I-NRLF 
 

 THE NAVIGATION OF THE LAKES 
 
 AND 
 
 NavftaWe Connications Therefrom to the Seahoarfl, 
 
 AISTD TO THE MISSISSIPPI BIVEE, 
 
 AND 
 
 RELATION OF THE FORMER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LINES OF RAILWAY LEADING TO THE PACIFIC. 
 
 Bv EDWIN F., JOHNSON, 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 PRESS OF CASE, LOCKWOOD & COMPANY. 
 
 1866. 
 
THE NAVIGATION OF THE LAKES 
 
 AND 
 
 Navigable Comnnications Therefrom to tie Seated, 
 
 AND TO THE MISSISSIPPI EIYEE, 
 
 AND 
 
 RELATION OF THE FORMER 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LINES OF RAILWAY LEADING TO THE PACIFIC, 
 
 By EDWIN F. JOHNSON, 
 
 HARTFORD: 
 
 PRESS OF CASE, LOCKWOOD & COMPANY. 
 1866. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by 
 EDWIN F. JOHNSON, 
 
 In the Clerk s Office of the District Court of the United States, for the District of 
 
 Connecticut. 
 
THE NAVIGATION OF THE LAKES, ETC. 
 
 THE subject which it is now proposed to examine is one of 
 so great importance in a commercial and political view, that 
 no apology is needed for inviting attention to it. 
 
 The character of the St. Lawrence chain of waters, their 
 connection with the navigable routes to the seaboard, and their 
 relation to the navigation of the Mississippi and its branches, 
 has been the theme of so much that has been said and written 
 within the last fifty or sixty years, that it may be deemed 
 presumptuous to endeavor to add to the amount of information 
 already possessed. All therefore that is intended in the pres 
 ent essay is to present, if possible, the subject in such a light 
 as to render its importance more apparent and deserving the 
 attention and serious consideration of the American public. 
 
 The two great drainage basins of the St. Lawrence and the 
 Mississippi, which pour their surplus waters into the Atlantic 
 at points so remote as the gulfs of Mexico and St. Lawrence, 
 approach each other in the interior, so that for a distance of 
 over twelve hundred miles their waters interlock and they 
 have the same boundary. 
 
 These basins differ greatly in character, producing an equal 
 ly marked difference in the navigation afforded by each. The 
 chain of St. Lawrence waters is characterized by a series of 
 fresh water lakes unparalleled in extent and elevated from 
 one hundred to six hundred feet above the level of the Ocean. 
 At a distance of nearly two thousand miles from the Gulf of 
 St. Lawrence is the largest of these lakes, Lake Superior, 
 elevated six hundred feet above the sea, the surplus waters 
 of which form the St. Mary s river and its eastern extremity. 
 
 M175617 
 
This river, after descending twenty-three feet, nearly, enters 
 Lake Huron which is elevated five hundred and seventy-seven 
 feet above the sea. 
 
 Upon a level with this lake, and connected with it by the 
 straits of Mackinaw, is Lake Michigan. 
 
 The two last named lakes find an outlet by the St. Clair 
 river at the southern extremity of Lake Huron, into St. Clair 
 Lake. This latter discharges by the Detroit river into Lake 
 Erie which has an elevation above the sea of five hundred 
 and sixty-seven feet. 
 
 Lake Erie has for its outlet the Niagara river, which has a 
 descent to Lake Ontario of 331 feet, nearly one half of which 
 is vertical forming the grand falls of that river. From Lake 
 Ontario, which is elevated two hundred and thirty-six feet 
 above the sea, flows the St. Lawrence river proper, which, 
 after a descent of 223 feet, meets the tides of the sea at Mon 
 treal thirteen feet above the sea level, that level not being 
 attained until the river enters Lake St. Peters. 
 
 The St. Lawrence in its course from Lake Ontario to Mon 
 treal passes through two lesser lakes, formed by an expansion 
 of its surface, viz. : Lake St. Francis, elevated 141 feet, and 
 Lake St. Louis 59 feet above the sea level. 
 
 In addition to tire lakes and rivers named, there are other 
 waters in the St. Lawrence basin so situated as to be able to 
 perform, or are now performing, an important part in the 
 internal navigation of the country. 
 
 These are Lake Nippissing elevated sixty feet, nearly, above 
 Lake Huron, and discharging its surplus waters by the French 
 river into that lake. The Ottawa river connecting by one of 
 its mouths with the St. Lawrence in Lake St. Louis on the 
 southeast side of Montreal Island, a large and liable stream, 
 stretching far into Northern Canada, and reaching by its 
 Matewan branch to within four and a half miles of Lake Nip- 
 pissing. Lake Sirncoe discharging into the Georgian Bay of 
 Lake Huron by the Severn river and elevated 137 feet above 
 the latter lake, and Lake Champlain ninety-six feet above the 
 sea, having for its outlet the Sorel or Chambly river, which 
 enters the St. Lawrence at the head of Lake St. Peters 
 
and a group of lakes in western New York, which have their 
 outlet into Lake Ontario by the Oswego River, the eastern 
 most of which, Lake Oneida, is elevated one hundred and 
 twenty feet above Lake Ontario. 
 
 The waters above described lie partly within the Canadas, 
 and partly within the States. Of the lakes named, Michigan, 
 Champlain and Oneida, lie wholly within the States. Superior, 
 Huron, St. Clair, Erie and Ontario, lie partly in the States 
 and partly in Canada ; and the others named are Canadian 
 lakes and their outlets, including that of Lake Champlain, 
 are Canadian rivers. 
 
 The great difference in elevation of the lakes, as described, 
 indicates that the rivers connecting them or flowing from 
 them, have a descent in their natural condition unsuited to 
 navigation. This is true of all of them excepting the St. 
 Clair and Detroit rivers. 
 
 The obstacles to navigation in the others have been over 
 come to a certain extent. The descent from Lake Superior to 
 Lake Huron is overcome, eighteen feet of it, by a canal one 
 mile nearly in length, having twelve feet depth of water, with 
 two locks of eight to ten feet lift each, three hundred and fifty 
 feet length of chamber, and seventy feet wide. 
 
 Between Lake Huron and Lake Erie, at what are called 
 the St. Clair Flats, a dredging of the channel has been found 
 necessary to secure ten feet depth of water at the lowest 
 stage of Lake Huron, and this must be repeated at still great 
 er cost, the bottom being an indurated marl, to secure eleven 
 to twelve feet, and here it may be said, once for all, that the 
 surface of the great lakes varies from four to about five or 
 six feet in extreme cases, depending upon the rains and 
 snows in their basins, and amount of evaporation. These 
 changes culminate, it is said, with some regularity every six 
 and one third years. The period from the maximum or min 
 imum to the next maximum or minimum, being twelve and 
 two-thirds years nearly. Their surface levels at their outlets 
 and at other points, also vary with the direction and force 
 of the winds that sweep over their surface, and when 
 thus disturbed, currents are formed in recovering their equilit)- 
 
6 
 
 riiun, which arc plainly perceptible to those engaged in their 
 navigation. 
 
 These lakes are remarkable for their large size, compared 
 with the dimensions of the basins in which they are situated. 
 They occupy full one-third of the whole surface. The dis 
 charge from them down the St. Lawrence does not probably 
 exceed the one- fourth to the one-third part of the rain fall hi 
 their basins, a discharge which would be greatly lessened, but 
 for their elevation and high northern position of the largest 
 of their number, both of which circumstances contribute 
 greatly to lessen the evaporation. 
 
 Lake Erie is connected with Lake Ontario, in Canada, by 
 the Welland Canal, which is forty-two miles extreme length, 
 has ten feet depth of water, and locks 150 feet by 2G feet, 
 with lifts averaging ten to twelve feet. This canal was origi 
 nally of much smaller dimensions. It has two termini oil 
 Lake Erie, the shortest line from lake to lake being twenty- 
 eight miles. 
 
 Upon the St. Lawrence, from Lake Ontario to Montreal, 
 short canals, seven in number, have been constructed at places 
 where the river has too great a descent for navigation. These 
 canals have nine feet depth of water, locks, 200 feet by 50 
 and 55 feet, and they have an extent in the aggregate of 41 
 miles or 32J miles to Lake St. Louis at the junction of the 
 Ottawa with the St. Lawrence. 
 
 This distance of 32J miles is made up of six separate ca 
 nals in the order following, commencing from Lake Ontario. 
 
 1. Galop s, length 2 miles, lockage, - - 8 feet. 
 
 2. Point Iroquois, length 3 miles, lockage, 6 feet. 
 
 3. Rapid Plat, length 4 miles, lockage, - 11 J f ce t. 
 
 4. Farren s Point, length f mile, lockage, - 4 feet. 
 
 5. Cornwall, length 11J miles, lockage, 48 feet. 
 
 6. Beauharnois, length, 11 J- miles, lockage, 82 feet. 
 
 Total length, 32J miles, lockage, - "l60~feet. 
 
 The first four of these, canals having an aggregate length 
 of 9J miles, and 29J feet of lockage, arc not used by vessels 
 
descending, the depth of water in the river being ample for 
 their safe passage, and the channel broad. This fact we shall 
 have occasion to refer to hereafter. 
 
 Upon the outlet of Lake Champlain, is the Chambly Canal, 
 11 J miles long, with locks 120 by 24 feet, and six feet depth 
 of water, overcoming the fall (about 65 feet,) at the Cham 
 bly rapids, and below is a dam at St. Ours, 12 miles from the 
 St. Lawrence, with a lock by which the navigation of the 
 river is improved so as to insure 6 to 7 feet depth of water. 
 
 At the distance of about 110 miles from the mouth of the 
 Ottawa, is the junction, at By town, or Ottawa City, of the 
 Bideau Canal with that river. 
 
 This improvement extends to Lake Ontario at Kingston, 
 127 miles, of which 57 miles only is canal, the remainder be 
 ing river and lake navigation. The summit level is 165 
 feet above Lake Ontario, the total lockage 455 feet, and locks 
 127J feet by 46 feet, with 5 to 5J feet depth of water. Be 
 tween By town and Montreal are three short canals, the Car 
 illon, Blondeau, and Grenville, to pass obstructions on the 
 Ottawa river, with locks 110 by 30 feet, and five feet depth of 
 water. 
 
 From Lake Erie, at Buffalo, to tide-water at Albany, is the 
 Erie Canal, of New York, located for over 150 miles within 
 7 to 25 miles of the south shore of Lake Ontario, having 
 7 feet depth of water, 350 miles in length, with a rise and 
 fall of 644 feet, overcome by locks, the chambers of which 
 are 110 by 18 feet. Connecting with this canal at Syracuse, 
 is another leading to Oswego on Lake Ontario, of the same 
 dimensions and size of locks, and from this latter there is a 
 smaller navigation by the way of the Oneida river and lakes 
 to the Erie Canal at Oneida Creek, forming, in conjunction 
 with the Erie Canal and Oswego river, a navigation between 
 Lake Ontario and the Hudson river, 204 miles in length, and 
 having a rise and fall of 614 feet. This navigation can be 
 enlarged and improved, and the distance, it is supposed, less 1 
 ened about 9 or 10 miles. 
 
 From Lake Champlain is the Champlain Canal, of the 
 same dimensions with the Erie Canal, connecting with the 
 
8 
 
 latter nino miles from Albany, having a length of 62 miles, 
 and a rise and fall of 179 feet, or 204 feet to Albany. The 
 summit level of this canal is 10 feet above tide. 
 
 The above comprise the improvements made and in opera 
 tion, leading from the lakes named to the eastern seaboard, 
 omitting those in the valley of the Susquehannah. These 
 improvements are all situated in, and owned in the Canadas, 
 except the New York and Sault St Marie Canals. 
 
