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 K. E 1=^ O I^ T 
 
 o\ Tin: 
 
 PLAN FOE THE :improa'eme:n^t 
 
 HARBOUR OF MONTREAL, 
 
 PREPARED BY 
 
 Messrs. JAMES H. SPRINGLE aid CHAS. F. H. FORBES, 
 
 eiriL Ejyri^YEESiS, JfOJVTSiEciZ. 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 
 ''gazette" l^tiintinjj 'lj](ou8C, neaiily opposite the itfost (f)flixu), 
 
 1873. 
 

 Ky E IP O K. T 
 
 UN THK 
 
 PLAN FOR THE IMPPtOYEMEjS-T 
 
 Oh" THE 
 
 HARBOUR OF MONTREAL, 
 
 PKni'ARED BY 
 
 Messrs. JAMES H. SPRINGLE and CHAS. F. H. FORBES. 
 
 eiriL E.YGi.YHEns, MOjrtanHL. 
 
 MO N TREAL : 
 ''gazette" Jfrinting Bouse, neairly opposite the itfost l^fficc. 
 
To Hu(}H McLennan, Esq., Tresident of the Board 
 OF Trade, &'C., scC. 
 
 Sir, — Having had conversations at different times with 
 yourself and other members of the Board, anent developing 
 the great natural facilities possessed by the Harlwur of 
 Montreal, for meeting the requirements of its annually 
 increasing trade, and on the necessity of having some com- 
 prehensive plan showing how those natural facilities may 
 be turned to account as the trade of the port may demand. 
 I also, at the same time, promised to submit such a plan for 
 your inspection, and now, in connection with Mr. C. F. H. 
 Forbes, Civil Engineer, take the liberty to present herewith 
 a general plan of the Harbour of Montreal, from Victoria 
 Bridge to Ilochelaga : exhibiting the shoals and deep water 
 thereof, and the position, velocity and direction of the river 
 currents which arc detrimental to the convenient access and 
 service of the Port, and the means which may be adopted for 
 mitigating the same. Also the most advantageous localities 
 and positions for extending and constructing such additional 
 piers, wharves and basins as the present and future business 
 of the Port may require, and connecting the same with the 
 present wharves : the Lachine Canal ; the Grrand Trunk : 
 and such other railways as may enter the city and communi- 
 cate with the harbour. 
 
 A reference to the Plan will snow, that with the exception 
 of some additional wharves at Hochelaga, extending down- 
 wards from the present wharf, so as to render available that 
 splendid piece of deep water known as Hochelaga Bay ; no 
 change is contemplated in the present wharves now in pro- 
 gress, but at the upper part of the harbour very extensive 
 wharves, docks and basins are proposed, in order to connect 
 in the most complete and ample manner the immense busi- 
 ness to and from the West, with the ocean marine of the 
 Fort. We x>ropose, in the first place, to construct on the 
 Island shoal the extensive wharf marked A, and to connect 
 the same by the wharf B, with the present " Windmill Point 
 wharf," as shewn on the plan. We also propose to close up 
 the present outlet lock of the Lachine Canal and reconstruct 
 the same so as to debouche into the channel marked D, in 
 front of Windmill Point wharf; we should by this means 
 secure an uninterrupted communication between these 
 
extensive now wharves (which woirld enclose one ol' the 
 finest pieces of deep water in the harbour) and the city, 
 without havinjDf to cross the canal, and without obstructions 
 or hindrance of any kind : while the present muddle of coal 
 and lumber barges which dischf-rge and make up their 
 " Towage lines " at this point, would be transferred to another 
 locality especially adapted for such purposes. In order to 
 derive the full benefit of the works here proposed, it would 
 be necessary to carry out an improvement first suggested by 
 us some years ago, viz : that the present line of Common 
 street be set back to the corner of Messrs. Allan's Steamship 
 office, and to the corner of Brennan and Princess streets, as 
 shewn on the Plan. If the space outside this new line of 
 Common street is given to the wharves, and a new ramp 
 constructed from the wharf level to McGill street, this j)or- 
 tion of the wharfage of Montreal, which is now the most 
 contracted, ill-contrived, and inconvenient of the whole 
 harbour, would become well adapted for the large and 
 increasing business of that important locality. 
 
 The removal of the outlet lock of the canal woiild necessi- 
 tate the enlargement of Basin No. 1, as shewn on tho Plan, 
 but as that enlargement has already been decided on by the 
 Government, no difficulty, it is presumed, would arise on 
 that account. 
 
