or five times,
.->o that of the cost of shipment from Duluth to Liverpool about
i>ue-half is paid between lUiffalo and New N'ork. This canal is
a very important link in the direct route, and when constructed a
Canadian Heet can be loaded with the produce of that ^reat
Northwest territory at Port .Arthur, and carr\ it directly throujLih
to Montreal without leavinj;' Canadian watt'rs, and the farnuT
would receive the difference in frei.n'ht charj^es, for the price lie
i^ets is the Liverpool price less the cost of trau'-port. Lven now
this canal would be of j^reat benefit to C'anadiau shipping;', for
nearly all such vessels have to pass throu,y;h tlie Detroit River,
there beiuL;- only two or three lines of a few steamers on the
Cpper Lakes.
AS A CAR FKRRY ROIJTK.
al.
and
•y
IC'S.
lilt
is
.1 a
•oal
ut;li
lUT
lu-
ll i\\
f. )r
Vt-T,
tlu'
There are many points on opposite sides of the lakes where
railroad lines converge, where the distance across is much
shorter and easier than following the railroad lines around the
shore. Steamer lines have been established at many of these
points to transport passengers and perishable freight, but the
cost of unloading and loading heavy freight is more than the
saving in railroad rates.
Of late years, however, car ferries have been put on some of
these routes, so that all freight can be transported without break-
ing bulk, and passengers do not have to change cars.
The first of these lines was established about ihirty years ago,
at Detroit, and in winter the ferries force a passage through the
ice without very much detention.
Then a line was put on at the Straits of Mackinac, where they
are about five miles wide. Generally the winter crossing is
regularly made, but in exceptional seasons the ice is broken up
by the wind and the cakes so piled on each other that for a time-
no boat can force its way through.
Later lines were established on Lake Michigan, and although
they often have great difficulty in forcing their way through the
ice floes, which are moved by the wind from one part of the lake
to another, they have been (juite successful.
Last year a line was established on Lake Ivrie, from Port
Dover, Canada, to ports on the south shore. This line is located
too far east, and, .so far, has had little success as a winter route.
The more westerly portion of the lake is, however, admirably
adapted for a car ferry route. For the first ,^o miles east of the
Detroit river the lake is shoal and studded with islands Beyond
this it is over 50 miles wide, and much deeper. The ice floes,
which are formed in shallow water and carried out into the open
lake by the wind, are driven l)y an easterly wind to and among
the islands, and held fast, so that when the wind changes to the
west only so much of the ice as can break away from the islands
is carried into the open lake. As the ])revailing winds during
the winter are westerly, there is almost always oiieii water for
many miles east of the islands, and the great bulk of the ice is
forced into the narrower eastern end of the lake.
Thus a winter passage across this jwrtion of the lake is very
feasible, as it would be only necessar\' to keep an open passage
through the shore ice. A car ferry, therefore, between, say
Cleveland and the canal, would make the passage almost as easily
in winter as in summer.
r^
25
KKi'oRT oi.-ciiiKi.- I':\(;i\i.:kk.
St Ci.air axd Krik Ship C \ai.
'I'o the IVfsident and Directors
St. Clair and l-ric Sliip (.'anal.
jannary i^tli, i,S(/).
(icntlcnion:
Fifty u.a,sa«„ vc.sds „„ ,|,, i,,K-.s „,,, .,„,„ „„, ,„„ „„.,.,,
•■< f-. .In,f,. s„ ,l,a, „,,, ,,a,| li„u. ,n,„l,U. i„ passing- ,l,n,„„l,
' ': ""■" '■""""■""« l-'^-^' I-:'-"- »i.l. Ih. .„.|,c.r laK.s. Sailin,.
.« Is uc-a. s„„K.„„K.s .u-arlv a „„„„l, ,„aki„,. „,.. ,„„ ,,.,„„
I."tfal„ „, I Incasfu, a,„l sU.aMUTs ..fu-n i™ ,lavs ,„■ ,„.„■, 1,,,, i,
;;;»-■- Into a. o,,,,,,..,i,„,,H,, ,,,,„,,,,,,,, ;,,,,^^.,,^_,,;
<)i tlU' lony;- trip. '
Then i;uftdo.acvdand.anclI).tr..it were little nn.^^
a«cs, an.l Unca,., only a nnlitary post, the first fnrrous uere
e^,, tnrne n, the fe^
\\u Ith of Lake Supenor ha<l just eon,e to ti,e li.^ht
W.th the „K-rease in population and trade, hu-.^er vessels uere
"-^ -1 the ,.n.rnnK.n w^^^^
clumnels so that they eould he use.l hy lar.^er eraft.
Dkki'Knixc; the Channki.s.
In ,1k. „„,,cr lala, ,1,0 fi,., i,,,,,,-....,,,.,,, ,„a,U. „as ,1,. ,.a„al a,
N,,l, Mc. Ma,-,., wll.cl, was c,.„s,n,ac- a,-co„, |a,.. ,1,,
l..s,-f;,-„w, ,,«.„,. „a,U. „f |.a|,, s„,K.ri,„-. a,„l „1k.„ ,I„. 1„,|,-,
«-.,,,a,l.„„lM,,c,..o„r.lu^
demands for icx) vears.
nm soon with "increased trade came the den.an.l for deeper
nm.and .5y-rsa^oalookuasopene.Iu.ith .3 fc'ct on the
"Htu sdl. whK-h soon was found too small for the traffic, and now
SI
20
tlu- Lrovcrnnicnt is cnnstructin}^ tlic larjji'St lock in tin- world, 800
fci't hnVfi, UK) k'ft wide, and 2\ fct-t ovor tlu- mitre sill, and this
depth will 1)0 carried through the whole len<^th of the St. Mary's
River. ( )n the Canadian side, that ^•overninent has constructed
a canal with a lock only excelled in size by the one above men-
tioned.
The same method has been pursued in other rivers. 'Hie St.
Clair del)ouches into the lake of the same name through six out-
lets, forniin^^ a Delta called " The I'lats." The .\orth Chaimel was
used formerly, beinjjf the deepest, havinj.;^ about H feet over the
bar; but 40 years ajLjo the j^jfovernment made a cut 1 1 feet in
depth acros.s the bar at the South I 'ass. and 20 years after another
with 13 feet, which in the past decade has been deepened to 15
feet.
lyAKK St. Cl.mr and Detroit River.
Lake St. Clair is a tlat. shallow pond, not exceediu};- 4 fathoms
in depth in any part, but the water is rather better on the eastern
than on the western side. Where its waters enter the Detroit
River is an extensive shoal with not more than 14 feet over it.
Thence the river — 28 miles louf — is t^enerally wide and deep, but
in parts .studded with islands, and the chatme! is so tortuous, that
the aptly a])propriate Indian name for Detroit, "the place where
one is turned about." is appreciated by a navi.ij^ator, or bv one
who notices that the citv is north of C
anada. an(
1 that a western
bound train parallels for a considerable distance the course of a
steamer for lUilifalo. .\'ear the entrance to Lake
'.ne is a rockv
ledf^e forming;- what are known as I'.allard's Reef and the Lime
Kiln ("rossiuiL:;. Here formerlv there was about 11 feet of water,
but now the jn'overnment has cut a channel over 4(M) feet wide and
21 feet deep; unfortunately this cut has a bend at each end.
and as the current here is considerably faster than in the deeper
reaches, vessels have i^reat difficulty in k'^epin,!:;' clear of the rocky
sides, lieyoud this cut, at the entrance to Lake l'"rie, are the l>ar
I'oint shoals, nnich dreaded by navij^ators. The western end of
Lake ICrie contains many islands, near and amont;" which are
shoals, the last one on our jjro.y'ress east beinjjf between I'oint
I'elee and an island of the sanu' name, and throu.Q;h this i)assa,u:e
all the eastern bountl vessels have to pass.
27
St. Clair and Kkik Shii' Canai,
X
(iw, It IS to avoid a
II tl
K- (lanu'tTs ot tins route, as woll as to
shorten the (hstancc. that the St. Clair and I'.rie Ship Lanal is
projected. Starting' from the southeastern corner of Lake St.
Clair, it crosses the peninsula and enters Lake ICrie 26 miles east
of I'oint IVlee, the last of the <lanj.;^ers on the route ahove de-
scribed, and it has a lenj^^th oi only a little over i^^ miles, h'rom
the end of the cut at the l'"lats throuj;h the lake, the Detroit Kiver
and the western end of Lake ICrie to a pt)int opposite the canal
entrance is i i 1 miles, while from the same startins;' ixjint a
straii^dit course is taken throuja^h Lake St. C"lair and the canal to
Lake h>ie. 32 miles, a savinq' in distance of 7<) miles. As steam-
ers have to run under check throujj;-h part of the river, the fastest
cannot averaj^e over ten miles an hour, and as they would make
about five miles an hour throuj.i[h the canal, the savin.y in time for
the fast steamers would be six and a half hotu's, or thirteen hours
for the roun<l trip.
( )f course this canal has been thou|Lrht of for many years, biU
beiii}^ entirely within Canadian territory the I'nited States |l;o\-
ernment could not construct it, and until now no private parties
have considered it worth while, probably because it has never
been properly presented.
Construction.
lu'^^
l''rom an eug'ineer's standpoint the construction of this canal
is verv sini])le. l'"or two miles from Lake .St. C'lriir the t^round
is low and wet, thence; there is a j^nidual rise to the banks of Lake
I'j-ie. which are aboiU 50 fi'ct hii^h. Hack of this bank is a narrow
sand rid}.;e about 10 to 15 fi'et hit;her. Tlie material is a stitT
blue clav, the rock beiny from 40 to (So feet below the canal bot-
tom. That this clay will, stand well in the banks is evidenced b\
the first cut at the h'lats, the sides of which were left without an\
attempt to sloi)e them — which was intended to be done the fol-
lowing' year, but the ai)propriation was vetoed — and yet to-day
they seem but little chanj^ed, except where they have been struck
by passinj^ vessels. The banks at Lake Erie also stand like a
rock escarpment, steep and firm. As the waves undermine the
•is
hank, almost vertical tnasses split off and fall on tlu- tains. wluTc
tliev arc reduced by the waves.
The dififercnce of level between the lakes beinjj;" only three feet,
no lock will be re(|uired. as the current will not be more than is
needed to keep the bottom clear. .\ j^niard jLjate at the uppi'r end
is called for by the charter. .\ harbor will also be constructed at
the Lake ICrie end, which will be a harbor of refnj^e. lonj^ desired
by vessels navi.y'atin.i; that part of the lake, and where the\ can
safely lie after passinj^ throuj^h the canal, in case of severe storms.
I^nir railroads cross the line of the canal and drawbridtjfes will
have to be built, and also 2 or 3 to acconnnodate connnon roads.
The canal will be lij.,dited throughout by electricity and the
l)ridjj;-es worked by the same power.
The country throuj,di which the canal ])asses is very fertile, and
with ji^ood drainaj^e could be made a perfect s^arden : but because
of the slope to the north all the drains. eNce])t for a short distance
from Lake Lrie. have to eni])ty into Lake St. Clair; and a rise in
that lake makes back-water in the drains for a considerable dis-
tance, while this canal will ^\\c them an outlet in Lake hj-ie,
three feet below Lake .St. Clair.
The Cax.vl a Nkck.ssitv.