 To the West the navigation of the lakes is connected with 
 that of the Mississippi by a Canal from Cleveland to Ports 
 mouth on the Ohio river, 310 miles long. Another from the 
 Maumee river to the Ohio river, (The Wabash and Erie Ca 
 nal,) 467 miles in length.* 
 
 To these are to be added the Illinois and Michigan Canal, 
 from Chicago on Lake Michigan to the Illinois river, and the 
 improvement from Green Bay, in Wisconsin, to the Wiscon 
 sin river. The two latter named being the most prominent and 
 important, as connecting the navigation of the lakes with the 
 Mississippi by very short lines will alone be considered. Tho 
 Illinois and Michigan Canal has a length of 96 miles, with 6 
 feet depth of water, locks 110 by 18 feet, and a rise and fall 
 of 158 feet. Its summit level is 8 feet above Lake Michigan, 
 and it has 17 locks of about 9 feet lift each. From the junc 
 tion of this Canal with the Illinois river to the mouth of the 
 latter upon the Mississippi the descent is 32 feet in 216 miles, 
 making the elevation of the Mississippi at that point above 
 the sea 400 feet, nearly, and the rise and fall from Chicago 
 to the same point, 190 feet. 
 
 The line from Green Bay in Wisconsin follows the Fox 
 river 46 miles, in which distance it rises 160 feet to Winne- 
 bago lake, and after passing through a portion of the lake (16 
 miles) enters the Upper Fox river which it follows 110 miles 
 to within two miles of the Wisconsin river, where is a canal 
 connecting the two, the ascent from Lake Winnebago to tho 
 divide of the rivers being 63 feet. From this point the 
 
 Two Canals, tho Gcnesacc Valley, in Ngw York, and another leading from 
 EJrte In Peniwylrania, fonnert with tho Alleghany rircr at point*, where there 
 i*. at present, only a dfurrtxlinp naTipntinn on that mer. 
 
descent to the Mississippi by the Wisconsin river is 75 feet 
 nearly, viz. : 45 feet in the first 55 miles and 30 feet in the 
 remaining 65 or 70 miles, making the total rise and fall from 
 Green Bay to the Mississippi 298 feet nearly, and the eleva 
 tion of the Mississippi at the point of junction 725 feet above 
 the sea. The locks upon this line are 160 by 35 feet, and the 
 entire length is 295 miles from Green Bay to the Mississippi. 
 
 In respect to the larger lakes and their navigable connec 
 tions with the seaboard, such is the character of the entrances 
 to the several harbors upon the former, and depth of water 
 in the St. Clair river, that vessels navigating them are limited 
 to a maximum draft of about ten feet, the depth of water 
 upon the bars and in the St. Clair river not much exceeding 
 that amount in the ordinary condition of the lakes. The 
 Sault St. Marie canal, we have seen, is adapted to vessels 
 having a draft of 11 feet ; vessels of this description can navi 
 gate, with the required improvement on St. Clair river, the 
 large surface covered by the lakes Superior, Huron, Michi 
 gan and Erie, which have in the aggregate a shore line of 
 nearly 5000 miles. These lakes receive from the vast and 
 fertile regions lying to the west and southwest in the valley 
 of the Mississippi, the immense amount of produce which 
 those regions furnish, and must continue to furnish for the 
 Atlantic and European markets, but it cannot reach the form 
 er in such vessels as are best suited to the navigation of the 
 lakes, but must be trans-shipped at Buffalo and other points, 
 and passed on in smaller vessels in a mode less favorable for 
 cheap transit, and in consequence there is imposed upon both 
 the producer and the consumer a burden which should be 
 remofed if possible. 
 
 The New York canals with only a depth of 7 feet can pass 
 vessels of only about 6 feet draft and 17 feet width of beam, 
 and the Welland and St. Lawrence canals, although the locks 
 are much larger, limit the draft to 9 and 8 feet. The latter 
 if of ample size in all respects, would not meet the wants 
 of the commerce of the lakes, which can only be properly 
 provided for and accommodated by the construction or open 
 ing of channels which shall lead most directly and expeditious- 
 2 
 
10 
 
 ly to those cities upon the seaboard as New York, Boston, 
 <fec., which now control and, for all time, probably, must con 
 tinue to control the American trade of the North Atlantic. 
 
 So far, therefore, as regards the navigation of the lakes the 
 great desideratum is, first, to render Lake Ontario accessible 
 to the larger vessels navigating the upper lakes, and second 
 ly, to open from the latter to the eastern seaboard a naviga 
 tion which shall be the cheapest and best possible, a naviga 
 tion which shall be suited to the lake harbors and which will 
 permit lake going vessels of the class most profitable for trans 
 portation, to deliver their cargoes unbroken upon the sea 
 board, and to take back from the latter and the region adja 
 cent, whatever the trade between the East and the West shall 
 require to be conveyed. 
 
 An examination of the country without regard to national 
 boundaries, leads to the conclusion that a navigation, connect 
 ing the lakes named with the Eastern seaboard, to be the best 
 and cheapest possible must be opened upon one or all of the 
 three following routes. 
 
 First. The enlargement and improvement of the naviga 
 tion from Lakes Erie and Ontario to the Hudson. 
 
 Second. The improvement of the navigation of the St. 
 Lawrence, the connection of the latter river by canal -with 
 Lake Cham plain, and improvement of the communication 
 from the latter to the Hudson. 
 
 Third. The opening of a communication from Lake Huron 
 to the Hudson by the route of the French and Ottawa rivers, 
 connecting with the last named line near Caughnawaga on 
 the St. Lawrence. 
 
 Fourth. The opening of a communication from the Qreorg- 
 ian Bay of the same lake direct to Lake Ontario, thence con 
 necting with the lines mentioned leading to the seaboard from 
 that lake. 
 
 Necessary to the first of these improvements is a better 
 communication between Lakes Erie and Ontario than is now 
 offered by the Welland canal, a communication which will 
 enable vessels of the larger class to pass easily from one lake 
 to the other. This improvement should be placed in the 
 
11 
 
 vicinity of the Niagara river where the distance is the least 
 possible, and where the difference in elevation of the lakes 
 can be overcome in the shortest time and with the least ex 
 pense. The ground for this purpose has been instrumentally 
 examined by competent engineers, all of whom have pro 
 nounced in favor of the practicability of the undertaking. 
 The last survey was for a marine railway as a substitute for a 
 canal which was also pronounced practicable. These surveys 
 all commence at Schlosser on the east side of the river and 
 terminate with two or three exceptions a-t Lewiston, the dis 
 tance to the latter place being about eight miles. 
 
 Examinations and surveys made by the Canadian authori 
 ties, some ten years since, show that a canal of the desired 
 dimensions can be constructed over very favorable ground 
 from the St. Lawrence river to the outlet of Lake Cham- 
 plain. The level of this outlet at St. Johns, the north 
 ern limit of the natural navigation from that lake, meets the 
 St. Lawrence at a point 31 feet above Lake St. Louis, or 51 
 feet below Lake St. Francis, on the line of the Beauharnois 
 canal. A level canal from this latter point will run nearly 
 parallel with the south shore of Lake St. Louis to near 
 Caughnawaga before taking a more eastwardly course. At 
 Caughnawaga a connection with the St. Lawrence at Lake 
 St. Louis is indispensable to accommodate the trade of the 
 Ottawa valley, and the city of Montreal. The surveys show 
 that the line of canal from Caughnawaga to St. Johns may 
 be shortened ten miles, making the entire distance 25J miles, 
 by passing a summit 37J feet above the river at St. Johns. 
 This summit is attained at a point four miles from Caugh 
 nawaga, which point is the proper place for the junction of the 
 line 16 miles in length from Beauharnois. A canal thus con 
 structed will connect with, and be fed from, the Beauharnois 
 canal, at a point 14 feet below the level of Lak* St. Francis, 
 or 681 feet above Lake St. Louis, and the current in it will 
 be in a direction favorable to the descending trade. 
 
 From St. Johns to Lake Champlain there is a good naviga 
 tion in the lowest stage of the lake for vessels drawing 7 to 
 8 feet water, which may be increased by dredging in soft 
 
12 
 
 material in three or four places to 11 or 12 feet. This lake 
 varies about 6 to 7 feet in its level from the same causes 
 which influence the other lakes. The alternations of high 
 and low water are however more frequent from its smaller 
 size and great elevation of the country on either side of it. 
 
 A survey of the Champlain canal made some years since, 
 and examination of the ground over which it passes for a rail 
 road, hy the writer, show that a larger navigation, a naviga 
 tion having 12 feet depth of water, may, without difficulty, 
 be formed from Lake Champlain to the Hudson river, to be 
 fed like the present canal from that river. 
 
 The route described from Lake Huron via French river to 
 the Ottawa and by the latter river to the St. Lawrence, has 
 recently been instrumentally examined. From this examina 
 tion it appears that a navigation may be opened, by an im 
 provement of the French, and Matcwan and Ottawa rivers, 
 which will pass vessels drawing 11 feet water from Lake 
 Huron to the St. Lawrence at Lake St. Louis. The summit 
 level upon this line is 83 feet above Lake Huron, and the dis 
 tance between the waters of Lake Nippissing or French river 
 and the Matcwan branch of the Ottawa only 4 miles, and only 
 53 miles of independent, and 13 miles of enlarged canal, 
 with the necessary locks, guard locks and dams, are needed, 
 as supposed, to perfect the navigation the entire distance of 
 422 miles to the St. Lawrence at Lake St. Louis ; the remain 
 ing portions being natural navigation with ample depth of 
 water. 
 
 At the junction with the St. Lawrence, on the southeast side 
 of Montreal island, this route meets the canal proposed and 
 described above from Caughnawaga to the outlet of Lake 
 Champlain. 
 
 From Lake St. Louis a connection already exists with tide 
 water at Montreal by means of the Lachine canal, 81 miles 
 long, which overcomes an elevation of 46 feet. This canal 
 may be enlarged so as to give 12 feet depth of water, as may 
 also the series of St. Lawrence canals westward to Lake On 
 tario. 
 
13 
 
 From the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron to Lake Ontario, sur 
 veys have been made, by the way of Lake Simcoe, disclosing 
 two routes terminating at Toronto. The highest or summit 
 ground is about 700 feet above Lake Ontario, and as Lake 
 Huron is 341 feet above the same lake, this summit would 
 give 1060 feet rise and fall between the two lakes. This it is 
 supposed can be greatly lessened. This distance is about 100 
 miles, and the main summit is about 25 miles from Lake 
 Ontario.* 
 
 For the purpose of comparing the several routes named, 
 we have collected all of the important facts relating to each, 
 viz. : their length, extent of lake navigation, and of unob 
 structed river navigation, the rise and fall upon each, and 
 extent of artificial canal, now in use and required, and other 
 details, a portion of which have been given above. These 
 facts and details have been derived from actual measurements, 
 and from the most authentic sources. The routes described 
 all converge or meet at Albany on the Hudson, and hence 
 that city will be considered as the terminus on the seaboard. 
 To make New York city the terminus would not change mate 
 rially the relation of the routes as it would only add 150 
 miles of unobstructed river navigation to each. Neither 
 would their relation be changed if it should be necessary in 
 order to obtain the required depth of water in the Hudson to 
 carry the improvement in the navigation to some point below 
 the city of Albany. 
 
 For the Lake Superior trade the initial or starting point, 
 a point which the entire eastward bound trade of that lake 
 must pass, is assumed at the lower end of Sugar island at the 
 mouth of the St. Mary s river. For Lake Michigan the point 
 is placed at the straits of Mackinaw. For Lake Huron it is 
 supposed to be at the mouth of French river, the head of 
 the Georgian Bay, and at Sarnia at the entrance into the 
 
 *For a general view of the canals and navigable rivers and lakes of the Union 
 and their relation to the commerce and prosperity of its several sections, the reader 
 is referred to the excellent letters of the Hon. Rob t J. Walker, T. Y. Howe, and 
 John A. Poor and others, to the Canal Convention, held at Chicago in 1 863, 
 published in the proceedings of the Convention. 
 
14 
 
 river St. Clair. For Lake Erie at Buffalo, and for Lake 
 Ontario at Oswego and Ogdensburg. 
 