 These proposed wharves can also be connected with the 
 greatest facility by railway with the Grand Trunk or other 
 railways running along the harbour front. 
 
 It is proposed, in the next place, to enclobe the navigable 
 water on the south side of the above-mentioned proposed 
 wharves, and along the front of the "Windmill Point wharf, 
 by the long pier C, extending from the i^roposed Lumber 
 basin on the I'oint St. Charles shoal, to the branch or arm of 
 deep water marked I, which runs southwards towards the 
 " Normand shoal," By this means an extensive area of com- 
 paratively still, navigable water would be secured (marked 
 D,) into which the upper and lower outlet locks of the 
 Lachine Canal would discharge ; but the tail race water of 
 the mills r.nd factories on Basin No. 2, which would other- 
 wise be a serious drawback on the utility of this dock (D,) 
 will be turned into the lumber basin at the head of the same, 
 and thus be the means of supplying that large area with 
 water. Note 1. 
 
 Note. If the i^roposed great Hydraulic Dockt.;, had been 
 built, it was intended by the engineer, to run the tail water 
 of an extensive range of mills fed by said Hydraulic Dock 
 into this dock D, on tln^ south side of the same, which would 
 have created a current of greater velocity than St. Marv's 
 
com- 
 •ked 
 the 
 
 er of 
 :her- 
 
 iame, 
 with 
 
 been 
 ,vater 
 Dock 
 ould 
 
 ' 
 
 •current at He Ronde, and rendered this most ^ ahiable part 
 of the harbour usek^KS. 
 
 As we have already remarked, we propose to convert the 
 Pomt yt. Chark's shoal into a Lumber Basin, marked E, as 
 shewn on the Plan, by turning the tail wati^r of the mills 
 into the same, so as to give a depth of water therein of ab( it 
 ten feet. This basin would communicate with basin No. 2 
 of the Lachine Canal by double locks : with dock 1), by a 
 single lock, and with the navigabk; water of the North 
 Normand channel, by another single lock, with breakwater 
 enclosures outside 1500 feet in length, which will give ample 
 space for making up and starting towage lines of lumber 
 barges, without coming in contact with other branches of the 
 harbour trade. 
 
 We propose to run a railway from Point St. Charles across 
 the Mill street end of this basin, on pier8,(with a swing bridge 
 for the passage of steamers into the same, to connect with 
 the long enclosing pier C, which forms the southern boun- 
 dary of our proposed still water harbour, but the piers of 
 this bridge at the west end would be sulhciently high to 
 admit of the passage of loaded barges underneath. 
 
 The kirge shoal marked .T, which extends from the 
 front of the basin just described, to the north bank of the 
 navigable channel on the north side of the Normand shoal, 
 and vrhich has an average depth of water at summer level 
 of about three feet, could be enclosed in a similar manner, 
 to the proposed Lumber Basin, as shewn by the dotted lines, 
 and be supplied from the same source, so as to leave the 
 same depth of water as the enlarged public canals. These 
 basins would have most convenient access to the navigable 
 waters of the Port and to the Lachine Canal. They could 
 be made depots for the enormous produce trade of the "West, 
 which is gradually centering in Montreal. Steam tugs would 
 take produce craft from these basins alongside sea-going 
 vessels in any part of the harbour in a few minutes, and it 
 must be remembered that these immense areas, although in 
 the river, can scarcely be said to form part oJf it ; and the 
 small body of water which runs over them will add so little 
 to the current of the actual river, as not to be worth taking 
 account of; but the outside enclosures of these basins must 
 be protected with sloping rip-rap walls, to resist the ice- 
 shoves of winter. 
 
 "We have, also, at the suggestion of a prominent merchant 
 who has for many years taken great interest in harbour 
 improvements, shown an extension in deep water, of the 
 Albert Pier (marked M). This extension has a superficies 
 
c 
 
 ol' lloOxloO square i'eet, and will he an important addition 
 to the wharf accommodation of this Port. 
 
 We have thus far shown how the western parts of the 
 harbour — say from Victoria pier upwards — can be enhtrged 
 to several times its present capacity and in such manner as 
 to meet the requirements of the vast trade of the West, and 
 also be made free from the currents now^ detrimental to the 
 same, without altering the natural level of the river. We 
 now propose to show^, how the strong currents of the har- 
 bour outside these limits may be so mitigated as to render 
 every part of the harbour accessible for all classes of ves- 
 sels from Point »St. Charles to Hochelaga Bay. 
 
