IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) <« V ^ i^ ^ ^ A ^ 1.0 I.I 2.8 ■12 1^1 ■ 50 ' hi 2.5 2.2_ 2.0 1.8 11125 iU IIIIII.6 ^4 v: > 7 ^ % ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Certains ddfauts susceptibles de nuire d la quality de la reproduction sont not6s ci-dessous. Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur CoSoured plates/ Planches en couleur T^ PC of fii T^ cc or ap Th fil in: Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ ^— Show through/ Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqu6es Transparence M in 1 — 1 Tight binding (may cause shadows or b( distortion along interior margin)/ Pages damaged/ fo Reliure serr6 [pect causer de Tombre ou Pages endommagdes de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure) 1 — Additional comments/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques 1 — 1 Only edition available/ — Pagination incorrect/ Seule Edition disponible Erreurs de pagination Bound with other material/ — Pages missing/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Des pages manquent 1 — Cover title missing/ Maps missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Des cartes gdographiques manquent *—— Plates missing/ Des planches manquent • Additional comments/ Commentaires supplimentaires . ■ '". -^ ■■ ■ ^ ■ ' " -, The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in Iteeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont iftt6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de ia nettet6 de rexempiaire filmd, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —^(meaning CONTINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la der- nidre image de cheque microifiche. selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the Icind consent of the following institution: Library of the Public Archives of Canada Mtjps or plates too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grdce it la g6n6ro8it6 de l'6tablissement prSteur suivant : La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul clich6 sont film6es d partir de Tangle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche d droite et de haut on bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la m6thode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 V ■ 5 6 . H ■• Report of Survty OF French River, Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, Made for the Department of Railways and Canals in 1879 ' '''"-- ■%--^- 'BY E. P. BENr3ER, CIVIL ENGINEER, RErRTNTED BY TaYNTER & AllBOTT, OTTAWA. March, 190c. -t^^V, ,.y.J. I X f4 -r^ ,^ ■f u ^ f^ REPORT OF Survey of French River During 1879, — HV E. v. Hendkh. To Si( iidford Fh'niiit;/, (,'.M. (i\ J'Jiii/'i iit.t'i'-l il-Cliicf, I'liiKiilldii ii( R. The haihor of l*'rerieh River, on the north slioi-e of ( !eor<'ian })ay, was carclully suweyed by Mr. Ri(h)ut in IS?.'). His plans sliow a ehannel ut)t U'ss than a ((uarter of a niik- wide, and Hi) feet deep. There seems to be an impression anion^ !«ome steam- boat captains on tlie (Jeorixian Bav tliat the harbor is difficult of ace .vs in tlie fall of the year on acc(junt of the i)revanin^' west winds, while others maintain that there i.s no better harbor on the north shore. These eonfiicting reports induced me to exair.ine the matter, a id I was somewhat surprised to find that stakes placed by Mi Ridout's party nea; the waters edge in l, were still standini^' in many places throui^hout the harbor It would be hard to find stroni^er evidence of the excellent shelter whi.-h this harbor is cajjable of attbrding vessels than the fact that the ice and storms since 1.S75 have not carried away small stakes placed almost at the watei-'s edge, anil retained in position by a few small stones. French River, from its mouth to its source, in Lake Nipis. sing, covers a distance of about 50 miles, and is in reality a chain of very deep lakes si'pamted by narrow liars of rock vviiicli flam back the water, thus forming rapids and. cascades. These vary in lenf(th from 50 to 000 feet. The usual width of the river is from 400 teet to a mile, and the usual depth from 80 to more than 100 feet. The banks are stsep, bold and rocky. In