 The lakes and their outlets and canals as above described, 
 including the Upper Mississippi and its branches are all closed 
 by ice for a portion of the year. The Erie canal is opened 
 for navigation in the spring about the 23d of April. This is 
 the average for 41 years ending in 1864 ; the earliest date 
 being March 27th, and latest May 6th. Lake Erie at 
 Buffalo is clear of ice about the 16th of April ; this is the 
 average for 38 years ending as above ; the earliest date being 
 the 7th of March ; the latest the 16th of May. Navigation 
 upon the canals continues for about seven months in the year 
 very nearly, that of the lakes is longer, ending first upon 
 Lake Superior, and then upon the northern parts of Lake 
 Huron and Michigan. The Hudson river from Troy or 
 Albany to New York is always open as early as the canals, 
 and this is the case with the Upper Mississippi and its branches 
 unless Lake Pepin is occasionally an exception. 
 
NAVIGABLE ROUTES FROM THE LAKES TO THE 
 EASTERN SEABOARD. 
 
 LAKE SUPERIOR TRADE. 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 ii^ 
 
 
 
 
 Sugar Island, St. Mary s River to Albany, N. Y., Route. 
 
 
 -d 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 .12 
 
 *3 
 
 
 j p 
 
 6 
 
 s 
 
 24 
 
 
 mil s m 1 s 
 
 .il 8 
 
 feet. 
 
 eet 
 
 1. Lake Erie, Ontario, Oswego, and Erie Canal. 
 Sugar Island to Sarnia Outlet of Lake Huron, 
 
 260 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sarnia to Buffalo, 
 
 265 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 Buffalo to Oswego, 
 Oswego to east end of Oneida Lake, 
 
 135 
 21 
 
 27 
 
 20 
 
 8 
 17 
 
 120 
 
 331 
 
 Oneida Lake to Albany, 
 
 
 
 135 
 
 69 
 
 425 
 
 Total distance, 943 miles. 
 
 681 
 
 102 
 
 160 
 
 189 
 
 766 
 
 2. Lake Erie and Erie Canal from Buffalo. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sugar Island to Buffalo, as above, 
 
 525 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 Buffalo to Albany, 
 
 
 
 350 
 
 44 
 
 611 
 
 Total, 930 miles. 
 
 525 
 
 55 
 
 350 
 
 44 
 
 621 
 
 3. Lake Erie, Ontario, St. Lawrence, and Champlain. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sugar Island to Buffalo, as above, 
 Buffalo to Ogdensburg by proposed Niagara Ship Canal, 
 Ogdensburg to the outlet of Lake Champlain, St. Johns, 
 Outlet of Champlain at St. Johns to Burlington, Vt, 
 
 525 
 180 
 
 42 
 
 55 
 
 77 
 *74 
 26 
 
 *57 
 
 ( 
 
 10 
 339 
 138 
 
 Total, 1044 miles. 
 
 747 
 
 232 
 
 65 
 
 4 
 
 487 
 
 Burlington, Vt., to Albany, 
 
 72 
 
 
 72 
 
 54 
 
 150 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total, 1188 miles. 
 
 819 
 
 232 
 
 137 
 
 60 
 
 637 
 
 4. Ottawa River and Lake Champlain. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sugar Island to the mouth of French River, 
 
 175 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mouth of French River to Caughnawaga on St. Lawrence, 
 Caughnawaga to outlet of Lake Champlain, St. Johns, 
 St. Johns to Burlington, Vt., 
 
 40 
 42 
 
 31 
 2 
 
 66 
 26 
 
 8 
 70 
 
 601 
 
 Total, 691 miles. 
 
 257 
 
 34 
 
 92 
 
 159 
 
 elm 
 
 Burlington, Vt, to Albany, 
 
 72 
 
 
 72 
 
 6 
 
 150 
 
 Total, 835 miles. 
 
 329 
 
 34 
 
 164 
 
 213. 
 
 788* 
 
 5. Georgian Bay, Lake Ontario, Oswego, and Erie Canal. 
 Sugar Island to head of Georgian Bay, 
 
 270 
 
 
 
 
 
 Georgian Bay to Toronto, 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 81 
 
 23 
 
 507 
 
 Toronto to Oswego, 
 
 140 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oswego to Albany, as above, 
 
 21 
 
 2 
 
 152 
 
 18 
 
 425 
 
 Total, 703 miles. 
 
 436 
 
 3 
 
 237 
 
 41 
 
 995 
 
 6. Georgian Bay, Ontario, St. Lawrence, and Champlain. 
 Sugar Island to Toronto, as above, 
 
 275 
 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 > 23 
 
 570 
 
 Toronto to Ogdensburg, 
 Ogdensburg to Burlington, Vt, as above, 
 
 175 
 42 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 s: 
 
 r 
 
 8 
 138 
 
 Total, 794 miles. 
 
 492 
 
 16 
 
 142 23 
 
 716 
 
 Burlington, Vt, to Albany, 
 
 72 
 
 
 75 
 
 I 6 
 
 150 
 
 Total, 938 miles. 
 
 564 16 
 
 21^ 
 
 I 29 
 
 866 
 
 *Five miles are taken from the actual distance by canal and added to the distance by the 
 river, for the reason that vessels in descending the river do not pass or make use of the four 
 first canals, embracing a distance of 9] miles. This change is made upon the St. Lawrence 
 routes in all the computations which follow. 
 
16 
 
 In a manner similar to the preceding the facts relating to 
 the routes leading from each of the other lakes have been 
 ascertained the details of which need not* be given, as what 
 ever is requisite for instituting a comparison between them is 
 embodied in the table or summary which follows. 
 
 In column A, of the table, opposite each designated route, is 
 given its total length in miles. In the next column, B, the ex 
 tent in miles of lake and unobstructed river navigation. In col 
 umn C, the extent in miles of canal. In column D, the total 
 rise and fall in feet. In column E, the length of canal in miles 
 which is considered equivalent to the total rise and fall. In 
 column F, the estimated time of transit over each route in 
 hours. In column G, the relative time and relative cost of 
 transportation, the same numbers being found to represent 
 both, under the proportions assumed in the estimate. 
 
17 
 
 TABLE COMPARISON OF ROUTES. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ift 
 
 4 
 
 . . 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 Cd 
 
 
 
 S 
 
 til! 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 JjjE|,|*| 
 
 
 
 U 
 
 
 
 
 ROUTE. 
 
 
 g 
 
 
 
 7PwP * 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 oi "J ho a; <*> 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 1 
 
 |sji|ii 
 
 
 i 
 
 03 
 
 3 
 
 i 
 
 | i ; * ;| "g 
 
 
 a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 3 BJS So 
 
 
 mis. mis. ! mla. feet imls. hrs. 
 
 
 09 
 
 Sugar Island to Albany. 
 
 A. JJ. ~c~~ D. |B. 
 
 K. G. 
 
 1 
 
 . Lake Erie, Ontario, Osuego and Erie Canal, 
 2. Lake Erie, and Erie Canal from Buffalo, 
 
 943 783 160 1 955 ! 
 930 5SO 35Q! 665: 
 
 96 162 1. 
 67^ 177 1.09 
 
 i 
 
 i. Lake Eue, Ontario, St. Lawrence and Champlain, 
 : . Ottawa River and Lake Chnmplain, 
 
 11881051 137 697 | 7<> 183 1.13 
 835 67 1641002 ! 100 1 loOj .93 
 
 p 
 
 . Georgian Bay, Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 703 466 237:1414 
 
 142 153, .95 
 
 m 
 
 6. Georgian Bay, St. Lawrence and Champlain, 
 
 933 724 214; 1156 
 
 116 173 1.07 
 
 
 
 Sugar Island to Burlington, Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 .. Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain, 
 2. Lake Erie, Ontario, and St. Lawrence, 
 
 691 599; 92 
 104! 979 65 
 
 798 
 493 
 
 80 118 
 49 151 
 
 .73 
 .93 
 
 
 
 Mackinaw to Albany. 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 . Lake Erie, Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 953 793 160 955 
 
 96 ! 163 1. 
 
 
 
 1 Lake Erie, and Erie Canal from? Buffalo, 
 
 940! 59"! 350 j 665 
 
 67^ 178! 1.09 
 
 a 
 
 !. Lake Erie, Ontario, St. Lawrence and Champlain, 
 
 1198 106r 137 697: 
 
 7oi 184 1.13 
 
 8, 
 
 : . Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain, 
 
 870| 706 1M1UQ2 1 1 OJ 154; .95 
 
 
 i. Georgian Bay, Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 713 476 237il414 142: 155! .96 
 
 ." 
 
 6. Georgian Bay, St. Lawrence, and Champlain, 
 
 948 
 
 734 2141156 
 
 116 174 
 
 1.07 
 
 s 
 
 Mackinaw to Burlington, Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 01 
 
 1. Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain, 
 
 726 
 
 634 92 798 
 
 80 122 .75 
 
 i 
 
 2. Lake Eiie, Ontario, and St. Lawrence, 
 
 1054 
 
 989 65; 493 
 
 49, 152 .93 
 
 
 Sarnia to Albany. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 [. Lake Erie, Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 683 
 
 f>23 160 
 
 955 
 
 96 129 1. 
 
 
 
 2. Lake Erie, and Erie Canal from Buffalo, 
 
 670 
 
 32" 350 665 
 
 67 144 1.12 
 
 li 
 
 3. Lake Erie, Ontario. St. Lawrence, and Champlain, 
 
 928 
 
 791 137 697 
 
 70! 151 1.17 
 
 ^3 
 
 Mouth of French River to Albany. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 g 
 
 4. Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain. 
 
 660 
 
 : 9 1641002 
 
 ICO 128 
 
 .99 
 
 3 
 
 Georgian Bay to Albany. 
 5. Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 433 
 
 | 
 196 2371414 
 
 142! 119 
 
 .92 
 
 g 
 
 i. Ontario, St. Lawrence, and Uhamplain, 
 
 668 
 
 454 2141156 
 
 116 13<J 
 
 1.08 
 
 ^ 
 
 Sarnia to Burlington, Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (3 
 
 1. Lake Erie, Ontario, and St. Lawrence, 
 
 784 
 
 719 
 
 65 493 
 
 49 
 
 118 
 
 .91 
 
 
 Mouth of French River to Burlington, Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. Ottawa River, and Lake Champlain, 
 
 516 
 
 424 
 
 92 798 
 
 80 
 
 97 
 
 .76 
 
 
 Buffalo to Albany. 
 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 C . 1. Lake Ontario, Oswego and Erie Canal, 
 
 363 
 
 2031 160 
 
 945 
 
 95 
 
 89 1. 
 
 w - 2. Erie Canal, 
 
 350 
 
 
 350 655 
 
 66 104 1.17 
 
 jg 2 3. Lake Ontario, St Lawrence, and Champlain, 
 
 608 
 
 471 
 
 137 687 
 
 69; 110 1.23 
 
 Buffalo to Burlington, Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence, and Champlain, 
 
 464 
 
 99 
 
 65 483 
 
 48 
 
 78 
 
 .88 
 
 .2 
 
 Oswfgo to Albany. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5 . 
 
 1. Oswego Canal, Oneida Lake, and Erie Canal, 
 
 193 
 
 41 
 
 152 ( 614 
 
 62 
 
 59 
 
 1. 
 
 ol 
 
 Ogdentburg to Albany. 
 2. St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain, 
 
 343 
 
 214 
 
 129J 348 
 
 35 
 
 68 
 
 1.15 
 
 |- 
 
 Ogdensburg to Burlington^ Vt. 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 I. St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain, 
 
 199 
 
 142 57! 144 
 
 15 36; .61 
 
18 
 
 In computing the length of canal due to the rise and fall, 
 we have adopted the customary relation for smaller sized 
 canals, ten feet of rise and fall being supposed equivalent to 
 one mile of canal. This proportion is based upon the sup 
 position that the cost and maintenance of a lock of ten feet 
 lift is equal to the cost and maintenance of one mile of 
 canal, and that the time occupied in passing such a lock is 
 equal to the time occupied in passing the mile of canal. 
 This proportion is less true probably of large sized canals, 
 such as now contemplated, but may be considered near enough 
 for our purpose. The error, if any, will, we think, if cor 
 rected, rather increase than lessen the differences presented 
 in the table. The cost of transportation upon natural waters, 
 when estimated per ton per mile, varies so greatly, as the 
 distance is more or less, that it is difficult, if not impossible, 
 to frame a rule applicable to all cases which shall be strictly 
 correct. 
 