 THE CURRENTS OF MONTREAL HARBOUR. 
 
 We have shown on the plan submitted, the position of 
 the principal currents (tinted blue) in the harbour, which 
 injuriously alfect the same, and beg to submit some obser- 
 vations on the best means of removing or so diminishing 
 the velocity of these currents, that a vessel may, unaided, 
 sail up the current St. Mary to the still water of the western 
 part of the harbovir. It will be necessary, liowever, in view 
 of the extraordinary notions entertained by parties, other- 
 wise well-informed, respecting rivers and running streams, 
 to give some general data about the currents of this part of 
 the river St. Lawrence, deduced from personal observations 
 extending over some thirty years and corroborated by per- 
 sonal examination of the Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, and 
 Richelieu rivers, in America, and the Lower Rhine and 
 other rivers, in Europe. 
 
 It has been asserted by some modern w^riters on hydrau- 
 lics, and generally accepted without question by engineers, 
 that any contraction of the sectional area of a river channel. 
 Will cause a rise of its water surface, proportionate to the 
 amount of the contraction and the velocity of the current, 
 and conversely ; any enlargement or deepening of a river 
 channel, or the diversion of part of its water into a separate 
 channel, will cause a depression or low ring of its water 
 surface in a similar proportion. Neville, an eminent writer^ 
 says in his Hydraulic Tables and For. aulae, page 75 : — 
 " When the banks of a river whose bed has a uniform in- 
 clination, approach each other, and contract the width of 
 the channel in any way, the water will rise at the contracted 
 portion until the increased velocity of discharge compen- 
 sates for the reduced cross section ; ' anc' Molesworth in his 
 Formulae for engineers, gives (without any qualification 
 whatever), Formulae and Tables shewing the amount of 
 
the 
 
 ter^ 
 
 in- 
 
 of 
 
 ted 
 
 B^eii- 
 
 his 
 
 tion 
 
 t of 
 
 riso in tho water surfaces of riveivs tor contractions of tht ? 
 channels from one to nine-tenths of their whoU' water sec- 
 tion, and for velocities of the currents from one to six feet 
 per second. Now, the facts and phenomena presented by 
 rivers of any magnitude, entirely contradict the assertions 
 of these Avriters. The river St. Lawrence abounds with 
 such contradictions, and one of the most notable of these 
 is the current St. Mary at He llonde. This current at He 
 llonde conveys six sevenths of the whole water of the St. 
 Lawrence, and yet there is no rise whatever, of its water 
 surface, although it has a current velocity of more than 
 eight miles an hour. Whereas, according to these raoderix 
 writers, there ought to be a rise of the river surface at this 
 point, of more than sixty feet perpendicular — conversely 
 also, if all that portion of He Ronde which projects out- 
 side the line of the north side of St. Helen's Island were re- 
 moved down to the depth of the deepest part of the north 
 channel, it would be quite impossible for any lowering oi 
 the river surface to take place, but there would be this re- 
 markable difference, viz : the velocity of the current St. 
 Mary would be reduced nearly one third; this statement 
 (which is susceptible of ample proof) points at once to the 
 means which may be adopted for reducing the veloci^^y of 
 this current and thus almost entirely remove or reduc; to a 
 minimum this formidable obstacle to the safe and commo- 
 dious navigation of the port. Note 2. 
 
 We propose, however, instead of removing this part of 
 He Ronde, to widen and deepen the shallow hannel be- 
 tween He Ronde and St. Helens Island, marked L, suffi- 
 ciently for the passage of vessels of say, eighteen feet 
 draught, and by dredging a channel from thence down to 
 a narrow arm or reach of deep water, which extends up 
 the river for about 1,590 feet above Longueuil wharf By 
 this means a new chu ■ lel of api^roach could be made to 
 the harbour, as indic ted by the red lines on the plan, or 
 the channel could for the present, only be continued round 
 into Hochelaga Bay, as shown on the same. We should 
 thus obtain a channel suitable for all vessels up to second 
 class, in which the current would only be between four and 
 five miles an hour, and moreover, the construction of such 
 a channel would have the direct effect of reducing the 
 velocity of the current St. Mary by about two and a half 
 miles an hour. It is almost impossible to estimate the ad- 
 vantages which would accrue to Montreal if these proposed 
 improvements in the approaches and access to the port 
 were carried into effect. 
 