Will vessels use the ca.nal when completed? It seems to nie
that they nuist, for the followinj^- reasons:
1st. Avoidinjj dani^er.
The course from the end of the cut at the I'lats contimies on a
direct line throujj^h the canal to Lake Ev'w. and can be sailed with
perfect safety by nij.;ht or day. .\o storms on Lake .St. Clair can
trouble larj^e vessels, and in case of bad weatlu-r they can lie in
perfect safety in the h.arbor at the Lake l-lrie end. ( )n the other
hand, the Detroit Kiver route is tortus uis and danj.jerous. .\s a
full load means a larj;er percenta^-e of profit than a partial one,
all vessels are loaded to the last inch they can carry over the
.shoals, the chance bein^ taken that they will be able to pidl
throufj^h. Often, lK)wever. they are cauj'ht. and in the months
of .September and ( )ctober last i)ast 38 steamers and vessels
grounded on the shoals on this route, being- detained from several
I
I
20
11'.'
u
ith
■;ui
in
icr
■; a
IR'.
the
lull
Itlis
Ids
Iral
hours to OIK- or more days, and many of thcni Iiad to ijo into (lr\
dock for repairs. I'hc danj^crons cliaracter of this route is also
evidenced hy tlie fact that the 13 hj^ht-ships and lij^i^hthouses and
the 15 ranjj^e hj^jhts are not considered hy navi.i,^ators sufficient to
render it safe, and several more are projected and in ])roiTss of
construction.
Jiid. ( lain in time.
Xot\vithstan(hnj.j the fact tliat steamers caimot he allowed to
iio at over half speed through the canal, there will he a i^ain of
from 13 to 20 hours in the round trip, according to the speed of
the hoat. 'i'his means in all cases one additional trip in the sea-
s<in. and in some instances two. The net profit of a round trip
ranjj^es from $1,000 to $3,000, accordinjj^ to the load and rates.
3rd. I )irect jji'ain.
The re!4istere<l tonnaj^e passing;' throujuh the Detroit Kivi'r the
past .season was 26,i65,0(XJ tons. ( )f this less than 10 ])er cent
entered and cleared at the port of Detroit, the rest heinti" throuji^h
tratitic between the U])per lakes and Lake l'>ie ports. As the jjfain
of one or two trips a season would add nearly 10 per cent to the
tonnajj^e jjassinjj;' Detroit, or say j,cxxj.(xxj tons, and as there will
he a certain increase before the canal is finished, it is safe to say
that 22.o(X).ooo rej^istered tons will pass throut^h the canal in
a season. This does not include the Canadian tonnage.
.\s lake vessels, when loaded, carry about 50 j)er cent more
than their rej^jistered tonnage, we can consideV the above tonnaj;e
as the amount of frei}.,dit carried, and as the saving of distance
was shown to be about 79 mik's. the ton miles saved would be
1 .73S.(XX),ooo. The avera,y;e freijLj;ht rate on the lakes is estimated
at o.<j mill per ton-mile: this would j^ive the .^loss amount save<l
$l,564,2(XJ. lUit if the tolls are placed at three cents a ton, then
on the above toimaj^e they would amount to $66o,<xx). rakinj.j;
this from the jji'ross savinjj^ above, we have S<>o4--'^' 'i^ the net
savinjj;' for the sea.son, app(jrtioned pro rata anionjj;' the different
vessels. To this must be added the profit on the e.xtra trij), or
trips, given in the last section, so that there would seem to be a
strong financial inducement to use the canal, liesides, the insur-
ce rates on such vessels would doubtless be lowered, as those
an
m
coinpaiiii's would savt- the losses on tin- shoals of tlu" Detroit
Kivtr route.
"In these times of close eompetitiou the slij^litest ehaiij^e in the
cost of transi)ortation may revolutionize trade.'
Fl'TlRE OK THK CaN.\L.
The eonmieree of the ( ireat Lakes has increased with wonder-
ful rapidity in the past few years, (ieneral ( ). .\1. I'oe. in a rejjort
on the deep water channel in iS()i, speakinj.,^ of this c<»mmerce.
says: "( live it a chamiel practicall\- na\i}4ai)le on a ilraft of jo
feet, and it needs no prophet to ])re(lict a wonderful j^rowth, but
only a prophet could tell its de^jfree. I'or nearly .^5 years 1 liave
watched this increase, hut neither I, nor anyone else within my
knowlediji^e, has been able to expand in ideas at the same rate.
The wildest expectations of one year seem absurdly tame the
next."
i'his is largely due to the growth of the (ireat West, but more
to the improvement in the connectin.i; rivers.
h'very increase in depth has been followed by a ^reat increase
in toiuiaj4;e and the ccjustruction of larj^er vessels. .Nearly all of
the newer craft rival ocean vessels in size. A four hundred-footer
is no longer a wonder, for a larjj^e number are now far beyond
that mark. In the past ten years the re,tjistered toimajje ])assinj.j
throuj^'h the Detroit River has increased over 44 per cent, and if
("on^'ress does not withhold the appro])riations, in two or three
years the Dee]) Water Channel of 21 feet will be completed.
This will j^ive a ji^reat impetus to vessel buildinjj^, and it would
hardly be a.stonishin^-. in view of the past, if ten years hence 40,-
(xx),(xx) registered tons were passin}.^ Detroit either throuj.,di the
river or the canal.
The maj^nitude of the lake commerce is almost unknown, even
to those luost interested. The ton-mileajj^e of the lakes is over
one-(|uartcr of the ton-mileage ol all the railroads of the L'nited
States. The tonnaj.je of the lakes is one-third the amount of all
the other tonnage of the United States, both coastwise on both
sides of the continent, and foreign. The amount passing through
the Detroit River in the season of 8 months is between three and
four tiiues greater than that passing through the Suez Canal in
if
J
le
11
:r
k\
in
HKETen or THE
Detroit river passage
STCUIR^^oERiESHIPCAf
^ ^ N, H._Th(" (lotted MneK rHows route of v
0"'
pi'
^-;
-^ \
H
SKETCH OFTBfi
\ >
\ 1
^
FROIT RIVER P>\SSAGE
^iR'*o Erie Ship Canal
(loltfd lines shown rouU' of vpkkcIs
15'
V
^
^
^
^
^%
%
•:.\'
31
the whole year. It is {h)uhle the entrances and clearances of the
port of New York, and exceeds the combined entrances and clear-
ances of the ports of Liverpool and London.
1 will not repeat my estimates of cost here — sufifice to sav that
I consider them ample for the proper construction of the canal,
and that the gross income of $660,000 given above will pav the
interest on the $8,000,000 bonds, or $400,000, allow $100,000 for
maintenance and repairs, and leave a net income of $160,000 a
year. 1 am,
Yours respectfully,
D. FARRAXD HEXRY,
Member Am. Soc. C. E.,
Chief Engineer.
82
REPORT OF CONSTRUCTING ENGINEER.
Report of John Bogart, C E.
Member Atnerican Society of Civil Engineers, etc.
November ist, 1895.
JOHN BOGART,
Civil Engineer.
50 Wall St., New York.
In accordance witli our recjuest, I have visited and inspected
the location of the proposed St. Clair and Erie Ship Canal for
conecting Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair. I was accompanied by
Henry A. Olney, Es{|., and D. l-'arrand Henry, Es(|., C. E. With
nie also was Herbert Stewart. Es(|., the well-known c<jntractor for
large public works. I beg now to transmit my report.
This canal, when l)uilt, will connect the deep waters of Lake St.
Clair and Lake Erie, and vessel§ using it will avoid the naviga-
tion of a part of Lake St. Clair, of all of the Detroit River which
conects Lake St. Clair with Lake Erie, and a considerable portion
of the western end of Lake Erie. The great water traffic between
the h'ar West and tide-water must all pass this point. The trafSc
between Duluth at the extreme western end of Lake Superior,
which is also the extreme western end of the traffic of the naviga-
ble waters of the great .\nierican Lakes, finds its finst obstruction
to dee]) water navigation at the rapids of Sault Ste. Marie, which
connect Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Here, however, the
governments of the L'nited States and of Canada have provided
three great locks, one on the southern shore and t)ne on the
northern already finished and in use. and another of extraordi-
nary size on the southern shore, which will be in operation the
next season. After i)assing the locks at Sault Ste. Marie there
are, in the St. .Mary's River and before entering Lake Huron,
three points where the L'nited States government has now in
progress works which give 21 feet depth of water of ample
width for navigation. There is then no obstacle to navigation
until the foot of Lake Huron is reached.
33
Lake traffic.
The traffic from Chicago, Milwaukee and other ports on Lake
Michigan, enters Lake Huron at its northwestern i.-nd. and has no
obstacle in the width or depth of water until reaching the foot of
Lake Huron. The connection between Lake Huron and Lake
St. Clair is at the St. Clair River, and in this river there is one
point where the Cnited States government is now dredging to
secure a depth of 21 feet to a width of 2,400 feet. There is then
at the foot of St. Clair River and head of Lake St. Clair a canal
called the "St. Clair Flats Canal," which has a full depth of water
for navigation, the entrances to which have been, and will be,
ke])t in condition by the Cnited States government. Then conies
the navigation in the Detroit River, which is a stream of rapid
current with a bar at the mouth of Detroit River where it enters
Lake l*>ie, work upon which is now in ])rogress by the I'nited
States government, in order to secure a de])th of 21 feet and a
width of 800 feet. I'rom the mtnith of the Detroit River, at the
western end of Lake Erie, the greater portion of the traffic passes
through Lake Erie, either to lUiffalo or the west end of the Wel-
land Canal ; and in the latter case, through the Welland Canal to
Lake Ontario and by the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, Que-
bec, and the tide-water of the Atlantic ( )cean. The traffic which
goes to liuflfalo is there transferred either to railways or to the
boats in the l'>ie Canal, in either case reaching tide-water of the
Atlantic by \ew York or other of the ports of the L'nited States.
Time and Distance Saved.
The proposed canal will shorten the distance for all this traffic
seventy-nine iji)) miles, and will give straight and direct sailing
courses for thirty-two miles in it and in Lake St. Clair, as com-
pared with 1 1 1 u'.iles, the greater portion of which is in a difficult
and tortuous chamiel and the ra])id current of the Detroit River.
The saving in time will thus probably be considerably greater
than the saving in distance. This new channel of commerce
would be available for and valuable to all of the traffic of the ( jreat
Lakes going either easterly or westerly, except that portion which
would have freight for the City of Detroit, or ports on the Detroit
84
River, and the statistics show that not more than ten per cent, of
the total traffic tonches at ports on the Detroit River. In other
words, ninety per cent, of the traffic is through business which
could be more economically carried through the St. Clair and
Erie Ship Canal.
ToK.iAGE Passing Through the Detroit River.
The amount of this lousiness for a series of years since 1880, is
shown by the following statement of the number of vessels ajid
the tonnage, exclusive of Canadian vessels clearing from Can-
adian p> Its, ,:!:ch passed through the Detroit River; this is
compiled tio u !u- oflicial returns of the United States govern-
ment officers:
Year>. V. of Vessels. Registered Tonnage.