the broad expanses between the rapids tin; shores are indented at short intervals by deep bays, which, not infretiuently, extend inland for seveial miles. Hundreds of islands are scattered throughout its length, and lend a charm to that lonely region. From the mouth, the course is north-east for a distance of two and a half miles. Here the river, turning suddeidy to the east, is crossed by t""' bars of rock which, by preventing the free passage of the w er end of an expansion of the river, called Lae be lioeiif", from which there are three large discharij;es into the Georuian Bay, the channel divides intt) two biunehes, one to the left called the South Branch, ivhich extends sunie KJ miles to Cantin's Bay, the terminus of the late Georgian Bay Branch : the othei*, through which nearly the whole volume of water passes, follows the general course of the river to the second ra])id, 10 miles from Les Petites Dalles. In this distance there are three narrow passages, each about 125 feet wide, the remainder being from 500 to 1,500 feet in width. A few rocks wt)uld have to be removed, and tlie channel straightened in one or two places. At the second rapid, which has a fall of two feet, and is 802 feet wide, and six feet deej) at low watei", the second lock is located with n lift of 14 feet. The liver is straiuht, about 500 feet wide, and 3 'M) feet deep, (rom the second rapid to the Recollet Falls, a dis- tanee of Hvc iiiilos. These falls are formed by a bar of ruck aljout 100 feet wide, which oVistructs the channel at this point. They arc 7.!)7 feet hii^h. Above the Recollet Falls there is an unbroken stretch of water 18 miles in length, from 400 to 1,500 feet wide, and from 80 to more than 100 feet deep. There are two small discharges from the main channel into the south branch ; one branches off three miles from the Recollet, runs south one and a half miles, and falls through a nari'ow pass into Cantin's Bay, an expansion of the river The otiier leaves seven miles from the Recollet, runs .-^outh for thi-ee and a half miles, and empties into the South Branch through the Horse Shoe Falls. Both these discharges have high batiks, and are not more than 3t) foet wide, and two feet deeji at ordinary low water, ^rwo and a hau miles from the Recollet there is a bay which extends ninth one and a half miles, and receives the discharse of the north branch, whi(!h here enters the main channel, after having left it some 20 miles turther up. After these IS miles, there are five rapids in the next five miles. Th(^ first of these, Le Parisien, fall 1.27 feet, is little more than a strong current, but since the channel is crooked, consider- able excavation would l)e necessary. Seven thousaml feet farther on are Les Petites Faucilles, a number of small cur- rents, with a total fall of 1.G8 feet, running in channels separated bv islands. The thiid lock with a lift of 14 fec^t, is located in a narrow pass, with steep rocky banks, near the head of these curi-ents. The Buisson Rapid, fall 4.().") feet, 8,000 feet from Les Petites Faucilles, is a straight and narrow channel of the reciuired dimensions, with perpendicular banks of rock At the Double Rapid, fall 8.05 feet, 8,S00 feet farther on, the river turns suddenly to the left. The located channel, with a radius of 050 feet, passes through a small water- course to the left of the main channel ; for a distance of 400 feet the work would bo ratlier liravy. Halt' a mile above tliis rapid, tluMt' is a small current witli ;t fall of ().2ct, and the lilt of the lock 14 feet. The Pine Kaj)id. the last of the five, is 4,000 feet from La Giaiule Faueille, and has a fall of 2.o'2. I'eet. The water- way is of tlie lequired dimensions, so that no excavation wouM be necessary. At the head of the Pine Hapid a beautiful lake meets the (ye. To thr l(>ft, at the l)ottom of a deep bay, the distant outlet of the north liranch ean be diset.rned, wliich, alter acouiseof2:{ miles, empties into the main channel, two and a hah iniles above the Recollet Falls. To the right, a short distance from the head of the rapid, there is a branch which re-enters the river below La (Irande Faucille. A