 We also propose to open a channel for steamboats of light 
 
P'g Wiu ' W-i ' ww * ' "-v r ia<mi ^ 
 
 mm 
 
 8 
 
 draught on the south side of St. Helen's Island, as shewn by 
 the red lines on the Plan, and in order to turn a greater body 
 of water down this chaniiel, (which, by the way would 
 reduce still further the velocity of the current St. Mary), we 
 p-^opose to construct a catch-water pier from the head of St. 
 Helens, to the He des Fraises, and to remove entirely ^ack 
 to Moffatt's Island the old Champlain railwt y wharf, beyond 
 which, said wharf ought never to have been built, as it has 
 been the means of turning the strongest current above the 
 harbour more directly down into the same. It may be well 
 to add respecting this channel on the south side of St. Helen's 
 that it aftbrds almost the only means for reducing the velo- 
 city of the two strongest currents in the harbour, viz : the 
 deep water current I, and the south Norman channel, H. 
 The latter being about ten miles an hour. If the immense 
 hydraulic power of the Lachine rapids should be utilized and 
 mills and factories become established there, a large business 
 must necessarily arise by way of the ri^er, from the foot of the 
 rapids to the harbour of Montreal ; and owing to the great 
 ve^^jity of the south Norman current, above mentioned, it 
 would be very desirable to open the Noith Norman channel 
 for this business, as the current is much slower than that of 
 the south channel. The principal obstructions in this chan- 
 nel is a shoal near the bridge and a few boulders, and as the 
 height from the under side of the bridge to the water is about 
 fifty feet, there is plenty of room for the passage of vessels. 
 yie have, at the risk of being tedious, described the cur- 
 rents and natural facilities of the Harbour of Montreal, 
 because in all the projects hitherto submitted for increasing 
 the shipping accommodation of the same, these currents and 
 natural facilities have been altogether ignored, while enor- 
 mous artificial works have bee:", projected, the cost of which 
 (unless borne by the whole Dominion) would become too 
 great a burden for the shipping interet of the port to bear, 
 and might thus be the mean!=' of neutralizing the unrivalled 
 advantages it now possesses, and of driving its trade to other 
 less favoured ports, where the burdens on shipping woulc' 
 be much less oppressive than at Montreal. 
 
 I. 
 
 ON EAILWAY CONNECTION WITH THE HARBOUR OF MONTREAL, 
 
 The question of communicating with the busines? parts 
 of the city by railway is rai)idly assuming vast dimensions, 
 and must necessarily form an important feature in any 
 scheme for the improvement of the port of Montreal. An 
 extensive connection by rp'lway such as the exigencies o.* 
 the principal seaport of the Dominion demand, is from the 
 
9 
 
 :al. 
 
 larts 
 ms, 
 
 |auv 
 An 
 
 Is or 
 
 Ithe 
 
 topography of the city and its intermittent narig-ation, a 
 complicated and somewhat difficult matter. In the first 
 place the g-round on which the city is built consists of 
 long narrow banks or terraces situated parallel with the 
 river, on the first of which the principal business part 
 of the city is located, Notre Dame street being on its 
 crest. This bank commences in Griffintown, and gradu- 
 ally rises as it extends towards the east end of the city, 
 until, in the Quebec suburbs, it attains an elevation of 
 nearly ninety feet above the river. The descent, ^or 
 instance, from Notre Dame street to Craig, is about ten feet 
 at McGrill street, while, in the vicinty of Yiger square, the 
 descent ranges from forty to fifty-five feet. From this Craig 
 street valley, the ground ascends in terraces in the direction 
 of Sherbrooke street to a height of about one hundred and 
 fifty feet above the river, and the city having been built in 
 conformity with those natural features of the site, it must be 
 evident that railway communication across the city to the 
 harbour would be so costly as to be out of the question ; 
 wht reas these same banks and terraces offer great facilities 
 for the entrance of railroads into the city from its extreme 
 eastern and western ends, and from thence to run along the 
 entire harbour front, and in lines parallel thereto, if neces- 
 sary. By this means the Northern Colonization, the North 
 Shore, and the Grand Trunk railw^ays, could have continu- 
 ous lines of railway along the entire harbour front, both at 
 the wharves' level and along Common, Commissioners and 
 "Water streets. The site of the Quebec Barracks would also 
 make an excellent Union Station for passengers and general 
 merchandise for all those railroads at both levels, and a Grand 
 Eastern hotel constructed over this station, fronting on and 
 at the level of Dalhousie square, would supply the want of 
 hotel accommodation which has been so long felt at the East 
 end of the city. 
 