1880 ;^\j2i 20,235,249
1881 35,888 17,572,240
1882 35,199 17,872,182
1883 40.385 17,695,174
1884 38,742 18,045.949
1885 34,921 16,777,826
1886 38,261 18,968.065
1887 38,125 18,864,250
1888 31.404 19,099.060
1899 32-415 19.646,000
1890 35,640 21,684.000
1891 34.-25I 22.160.000
1892 33,860 24,785.000
1893 33,165 23,o<;i,889
1894 34,800 26,120,000
This latter is double the entrances and clearances at the Port
of New York, exceeds the combined entrances and clearances of
the great seaports of London and Liverpool, and is about three
times the tonnage passing through the Suez Canal.
The proposed canal will have ample capacity to accommodate
more than this business, and this business is substantially concen-
trated in the months during which the navigation of the canal
35
would be free from ice; in fact, a very small proportion of the
through traffic between the West and the East is carried diiring
the severe winter months, because during those months neither
the Erie Canal nor the Canadian canals can be operated on
account of obstruction bv ice.
No Lockage Necessary.
In this proposed canal there will be no locks. It is intended
that a guard-gate shall be placed at the northern entrance t(j tho
canal as a precaution, but the difference of elevation between
Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie being only three feet there would
be no objectionable current through the length of this canal.
The guard-gate is provided for, however, both for the reason
above stated and in accordance with the law of the Dominion.
It is intended to provide for electric lighting of the entire
length of the canal, so that vessels can pass in either direction,
both day and night; and the width and (le])th give am])le room
for such continuous passage. The capacity to take care of all
possible traffic is undoubted.
The canal lies entirely within the Province of Ontario, Domin-
ion of Canada, and there are therefore no international complica-
tions to be anticipated in connection with its use. I am informed
that the laws which have been enacted in Canada in connection
with this enter])rise provide every safeguard for its uno])structed
use.
Topographical Features.
I have made a careful personal examination along the whole
line of the proposed canal and find that the maps and profiles
submitted by the officers of the comi)any correctly show the
physical features.
The distance between the waters of the two lakes, as shown on
the map and profile, is 70,872 feet, or nearly 13 423-ioooth miles.
The ptans propose dredging in Lake St. Clair 23.700 feet (about
4 488-ioooth miles) in addition to the above. The deep water oi
Lake Erie is- reached 1,740 feet (about 3-ioth mile) from the
shore. The total length of the works of excavatit)n and dredging
will then be about 18 211-ioooth miles.
The land on the hne of the canal is at the level of the water of
the lake at the Lake St. Clair end of the canal. The surface then
rises j^radually and with much regularity to within a short dis-
tance of Lake Erie, where it attains a niaxinnini elevation of
about 60 feet a])(jve the waters of Lake St. Clair. The depth of
the water in the canal beinj^r 21 feet, the maximum depth of
excavation will thus he 81 feet at the highest point, near Lake
Erie. The land terminates at Lake Erie in a high, steep blufT,
which seems to have withstood the elements for many years,
maintaining this steep slope.
The plans propose that the excavated material shall (except at
the extreme ends of the canal) be jiiled on either side of the
excavation in synmietrical embankments. The charter of the
canal ]>ermits the ac(|uirement of land to the width of i.ooo feet.
Witii this width .secured, the length to which the excavated ma-
terial is to be carried is thus fairly defined.
At the Lake l'>ie end of the canal, where, for a short distance,
the excavation is very deep, the Engineer of the canal considers
it might be more economical to load the material into vessels and
dum]i it into deep water, which occurs here not very far from the
shore.
The excavation of al)()Ut 4 miles at the St. Clair end is designed
to be made bv dredging, and the material to be carried out to
dee]) water.
h'our lines of railway cross the line of the proposed canal.
Draw-bridges nuist be provided for each. The maps also show
a num])er of roads crossing the line of the canal. Provision is
made in the estimates for sufficient bridges for these roads.
Proposed Pl.\ns ok Canal.
At the Lake h's'w end the plans show a small harbor, or basin,
1,900 feet long and 600 feet in width, ft)rmed by timber crib work
and end)ankment from the canal excavatic^n.
1 think the canal can be constructed in general accowlance
with the plans presented. They provide for a channel from lake
to lake, with a width at bottom of 72 feet, and a depth of water of
21 feet. The slope of the banks to four feet above the water
line is 2 to i . Above this there is a level berme of 3 feet in width
37
on bf)th sides of the canal, and the excavation is then continued
on n slope of one and one-half horizontal to one vertical, uj) to the
surface of the ground.
T have considered the various items of an estimate of cost for
this con.struction and have included in such estimate land dam-
ajT^es. hridses, both for the railroads and common roads, guard-
gates, bank ])rotection. dredging in both Lake St. Clair and Lake
Erie, a small harbor at the Lake Erie end of the canal, the exca-
vation of the canal, and a reasonable amount for contingencies.
In my opinion the sum of $5,800,000 will construct the canal and
its bridges and i)Ut the work in condition for operation and for
innnediate use by all the commerce of the (Ireat Lakes.
Advantage ok a Direct Course-
The total lengdi of the canal from Lakr> St. Clair to Lake l*>ie
will be 14 miles, and there will be, in addition, 4 miles of dredg-
ing, most of which will be in Lake St. Clair; tlie total length of
the work under consideration is thus 18 miles.
In the use of this artificial channel the vessels will leave the
present course of navigation at a ])oint in Lake St. Clair 18 miles
northerly from the southern shore of that lake, at the point of
entrance into the canal. The distance from this point of depar-
ture from the present course of navigation to a point in Lake
Erie, which is 200 miles from the City of lUiffalo, will be 32
miles. The distance from the same point of departure by way
of Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River and the western jjortion of
Lake Erie to a point also 200 miles from the City of iUiffalo. will
be 1 1 1 miles. The actual saving in distance is therefore, as has
been above .state<l. 7<) miles; but it will also be noted, as has
been indicated above, that the navigation of this 32 miles by way
of the canal, is in a i^erfectly direct, clear and straiglit course;
while the iii miles is through the difticult entrance to the De-
troit River, through its rather crooked channel and then through
the islands at the southern end of Lake l">ie.
Referring more ])articularly to the engineering features of this
undertaking. I have to say iti conclusion, that the i)roject is
entirely feasible, that I believe that the work can be done for
the amount estimated, and that the canal and its approaches, thus
88
constructed, will provide ample, safe a.id cfftrtual means of
transit for eonnnerce. and tl.at the annual cost of maintenance
will be small.
I enclose herewith maps which show the (ireat Lakes and their
connection with tide-water, both through the Dominion of Can-
ada and through the I'nited States, and also the line of the canal,
and of the navigation through the lakes and the Detroit River
which is now ftjllowed.
I have the honor to be,
\ery respectfully.
(Signed) JC)H\ P.OGART.
Consulting Engineer.
il
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An Act 1
WHE
incorpor;
hereinaft
the said
vice and
ada, dec^
I. Tl
"canal c
requires,
of the c
Act;
(a.)
in this i
(b.)
ships,
passing
lakes (
ic.)
wares,
passing
2.
hereb\
3-
Michi
of Or
C. Bi
and (
togetl
pany
poratj
CotnJ
39
An Act to Incorporate the St. Clair and Erie Ship Canal Com-
pany.
WHEREAS, a petition has been presented praying' for the
incorporation of a company for the pnrposes and with the powers
hereinafter set forth, and it is expedient to grant the i)rayer of
the said petition: Therefore Her Majesty, by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Can-
ada, declares and enacts as follows: —
1. The word "canal" wherever used in this Act shall mean
"canal or navigation," and shall, unless the context (Otherwise
requires, include every kind of work necessary or done in respect
of the canal for the purpose of carr\'ing out the objects of this
Act;
(a.) The word "land" wherever used in The Raihavy Act or
in this Act, shall include land covered or partly covered by water;
(b.) The word "vessel" shall mean and include any steam-
ships, boats or craft, barges, boats, rafts, or vessels navigating or
passing through the canal hereby authorized, or l)lying UjKjn the
lakes or rivers connecting therewith ;
(c.) The word "goods" shall mean and include any goods,
wares, merchandise and connnodities of whatsoever description
passing through the canal hereby authorized.
2. The works hereinafter authorized to be constructed are
hereby declared to be works for the general advantage of Canada.
3. I). I''arrand Henry, of the City of Detroit, in the State of
Michigan; David Tisdale, of the Town of Sinicoe, in the IVovince
of Ontario; Hervey A. ( )lney. of Tilbury. Ontario. Canada; W.
C. Baxter, of the City of Minneapolis, in the State of .Minnesota;
and C. A. Youmans. of Xeillsville. in the State of Wisconsin:
together with such persons as become shareholders in the Com-
pany hereby incorj^orated, are hereby constituted a body cor-
porate, under the name of "The St. Clair and Erie Ship Canal
Company." hereinafter called "the Company."
40
4- TIh' head office of the Company shall be at the City of
Toronto, in the Province of ( )ntario. or at such other i)lace in
C"ana(la as the Company from time to time by by-law determines.
5. The capital stock of the Company shall be two million
dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, and may
be called up from time to time by the directors as they deem
necessary.
6. The persons named in the third section of this Act shall
be the provisional directors of the Company.
7. So soon as five hundred thousand dollars of the amount of
the capital stock have been subscribed and fifty thousand dollars
on such subscribed stock paid into one of the chartered banks in
Canada, the provisional directors or a majority of them shall
call a jj^eneral meetinj,^ of the shareholders to be held at the said
City of Toronto or at such other i)lace in Canada as the pro-
visional directors calling such meeting determine, for the ])ur-
pose of electing the first directors of the Company and of trans-
acting any other business that may ])e done at a shareholders'
meeting; and notice in writing signetl by or on behalf of the
provisional directors or a majority of them calling such meeting,
of the date and i)Iace of holding the same, mailed, postage ])re-
])aid. to the post office address of each shareholder not less than
ten days previous to the calling of such meeting, shall be deemed
sufficient notice of such meeting.
8. The Company may —
((/.) Lay out. construct, maintain and o])erate a canal from
some point on Lake St. Clair, in the Township of \orth Tilbury,
in the County of Essex, or in the Tovvnshi]) of luist Tilbury or
of West Dover, in the County of Kent, to some point on Lake
Erie between Point Pelee and Rondeau Marbor. of such dimen-
sions as to make and con.stitute a navigable channel of any depth
not less than eighteen feet and of any width not less than seventy-
two feet at the bottom of the said channel;
(b.) Construct, erect, maintain, and o])erate by anv kind of
motive power all such locks, dams, tcnv paths, branches, basins.
feeders to sui)ply water from the said lakes, or from any rivers,
creeks, reservoirs, cuttings, apparatus, appliances and machinery
41
as may he (Icsirahlc or necessary for tlie construction and opera-
tion of the said canal ;
(c.) I*2nte» upon and tal<e such lands as are necessary and
projjcr for the niakinja:. preserving?, and niaintainini?. and operat-
inj,'' and usin^- the canal and other works of the Company herehy
authcrized; dij;", cut. trench, jifet. remove, take, carry away, and
lay earth, clay, stone, soil, ruhhish. trees, roots of trees, heds of
j^ravel. or sand or any other matters or thiufjs which mav hi- duj;-
or got in making- the said intended canal and other works, on or
out of the lands or grounds of any person or ])ersons adjoining
or lying convenient thereto, and which may be proper, recpusite.
or necessary for making or repairing the said intended canal or
the works incidental or relative thereto, or which may hinder,
prevent, or obstruct the making, using or completing, extending
or mantaining the same, respectively, according to the intent and
])ur])ose of this Act;
((/.) Make, maintain and alter any places or passages over,
under or through the said canal or its connections;
(c.) ( )l)tain. take and use. during the construction and «tpera-
tion of the said canal, from the rivers, lakes, brooks, streams,
watercourses, reservoirs and other sources of water su])ply adja-
cent or near to said canal, water sufficient for the ])urposes of
constructing, maintaining, operating and using the said canal
and works hereby authorized, and sufficient to establisii and
maintain a current at the rate on the average of three miles ])er
hour through the navigable channel of the canal; and the L'om-
l)any shall in the exercise of the ])owers by this ])aragrai)h
granted do as little damage as possible, and shall make full com-
pensation to all persons interested for all damage by them sus-
tained by reason of the exercise of such powers, and •^ucli dam-
age in case of disagreement shall be settletl in tlie same maimer as
is |)rovided for fixing compensation under the provisions of The
Raikcay .let;
if.) Construct, maintain, and operate by any motive power a
double or single line of iron or of steel railway, of any gauge of
not less than three feet, along or near the side or sides of the sai<l
canal, and construct, maintain and operate branch lines thereof,
connecting all or any of the towns and villages within fifteen miles
!