little furthei- (»n, tlie main channel turns to the left while directly op|)osite the head of the rapid are inmmierable islands, densely vooded with lofty pines, thickly scattered in groups and clusters on an urea of two miles scpiare. Behind these islands one of the outlets of Lakes Ni[)issing rushes down a steep incline, and is lost in the still waters below. Followino- the main channel for eight miles, through groups of islands and bioad lakes, we arrive at the Chaudiere Falls. In this distance the depth is nowhere less than 24 feet, and is usually more than KJO feet ; the width varies from 500 feet to three-quarters of a mile. On leaving Kelso's Bay, at the uppei- end of this'Jake; 2,000 feet from the Lower Chaudiere Falls, the channel becomes narrow and winding, and it is nee- essary to leave the i-iver and cut through the narrowest part of a spur of i-ock, around which the river flows. At the Lower Chaudiere fall, 13.19 feet, the river rushes down between per- pendicular banks of rock, scarcely fifty feet apart. In this tijivrow pass, tlio fifth and last luck, with fi lift of 14 foet, is loc- attMl. Botwcct! tlio Lower and rppcr Chandicre tliere is a basin of 2,<;()(» feet \on<^, with an avcmire width oi' oiM) feet. The llppor ChaiKlioi'L', fall 12.!)() fuet, is a sutu-cssion oi' small nipids and deep CMinvnts, niniiiiio- in a nanow channel hctwocn steep and rocUy banks. Although the depth of water is generally sufhciont, the cdiaruie! wonld have to be widened and straightened in several places. There is pi'obably no river which |)resents so many advatit- agos fur eanali/.atioii, iis French Hi ver, foi- there are always at least two (thannels ; by dannning one the water below the dam would assume a lower level, and woi-ks b(( carried on al)ove which would otherwise have to be done under water ; or a lock can be bui't in a favourable part of the river, and the channel pernnmently blocked, as j^roposed at the Chaudiere, Grande h^anciille and oiher rapids, while the wliole discharge passes througli the other branch. The liver might be lighted l)y plac- ing at each point a red light to the right, and a wlnte light on the left, s(j that a vessel ascending would pass to the riidit of the white, and to the left of the red light. In this manner' navigation would be as safe at night as in day. Perliajis it would be found advantageous to have a small steam skiff arid two meji between each lock to attend to the lights, and thus greatly reduce the number of light-house keej)ers. There is no building stone on French River fit for n)asonry of locks, conse((uently it would, perhai)s, be advisable to con- struct them of wood and iron in place of stone. No. 16 is a plan and elevation of one of the proposed Icjcks of 14 feet lift. The sides are wooden frames filled with conci-ete, The gates an^ strong and firmly braced iron frames which slir diHtaiiccs rioin Clii('»i;;(» t(» tlir sen ports ot Montreal ami Now York by different routes : — In I'Av- Ciii(Ai;ti id Ni-.w VouK. Rah. MlI.K.S \/aikk MlI.K.S TOTAI, OtlR OI- Krk;-.< II 1419 KlVKK. \ia. l.akcs and liiii' ( 'anal 1419 440 " I/ikf's to HuH'alii, rail lo New \oi 42- 925 '347 368 " All rail 9()i 961 ('lIKAiili ro MONTKKAI.. Via. Lakes ami Si. Lawrcuci: • J4X »34« 369 " i'Vcncli River to Lake \i|iis>,ini4, ilience to Montreal by rail 354 625 979 This taV)le .shows that Fiench Rivei- possesses decided ad- Viintfiu'es over anv of the other j-oiites troni ('liiea<;o to tlie s-i:'- board. The returns of the Cliicaijo Board of Trade sliovv that 6.S,r)!l.*},H87 bushels of wheat and other <^iains were ^^hipped by thft lakes to Bnttalo, and thence to New York Ity railway :v,A canal. The French Ivivfr route. bein^4+0 miles shorter than by tin.' Erie ('anal,and -SliS miles shorter than thecond)ined rail and water route to New Yoik, would ccrtainl}' attract a large portion of this enoi'mous trade, 'i he forests of pine which bordei' upon Lake Nipissing have as yet scarcely been touched, so that the rotui'u trade, which influences the rates of freight, would be very larg,. 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Youj' most obedient servatit, E. r. BENDER.