 It may be well to state, in the next place, that the natural 
 facilities for reaching the wharves are much greater at the 
 east and western portions of the harbour than in any other ; 
 at Hochelaga Bay, for instance, the public highway is only 
 some thirty feet above the river, (or about the samt^ height 
 as Notre Dame street at the intersection of McGill street), 
 and the country as far back as Cote a Barron, is pretty level. 
 These advantages in connection with its magnificent harbour 
 accommodation, point to Hocl 3laga as the most fitting 
 locality for railway connection with the harbour at the East 
 end, while at the west end, all the most important streets are 
 almost level. If we take McGill street as an illustration, we 
 have level communication by this street with Common, 
 
nn 
 
 10 
 
 Youville, Foundlhif^, St. Paul, Lemoine, Hecollet, Notre 
 Dame, St. James and Craig street, on one side, and with the 
 whole of St. Ann's Suburbs, with its mills and factories. 
 The Lachine Canal and the Grand Trunk Railway : in fact, 
 the entire outlet to the West on the other side. As we i)ro- 
 ceed eastwards along Notre Dame street, these advantages 
 soon disappear. The cross streets from the river to Craig 
 street are steep and unsuitable for heavy traffic. Notre 
 Dame street, at Jacques Cartier square, is twice the height 
 above the river that it is at McGrill street ; and, while the 
 descent to Craig street at this latter point is scarcely percep- 
 tible, at Jacques Cartier square^ said descent is about forty 
 feet. Again, Dalhousie square is about sixty-five feet above 
 the river. Viger G-arden, in rear of the same, is only twenty 
 feet above, while some parts of the Quebec suburbs are more 
 than eighty feet above the level of the river, and are so pre- 
 cipitous as to be almost inaccessible from the same. We 
 have given these approximate heights and levels to show 
 that the introduction of railroads to the city east of McGrill 
 street, or west of Hochelaga, would be attended with great 
 inconvenience, damage and expense ; and, because such 
 railroads would have no facilities for communicating with 
 the harbour ; along the front of which most of the railway 
 traffic of the city may be carried on to the best advantage. 
 For the distribution of railway lines along the harbour 
 front, we beg to refer to the Plan, on which said lines are 
 shewn in red ink, and also the connections of the same with 
 the proposed new wharves at Hochelaga and the western end 
 of the harbour, and it only remains to say on this part of the 
 subject : that if the Northern Colonization, or Trunk line of 
 the Ottawa Valley, becomes part of a railway from the 
 Pacific Ocean, it will be necessary, in that event, to have 
 further connection with the great cities of the United States 
 seaboard by means of another bridge across the St. Lawrence, 
 and the location of such bridge must necessarily influence 
 the entrance of this railroad into the city, and, inasmuch as 
 the whole city is to be taxed to the extent of a million 
 dollars for the construction of this road, it is evident that the 
 interests of the city, as a whole, must be considered in its 
 location. To secure this it may be found necessary to have 
 this road for the reasons already given, divide into two 
 branches when it reaches the Island of Montreal, so as to 
 enter at the east and western extremities of the city, and have 
 their junction at the Quebec Barracks Station, on the harbour 
 front. By this means railway traffic to the United States 
 could pass on to its destination by the branch having the 
 Bridge, while the other branch would connect directly with 
 the Port and city of Montreal. 
 
11 
 
 All the improvements here suggested for rendering the 
 Harbour of Montreal fally equal to present and future re- 
 quirements, are almost entirely confined to operations for 
 improving the natural advantages of the same, because they 
 furnish for this purpose, by far the most efficient and eco- 
 nomical means ; can be better adapted to the local circum- 
 stances of the port and the peculiarities of the climate, and 
 in consequence, less likely to derange its established trade. 
 Our object is to convert this harbour of Montreal into 
 a dock, arranged especially to suit its trade and navigatio?i. Our 
 circumstances render elevated artificial docks for sea-going 
 vessels inexpedient, and our sheltered harbou" and the high 
 land surrounding it, obviate many of the necessities which 
 exist at Liverpool for docks, but imposes obstacles to their 
 construction here which do not exist at the latter port, and 
 we venture to assert that notwithstanding the greater neces- 
 sity for docks at Liverpool than at Montreal, if the water 
 surface of such docks had to be raised twenty-five feet 
 above high river level, as would be the case here, and that 
 such docks had to be supplied with water by artificial 
 means, the enormous cost of such works and the risks and 
 expense of locking up and down sea-going vessels to and 
 from such docks, would be found very unprofitable in a 
 port open all the year round, and positively ruinous in the 
 case of a port open for business only seven months out of 
 the twelve. 
 