42
of the said canal in the said Counties ol Essex and Kent with
the said canal ;
(};.) Ac((uire, construct, maintain and operate, use or lease, or
otherwise dispose of. terminals, harbours, wharves, docks. ])iers.
elevators, and warehouses, dry docks and other structures, and
building' and repairing yards, and all works incidental thereto,
upon the said canal or ui)on lands adjoining or near the same;
(//.) Ac{|uire, lay out and lease or otherwise dispose of water
lots and land, and use, lease, sell, or otherwise dispose of water
brought by or for the said canal or works but not re(|uisite for
the same; construct, luaintain and operate works for and ])roduce
hydraulic, electric, natural gas. steam and other power, and sell.
lease, supply and otherwise dispose of light, heat and ])ower from
the same, and ])ropel vessels in and through the said canal by the
same or any kind of force, and sell, lease or otherwise dispose of
the said works or any of them;
(;.) I'urchase, construct, complete, fit out, charter, and repair,
sell, dispose of, work and control vessels to ply on the said canal
and the lakes, rivers, and canals connecting therewith, and also
make arrangements and agreements with vessel ])roprietors by
chartering or otherwise to ply upon the said canal, lakes, rivers
and canals;
(/.) Acc|uire by license, purchase or otherwise, the right to use
any patented invention for the puri)oses of the works hereby
authorized and again dispose of the same;
ik.) Construct, make and do all such matters and tilings what-
soever necessary or proper for the making, comn'-'in' 1 jji-op-
erly maintainitig and o])erating the said c.'i yi"g out
in other respects the objects in tl «IU( . subject,
however, to all the provisions of tli ,cl.
(). The Company may construct, eipiip. < perate and maintain.
telegrai)h and telephone lines and electric bus or wires or pipes
for the ])uri)ose of conveying or transmitting messages, ligli
power or heat along the whole length of the said canal and
approrches and from and between the said 'vuv' and all oi
of the towns and villages in the said counties, and may estabi i
offices for the transmission of messages for the public: and f(jr i e
■ " tf i. -^' H ^ Unj.l^^ I JM ' t . «
48
ut
ct,
in.
)0S
purposes of iTc'ctiuj^ and uorkinfj;^ sucli tck'ifraph and tck'|)liono
lines, the Company may enter into a eontraet or eontraets with
any other company or companies.
lo. With the consent of the municipal council havint; juris-
diction over the roads and streets of any city, town < r inimici-
palit\ , the Company may, hy their servants, a^'ents. or workmen.
enter up( n any ])ul)lic road, hijj^hway, street, bridjj^e, waterct)urse,
navij^ahle or non-navitjable water or other such places in any
city, incorporated town, villajj^e, county, munici])ality or other
place, for the purpose of constructintj, erectinj.^, e(|ui])])injr, work-
inj.j and inaintaininjj their line or lines of telejj^ra])h and telephone
and electric lines or wires upon, alon*';', across, over and luider the
.same: and may erect. e(|uip and maintain such and so many poles
or other works and devices as the Company deem necessary for
tnakinj;, coinpletinj>- and supporting', usin^-, workinjjf and main-
taining^ the .sy.stem of connnunication by tele,t;ra])h and telephone
and electric lines or wires, and may stretch wires and other tele-
j^raphic and telephonic and electric contrivances thereon: and, as
often as the Company, their at^^ents. ofificers or workmen think
])roper. may break up and open any part of the said public roads,
hijj^hvvays. streets, bridj'i'es, watercourses, navitjable and non-navi-
ji^able waters and other like ])laces. subject, however, to the fol-
lowing provisions, that is to say:—
(a.) The Company shall not interfere with the i)ublic rit:;-ht of
travelling" on or using such public roads, higlnva\s, streets,
bridges or watercourses, and other like ])laces. and shall not do
anv unnecessarv damage, nor in any way obstruct tlie entrance
to any door or gateway or free access to any building:
(b.) The Com])any shall not affix any wire less than twenty-
two feet above the surface of the street or road, nor erect more
than one line of jioles along any street or road without the con-
sent of the municipal council having jurisdiction over the roads
or streets of the municipality;
(c.) In all nnmicipalities the poles shall be as nearly as jjossi-
ble .straight and penH-ndicular, and shall, in cities, be ])ainted. if
so re(|uired by any by-law of the council:
((/.) Whcinever, in case of fire, it becomes necessary for its
extinction or in the preservation of property, that the poles or
44
wires should he cut, the cuttinj^ under such circumstances of the
poles or any of the wires of tlie Company, under the direction of
the chief ent:;'ineer or otiier officer in charjife of the fire brij^ade,
shall not entitle the C(jmpany to demand or to claim compensa-
tion for any damage thereby incurred;
(('.) The Company shall be res]M)nsible for all damage which
their agents, servants or workmen cause to individuals or ])roj)-
erty in constructing, carrying out or maintaining any of the said
works in this or the next ]ireceding section authorized;
(/".) The Company shall not cut down or nnitilate any shade,
fruit or ornamental tree ;
(g.) In all munici])alities the opening up of streets for die
erection of poles, or for carrying the wires under ground, shall
be subject to the direction and approval of such engineer or other
official as the council ai)points, and shall be done in such maimer
as the council directs: the council may also direct and designate
the places where the poles are to be erected in such municipality;
and tlie surface of die street shall in all cases be restored as far
as i)ossible to its former condition by and at the expense of the
Company ;
(7i.) Xo Act of I'arliaiiient re(|uiring the Company, in case
efficient means are devised for carrying telegraph or telephone
wires under ground, tn adopt such means, and abrogating the
right given by this section to continue carrying lines on poles
through cities, ttnvns, or incorporated villages, shall be deemed
an infringement of the ])rivileges granted by this Act, and the
Com])aiiy shall not be entitled to damages thcrefo'":
(/.) Xo person shall labour upon tlu' work of erecting or re-
pairing any line or instniment of the Coiii])any. witliout having
conspicuously attached to his dress a medal or badgi- on which
shall l)e legibly inscribed the name of the Company and a number
by which he can be readily identified;
(/'.) Xothing herein contained sliall be deemed to authorize
the Company, their servants, workmen or agents, to enter upon
any private property for the purpose of erecting, maintaining or
reiiairing any i»f tlieir works, without the previous assent of the
owner or occupant of the property for tiie time being;
45
rv-
I I'll
l)Cl'
li/A'
|)on
ov
Itho
(A'.) If in the removal of liuildings. or if in the i)uhhc right
of traveHng on or using any puhhc road, highway or street, it
becomes necessary that the said wires or ])oles be temporarily
removed, it sh-'ll be the duty of the Company, at its own expense,
ujKjn reasonable notice in writing from any person recjuiring the
same, to remove such wires or jjoles, and in default of the Coni-
])any so doing, it shall be lawful for any such person to remove
the same at the expense of the Com])any, doing no unnecessary
damage thereby; such notice may be given at the head office of
the Company or to any agent or ofificer of the Com])any in the
nnmicipality wherein such wires or ptjles are recpiired to be le-
moved, or in the case of a municipality wherein there is no such-
agent or officer of the Company then either at the said head
office or to any agent or officer of the Company in the nearest
or any adjt)ining municipality to that in which such wires or poles
re(|uire to be removed.
11. The Company may enter into arrangements with any
other telegrai)h or telephone company for the exchange and
transmission of messages, or for the working in wliole or in ])art
of the lines of the Company.
12. The Company shall make due ])rovision for, take care and
dispose of, all water and drainage, to tb.e extent to which it dis-
turbs or interferes therewith, whether fn.Jin artificial drain.-;, nat-
ural streams or watercourses, which drains, natural .streams or
watercourses the said canal crosses, touches or interferes with
and which are in existence at the time of the construction of the
said canal.
2. All subsequent ([uestions, dis])utes or comi)laints as to the
construction of new dmins and as to the alteration, enlargement
and change of existing drains and of natural streams or water-
courses, and as to who shall make such alteration, enlargement
and change, ami by whom the expense thereof sh;dl be paid, and
also anv complaint or dispute as to the manner or sufficiency of
the comi)liance with the provisions of the next preceding sub-
section, shall be entpiired into, heard and determined by the
Railway Connnittee of the Privy C"ouncil in the same manner
as is provided for other matters to be encpiired into, heard and
determined bv the said Connnittee under The RailMiy Act.
ISF'3?
mmmmm
46
13. When the Company and the owners or occupants of priv-
vate property entered upon cannot agree as to the compensation
for lands required for the construction or maintenance of any
\v(jrk audiorized under this Act, or for damages to lands injured
thereby, the matter shall be settled in the same manner as is pro-
vided for obtaining title and fixing compensation under The
Raik\.'ay Act so far as the same may be applicable;
2. In this section and in sections eight and ten the expression
"lands" means the lands the ac(|uiring, taking or using of which
is incident to the exercise of the pcjwers given by this Act, and
includes real i)roperty, messuages, lands, tenements and heredita-
ments of any tenure.
14. In case oi any accident re(juiring immediate repair on the
saitl canal or any part thereof, the Company, their agents or
workmen may enter upon the adjoining land (not being an
orchard or garden) and dig for. work, get and carry away and use
all such gravel, stone, earth, clay or odier materials as may be
necessary for the repair of the accident aforesaid, doing as little
damage as may be to such land and making com])ensation there-
for; and in case of dispute or difference regarding the amount to
be so paid, the same sliall be decided by arbitration as provided
in 77/f' Raih^'ay Act: but l)efore entering ui)on any land for the
purposes aforesaid, the Comjiany shall, in case the consent of
the owner is not obtained thereto, pay into the oflfice of one of
the superior courts for the Province of Ontario, such sum with
interest thereon for six months as is fixed, on the cx-partc appli-
cation of the Company, by a judge of the county court in which
such lands are situate.