 The assumption that the cost upon canal is double the cost 
 upon lake and river for the same distance, is probably, from 
 such facts as we have been able to obtain, the most favorable 
 for the canal, and a similar remark may be made as to the 
 estimate of time, for while eight miles is easily, and often 
 made by steam vessels in the navigation of the lakes and 
 rivers, lour miles per hour is seldom made by them on 
 canals. 
 
 If this is a correct conclusion the comparison which is pre 
 sented in the table exhibits those lines which have a larger 
 portion of canal in a too favorable light. The comparison 
 also assumes that upon all of the routes the canals upon each 
 have a size adequate to the passage of vessels of eleven feet 
 draft of water. This probably will never be true of the Erie 
 Canal, or at least of that portion of it from Buffalo to near 
 Rome, and if made true from Rome to the Hudson it must 
 be by a change of plan involving the reconstruction of almost 
 the entire line. The plans heretofore proposed for enlarging 
 this portion have not contemplated more than about one foot 
 addition to the depth and 15 to 20 feet to the width, owing 
 to the great cost and difficulty of enlarging beyond those 
 
19 
 
 limits. This will make transhipment necessary at Buffalo 
 and at Oswego or Oneida Lake, which will increase the ex 
 pense and the time somewhat upon both, unless these are 
 counterbalanced by the saving in the use of a lighter class of 
 steam vessels, as compared with their tonnage, upon the canals 
 and upon the Hudson river, or the use of steam tugs upon 
 both, or the adoption of a cheaper and more expeditious 
 mode of overcoming the elevation at the eastern extremity 
 of the canal, where is concentrated two-fifths of the lockage 
 upon it, or, of all combined. This latter change is deserving 
 of the serious attention of all who are interested in the navi 
 gation of the Erie Canal. 
 
 As to the delay and cost of transhipment, that alone will 
 not detract, except in a slight degree, from the superiority 
 of the Oswego route, and will not affect the comparison be 
 tween that route and that of the Erie Canal from Buffalo, 
 since in the case of the latter, transhipment can not, under 
 any circumstances, be avoided. 
 
 It will be seen that because of the proportions assumed be 
 tween canal and lake and river, in estimating time and cost of 
 transportation, that the percentage of advantage or disadvan 
 tage is the same for each, as shown in the table. That is, if 
 there is a saving or loss of a certain percentage in time, there 
 will also be a saving or loss of the same percentage in the 
 cost of transportation. 
 
 It is proper to state that the table shows the relative time 
 and cost of transportation upon the several routes upon the 
 supposition that locks are used to overcome, in all cases, the 
 rise and fall where assistance is required. 
 
 It should, however, be understood, in respect to the com 
 munication between Lakes Erie and Ontario that the great 
 difference in elevation of the two is all to be overcome (such 
 is the formation of the ground) in a very short distance, a 
 circumstance not the most favorable for the adoption of the 
 customary means of locks, but supposed to be favorable for 
 the substitution of a marine railway or inclined plane for 
 effecting the same object for the smaller class of vessels if not 
 for the larger. If by the adoption of this substitute the time 
 
20 
 
 and cost of passing vessels can be lessened, there will result a 
 saving of time and cost upon all of the routes benefited by 
 the improvement. 
 
 We have assumed the connection to be made between the 
 St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain in such a manner as to 
 accommodate equally the St. Lawrence and Ottawa routes. 
 By leaving the St. Lawrence at a point higher up, the distance 
 from Lake Ontario or Ogdensburg to Lake Champlain may be 
 lessened without adding to the amount of lockage. Such a 
 position, however, for the canal would add to its length and cost, 
 and render necessary, ultimately, another canal from Lake St. 
 Louis to accommodate both the valley of the Ottawa and the 
 city of Montreal in their trade with the States. The route to 
 the former passing, as will be seen by reference to the map, 
 within nine to ten miles of the latter city. 
 
 From the results presented in the table the following con 
 clusions are drawn, viz. : 
 
 That the best navigable route for the vast trade between 
 the great lakes and the waters of the Hudson is the one by 
 the way of Lake Ontario to Oswego, and thence by the Oswe- 
 go river and Oneida lake to Albany, the difference being, for 
 the Lake Superior and Lake Michigan trade, nine per cent, 
 in favor of the Lake Ontario and Oswego route as compared 
 with the route by the Erie canal from Buffalo ; twelve per cent 
 for the Lake Huron trade, and seventeen per cent, for the 
 Lake Erie trade ; and this, irrespective of any superiority 
 which a marine railway may possess either as an auxilary or 
 a substitute for overcoming the elevation at Niagara over the 
 common method of locks. 
 
 That for a portion of this trade from the upper lakes the 
 route by the way of the Ottawa river and Lake Champlain 
 to the Hudson, possesses, if the proper connection is made 
 with Lake Champlain, a nominal advantage over the route 
 first above named, via Oswego, of about five to seven per 
 cent as shown in the table, which, however, is nearly or quite 
 counterbalanced by the fact of that route being in a foreign 
 territory, and, from its greater elevation above the sea and 
 higher northern position, more liable to obstructions from ice. 
 Moreover, when the improvement shall be actually made, the 
 
21 
 
 portion which is estimated as canal may, it is supposed, be 
 somewhat increased, and no account is made in the table of 
 the greater number of guard locks and obstructions from 
 fluctuations in the level of the rivers, which must be greater 
 on that route than upon the St. Lawrence. 
 
 As to the trade of Lake Ontario, the time and cost from 
 Oswego to Albany is so much less than from the outlet of the 
 lake by the way of Lake Champlain to the same point that 
 the former route is clearly the best. 
 
 It appears, from the above comparison of routes, that if 
 the one from the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron to Lake Onta 
 rio can be opened on as favorable ground as contemplated, it 
 will form an important channel for a portion of the upper 
 lake business. The lockage upon it as assumed in the table, 
 exceeds the lockage at Niagara 469 feet, a difference which, 
 under the mode of computation adopted, is equivalent to 47 
 miles of canal or 94 miles of lake and river navigation, an 
 amount which deprives it of much of the advantage it has in 
 actual distance. 
 
 The construction of this canal will not detract from, but 
 add to, the importance of the routes via Oswego and by the 
 St. Lawrence as already shown. The Georgian Bay is said 
 to be longer obstructed by ice than the upper part of Lake 
 Huron. As to the precise amount of this obstruction we are 
 not fully informed, and cannot state its effect upon the navi 
 gable season. If the rise and fall or distance or both shall 
 prove to be less than we have assumed, the difference in its 
 favor will be correspondingly increased. If the summit can 
 be reduced to the level of Lake Simcoe within reasonable 
 limits of expense, it will make a difference in favor of this 
 route of 3 or 4 per cent greater than is stated in the table. 
 
 In improving the navigation of the lakes and waters con 
 nected with them, regard should be had to their rratural capa 
 bilities and the necessities of trade. The craft which experi 
 ence shows to be in many particulars the best adapted to lake 
 navigation is the screw propeller. Vessels of this description 
 are increasing in number upon the lakes, and they must con 
 tinue to increase, and rapidly, if a channel is opened for them 
 
to tide water. Unlike other vessels their form and mode of 
 propulsion is very well adapted to the navigation of the pro 
 posed canals and passage of the locks or railway planes should 
 these latter be found advantageous. As now constructed 
 very few of these vessels exceed 600 tons. One of the largest 
 has a length of 234 feet drawing when loaded, ten and one- 
 half feet, and its burthen is 850 tons, equal to 28,000 bushels 
 of wheat. The size proposed for locks in the Congressional 
 bill of last session, viz. : 275 by 45 feet with 12 feet depth of 
 water is not too large for the Niagara improvement, neither is 
 it, so far as regards the depth of water in the canal, more than 
 is needful for the improvements leading from Lakes Ontario 
 and Huron to the seaboard. Two feet difference in the depth 
 upon the mitre sills of the locks and of the canals for this 
 portion, with a corresponding increase in the width of the 
 latter, is not too much to ensure a proper rate of movement 
 to vessels, and in arranging the dimensions for the locks, which 
 of necessity limit the size and form and draft of vessels, it 
 should not be forgotten that the very great magnitude of the 
 internal as compared with the external commerce of the 
 country requires that the vessels and means used should be 
 the best adapted to the purpose. Whatever system therefore 
 is the best for the internal trade should not be interfered with 
 or sacrificed in the expectation of a benefit to be derived from 
 making it conform to the exigencies of ocean navigation. 
 
 The lakes and their connections offer a wide field for capital 
 and enterprise, a field wide enough not to be materially bene 
 fited by assimilating to Ocean navigation in those particulars 
 in which they naturally and necessarily differ. Locks of too 
 large dimensions are costly to build and keep in repair, diffi 
 cult to operate, require more time to pass vessels, and maybe 
 so large as to be a positive and serious disadvantage rather 
 than a benefit to trade. They may have the effect to dis 
 courage individual enterprise by rendering a smaller class of 
 vessels less profitable, and thus serve to throw the trade into 
 the hands of a few comparatively and expose the country to 
 the evil of monopolies. In the coast wise trade which is 
 larger than the foreign trade of the country, vessels are em- 
 
23 
 
 ployed of all sizes from 100 to 500 tons Costing from 87,000 
 to $40,000, sums not so large as to prevent masters from 
 becoming sole owners, or the owners of a major interest in 
 each. These vessels would not be built if they were not 
 required by public convenience, and as the navigation in 
 which they are employed has a character similar to that of 
 the lakes, with the single exception, that they have no locks 
 to pass ; or but rarely, and are not subjected to any loss or 
 inconvenience in that respect, it is the more evident that ves 
 sels of similar tonnage will continue to be employed in large 
 numbers upon the lakes. 
 
 These vessels will doubtless many of them become sea 
 coasters during the winter months and will be constructed 
 accordingly. These considerations are more particularly 
 applicable, as stated, to the channels leading from the lakes to 
 tide water. Lake Superior being already united with Lake 
 Huron by a canal having 12 feet depth of water, vessels 
 adapted to that depth can traverse the entire expanse of those 
 lakes and of Lake Michigan, and with some further expendi 
 ture at the St. Glair Flats, the whole of Lake Erie. 
 
 This being the case, the short connection between Lake 
 Erie and Lake Ontario should be of a character to bring Lake 
 Ontario, with its 600 miles of shore line and 8,000 square 
 miles of surface, upon the same navigable plane with the upper 
 lakes, so that in conjunction with them it can perform its proper 
 part in the internal trade of the country, from which it is 
 now in a great measure excluded. 
 
 In this view there is a propriety in considering that the 
 Niagara canal has an office to perform which makes it an 
 exception to those other and longer channels made up of river 
 and canal mostly, which connect the entire lake system, Lake 
 Ontario included, with the seaboard. Lake Ontario is cer 
 tainly entitled to special consideration from its great size, and 
 from its position, reaching as it does half way from Lake Erie 
 to tide water, and, also, from the railway lines leading from 
 its eastern extremity to the seaboard, now amounting to four 
 in number in operation, and two other important ones, the 
 Sackets Harbor and Midland, in progress. These railways 
 
24 
 
 and others leading from the lakes will necessarily participate 
 largely in the trade and the more largely because of the slow 
 movement in the confined channel of the canal, and hence it 
 is a question worthy of consideration whether the amount need 
 ful to give the canals and their locks a depth and size suited 
 to profitable ocean navigation, would not be better applied in 
 giving to the former still greater width and depth to facilitate 
 the more rapid movement of vessels upon them. 
 
 Because of the very slow movement upon the Erie canal, 
 slower now than before its enlargement, freight for the inte 
 rior which has a higher value in proportion to its weight or 
 bulk than the seaward freight is now carried mostly upon the 
 railways. Prior to the construction of the latter the propor 
 tion of the two on the Erie canal was as 1 to 4 or 5, now 
 (1865) it is as 1 to 8. 
 