15. The Company may open, cut and direct such ponds and
l)asins for the laying up and turning of vessels using the said
canal, and at such ])oints thereon as they deem expedient, and
may also build and erect such dry docks, slips and machinery
connected therewith for the hauling out and rei)airing of vessels
as they think proper, and may lease or hire the same on such
terms as they deem expedient, or may o])erate the same by their
servaiUs or agents, as the Company shall decide from time to
time.
i
V
47
V
|o
i6. Tlio Company shall at each and every place where the said
canal crosses any railway, hij^hway, or puhlic road (nnlcss
exempted from the provisions of this section, as far as any high-
way or public n)ad is concerned, by the municipality having
jurisdiction over such highway or public road) construct and
maintain to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council bridges
for ])assage over the said canal, so that the public thoroughfare
or railway may be as little imjjeded as reasonably may be; and
the Company shall not ui making the said canal cut througli or
interrupt the jiassage on any highway or public road until they
have made a convenient road past their works for the use of the
l)ublic; and for every day on which they shall neglect to comply
with the recjuirenients of this section the Company shall incur
a penalty of one hundred dollars.
17. The land, ground nr property to be taken or used without
the consent of the pro])rietors for the said canal and works, and
tlfe ditches, drains and fences to separate the same from the ad-
joining lands, shall not together exceed one thousand feel in
breadth, except in places where basins and other works are
recpiired to be cut or made as necessary parts of the canal as
shown on the i)lan to be approved as hereinafter provided by the
Ciovernor in Council.
18. Ik'fore the Company breaks ground or commences the
construction of the canal or any of the works hereby autliorized,
the i)lans, locations, dimensions, and all necessary i)articulars of
the canal and other works, including a guard lock or gate at tlie
Lake .St. Clair entrance of the said canal, shall be submitted to
and receive the a])i)roval of the ( Invernor in Council.
19. The annual general meeting of the shareholders shall be
held on the first Tuesday in I'ebruary in each year.
20. At the first meeting of shareholders, and at each annual
meeting, the subscribers for capital stock assembled who liave
l)aid all calls due on their shares shall choose five i)ersons to be
directors of the Company, each of whom shall hold at least
twenty shares of the capital stock of the Company, tiie majority
of whom shall form a quorum, and one or more of whom may
be paid directors of the Company.
2. The directors elected at the first meeting of shareholders
shall hold office only until the first annual meeting of the Com-
pany.
21. In addition to the general powers to make by-laws under
The Railway Act, the Company may, subject to the approval of
the Governor in Council, make by-laws, rules or regulations for
the following purjjoses, that is to say:
(a.) For regulating the speed at which, and the mode by
which, vessels using the Company's works are to be propelled;
(b.) VoT regulating the hours of arrival and departure of such
vessels ; , *
(r.) For regulating the loading or unloading of such vessels
and the draught thereof:
(rf.) P\:»r preventing the smoking of tobacco upon the works,
the bringing into (jr upon the i)r<)perty of the Company of dan-
gerous or deleterious substances, and for the i)ro])er care and
preservati(jn of the Company's property:
(('.) I 'or regulating the travelling and transportation upon and
the using and the working of the canal :
if.) For regulating the conduct of the officers, servants, and
employes of the Company;
(g.) For the maintaining, preserving and using the canal and
all other works hereljy authorized to be constructed or connected
tlierewith, and for the governing of all persons and vessels i)ass-
ing through the said canal; and
(//.) For providing for the due management of the affairs of
the Company in all respects.
22. The Company m. - issue and pledge or dispose of bonds,
debentures or <jther secui.iies as j^rovitled in The Railway .let, to
tile extent in all of eight million dollars, and may issue such
bonds, debentures or other such securities, in one or more sej)-
arate series, and limit the security f(»r any series to such of the
franchises, i)roperty, assets, rents and revenues of the Company,
present or future, or both, as are described in the mortgage
deed made to secure each separate series of bonds, debentures or
other securities; and everv such limited series of such bonds, de-
bentures or other securities, if so issued, shall, subject to the pro-
visions contained in section ninety-four of The Raili^iay Act, form
a first charge upon, and be limited to, the particular franchises,
l^roperty, assets, rents and revenues of the Company with respect
to which they are issued and which shall be described in the mort-
gage deed made to secure the same.
23. The Omipany may from time to time ask. demand, take
and recover to and for their own ])roper use, for all i)assengers
and goods transported upon the said canal or vessels using the
same, such tolls as the Company or its directors from time to
time by by-law determine; and no tolls of any description shall
be levied or taken upon the said canal, until the same are ap-
proved of by the Governor in Council, nor until after two weekly
publications in the Canada Caactfc of such by-law and of the order
in council ai)proving thereof.
2. All tolls shall under the same circumstances be charged
ecpially to all persons and upon all vessels and gfjods: and no
reduction or advance on any such tolls shall be made either
directly or indirectly against any i)articular i)ers(in or company
using the said canal.
24. Every by-law fixing and regulating tolls with respect to
the said canal shall be subject to revision by the ( iovernor in
Council from time to time after approval theretif and after an
order in council altering the tolls fixed and regulated by any
bv-law has been twice published in the Canada Carjcttc, the tolls
mentioned m such order in council shall be substituted for those
mentioned in the by-law, so long as the order in council remains
unrevoked.
25. The Company shall from time to time cause to be ])rinte(l
and posted up in its offices and in every place where the tolls are
to be collected, in some conspicuous posiiion, a i)rinted board or
paper exhibiting all the rates of tolls payable and particularizing
the i)rice or sum of money to be charged or taken.
26. Such tolls shall be paid to such persons and at such i)laces
near to the canal, in such manner, and under such regulations as
the bv-laws direct.
1 .»:>.'
2"]. The C()nii)aiiy shall not make or jjivc any secret special
toll, rate, rebate, drawback, or concession to any person; and the
Company shall on the demand of any i)erson make known to
iiini any special rate, rebate, drawback or concession given to
any one.
28. In case of denial or neglect of payment on demand of
any such tolls or any part thereof, the same shall be recoverable
in any court of competent jurisdiction ; and the agents or ser-
vants of the Company may seize the vessel or goods for or with
respect to which such tolls are payable, and may detain the same
until payment thereof, and in the meantime the said vessel or
goods shall be at the risk of the owners therecjf.
2(> If the t(jlls are not paid within six weeks from the time of
such detainer the Company may sell by public auction the vessel
or the whole or any j^art of such goods, and out of the moneys
arising from such sale retain the tolls ])ayable and all reasonable
charges and exjjenses of such seizure, detention and sale, and
shall deliver the suri)lus. if any, or die vessel or such of the goods
as remain unsold, to the person entitled thereto.
30. If anv vessel or goods remain in the possession of the
Company unclaimed for the space of twelve nu)nths, the Com-
l)any may thereafter and on giving public notice thereof by ad-
vertisement for six weeks in the ofificial gazette of the province
in which such vessel or g(jods are, and in such other newspa])er
as it deems necessary, sell such vessel or goods by public auction
at a time and ])lace which shall be mentioned in such advertise-
ment, and out of the proceeds thereof pay such t(jlls and all rea-
sonable charges for keeping, storing, advertising and selling such
vessel or goods, and the balance of the proceeds, if any, shall be
kept by the Company for a further period of three months to be
paid over to any person entitled thereto.
31. In default of such balance being claimed before the expi-
ration of the time last aforesaid, it shall be paid over to the Min-
ister of I'inance and Receiver General for the public uses of
Canada until claimed by the person entitled thereto.
32. In all cases where there is a fraction of a mile in the dis-
tance which vessels, rafts, goods, wares, merchandise or other
connnodities or passengers shall be conveyed or transported on
I ;
m.
}
the said canal, such fraction shall, in ascertaining the said rates,
be deemed and considered as a \vlK)le mile; and in all cases
where there is a fraction of a ton in the weight of any such goods,
wares, merchandise and other commodities, a proportion of the
said rates shall he demanded and taken by the Company calcu-
lated upon the number of cpiarters of a ton contained therein;
and in all cases where there is a fraction of a quarter of a ton,
such fraction shall be deemed and considered as a whole (puirter
of a ton.
33. Every vessel using the said canal shall have her draught
of water legibly marked, in figures of not less than si.x inches
long, frcim <jne foot to her greatest draught, upon the stem and
stern ])()sts; and any wilful misstatement of such figures so as to
mislead the officers of the Comjjany as to any vessel's true
draught shall be punishable as an indictable offense on the part
of the owner and master of such vessel, and the Company may
detain any such vessel upon which incorrect figures of draught
are found, until the same are corrected at tlie expense of her
owner.
34. Every owner or master of a vessel navigating the said
canal shall permit it to be gauged and measured, and every such
owner or master who rehises to permit the .same shall forfeit and
pay the sum of two hundred dollars; and the proper offices of the
, Company may gauge and measure all vessels using the said
canal, and his decision shall be final with respect to the tolls to
be paid thereon, and he may mark the tonnage or measurement
on every vessel using the said canal; and sucli measure so
marked by him shall always be evidence resi)ecting the tonnage
in all (piestions respecting the t(jlls or dues to be ])ai<l to tlie
Comjjany by virtue thereof.
35. The Com])any shall at all times when thereunto re(|uired
by the Postmaster-Cieneral of Canada, the Commander of the
Forces, or any person having the superintendence or conunand of
any police force, carry Her Majesty's mails. Her .Majesty's naval or
military forces, or militia, and all artillery, annnunition, ])rovis-
ions or odier stores for their use. anil all policemen, constables
and others travelling on Her Majesty's service on the said canal,
on such terms and conditions and under such refjulations as the
(iovernor in Council appoints and declares.
36. The Company may receive in aid of the construction ^of
the said canal or (Jther works from any person or body corporate,
municipal or politic having power to grant the same, any gift or
grant of land, money, debentures, property, concession or other
benefit of any sort, either with or without conditions, and may
enter into an agreetnent for the carrying out of any such condi-
tions or with respect thereto.
37. Any enactments which the Parliament of Canada here-
after deems it expedient to make, or any order which the Gov-
ernor in Council deems it expedient tt) pass, with regard t«j the
exclusive use of the canal by the Government at any time, or the
carriage of Her Majesty's mails or Her Majesty's forces and
other persons or articles, or the rates to be paid for carrying the
same, or in any way respecting the use of any electric telegraph
or other service to be rendered by the Company to the (iovem-
ment. shall not be deemed an infringement of the ])rivileges con-
ferred by this Act.
38. The Company shall within six months after any lands
shall be taken for the use of the said canal divide and separate,
and shall keep constantly divided and separated, the lands so
taken from the lands or grounds adjoining thereto with a suffi-
cient post and rail, hedge, ditch, bank, or other kind of fence
sufficient to keej) ofif hogs, sheep and cattle, to be set and made on
the lands or grounds purchased by. conveyed to. or vested in the
Company as aforesaid, and shall at their own cost and charges
from time to time maintain. sup])t)rt and keep in sufficient repair
the said posts, fences, rails, hedges, ditches, trenches, banks and
other fences so set up and made as aforesaid.
39. So socjn as conveniently may be after the said canal is
completed, the Company shall cause it to be measured, and
stones or i)t)sts. with j^roper inscription on the sides thereof denot-
ing the distances, to be erected and maintained at distances con-
venient from each other.
40. Every person who obstructs, interrupts or impedes the
navigation of said canal, or interferes with any of the works
53
n%
helonp^ing thorcto, by the introduction of any timber or vessels
(jr any (^her substance, or by any other means contrary to the
provisions of this Act or of the by-laws of the Company, shall for
every such ofYence incur a penalty not to exceed four hundred
dollars, one-half of which penalty shall go to the Comi)any and
the other half to Her Majesty.
41. If any vessel is sunk or j:jrounded in any i)art of the said
canal or in any approach thereto, and if the owner or master
thereof neglects or refuses to remove it forthwith, the Company
may forthwith proceed to have it raised or removed, and may
retain possession of it until the charges and expenses necessarily
incurred by the Ccnnpany in so raising and removing it are paid
and satisfied; and the Company may sue for and rec(jver in any
court of competent jurisdiction such charges and expenses from
the owner or master of such vessel.
42. All actions or suits for indenmity for any damages or
injury sustained by reason of the railway, canal, or otlier works
authorized by this Act. shall be connnenced within one year next
after the time when such sui)])osed damage is sustained, or if
there is continuation of damage, within one year next afterwards;
and the defendants may ])lead the general issue and give The
h'itihnii/ Act and this Act and the special matter in evidence at
any trial to be had thereui)on, and may j^rove that the same was
done in jiursuance of and by the authority of The /'((ilirmi Act
or of this Act.
43. Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, m.ay at any time
assume the possession and property of the said canal and works,
and of all the rights, privileges and advantages of the Company,
all of which shall after such assum])tion bt- vesteil in I ler Majesty,
her heirs and successors, on giving to tlie Company one week's
notice thereof and on paying to the Companx the value of tlie
same, to be fixed by tliree arbitrators or the majority of them,
one to be chosen by the (iovernment, another bx the Company
and a third arbitrator by the two arbitrators; and the arbitrators
mav in such valuation take into account the expenditure of the
Comi^anv, its i)roperty, the business of the canal and other works
hereby authorized, and their past, present and pros])ective busi-
ness, with interest from the time of the investment thereof.
54
44- Tf the construction of the canal hereby authorized to be
constructed is not connnenced within two years after the passinjj;
of this Act, or if the said canal is not finished and put in operation
within five years after the passing lA this Act, then the ])owers
ja^ranted by this Act shall cease and be null and void as respects
so much of the said canal as then remains uncomi)lcted.
45. Tlir Rdilinuj .1(7 shall apply to the exercise of the powers
conferred on the Com])any under the provisions of paragraph (f)
of section eij^^ht of this Act.
46. 77/f' h'ailiraf/ Act shall, so far as applicable, and when not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, and except sections
three to twenty-five inclusive, thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight,
eig-hty-nine. one hundred and three, one hundred and four, one
hundred and five, one hundred and twelve, one hundred and six-
teen, one hundretl and twenty, one hundred and twenty-one, one
hundred and seventy-three to one hundred and seventy-seven
inclusive, one hundred and seventy-nine, one hundred and eighty,
one hundred and eighty-two to one hundred and ninety-nine,
inclusive, two hundred and nine, two hundred and ten, two hun-
dred and fourteen, two hundred and twenty-three to two hundred
and sixty-four inclusive, two hundred and seventy-one to two
hundred and seventy-four inclusive, two hundred and seventy-six
to two hundred and ninety-seven inclusive, and three hundred and
six to three hundred and eight inclusive, apply to the Company,
and to the canal and works of the Company, except the railways
authorized under the provisions of paragra])h (/') of section eight
of this Act; and the Comi)any shall liave and may exercise all the
powers conferred by Tin' h'aihrai/ .l<7. in so far as the said Act
is applicable to the Company hereby incorjjorated.
2. Wherever in Tlir liailinii/ Act the expression "railway"
occurs it shall, unless the context otherwise re(|uires. in so tar as
it ai)plies to tlie provisions of this Act or to the Company, mean
the "canal or other works" hereby authorized to be constructed.
47- 'riir ('oiiiiKlni(K('lan.s<s Acf shall not apply to this Act or
to the Com])any.
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00
\oLUME AND XALn-L OF C( ).MM i:kck ruir.r'iARv
TO AX EXLAR(JED WATERWAY SYSTEM.
James Fisher, O. ('., M. V. P., Winiiipe^^, Canada.
F^irst Annual Convention of the International Deep \\'ater\va\ s
Association, Cleveland. Sept. 24, 25, 26. i8(j5.
In furtherance of the iini>ortant object for which XI-.' Interna-
tional Dee]) Waterways Association was created, it was scarcely
necessary, perhaps, that anyone should have been charged with
the task of preparing- a paper discussing- the volume and value of
the conmierce tributary to an enlar^rd waterway in connection
with the 5^reat lakes route. If there is one subject more than
another in the interesting prog-ranuiie before us ujxin which not
only members of this association, but the ])ul)lic at lari;c, are
already pretty fully informed, it i>^ surely this one. Thanks to the
activity anfl enterprise of an omuiscient press, everywhere circu-
lated and universally read, the means of knowledjrc ui)tin this
subject are always at our dis])osal. Day after d ■ the newspa])ers
and other jjcriodicals furnish us with iacts and tiiiures bearinjj;'
upon the growth of commerce due to the past enlargement "f the
water channels. Tliese facts and figures .ire put up U<y us in the
most ex]>ressive form that the wi -lum of ihe brightt'st minds r;ui
suggest.
( )ur blue books and i)ublic rep(>rt> suppl\ tliem in full (ktail.
Our trade returns and conunercial bulletms are ladi'u with state-
ments brimfull of information on the subject as instructive a> it is
complete and accurate. I'.xpert statisticians and learnid political
eciiuomists present us every il;i\ w'tli stateiuiMUs classifying in
I'verv varii't\ the iruits of our soil and the products n* our indus-
tries.
The\ exhibit the growth of our farming interests; the develo])-
nient of out mines; the product of our lisheries: and tlu' \ield of
oiu- forests, as well a.^ the otitcome of our extensive maiuilactories.
'j'hev chronicle for our edification the movement of .ill these pro-
56
ducts, and the cost thereof, by sea and lancl, over lake and rail.
They furnish us with, comparative statements of results in the i)ur-
suit of each department of industry under every conceivable con-
dition. They de<luce valuable lessons for our guidance, drawn
from an expert study of the various causes, natural, political and
economic, that stimulate or retard production, raise or lower
prices, and lessen or increase the cost of hauliui;' and marketing'.
I'rom helps such as these, we have already such a knowled_u^e of
the commerce under discussion as convinces us that the ,s;reatest
need of the day in connection therewith is cheap transportation.
It convinces us, too. that the f^^reatest factor in securins^ that cheaj)
transportation, in the I'nited States and Canada, is the improve-
ment of our means for transportation by water.
Interest in our ])roceedinj^s to-day chiefly centers, therefore,
not in the subject of this i)a])er, but rather in the discussion of
(fuestions affecting- the ])ractical)ility. cost, ca])arit\-, aiid means
for construction, of deeper channel .-dung the different mutes
that mav be suggested. \\u\ niir irresistible executive secretar\
decreed that such a paper as this nmst be prepared. And how
could a loyal Canadian, trained to the habits of submission that
life under monarchical instituti<in> inculcates, fail to obey the fiat
of the persuasive gentleman from Superior, wiio is indeed the
very life and >oul of our growing movement, the "i'lower" of our
association?
I undertook the task, tlirrtforc. realizing", however, thai al all
e\ents it in\olved no original researcii or painstaking iinestig;)-
tioii on my part, but simply a fi'w hom-s" delvitig into tiie maga-
zines and books and ;i wholesale appn>p, i.'tion of the labor of
others.
It is not my purpose to submit any long ;nta\ of figiuvs or to
l)ro(luce elaboratt' statistics touching the i'\lent of iln' commerce
of tile lake region am! its connection>. i will simpK mentioti a
tew salient facts, of a general character, touching its growth, and
call attention to somr significant teatnres in coimection tiu'reuith,
and with the conditions of that legion. that may serve to empha-
size the great importaiici' not oid\ of enlarging the chann<'ls
leading from tlu' lakes to the sea. i)Ut of I'ventually extending a
system of canals farther imo the interior.
67
When one looks at the enormous movement of commerce on
this continent, and' niai<es a comparison between this and other
lands, one of the first thouj^hts that strike him is the vastness of
our domestic commerce. Especially is this true of the I'nited
States of America. There is no country in the world that has
such an extent of domestic traffic as you have in this favored
land. The remark is fairly true also of Canada. In the two
countries we have a ])opulation of about 75,000.000 of souls, com-
posed of the busiest ]>eoples, the most ijnji^ressive communities,
and the most intellij^ent artisans and workers on the face of the
wide earth.
The product of all the industries carried on by a population so
larg-e and of such a character, is necessarily greater than that of an
e(|ual number of less i)rog-ressive peo])les. The wants of sucli a
peoi)le. too, where civilization has attained its hifjhest form and
where wealth has lar_ti;-ely accunnilated. are e(|ually tjreat in com-
parison with less favored countries. Alto.y;ether, the conditions
in this country, on both sides of the boundary, are such as to
create an extraordinary movement of connnerce for domestic
purposes alone.
The foreign connnerce is also proportionatelx- large. rerliai>s
we do not realize die extent, for instance, to which our two coun-
tries sui)])lv the markets of the great consuming nation of tlie
world— ( ireat Tiritain. Canada. 1 may say. 's a very heavy
exporter to the mother land. .And in the four years from i8()0 to
iX<,3 inclusive, the imports of the I'nited Kingdo.'V from the
Cmted ."States alone, ecjualled those fr(»i'i I'rai'ce. (iirmany, Rus-
sia, Italy, China and I'.razil all put together. They exceeded li\
nearly l^),oo().ooo the imports in the same \ear Iroin ;ill thr
I'.ritish possessions in the norld, ( anad.'i inchuK'd. As the vcar>
roll on. I'.ritain pin-chases from our two countries more atid more.
Comparing her imports for thi' four \ears name<l with those of the
next preceding four \ears. thosi' from < "anada nuTcisiil inorr
than ()() per cent, anil thosi' from the I'nited States over J5 pn
cent., while from nearl\ all other countries they decreased b_\
comparis<m.
These remarks as to our Ir.ide giMicrallv are ;i)>plicablr. o|
course, to the entire country. Ihil they arr appliuiblv in particu-
58
lar to the region wliose products and supplies are in such great
part carried over the lakes.
There is a further important fact, one which applies especially
to the lake region. It is that the greatest develoi)ment of trade,
in the future, both in the I'nited States and Canada, nuist be in
the region tributary to the lakes and their coiuiections. It is in
the region tributary to die great lakes. The conunerce of all
parts of the two countries will no doubt greatly increase in the
future as in the past. lUU we may look for the greatest increase
of all in the region on both sides of the boundary tributary to
till,' lakes and their connections. It is in this region that we
have seen production and traffic increase at ho phenomenal a rat'j
within the past two decades. And yet production th.ere is still
in its infancy. The records of that period serve to give us a
faint idea of what the traffic will be at the end of anodier ten
years.
How short has been the time since the great northwest was an
unknown wilderness! The red man but recently held imdisputed
sway over the districts where now the magnificent fields of yellow
grain furnish a siglit such as can he seen in no other ])art of the
world. The hunters who a few years ago chased the buffalo on
the prairie, are still ali\e to iierd the cattle gra-^ing on the same
grounds.
Michigan but a short time since was one of the states of the far
west: Chicago was first reached by a vessel fnjm the 'ower lakes
in 1834. The boats that passed the cily of Cleveland, down to a
period less than si.xty years ago, were engaged, noi in sliipping
the products of the great west to the eastern market, but the car-
rying provisions to the newl\ formed settlements beyond Detroit.
The fir.st cargo of grain from Lake Michigan reached Huffnlo in
iM^f). The lake trade soon developed, however, and Michigan
ceased to be a border state.