 The question of the relative cost of transportation upon 
 the canals as proposed to be enlarged, and upon unobstructed 
 natural waters is one of importance, and especially so in com 
 paring and determining the merits of different routes. Bear 
 ing upon this subject are some facts stated in a paper ad 
 dressed by the auditor of the canal department of New York 
 to the public under date of Sept. 14, 1865. In this letter 
 the cost of transportation of one bushel or 60 Ibs of wheat in 
 lake vessels from Chicago to Buffalo, 1000 miles, and from 
 Buffalo to New York city by the Erie canal and Hudson river 
 850-f 150=500 miles is stated as follows : 
 
 1861, Lake freight, 11.63, Canal and River, exclusive of tolls, 9.64, Canal toll, 5.17. 
 
 1862, " " 10.49, " " 9.63, " " 6.21. 
 
 1863, " 7.51, " 9.5 8j 6.21. 
 18G4, " " 9.58, " " 12.57 " " 6.21. 
 
 Total, fJJHUl 4 J_ 41 - 42 _ _ 
 
 Average, 9.78 10.36~ 6.T 
 
 Calling the ton 2000 Ibs., the average cost of transporta 
 tion, is per ton, for Lake freight, $3.26, Canal and River, ex 
 clusive of tolls, 83.45, tolls, 11.98. 
 
 This for Lake freight is 3j mills per ton per mile. Stip- 
 posing Uudson River freight to be 5 i mills per ton per mile, 
 
25 
 
 which is the usual deduction on freight for New York deliv 
 ered at Albany, we have for the Canal freight, as follows: 
 
 Canal and Hudson River, per ton, as above, average, $3.45 
 Hudson River 150 miles, 5i mills deduct, .83 
 
 Leaves Canal freight per ton, $2.62 
 
 $2.62 per ton for 350 miles is 7 mills per ton per mile, and 
 $1.98 per ton for tolls is 5 T 7 ff mills, making together, 13 T \ mills 
 per ton per mile. The fluctuation in prices was very consid 
 erable during the seasons named above. It is not stated how 
 the averages were obtained, whether from the time or from 
 the quantities of wheat conveyed. If the former, then they 
 are probably below the true mean, as prices rule highest when 
 vessels are most in demand. The above is for the single arti 
 cle of wheat. The trade seaward, composed mainly of agri 
 cultural products, largely exceeds in tonnage, as stated, that 
 of the return trade. Hence the charges should be greater 
 upon the return trade. They are in fact about double upon 
 the Hudson River, and treble upon the Erie Canal. The 
 above prices for canal, it is supposed, include cost of tranship 
 ment, &c., at Buffalo. If they do not, that cost is to be 
 added. 
 
 From the preceding it appears that the cost of transporta 
 tion per mile by lake from Chicago to Buffalo is only four- 
 tenths of the cost per mile upon the Erie Canal as enlarged 
 to its present dimensions, and only one fourth if the canal 
 tolls are included. 
 
 As it regards time or speed, it should be understood that 
 the round trip from Buffalo to New York city, and back, 
 is seldom made in less than one month. This indicates that 
 the speed upon the lakes has a much greater ratio to that on 
 the canal, than that of the cost (1 to 2) inverted, showing 
 very conclusively, as elsewhere stated, that the results in the 
 table, under the proportion assumed of 1 to 2 and 2 to 1 are 
 not exaggerated, but fall short of the actual difference be 
 tween canal and lake and unobstructed river navigation. 
 
 Upon the route via Lake Ontario and Oswego the actual 
 4 
 
26 
 
 cost to the consumer has hitherto not differed greatly from 
 the cost by the Erie Canal from Buffalo. This is attributable 
 in part to the imperfect connection between the lakes by the 
 Welland Canal, and in part, probably, to the fact that at the 
 mid season, when business is dull comparatively, lake vessels, 
 that at other seasons tranship at Buffalo, extend their trips 
 to Oswego, so that the- business of the two routes is to a cer 
 tain extent in the same hands. 
 
 It is stated that the Erie Canal has a capacity much be 
 yond the business hitherto done upon it. This is not easily 
 reconciled with the fact of the very slow movement of boats 
 11 pun it, not much exceeding on the average one mile per 
 hour. But whether it has capacity for the entire trade be 
 tween the East and the West is not the question. Is it or 
 can it bo made the cheapest and most expeditious navigable 
 route from the lakes to the seaboard ? The facts presented 
 show very clearly that it can not. They show that the route 
 via Oswego is superior to it, and that attention should be par 
 ticularly directed to its further improvement. If at the same 
 time the other routes named can be opened so as to secure a 
 certain and wholesome competition, the effect to both producer 
 and consumer will be most salutary. The relative cost of 
 transportation beiog of the most importance in this investi 
 gation, a reduction of prices given to the gold standard lias 
 not been deemed necessary -such reduction would not change 
 materially the conclusions as to the merit of the different 
 routes. 
 
 The actual cost of transportation per mile upon natural 
 watery, unobstructed and having sufficient depth, depends, as 
 must have been observed, very much upon the extent of con 
 veyance or. length of the voyage. 
 
 The Ocean freights from New York to Europe for the years 
 above named, according to the authority quoted above, ranged 
 for the period named, of four years, from 6 to 12 cents on 
 each bushel of wheat, or from two to four dollars per ton, or 
 from twu thirds of a mill to one and a third mills per ton per 
 mile. The practical results stated above, although derived 
 I Mini only a single item, but a most important one, indicate 
 
27 
 
 the great superiority of unobstructed natural navigation over 
 the confined channel of a canal on which animal power is 
 used, and they indicate also the importance of avoiding the 
 use of the latter and of giving to the canals as much breadth 
 of surface as possible to prevent injury to the banks and to 
 lessen the resistance. If the canals in question are of such 
 size as to permit "vessels like the lake propellers to traverse 
 them by their own means of propulsion, at the rate named, 
 of four miles per hour, it is reasonable to suppose that the 
 cost of transportation will be materially lessened. The fail 
 ure of the enlarged Erie Canal to lessen the cost of transpor 
 tation to the degree predicted by its advocates can not, when 
 all the circumstances are fairly considered, be urged with any 
 great force against canals of the size and operated in the man 
 ner of those now contemplated. 
 
 These remarks are made to show that we have in the com 
 parison made in the table, underrated rather than overrated 
 the disparity between canal, and lake and river navigation. 
 Instead of the proportion of two to one and the reverse, for 
 cost and time, a higher ratio would be nearer the truth for 
 both, if the enlarged Erie Canal is taken for a standard. If 
 the proper relation could be ascertained the general conclu 
 sion arrived at would still be the same, only a little more in 
 tensified in the one case than in the other. There can be no 
 very cheap transportation by tracking with animal]power, and 
 no speed greater than the walk of a horse or mule, which 
 can not be assumed, for the greatest useful effect, at more 
 than two to two and a half miles per hour, or from tone-fifth 
 to one-third of the movement of propellers upon [the lakes, 
 and one-half their movement in the confined channel of the 
 canal. The actual speed of loaded boats upon the enlarged 
 Erie canal, unobstructed by other boats, is only one and^a 
 half miles per hour. This includes the passage of the locks. 
 In assuming, therefore, as is done in forming the table, the 
 proportions of one to two, for speed, and two to one for cost, 
 the canal, it is believed, is allowed all the importance to which 
 it is probably entitled. A ratio nearer the truth, would, we 
 repeat, exhibit the lines or routes which have most canal, in 
 a less favorable light than is shown in the table. 
 
28 
 
 The views we have presented have reference mainly to the 
 navigation of the lakes and their outlets and connections. 
 It has not heen our intention, nor is it necessary for the pur 
 pose of this essay to enter into an investigation of the railway 
 system as a means of intercommunication between the Lakes 
 and the Ocean. Nor is it necessary to show that for freight 
 which has great weight and bulk in proportion to its value, 
 such as agricultural products, and which does not demand 
 the most rapid transportation, conveyance by water is the 
 cheapest and best mode, provided the disparity in distance 
 is not too great. Such conveyance is, however, limited to, 
 at most, seven months of each year, which is about the extent 
 of the navigable season upon the lakes and canals under 
 review. To supply this deficiency and give rapid transit at 
 all seasons, and to connect the interior with the nearest navi 
 gation, railways are indispensable ; and extended as the sys 
 tem now is, a still further extension and improvement is now, 
 
 or will soon be, demanded ; and in particular a line of rail 
 way is greatly needed which shall be located upon the best 
 ground and the most direct route from Chicago to New York 
 city, especially adapted to the most speedy and cheap trans 
 portation of freight, and still another of the same character 
 from Oswego on Lake Ontario to the Hudson. 
 
 These lines, for the especial purpose named, would be a 
 great public convenience. The companies owning existing 
 lines between the same extreme points, which are now doing 
 a large mixed business, could, we believe, with great advant 
 age to the public and profit to themselves, unite in forming 
 the new lines mentioned for the purpose of facilitating the 
 transportation of freight. 
 
 It will be seen from an inspection of the table, and the re 
 marks which follow it above, how very important is the open- 
 ng of the route by the way of Lake Ontario and the Erie 
 Canal to Albany ; and how very important, also, is the pro- 
 pi ,-ed connection between Lakes Erie and Ontario at Niagara, 
 a connection which should be so formed as to overcome the 
 difference in elevation of the lakes, in the cheapest and most 
 expeditious manner, and with dimensions suited to the 
 
 largest class of lake vessels. 
 
29 
 
 With a connection of this character it is seen that the route 
 from Lake Erie, by the Erie Canal to the Hudson, will not 
 only be excelled in cheapness and in expedition by the route 
 via Lake Ontario and Oswego, but will possess no advantage 
 over the route via the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain to 
 the same point, and that this latter route is very greatly su 
 perior to any other in its relation to the trade between the 
 West and that portion of New England and New York which 
 borders upon or can be reached from the waters of Lake 
 Champlain, a region which is now dependent upon the Erie 
 and Champlain Canals for a navigable communication with 
 the West, and upon the circuitous route of the Sorel and St. 
 Lawrence Rivers for* a communication with the valley of the 
 Ottawa. 
 
 It will be seen by the table, and by reference to the maps, 
 that produce from the West can be delivered on Lake Cham- 
 plain by the St. Lawrence route at one-fourth less cost for 
 transportation, and in less time than by the Erie and Cham- 
 plain Canals, and moreover that the connection of Lake 
 Champlain with the Ottawa valley will be shortened full 90 
 miles, and the rise and fall lessened 118 feet, an improvement 
 of great importance because of the fact that New England 
 and the valley of the Hudson are depending largely upon it 
 for a supply of lumber, and this dependence must continue for 
 a series of years to come. 
 
 The improvement of the navigation of the St. Lawrence 
 River, and its connection with Lake Champlain, as proposed, 
 and the^ construction of such a communication with Lakes 
 Erie and Ontario at Niagara as will enable the latter lake to 
 become a channel for the trade of the West, will have a most 
 important influence in developing the resources of all that 
 portion of New York lying north of the Mohawk and Oneida 
 Lake valleys, a portion, the most of it, now in a state of 
 nature, but which will iii time be filled with a large popula 
 tion. 
 
 To the superficial observer the great topographical feature 
 of this portion of New York is the Adirondac Mountains, the 
 highest of which surpasses somewhat in elevation the highest 
 
30 
 
 of the Green Mountains, but the great and important feature 
 is the immense and elevated plateau or table upon which those 
 mountains rest, the mountains occupying only a portion of its 
 surface on the eastern and southeastern part. 
 
 This table or plateau covers a space of nearly 5,000 square 
 miles, and is elevated from 1,GOO to 2,000 feet above the level 
 of the sea, and from 1,400 to 1,700 feet above the St. Law 
 rence and Lake Cham plain. From its surface the waters flow 
 in all directions forming the Chazy, Saranac, Au Sable, and 
 Boquet rivers on the east, the Hudson and Mohawk with its 
 branches on the south, Fish creek and Black river and the 
 Indian and Oswegatchie on the west, and the Grasse, Racket, 
 Regis, Salmon and Chatcaugay river* on the northwest 
 and north. 
 