The settlers in Indiana and Illinois were the pioneers t)f a
period a few years kiter, ;nid soon a few plucky atlventnrers made
their way iiUo Iowa and Wisconsin, their frit-nds whom the\' left
behind ctnnmitting tluni to the care of heaven and their tmsty
nuiskets against the attacks of the savages around their new
homes. The present *reneration has seen the occupation and
developmeiU to some extent of the Hakot.'is an<l Minnesota aii<1 of
59
the Canadian northwest. And what has been the residt. so far as
coninierce is concerned, of the occui)ation of these western hinds?
The records of the lake traffic during the past 20 years furnish
the answer.
Let nie present a few figures comparing the traffic for some
years through the Sault canal, opened in 1855. with that passing
the Suez canal, opened in 1870. The statement is as follows,
round figures being used:
Sault Suez
^G^^- Tonnage. Tonnage.
1855 100,000
1865 400,000
^^75 1,250,000 2,000,000
J^^o 1.750.000 3,000,000
'^^5 3,250,000 6,350.000
'^*J^^ • <j,ooo,ocx) 6,850.000
1^92 II .2oo.(X)o 7.700,000
1^94 i3.ja).o(X) 8.(xx),ooo
To realize the full meaning of these figures we are to hear in
nu'nd that the commerce of the Sault is that carried to and from
the ports of one only of our great lakes, and that one of the
most remote of all. and the one whose ports supply those regions
in the United States and Canada that have been most recendv.
and are now most sparsely, settled. The Suez, on the other hand,
is the great highway from the British and other luiropean mar-
kets to the Orient and to Australia, carrying the C(jmmerce of
continents. Again, the Sault is open for an average of about
220 days in the year, while the Suez is open every day f)f the 365.
A striking feature of the lake traffic, suggested by tlie same
figures, is seen in the marvelous strides by which it has increased
from year to year. In 1875. 1880, and 1885, and during all the
intervening years, the tonnage of the Suez was much larger than
that of the Sault. It was in later years that the proportions were
reversed, until in 1894 the Sault traffic exceeded that of the Suez
by mori' than 50 per cent.
Other illustrations may be given of the immensity of the lake
traffic and its marvelous grtjwth. The following figures, for
example, re[)resent the toimage of iron ore produced in the Lake
60
Superior region, nearly all of which was carried clown the lakes,
for the years named, in round figures:
1878 1,000,000 tons.
1883 2,5aj,ooo "
1887 5,000,000 "
1890 over 9,000,000 "
1892 over 9,000,000 "
The figures for 1893 and 1894 were somewhat smaller, arising
from a well-known cause. About 55 per cent of all the iron ore
produced in the I'nited States is now carried over the lakes. A
remarkable fact to be notetl in this connection is the small propor-
tion carried by rail as compared with water. In 1890 the cpiantity
taken by rail from the mines, on the American side of Lake Su-
perior, was less dian 850,000 tons, as against 8.ooo,cxx) tons and
over taken by the lakes.
How far, again, has the development of the iron industry in
the northwest been due U) tlie existence of our great natural
highway, and the conse(|uent low rates of transportation? I )o
we not all realize that, but for the advantages of this route in the
cost of carriage, this great industry of the Lake Superior district
would never have attained such magnificent proportions? In
these times of close competition the slightest increase or decrease
in freight rates may revolutionize trade; may build it up or destroy
it. I have seen it recorded that in 1890 and 1891 more than
thirty of the smelting furnaces in (.)hio and LY'nnsylvania had to
be closed for several months because the railway companies could
not give them a reduction oi 25 cents a Um in the rates for trans-
portation of coke fuel.
The cl(<sing of the Sault canal for a few months would paralyze
the iron ore industry on the shores of Lake .Superior for a whole
year. The permanent closing of that canal would mean the clos-
ing up of the greater part of the mines. Had the capacity of that
canal not been increased in 18S1. the rates of freight would never
have be'Mi reduced to their present figures, and that indu.stry
vu)uld never have been fully developed. What will be the future
of the traffic in iron ore, and wliat its effect on the develo])ment
o£ the northwest if the deep-water channels are extended to the
«vean. and, say, to PiTTsburg!
f
61
How suggestive of an inereased trade therefrom is the fact
that more than loo.ooo.ocx) tons of (jre are in sight in tlie mines
already opened on the Mesaba range alone!
Tlie growth of the lake commerce is as marked in otiier pro-
ducts as in ore. I have said that the first cargo of wheat that
ever went from the upper lakes was carried from Lake Micliigan
ports to Buf¥aIo in 1836. The total receipts of wheat for tlie
years named in lUifTalo was as follows: '
^^36 500,ixx) l)usliels.
1846 (including flour) 6.500,000
1856 20,000,000
^^66 52,000,000
1886 72,500,000
1^91 164,500.000
^892 182,000,000
The wheat alone carried through Detroit river in 1X1)3 was
70,500,000 bushels, and of flour there was carried ().5oo,ooo bar-
rels. Speaking of the Detroit river suggests a few figures giving
at once another instance of the marvelous growdi of the lake
commerce and the advantages over rail transportation. These
figures are taken from the table compiled by L. E. Coole\ , and
do not include Canadian traffic:
COMMERCE OF DETROIT R1\KR.
Tonnage Tonnage
Vear. by water. by rail.
i^^.^ 17.605,174 3,087,204
i^H6 18,968.065 3,i()6.032
'^<n 23,209,619 ?,'^)7i'77('
1^9^ 26.503.8r(> 3,820,382
1893 23,091,889 3,659,292
As long ago as i88(), a -cording to an estimate published b\ tin:
late (r'o. H. Ely, the entire freight passing through the Det.oit
river was more than three times the foreign trade of the port of
New York; it exceeded the aggregate foreign trade of all the
62
sca]i()rts of the I'liitcd States by io,ocx3,ooo tons, aiul it exceeded
by over 3,000,000 tons the total foreipi and coastwise trade of
Liverjiool and London combined. The wheat received at Mon-
treal in 1893 by the Lachine canal and St. Lawrence river, was
about 7,000.000 bushels as against less than 130,000 bushels
broug-ht in by all the railways.
These facts j^ive us some idea of the past development of the
lake and river traffic, and it does not surprise us to be told that
the entire commerce of the j^reat lakes, American and Canadian,
is tc|ual to 25 ]X'r cent, (jf that carried by all the railroads (jf the
American union. What is that conunerce going to be in a com-
paratively few years, when the present population of the great
northwest shall be doubled, trebled, or (juadrupled, when all the
productive prairie lands shall be brought under cultivation, when
all the rich ranges shall be stocked with cattle, and when the rich
mining districts on the Canadian side may be as fully developed
as those on the south shore of Lake Superior?
Col. ( ). M. I'oe, chief engineer of the Sault canal, writing, early
in January of i8(ji, his report urging the com])letion of the twen-
ty-fo(jt channel from the head of the lakes to lUiffalo, after
describing the wonderful exi)ansion of the lake traffic up to that
period, used the following language, which can aptly be used
to-day in support of a demand for the extension of such a channel,
and even of a deeper one to the Atlantic ocean: "Surely such a
commerce deserves every aid ami encouragement that can be
given U) it. (Jive it a channel practically navigable upijn a
draught of twenty feet and it needs no pr(jphet to ])redict a won-
derful growth, but only a prcjpb.et could foretell its degree. For
neariy thirty-five \ears 1 have watched its increase, but neither I
nor anyone else within my knowledge has been able to exi)an(l in
ideas at the same rate. The wildest expectations of one vear
seem absurdly tame the next."
And so it is still. Let the 20-foot channel of the lakes be
extended from the foot of L^ake Erie to the Atlantic, and com-
merce will receive an impetus that will give results as startling as
the unparalleled progress of the past. And it will result in a great
development of the rich northwest on both sides of the line.
I care not in wliat direction ycni may reach in the first place to
Lake ( )ntario— whether it be by the Welland. deepened to 20
r/
H3
f/
feet, or by a new channel thron.^h the state of Xew Yuck. The
result, in either case, will he the same. I. as a Canadian, may have
a preference for the Welland ; but that would only be in so far as I
could be convinced that it really afforded the best nnte. If a
new channel can be opened to as i,n)()(l advantaj:^e. and at less cost.
then let the new channel be opened, and let both countries join
in the work. Canada's e.\])enditure in the past can be considered
in fixinjr the amount which she should contribute.
I care not, again, whether we are to reach the salt water 1)\ the
St. Lawrence, or by a new n)ute from Oswej^o to All)anv. or
whether we j^et to the Hudson by Cauj^^hnawag-a. All that this
ccmvenvion should, in my judgment ask, is. that by one or other
route the two countries should unite in ])roviding a deep channel.
It is for us. at the .same time, to elicit and make known the fullest
information that can be obtained, showing the advantages and
disadvantages of each several route.
Let us have a full discussion, right here, of every consideration
that favors one route or other, in order that the governments and
the people of the two nations may be well informed, lint this
convention is not. nor is this associatiim. an executive bodv hav-
ing power to act. 15e it ours to agitate, and to educate and
inform the public as to the advantages of the scheme generally,
and as to the merits of each individual route. With the national
executives of the respective nations nuist be left the responsibility
of propounding, and with the congress and parliament the respon-
sibility of ratifying in the end the .scheme that on the whole mav
commend itself to the public. What I take leave to urge is this:
We are seeking an improvement in the natural water channels. It
is an international waterway .supplied by nature for the material
good of the two nations from the head of the lake to the ocean.
One nation has no greater right over it than has the other. Mven
the use of the St. Lawrence, where its course is within Canadian
soil, has by soleiun treaty been assinrd to citizens of the Cm'ted
States on exactly e(|ual terms with Canadians, and that fore\cr. 1
say. then, let the two nations unite, c^n proper terms and uikUt
reasonable conditions, in the complexion of the work; and let the
chatuiel, when completed, be for the use. absolutely free fr<jni
toll, of the citizens of both countries.
64
'.
As to this route or that route. 1 say for myself, and I tliink it is
the judg-nient of this convention, that we shouhl not he content
till we reach both Xew \'orl< and Montreal by a twenty-foot
channel. Let it not be thought that Canada would not be bene-
fited by a deep waterway from the St. Lawrence to the harbor of
Xew York. As it is. we have water connnunication all the way.
If it shall be the judfrnient of the two nations that we should
deepen the St. Lawrence canal, we should not even then be con-
tent till we have an e(|ually deep channel by the Chanibly and
Whitehall canals or the Caufj^hnawaji^a. or by some other route to
Xew York. ( )ur system will not be comi)lete without reaching;
both of the great ports, and be the cost what it may. these two
nations can ])rovide the means. Let us have such a channel to
both Xew York and Montreal, and who that is familiar with the
records of the lake traffic for the past twenty years will doubt that
in five years after their completion, the saving in cost of trans-
portation <jf the increased commerce over the route — the saving.
J mean, that will be due wholly to the increased accommodation
on the waters — will far exceed the entire cost of the undertaking?
Give us the twenty feet depth to the Atlantic and we will see the
huge cargoes of four. five, six, and seven thousand tons that will
be floated on the completed channels of the lake route from the
far west to lUififalo. carried along in the same great shij^s without
break of bulk to the ocean, perhaps across the Atlantic, to be
unloaded at Liverpool and Glasgow. Who does not realize — and
yet who can actually realize to its full extent — that the opening of
such a through channel would at once result in a striking reduc-
tion of freight rates, in a vastly enlarged area of cultivation in the
prairies of the northwest, in a greatly enlarged market for the coal
of Pennsylvania, in an enlarged connnerce in every line of indus-
try, the extent of which we cannot estimate, but which can
scarcely be overstated?