 These waters have a rapid descent to the vallies below, less 
 rapid, however, towards the west and north and northeast, 
 than in the other directions, and they flow from innumerable 
 lakes and ponds which are scattered over the surface 
 of the plateau, and which are so numerous and so nearly 
 upon the same level, that with short carrying places the entire 
 extent of the plateau from its northeast to its southwest part 
 can be easily traversed in light canoes. These lakes and 
 ponds form reservoirs which retain the flood waters. Their 
 elevation lessens the waste from evaporation, and the rivers 
 leading from them are rendered remarkably equable in their 
 flow at all seasons, and afford in this view and in view of 
 the surface drained and greater rain fall in the vicinity of the 
 mountains and their great descent , a water power such as no 
 other equal portion of the country can boast either in loca 
 tion, in cluiracter, or in amount. This great power, exceeding 
 that of millions of horses, is situated in a most healthy region, 
 covered, the most of it, by a dense forest, where the land 
 is now held to be of but little value comparatively. 
 
 This region is girded by the improvements we have de 
 scribed, which sweep its base upon all sides, and by lines of 
 railway now in operation, and will have, when the Saratoga and 
 Saekets Ilarlmr nJkid is built, a line passing ci-ntnilly through 
 it. It has great mineral and other resources, and must rapid- 
 
31 
 
 ly 001119, into notice in the future and perform a most impor 
 tant part in connection with the industry of the country, and 
 of the state to which it belongs. 
 
 The improvements proposed should not be viewed as hav 
 ing any injurious tendency to divert the trade or commerce 
 of the West from our own seaports. Montreal and Quebec, 
 are both inaccessible from the sea during the long Canadian 
 winter, and the navigation of the St. Lawrence to the ocean 
 being liable to be obstructed by fogs and otherwise rendered 
 difficult and dangerous, by the heavy tide currents, can never 
 probably, in view of the fadt that the capital or wealth of the 
 country is, and will continue to be, elsewhere centered, seri 
 ously interfere with the commerce of our maritime cities, 
 but, on the contrary, the opening of these communications 
 and others direct with the Canadas, will render the latter 
 more dependent and tributary to the growing cities of the 
 States, and contribute largely to the removal of those politi 
 cal barriers which now stand in the way of their future pros 
 perity and our own. 
 
 When the Erie canal of New York was projected and argu 
 ments were needed to show the importance of its extension 
 to Lake Erie, it was that urged if the Lake Erie trade was per 
 mitted to descend to Lake Ontario it would pass on down the 
 St. Lawrence. The Welland canal was afterwards built with 
 locks much larger than those of the Erie canal, and the 
 Oswego canal was also constructed and no such result follow 
 ed. When arguments were again wanting to justify the 
 enlargement of the Erie canal throughout its entire length to 
 Buffalo, the danger of loss of trade in the direction named, 
 was again urged in opposition to opening the better and 
 cheaper route by Lake Ontario and the Niagara canal. The 
 Welland canal has since been enlarged to its present dimen 
 sions, and the Oswego canal also enlarged, and the St. Law 
 rence canals constructed, and no such dreaded result .has fol 
 lowed, but on the contrary, the vessels passing the former 
 have been mainly destined for Oswego, and those carrying 
 wheat and corn to Canadian ports have done so principally 
 for the purpose of having those articles converted into flour 
 
32 
 
 ami meal to be again shipped with Canadian products, for 
 our own ports and markets. It is worthy of note that the in 
 terest which has opposed, and hitherto st> successfully, the 
 opening of the Ontario route, by the construction of the Ni 
 agara canal, opposed also the opening of channels necessary 
 to attract and divert the trade of Lake Ontario to our own 
 seaports. It opposed the construction of the Oswego canal 
 and its subsequent enlargement, an improvement of impor 
 tance in view of the use made by the Ganadas of this channel 
 as a means of communicating with the ocean in preference to 
 the St. Lawrence, o, use allowed to them on payment of a 
 small transit duty, and which has given us much of the 
 Canadian sea going trade. 
 
 The very great facilities and inducements presented by the 
 enlargement of the Welland and building of the St. Law 
 rence canals, as* stated, in connection with the right of free 
 navigation of the St. Lawrence under the Reciprocity treaty, 
 has not operated seriously, or in any degree worthy of note, 
 to divert the trade of the lakes in that direction. The entire 
 tonnage which passed from our own territories to the lower 
 St. Lawrence during the first six years of the operation of 
 that treaty, did not exceed, as stated on the floor of the Sen 
 ate, during the discussion upon it, 12,000 tons in 40 vessels, 
 the largest portion of which, it is evident, could not have been 
 sea going VOM-IS. and were not designed for the trade as 
 they did not return to the waters where they were built and 
 loaded. 
 
 In this connection it may be proper to state that the Erie 
 
 canal of New York, from its advantageous location, is no 
 
 longer, as at first, used mainly for the transmission of the 
 
 products of the state within which it is situated. Of the va>t 
 
 tonnage which annually finds its way to tide water by this 
 
 canal, /oi/r fifths is from the states west of New York. In 
 
 J ihc relation of the tonnage from the two sources was as 
 
 7 to 822*257. This great change and diiVjreuce 
 
 which i- annually \J\ . tuu ii,ip:.ited to that work a 
 
 character of M> gn;ai importance in a national to 
 
 8 no hill - MiiM -iy to the people of those states who are 
 
33 
 
 compelled to use the canal as a channel for the transmission 
 of the products of their labor. 
 
 The general government when solicited to co-operate or 
 engage in its construction declined to do so. That it was 
 wise thus to decline may now with propriety be questioned. 
 
 So important both to the East and the West is cheapness 
 of transit that fears are entertained and complaints made of 
 undue exactions. If the state of New York is blameless in 
 this respect, and has imposed no heavier tolls than is proper, 
 she has given just ground for complaint in steadfastly oppos 
 ing through her legislature, and in other ways, the opening of 
 the cheaper route between the East and the West, through 
 Lake Ontario, endeavoring thus to force the immense trade 
 of the West through the costly and tedious channel of the 
 Erie canal from Buffalo to Albany, a course injurious to the 
 interests of a large population at the East and at the West, 
 and injurious, also, to the best interests of that state and of 
 its great emporium. 
 
 Having said all that we proposed to say upon the question 
 of the routes from the lakes to the seaboard, we now will 
 give attention to those connecting the lakes with the Missis 
 sippi, and in what we have to say upon this subject we shall 
 consider only the two more important lines leading from Lake 
 Michigan in Illinois and Wisconsin. 
 
 The leading features of these have already been described. 
 The Illinois and Michigan canal as projected, was to have been 
 fed from Lake Michigan, but the cost of cutting down the 
 summit of 25 feet was too great for the means at command, 
 and as it could by reducing it in part be supplied, or nearly 
 so. from a tributary to the Illinois river, and the deficiency, 
 if any, made up by pumping from the Chicago river, the plan 
 of supplying from Lake Michigan was laid aside. This navi 
 gation (the canal and Illinois river) connects with the Missis 
 sippi but a few miles above the mouth of the Missouri, and 
 not far from the city of St. Louis. 
 
 The Wisconsin improvement from Green Bay is, in its 
 present condition, with the exception of the short canal at tho 
 Portage, simply a slack water navigation very imperfectly 
 
34 
 
 accomplished. It connects with the Mississippi near Prairie 
 Du Chien 290 miles in a due north direction from the mouth 
 of the Illinois river, and 400 miles, nearly, following the 
 course of the Mississippi which has in this distance a descent 
 of about 320 feet, 21 feet of which is at the Des Moines rap 
 ids, and 22 feet at the Rock Island rapids, indicating a strong 
 current, which, but for its sinuosities, would be unfavorable 
 to navigation, and such is the case with all of the Mississippi 
 waters and its tributaries above the mouth of the Ohio. 
 
 The two lines in question in Illinois and Wisconsin connect 
 with the Mississippi at points so remote as not to interfere 
 materially the one with the business of the other. 
 
 The latter line will derive its support mainly from that 
 portion of the Mississippi valley situated above the mouth of 
 the Des Moines river or the south line of Iowa, while the 
 former will have, in addition to the valley of the Mississippi 
 below, the trade from the Missouri river and valley which is 
 daily and rapidly increasing, and which will be more than 
 sufficient, probably, to give to that channel all that its capaci 
 ty will enable ;t to perform. 
 
 The proper dimensions to be given to these improvements 
 is a question of importance. A little reflection will show 
 that they should be ample to accommodate the larger class of 
 vessels which navigate the Mississippi. These canals are 
 destined to perform a most important part in relation to the 
 trade between the east and the west, and also in relation to 
 the trade between the lower Mississippj and the lakes. The 
 large population which is gathering about the upper lakes 
 will receive their supply of tropical productions by the way 
 of the Mississippi, and lumber and other articles from the 
 lakes must find their way back in exchange. 
 
 The navigation of the Mississippi and its tributaries is of a 
 character to require boats of a peculiar construction. They 
 are necessarily of light draft, and are built with slender 
 frames and with as little material as possible. Not being ex 
 posed to the heavy strains of the sea, great strength is not de 
 manded. To obtain capacity they are made broad and long. 
 They are propelled by steam of a high pressure, a pressure of 
 
35 
 
 130 to 150 pounds on each square inch of the boilers, and the 
 engines, to avoid weight, are non-condensing. But few of 
 these river vessels have a draft exceeding four feet. The 
 canals leading from lake Michigan are not adapted to receive 
 these vessels. There is consequently a transhipment where 
 the navigation of the canals meets that of the rivers, and an 
 other where the former meets that of the lakes. This break 
 ing of bulk or transfer of freight is costly, consumes time 
 and is an injury to the articles conveyed. There need be, 
 and should be, but one transhipment. The canals should be 
 enlarged, and the navigation directly connected with them im 
 proved, so as to accommodate the larger of the river vessels 
 and that speedily. The country throughout the Upper Mis- 
 sippi is filling up rapidly, and long, ere these improvements 
 can be made, they will be wanted. They are even now need, 
 cd. The canals should have at least six feet depth of water, 
 with a suitable width, and the locks should be not less than 
 300 to 350 by 70 or 75 feet. The writer had occasion not long 
 since to take the dimensions of many of the principal steam 
 ers which navigate the Upper Mississippi, and the above size 
 for the locks is given in view of those measurements. These 
 dimensions accord also with the recommendation of Messrs. 
 Gooding and Preston, engineers, published in the proceed 
 ings of the canal convention, already referred to. 
 
 With its summit lowered to the level of Lake Michigan, 
 as originally designed, the lockage upon the Illinois and Michi 
 gan canal will be reduced to 142 feet, making the total descent 
 upon the canal and the Illinois river 180 to 190 feet. The 
 river has an average descent of one and a half to two inches, 
 nearly, per mile, and because of the scant supply of water at 
 times is less efficient in its present condition than the canal. 
 The lowering or removal of the summit and introduction of 
 the water from Lake Michigan, with such improvement by 
 dredging or erection of piers as is required in the river be 
 low, will render the navigation what it should and must be 
 to meet the requirements of trade. 
 
 The line in Wisconsin has 298 feet total rise and fall from 
 Green Bay to the Mississippi, a distance of about two-thirds 
 
36 
 
 that of the Illinois and Michigan improvement, the most of 
 which, 1GO feet, occurs upon the outlet of the Winnebago 
 lake where it is overcome by a series of dams and locks. In 
 perfecting this improvement a greater extent of canal is de 
 manded in place of the channel of the upper Fox river now 
 used. This is needed to shorten distance and improve other 
 wise the navigation, and the Wisconsin river for a portion of 
 the distance where the descent is greatest must also be im 
 proved. 
 
 The construction of canals becomes an object only in cases 
 where there are large extents or lines of natural navigation 
 to be united, and this is peculiarly the case with respect to 
 the improvements under consideration. Having the great 
 Lakes on one side and the Mississippi with its tributaries on 
 the other, their construction is indispensable. As a general 
 means of intercommunication for the conveyance of both 
 freight and passengers, railways are in most respects supe 
 rior, but for the transportation of agricultural products and 
 of other bulky and heavy articles where cheapness of transit 
 is an object, and time of not so much importance, and partic 
 ularly where they unite natural navigations which are ex 
 tensive, preventing transhipment, they become a necessity, 
 although not available more than seven months in the 
 year, and such is the case, as we have shown, with the 
 canals leading west from Lake Michigan, and such also is the 
 case with those shorter ones required to perfect, as already 
 described, the communication between the lakes and the 
 eastern seaboard. The canals now in operation upon these 
 latter routes, imperfect as they are, form, in connection with 
 the navigation of the lakes the cheapest mode of conveyance, 
 a cheapness which is attracting the trade of the interior 
 strongly to the Chores of the lakes. It is this which, in con 
 junction with the railways, is building up our lake cities, and 
 is yearly diverting the trade of the Mississippi valley from, 
 points lower down upon that river, to our eastern and north 
 ern marts, and it is this which will contribute greatly to render 
 what is now known as the northern railway route to the Pacific, 
 a route leading from both the St. Lawrence and Mississippi 
 basins, superior, in connection with the other great advantages 
 
37 
 
 which it possesses, to other projected routes designed to unite 
 by railway the oceans that bound us upon the east and upon 
 the. west. 
 
 The important relation which the navigation of the lakes 
 and of the upper Mississippi" bears to this proposed thorough 
 fare will justify us in dwelling somewhat upon its character, 
 and its future influence upon the internal commerce and 
 growth of the country. 
 
 This route to the Pacific, by which is understood the route 
 via St. Paul and the upper Missouri across to Clark s branch 
 of the Columbia and following the Columbia to the sea, or di 
 verging therefrom to the waters of Puget Sound or Admiral 
 ty Inlet, was brought to the notice of the public prior to the 
 making of the government surveys, in a series of articles 
 from the pen of the writer which were published in the Rail 
 road Journal and subsequently in book form, and it was 
 therein shown to possess advantages over other proposed 
 routes lying further south in the following particulars : 
 
 1. Its direct connection at its eastern extremity with the 
 cheap navigation of the great lakes and the St. Lawrence 
 chain of waters, which reach nearly half way from the At 
 lantic to the Pacific. 
 
 2. Its terminus on the Pacific at a point or points more fa 
 vorable for concentrating the trade of that ocean and of the 
 interior, than any other points further south. 
 
 3. Its location along the great valleys of the Mississippi, 
 Missouri and Columbia rivers, which with their tributaries, 
 many of them, are navigable for long distances, a navigation 
 which is of the utmost importance in connection with the 
 proposed railway in facilitating its construction, and giving to 
 it support when completed. 
 
 4. Its connection with the. navigation of the Red River of 
 the north, a navigation which extends through a fertile valley 
 into the British possessions, uniting there with the Assiiri- 
 boine and Saskatchewan rivers, which flow through a region 
 having large agricultural and mineral resources, as ascer 
 tained by explorations recently made under the direction of 
 the Canadian government. 
 
38 
 
 5. In the comparative evenness of its surface and consequent 
 cheapness, and in the lowness of the gradients upon it, the 
 line crossing the divide of the Rocky Mountains, where the 
 sources of the Missouri and Clark s branch of the Columbia 
 interlock, the back bone of the mountains being there broken 
 down so as to be overcome by a railway with gradients not 
 exceeding about forty feet to the mile, and with its main sum 
 mit 2500 feet lower and coast range summit, if the line is 
 carried across it, 4000 feet lower than the Nevada summit, 
 upon the route through the South Pass to San Francisco. 
 
 6. Its freedom from deep snows in winter, the obstructions 
 from this cause being greatest upon the route by the 42d 
 parallel leading through Salt Lake to San Francisco. This 
 difference in the character of the two routes is produced by the 
 greater elevation of the latter route and narrowness of its 
 defiles, the absence of moisture in the winter months in the 
 atmosphere of the northern route to produce snows. 
 
 7. In its rich mineral productions excelling probably in 
 this respect other routes. Its gold fields not being surpassed, 
 if, indeed, they are equaled, by those of California, and be 
 ing better supplied with timber, water and fuel, coal being 
 now mined in Washington territory on the Pacific, and lignite 
 of a superior quality having been found over an extensive 
 section of the route and in its vicinity, and upon the Sack- 
 atchewan valley north of the national boundary east of the 
 mountains. 
 
 8. In its superiority over other routes in its capability of 
 sustaining a greater population, and contributing more large 
 ly to the support of a railway, as evidenced by the greater 
 quantity of game found within its limits, and its being the 
 abode of the greatest number of Indians to be found between 
 the Mississippi and the Pacific, consisting of the Sioux, the 
 Crows, the Mandans, the Blackfeet and the Flatheads, all ex 
 cept the Mandans, being large and powerful tribes. All 
 these find an easy and comfortable support in what the coun 
 try can furnish, which cannot be said of the resources of any 
 other route to the Pacific. v 
 
 9. It constitutes the most direct and feasible route within 
 
39 
 
 the United States to connect with the shortest line on the 
 Pacific to the ports of China, Japan and eastern Russia, it 
 being about fifteen hundred miles nearer to the ports of China 
 than the route from San Francisco by the Sandwich Islands, 
 and being coastwise, offers frequent opportunities for obtain 
 ing supplies of fuel and food, thus increasing the freighting 
 capacity of vessels without deviating greatly from a direct 
 course. 
 
 10. It will probably be found the cheapest and best jnte- 
 rior route from the Sacramento valley in California, where 
 most of the population of California is congregated, and also 
 from San Francisco, to the portion of the Union which has 
 the densest population, and to the city of New York, when 
 ever a railway shall be carried from the Sacramento valley to 
 the Columbia to meet it. Such a railway to connect the pop 
 ulations on the Pacific is more important in a military view for 
 the defence of that portion of the Union than a line from the 
 Mississippi to the Pacific. 
 
 11. The northern route is superior in the opportunity it 
 affords for connecting the fertile portions of Western British 
 North America with our own markets, and giving to the Can- 
 adas as well as to the States the best route to the Pacific. 
 The Canadas having now a population of over four millions, 
 a route which will best accommodate this population and our 
 own, will be better sustained, and business upon it will bo 
 done more cheaply and efficiently. 
 
 Such is the general character of the climate upon the 
 northern route to the Pacific, that there is a gradual amelio 
 ration in passing to the west from Lake Superior, and this, 
 notwithstanding the rise of 5000 feet to the divide of the 
 mountains. At Puget Sound in latitude 47 north the mean 
 annual temperature is but little different from that of Nor 
 folk in Virginia, and this mild character of the climate ex 
 tends so far to the north, that wheat is said to mature in the 
 latitude of 60 degrees on the Pacific, 700 miles from the in 
 ternational boundary, and the same is stated of the country in 
 the vicinity of Edmonton which is situated near to and east 
 of the mountains in latitude 54N, nearly, and elevated 1500 
 to 2000 feet above the sea. 
 
40 
 
 When the merits of the northern route were first disclosed 
 in the publication mentioned above, but little was known by 
 the public in regard to it. The only explorers of note were 
 Lewis and Clarke, and their journal had never been reprinted, 
 except an abbreviated edition in the family library, and as the 
 original was published in 1814, several years after the death 
 of Lewis who was the leading man of the expedition, the 
 map accompanying it, was very defective. So general was the 
 impression of the impracticability of the northern route from 
 its elevation and from snows, that but for the timely repre 
 sentations of the writer it is very possible it would not have 
 been examined, when the government surveys were made. 
 The government prior to instituting those surveys consulted 
 various gentlemen as to the routes proper to be explored, 
 none of whom, it is evident, understood fully the true char 
 acter of the country upon the northern route. One in par 
 ticular who had made explorations to the Red River of the 
 North, and to the Rocky Mountains south of the Platte, could 
 suggest no route worthy of examination north of the South 
 Pass, and it is well known that the most prominent of later 
 explorers advocated a route as the be^t still farther south, by 
 what is known as the Buffalo or Cochatopee Pass, and thence 
 to Walker s Pass in the Nevada range, and this, after it had 
 been clearly demonstrated in the then published memoir of 
 the writer, to be the most impracticable of all the proposed 
 routes. That memoir was submitted, at the instance of the 
 Hon. Robt. J. Walker, who took a deep interest in the sub 
 ject, to the then Secretary of War in manuscript, and was 
 soon after followed by an elaborate report from the Secretary 
 upon the topography of the country between the Mississippi 
 and Pacific, and when Major Stevens was directed to make 
 an examination of that route the belief was general that such 
 examination would prove its entire impracticability, and so 
 prepossessed was the Major himself with the idea of encoun 
 tering deep snows and an elevated summit, that he remained 
 some time at Fort Benton to procure dogs and sleds with 
 which to cross the mountains. But after traveling for three 
 days and finding no snow, and no indications of any, he ro- 
 
41 
 
 turned to Fort Benton for his horses, which he had no diffi 
 culty in subsisting upon the grass of the country, the snow 
 at the main divide of the waters not exceeding one foot in 
 depth, and this for a distance of only six or eight miles. 
 The reconnoisance of Major Stevens and subsequent exami 
 nations of Lieut. Mullan and others, completely confirmed 
 the correctness of the representations and conclusions as 
 presented in the memoir. The elevations as given in the 
 profile were in no instance underestimated, and in this par 
 ticular there was a remarkable coincidence, while the map 
 which was constructed from the verbal descriptions of Lewis 
 and Clark was even more full and correct than the one first 
 prepared by Maj. Stevens. These remarks are made more 
 especially because of the little notice taken in the government 
 reports of that most valuable of all, the explorations made 
 between the Mississippi and Pacific, by Lewis and Clarke in 
 1803 and 1804, an exploration the most remarkable of any, 
 considering the time and circumstances and cost to the coun 
 try, and amount of information obtained, as shown by the 
 use of it made by the writer in his exposition of the northern 
 route. 
 
 That exposition elicited, at the time, letters of commenda 
 tion from many gentlemen distinguished for their scientific 
 and professional acquirements and elevated views, several of 
 whom have since paid the great debt of nature. Among 
 the latter are Prof. Renwick and W. C. Redfield of New 
 York city. Prof. Silliman sen., of Connecticut, Prof. Thomp 
 son of Vermont, Gov. Doty of Wisconsin, Gov. Simpson of 
 the Hudson s Bay Company, H. B. Schoolcraft of Washing 
 ton, and others. These and many others now living all con 
 curred in the conclusions arrived at in the memoir. Prof. 
 Renwick pronounced it a "most able argument," sub 
 scribes to the importance of a terminus on Puget Sound, and 
 says that he cannot avoid concurring in " the conclusion that 
 the severity of the climate and dangers of interruption by 
 snow, do not afford such objections to a northern route as 
 will outweigh the advantages it probably possesses over any 
 of the other proposed lines of communication between the 
 6 
 
42 
 
 States of the Atlantic and the Pacific." Mr. Redfield said 
 " it was by far the most direct and convincing elucidation of 
 the important question " he had seen. Prof. Silliman said 
 that he had " read it twice attentively " that it " embraced 
 from the best authorities a comprehensive and exact survey 
 of the topography, climate, productions, <fce., of the vast re 
 gion in question in a lucid and satisfactory manner," and was 
 " a production of great merit." Prof. Thompson, who had 
 given great attention to the subject of meteorology, expressed 
 the opinion that " the obstructions from snow will be even 
 more formidable in the middle and southern passes than in 
 the northern," and for the reason that " the defiles of the 
 former are narrower and deeper and more elevated than the 
 northern." Gov. Simpson testifies as to the climate and pro 
 ductions, having crossed the "mountains three times north of 
 the latitude of 49, but could not subscribe to the correct 
 ness of the estimate of elevation of the main divide of the 
 mountains, since proved to vary but little from the truth, by 
 the government surveys. He believed the divide to be high 
 er. He expressed great interest in the undertaking, fully ap 
 preciating, to use his own words, " the vast advantages that 
 must arise to the United States and adjoining British posses 
 sions, in the event of this magnificent scheme of a railroad 
 being carried into operation." 
 