I am not going to (|Uote man\' figures indicating the value in
dollars and cents of this commerce. Its extent and character
sufficiently indicate its value. Hiat value has increased, of
course, with the same bounds as the tonnage. We mav well
describe it as enormous. Taking the freight passing through
the Sault alone, its value was in
t;.')
1.S85 $ 5,V4^^^'*^™J
1887 7(),(xx),ocx)
lS()0 I02.2(X),CXK)
1 8«) I 1 26.0(X).ocx)
1 8»)2 1 35,000,000
i8()3 i45,5oo,oa5
1 8()4 i43.0(X),ooo
The coal alone that was carried thri)u;^h the Sault last year
exceeded in value over $8,ooo,ocx): wheat and flour reached $60,-
(X)0,ooo: lumber, $ 1 1 , ^oo.cxx) ; and copper and iron ore, $37,cxx),-
(XX). If we take the shiijpiuf^' itself that is afloat on these waters,
the value of it is soniethinj^ enormous. The entire fleet ol the
great lakes now numbers nearly 4,000 vessels of all kinds, .tjivin.tj
em])l()yment to nearly 45,000 persons in service on tlie lakes.
The activity in shi])l)uil(linj.( is one of the remarkable features
connected with the traffic. During the past few years the most
striking feature connected with the shipbuilding industry is the
enormous size and ca])acity of the new vessels. This dei)artment
of the industries built up by the great lake route will, e(|ually with
• ithers, be stimulated and encouraged to an extraordinary degree
l)y the extension of the deep water system to the ocean.
Are we to be content witli an extension of the jiresent lake
system to the ocean? Do we realize how trade would be
increased and the ])rosperity uf the two countries ])rom(Jted if
canal systems connecting with the great k<kes were extended in
other directions? Looking at the va.st movement of coal and ore,
for instance, between the lakes and the Pittsburgh district, what a
stinudus would be g'iven to that trade by the opening of a water
channel in that direction? What sum ex])ended in such an enter-
prise would be too great to be justified by the commercial advan-
tages it would bring, and bv the actual saving in dollars and
cents in the cost of transportation?
And what of the great nortliwest? 1 do not urge that at this
time our association should press for immediate ste|)s to secure a
connection between the great lakes and the Red River of the
.\orth and witii the headwaters of the .Mississippi. But in taking
a view of the conmierce that may be tributary to an enlarged
waterway .sy.stem, who that has formed an idea of the unboundefl
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Corporation
33 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. 14580
(716) 873-4503
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from year to year. lUit it is in tlir iiortliwcstcrly of those states,
tributary to tlie upper lakes, tliat we shall witness the .ucreatest
},''ro\\th in the next twenty \ears. Wisconsin is still a new state,
with a vast amount of rich land still unoultivatt'd. and she is capa-
ble of extendinj^ her varied industries many fold. In Minnesota,
b)\\a. Nebraska, and the Dakotas but a fraction of the lands have
been broujj^ht into a ])ro(luctive condition.
W'Ih) can estimate the expansion of the conunerce <»f the north-
west when these fj^reat territories shall be occu])ied by lari;e popu-
lations, when all their arable lands shall be broujifht uiuler cultiva-
tion and their varied industries shall be developed? And what a
factor in the development of those industries will be the o])enim.;'
of a canal from the head of the lakes to the headwaters of the
extent and the un])aralleled richness of that retjion. and that
h.'is j^ivi'U a tboui^ht to its natural advantages in respect of
water cliaiuuls. capable of I)einiL;' utilized and im])roved. can fail
to appreciate llu' boundless possibilities of de\elopuieut in iliat
country llirou|L;!i an extension of watirways? I have said that
in the nortiiwest above all \\c arc to look for the chief develop-
ments of conunerce in tile future. What that develo])ment may
be we can form some faint conce])tiiin nf 1)\ a stuily of the past.
The wliole countrx. I repeat, is in its infanc). l.ook at ihe
.yrouth of the i^real cities nf tJU' lakes betwci'u iSSo and iSijo.
boundini.;' up from a po])uI;ition oi i,^(K),oik) to over ^.^oo.ooo.
Look at tin.' ^feat towns and cities urowin^ uji thr<iuu;hout the
states and pro\iiicc> th.it contribute In this tr;itlic. In the \mi'r-
ican Itiion apart from W'w N ork and IVun>v Ivania there are
sixteen .yi'eat states that are t" a l.irye exteiU dipendeiU on the
lake route for transportation of their products. They are all
states in which population is incrca>iiiL; and industri^'>^ extendinj;'
.Mississippi and to the l\eil l\i\ir. brinyiujH' canal traffic to the
twin cities of Mimiesota and to the ,L;raiu lields of I )akola. If we
cannot hope in tlu' umnediate future to see step> taken to such ;m
end wt' max at least i^ive serious thou.niil to tiie feasibility of such
a .schenii', and furnish information that may enlighten tin- publi'-
on llu' (|uestion.
And let me adil a wortl or two about the j^Tcat expansion in
production and commerce that we are sure to witness in the}j^reat
and rich north west of Canada. To the capabilities of that coun-
f
»)7
try ill tlie way of siistainiii.y;' a j^n-at populatidii and (k-vt'Iopins;- a
most (.'xtendcd trade, considfrahlo attrntion lias lati'lv hi-cn paid.
Sutihicc' it to say lu-ri' that in the ])r()viiK(.' of .\lanitol>a aloiu", now
containing' k-ss than j^.cxjo fanners, where six or eii^ht \ears aj^o
wc had to import beef and butter and other provisions for tin
settlers, we now have jj^^reat herds of stock, and a larije export trad,'
of fat cattle to the h'nj^-lish markets is now jjfoin^ on ever\ season,
and increasinj;' largely each successive vear. Ten \ears a^o Wf
were practically without creameries oi- chei'se factories, which
now we have in every district of the province. We ha\e iust wit
nesse<l the harvestin;j;' of the j^featest crop ever seen in the north
west. The a.ijj^ref^ate yield of wheat in .Manitob.i .ilnne exceeds
_^o.(xx).(xx) bushels, and other crops anunmt to another 3{),o;)0.oo;)
bushels. In iS()4 the yield of wheat in \k'mitoba was about
I7,(xx),(xx); in iS(>3 about I4,(xk),()(m). aiul in iSSX ;dii,nt (i,(KK),-
(XX) buslu'ls.
The ]»rovince is in the \er\ earliest infanc\ of it> l^touiIi; not
one-tenth of its rich arable lan<l> are uiidir cultivati<in: its L;ra/inL;
lanils, still unoccupied, are almost bonudk'>^ in c\tenl. To ihi
wi'st and northwest of .Manitoba extends tlu- j^reat ( anadian teiri-
tory, rich beyond description in prairie and iirazinu' laml. a ciiun
try destined in the futm-e to be the home of million>.
We do not mind making" the a<lmission, however, that in tiu-
meamime population is coming;' in l)Ut slowly, and ue realize that
one of the considerations tliat di>coura!.^f more rai)id -ettknieni
i>« the j^rt'at cost of transportation to ;ind from the marki't> of tin-
world. The (|uestion of chea])er transportation i-^ llic (|Uestion
of (juestions for the Canadian as will as the Aniericni northwest.
Solve that ])rol)leni and the adxanta.ue to the country, as well a-
the ex|tansion of its commerce, will be mar\ilon>. It has all tlu'
otlu'r conditions that wdl insure sue!; a result. A thousaml luiks
be\ond tlu' boimdarx of .Manitoba, further to tlu' northwest, the
wheat rej^ion coiuinno. Throuiih this threat rcLjion of .Manitob.i
and the tt'rrilories run the Red, the Saskatchewan, the .\ssini
boine, the (Jn' .\ppelk', and other stri'ams. It is feasible to con
noct this conntrv bv a water channel with the i.;feat lakes — in
other words, can canal coimection be opened up between the head
of the lakes and the Ked river? That is the problem facing- Xorth
Dakota and northern .Mimiesota as well as the Canadian north-
()8
i
west. It is a problem upon which this cunvcntiou cannot, per-
haps, jj^ive full information. l)in it is a (piestion that can be dis-
cussed, and on wiiich we can procure information.
We should impress upon the ^governments of the two nati(jns
that, at least, the country should be examined, and a survey made
with a view to judg-e as to the feasibility and cost of such an
undertakings. One canal to the Red river mij^ht serve both coun-
tries. The route ji^entrally considered most feasible on the Cana-
dian side is by the Lake of the Woods. That lake and the Rainy
river furnish already the re(|uired navifi^ation for a distance of 150
miles from the west shore of lUiffalo bay at the international
boundary easterly to I'ort h'rancis, also on the boundary. Were
the canal at l-'ort l-Vancis. on which a laru^e sum of money was
ex]XMided 20 years ago. completed, and it is .said that $250,000
would do so. the entire distance from the west coast of the Lake
of the Woods to within 40 miles of Lake Superior would be
navigable, save only a number of portages not aggregating more
than eight miles. To that extent a channel woulcl have to be
opened, at considerable cost, no doubt, but at a cost which would
be fully justified in view of the advantages secured.
The most serious difficulty is met with in the 40 miles next to
Lake Superior, where the great fall of land takes place. There,
too, we have water conununication all the way, but the fall has
to be overcome. How far can modern appliances and engineer-
ing skill overcome that obstacle at a cost commensurate with the
benefits to be derived from the opening of the chaimel?
The country between the Lake of the Woods and the RcA
river is one that offers no particular obstacle,^ to the o])ening of a
water v'hamiel. A number of gentlemen iiUerested in bringing
saw-logs from Lake of the Woods to the Rvil river have already
secured a charter from the .Manitoba legislature for the opening
of a canal for that purpose. ( )ne |)roposal was to use the channel
of the Rt)sseau river, whose headwaters are within twenty miles
of the Lake of the Wottds, and which runs to the Red river partly
through Minnesota and partly through .Manitoba. The land
between the headwaters of the Rosseau and the Lake t)f the
Woods is chiefly muskeg, and there is a run of water all the way.
The character of the soil throughout the whole distance is such
as to inaki' construction easv.
^It'
A
69
r have discussed the (|uesti()ii with men of en^^nneerinjf skill
cc.nipetent. as I am net. to pass jud^nnent on the (|uestion. and
their opinion is that the problem of conneotinjr the great lakes
with Re<l river by canal is a feasible one. and that at a most rea-
sonable cost.
If we can indeed look forward to the i)ossibility of havinjj even
a six-fo(jt channel to this river that flows throuf,di the heart of tho
great prairie region, and another to the headwaters of the Missis-
sippi system, need I say a word to suggest the inunense impetus
that will be given to the development of the great northwest an<I
to the conunerce of the great lakes? I cannot pretend to set down
in figures any prediction of its volume, but we know what th<>
practical results will be. .Snrely this convention would be taking
a wise step, and will be working to a good end. if by any actioii
of ours we succeed in at least directing pul)lic attention to th.
importance of such an enterprise, and if we can impress upon tin-
respective governments the desirability (.f taking nii-ans to have
such survey and inspection made as will test the feasibility and
cost of the work.