 Gov. Doty, said that he had read with great interest the 
 memoir, and " deemed the statements and arguments in 
 favor of the northern route conclusive." Mr. Schoolcraft 
 most fully endorsed the conclusions of the writer. He said 
 there was " one consideration to be urged in favor of a 
 northern route over any other, which outweighs every view 
 of which the topic is susceptible. It is the preference of soil, 
 climate, and meteorological phenomena. The northern route 
 will pass through tracts which are capable of continuous 
 settlement. Much of the soil is first rate farming lands, 
 which will bear corn and all the cereal grains ! and these 
 lands can be cultivated without irrigation, the great objection 
 to the southern routes. It abounds in lively and flowing 
 streams, which will sustain arts and manufactures, and no 
 
43 
 
 part of tho world is better suited to grazing. It has been 
 the error of geographers from A. D. 1600, that all of North 
 America beyond certain latitudes is filled with Serbonian bogs 
 and Cimmerian darkness. The veil is lifted up, and truth 
 let in precisely in proportion to the march of true discovery. 
 Once Michigan, the best wheat state of the west, was deemed 
 a swamp unfit to be given to the soldiers of tho war of 1812 
 for bounty lands. I found corn and wheat good and reliable 
 crops on the sources of the Mississippi up to the latitude of 
 49, and Red River valley of Hudson s Bay, north of that lati 
 tude is known to be a fine agricultural settlement." 
 
 These opinions, in accordance with the conclusions in the 
 memoir, have all been verified, as stated, by the government 
 surveys, the results of which have been placed before the 
 public in so full a manner in the several reports of Lieut, 
 now Gen. Saxton, and of Gov. Stevens and his assistants, 
 that it is only necessary in this place to refer to them. 
 
 Since, however, these explorations were made, others have 
 also been made from Lake Superior westward to the Pacific, 
 north of the international boundary. The most prominent 
 of these was the one conducted by Prof. H. Y. Hind, in 1857 
 and 1858. 
 
 This exploration disclosed the fact that there is a " broad 
 strip of fertile country, rich in water, woods and pasturage," 
 " possessing rich stores of lignite coal, iron and salt," " capa 
 ble of settlement and cultivation," extending from near the 
 Lake of the Woods, 200 miles northwest of Lake Superior, to 
 the passes of the Rocky Mountains. The latest explorers of 
 this region, Lord Milton and Dr. Cheadle, report that " all 
 the country between the Saskatchewan and Athabasca is fer 
 tile. It will grow wheat and potatoes and all the coarser 
 grains in abundance, and contains large quantities of lignite 
 coal, of which wide seams are laid bare by the water courses." 
 
 The region in question is watered mainly by the Assini- 
 boine and Saskatchewan rivers and their tributaries, and the 
 group of lakes of which Lake Winnipeg is the principal, 
 presenting in the aggregate a natural navigation of one thou 
 sand to fifteen hundred miles in extent. 
 
44 
 
 Between these rivers and the Missouri are level or nearly 
 level plains, broken only by the elevation known as the Coteau- 
 du Missouri, and hills appertaining thereto, over which branch 
 lines of railway, diverging from the main line at suitable 
 points, can easily be constructed. This level and favorable 
 character of the surface does not prevail in the same latitude 
 west of the mountains, and judging from the examinations 
 of Dr. Hector, and Licuts. Palmer and Mayne and others, the 
 country in British Columbia offers no very favorable ground 
 for a railway to the Pacific, unless it be as far north as the 
 valley of the upper Fraser, and of Stewart s and Simpson s 
 rivers, a route which it is not certain can be reached by a 
 sufficiently practicable pass in the mountains leading from the 
 valley of the North Saskatchewan. South of this are two 
 favorable passes described by Captain Palliser, the Yermillion 
 and Kananaski in about lat. 51 N., but there is no apparent 
 ly favorable route leading from these to the Pacific. 
 
 The conclusion is unavoidable, from the preceding that the 
 only truly feasible route for the great highway leading from 
 the most populous region on the Atlantic in the United States, 
 to that section on the Pacific coast, which in time must also 
 become the most populous, and which passes in its intermedi 
 ate portions over ground the most favorable and capable of 
 yielding it the largest support, is the one known as the north 
 ern route to the Pacific. Upon this route the most remarka- 
 able changes and developments are about to take place. 
 
 It is in truth, probably, the only practicable route using the 
 term in its proper sense. Thousands are now rushing to the gold 
 fields which fill a large space traversed by it, many of whom 
 will remain there, attracted by the mildness and salubrity of 
 the climate. The liberal grant made by Congress of lands 
 for a railway upon it will induce capitalists in this country 
 and in England to embark their means in its construction. 
 To capitalists in the latter country it presents greater induce 
 ments than any other route because of its importance to the 
 Canadas. Unlike all other projected lines, its construction 
 will bo expedited and cheapened because accessible at so 
 many points, on both sides of the mountains, by the navigation 
 
45 
 
 of the rivers, and settlements will be rapidly formed along its 
 whole extent. The Red river valley will become accessible 
 by it, and also the valleys of the Assiiiiboine and Saskatcha- 
 wan. The Yellowstone, of which we have not elsewhere par 
 ticularly spoken, and which with its Big Horn branch is navi 
 gable for several hundred miles, will attract many to its bor 
 ders. The trade of these vallies will, much of it, come to 
 Lake Superior. In the mountains and beyond them, along 
 Clark s river and its branches, and in the valley of the Co 
 lumbia, settlements will be made such as are now forming upon 
 the Pacific. The railway will probably have at that extremity 
 two termini, one on the Columbia and one at Puget Sound or 
 Admiralty Inlet. 
 
 At these points transhipment to and from Eastern Asia will 
 take place. Upon one of them will arise a city which will 
 have the same relation to the trade of the Pacific as New 
 York now holds to the trade of the Atlantic. The people in 
 the valleys of the Missouri and Upper Mississippi will get their 
 Asiatic productions, their teas, their spices and oils, and other 
 articles, by railroad from the Pacific. These, when they 
 reach the navigation of the Missouri, which approaches to with 
 in seventy miles of the divide of the mountains, will be put 
 upon arks or rafts of lumber, and thus be floated down and 
 distributed at a cheap rate throughout the valley of the Mis 
 souri and Mississippi. 
 
 The navigation of the rivers, as already stated, is a remark 
 able feature in connection with this route. Within ninety 
 miles of the main divide of the mountains, on the west side, 
 are the navigable waters of the Bitteroot branch of Clark s 
 river, and from this point an improvement by short canals and 
 locks in some half a dozen places only, extends the navigation 
 to the Pacific. All of these rivers have a remarkably uniform 
 flow. Their waters are kept up in the months of July and 
 August, after the effect of the winter and spring rains has 
 passed off, by the melting of the snows upon the more ele 
 vated ranges. 
 
 While thus compelled to give the preference, as we have 
 done, to the Northern route for a railroad to the Pacific, it 
 
46 
 
 must not be inferred that the navigation of the lakes will not 
 be benefited, and greatly so, by the opening of any other 
 route. On the contrary, the route now in course of construc 
 tion through the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, by the 
 way of Salt Lake to San Francisco, stands in nearly the same 
 relation to it as the Northern route, and if it is not eventually 
 as large a contributor, is destined to assist greatly in expand 
 ing the business of the lakes far beyond its present limits. 
 A considerable portion of this route will soon be in operation, 
 while the other is still awaiting the action of capitalists under 
 the very liberal charter and grant by the government, of forty 
 alternate sections of land per mile in the territories, and 
 twenty alternate sections in the States through which it passes. 
 
 The point where the former will at first meet the cheap 
 navigation of the lakes is Chicago, but should a line of rail 
 way be carried from near the South Pass to Lake Superior, 
 its connnection with the lakes will be shortened 150 to 200 
 miles. 
 
 A glance at the map shows very clearly the advantage 
 which Lake Superior possesses in reference to a connection 
 with a railway to the Pacific. It will be seen that its western 
 extreme is four degrees of longitude west of the west shore 
 of Lake Michigan. 
 
 Although the opening of the routes named to the Pacific 
 will contribute largely to swell the business of the lakes, and 
 of Lakes Michigan and Superior in particular, this resource 
 is not needed to bring to those lakes a vast amount of trade, 
 such an amount as to render absolutely necessary the im 
 provements we have described. 
 
 The country all around Lake Superior, although not well 
 adapted to cultivation, is remarkably rich in minerals. Upon 
 its south side, copper and the ores of iron are now mined in 
 large quantities, and the supply appears inexhaustible. From 
 the iron mines alone there was sent last year (1864), to dis 
 tant markets, 235,000 tons of iron ore, enough from this item 
 alone to freight nearly a thousand vessels of 240 tons each. 
 The shipments of copper from this region have averaged for 
 the last four years over 10,000 tons per year. 
 
47 
 
 This region is rapidly increasing in population, and this 
 increase is going on at a steadily advancing rate all through 
 Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Ne 
 braska, <fec. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska, will 
 have, probably, by the next census, two millions of inhabi 
 tants. A little reflection upon what has occurred in this 
 respect in the past will throw light upon the future. 
 
 Before the Erie Canal of New York was opened, forty years 
 since, but few settlers, comparatively, had found their way 
 to Indiana and Illinois, and the best lands in those States 
 could be bought at the government price of $1.25 per acre. 
 The settlement of those states rapidly increased after the 
 event named, and in 1860 Indiana had 1,350,428, and Illinois 
 1,711,951 inhabitants, and farm lands had advanced to 20 and 
 30 dollars per acre. 
 
 Wisconsin, the settlement of which was commenced about 
 1835, soon after the Black Hawk war, had in 1860, 776,000 
 inhabitants, and lands in that state at the latter date had ad 
 vanced from the government price to the same rates per acre. 
 
 The States west of the Mississippi are filling up more rap 
 idly even than did the States named. There can be no mis 
 take about this. The observations of the writer made in the 
 latter named States, within the present year (1865), convinces 
 him that if the means were now at command, and ready to be 
 applied, the channels pointed out as necessary to the trade 
 of those States, could not be properly opened or improved in 
 time to meet the wants of the people of those states. 
 
 In these improvements the East and the West are alike 
 most deeply interested. The manufacturers of New England 
 no less than the farmers upon the prairies of the West. Any 
 improvement which shall lessen the cost of transportation of 
 agricultural prodiice between these sections will be a bless 
 ing, the value of which can not be calculated. It will give 
 new life and vigor to the industry of a very large extent of 
 country at the West, now burdened with the heavy expense 
 of a long road to market. The competition which will be 
 created will be most salutary and is greatly needed, and a 
 
48 
 
 new impetus will be given to the growth of our cities upon 
 the seaboard. 
 
 It will cheapen subsistence in one section and add to the 
 comforts of life of the other, and both the producer and con 
 sumer will enjoy in a much larger measure than at present the 
 fruits of their labors. 
 
 NOTE. A paper by Geo. H. Perry, C, E., of Ottawa City, on Canadian im 
 provements, which has come under notice since the preceding was put in type, 
 gives dimensions of some of the locks, &c., on those improvements, differing from 
 the statements from other sources. 
 
 Mr. P. gives the size of the Welland locks 180 by 26 $ feet, and the Rideau 
 Canal locks 133 by 33 feet. He supposes that only twenty-two miles of canal 
 will be necessary on the Ottawa route between Lake Huron and Lake St. Louis, 
 and says, there are now six locks between Ottawa City, one of which is only 96 
 by 19 feet, with 4$ feet depth of water. 
 
 He also states that the Galops and Point Iroquois Canals, on the St. Lawrence, 
 have been connected by a canal 2| miles without locks. 
 
 It is proper to state that the enlargement of the Champlain Canal to the size of 
 the enlarged Erie Canal is in progress, and not completed as may be inferred from 
 the text. 
 
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