 To return. The south side of the large " Island shoal " 
 wharf would be well adapted for landing coal, and steam- 
 ships could also take in coal from the opposite side of the 
 same, while cartage to the city from this point, could be 
 done as already stated, without crossing the canal. The 
 provision made for the lumber trade on Point St. Charles 
 shoal, will render the large space in the vicinity of Welling- 
 ton bridge available for the western produce trade, in addi- 
 tion to the docks and warehouses about being provided by the 
 government in that neighbourhood. Note 3. We also propose 
 to fill up with earth excavated from these docks, the lai g'e 
 space between the south end of the proposed lumber basin 
 and the Victoria Bridge, marked F, for piling ground or 
 wharfage, and thus remove the risk of fire from shipping 
 being surrounded by piles of lumber. 
 
 In our description of the means to be adopted for reduc- 
 ing the velocity of the Curr<'nt St. Mary, we deferred for 
 the sake of clearness, making mention of a plan proposed 
 by us some fifteen years ago in the Montreal Gazette, for 
 making a channel through this current, which would have 
 a velocity of only some three miles an hour and thus enable 
 
12 
 
 vessels and craft to sail up to Montreal, or to be towed iij) 
 with the greatest ease. 
 
 We have shewn this slow current channel oi the plan 
 now submitted ; it consists of three or more piors extend- 
 ing from just above the lower end of the enclosing iner C, 
 down to Hochelaga Bay, forming a channel next the Mon- 
 treal shor3 of about 350 feet in width. These piers are ar- 
 ranged with their ends passing each other as shown on the 
 plan, "We thus cut off the initial velocity from the upper 
 end of this channel, and the spaces between the piers form 
 inlets or outlets, between the same and the river outside, 
 but the A^elocity of the latter camiot be communicated to 
 the enclosed channel which will in consequence only have 
 the velocity derived from its inclination alone, say about 
 three miles an hour, or about one third the velocity of the 
 river outside. But it may be asked, will not this enclosed 
 channel increase the velocity of the river channel outside ? 
 Unquestionably it will, but to a very limited extent, for it 
 must be observed that this enclosed channel, although 
 separated from the river as far as its velocity is concerned, 
 still forms part of the river channel t\nd the only increase 
 it can make to the velocity of said channel, is the displace- 
 ment caused by the enclosing pier and the reduction of the 
 current in the enclosed channel from nine to three miles an 
 hour, or an addition to the velocity of the river outside of 
 about one and a half miles an hour. We should thus have 
 an almost slack- water channel from Hochelaga Bay to the 
 Lachine Canal, and by the construction of the proposed 
 channel between He Ronde and St. Helen's, we should ef- 
 fect a reduction in the velocity of the Current St. Mary of 
 nearly three miles an hour. As to the order in which these 
 works should be executed it is only necessary to remark 
 here that bv constructing the channel between He Ronde 
 and St Helens, first — we should reduce the velocity of St. 
 Mary's Current at the same time. H on the other hand, 
 the slow current channel on the Montreal side were made 
 first, we should thereby increase the velocity of the said 
 current as already stated. 
 
 Before proceeding to make any comparison between these 
 proposed improvements of the natural advantages of the 
 harbour and the elaborate and extensive plan of a new har- 
 bour, canal and docks, prepared by Messrs. Trudeau and 
 Sippell, for the Dominion Clovernment (a copy of w^hich 
 through the influence of Hon. Thomas Ryan and others, 
 has been obtained for the inspection of the public.) H is 
 necessary to describe as well as our limited information will 
 permit, the magnificent works shewn on said plan. The 
 
13 
 
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 lis 
 111 
 
 changes contemplated by this plan are oi' the most extensivc^ 
 and radical character, as besides the large basins and ware- 
 houses adjoining basin No. 2 of the Lachine Canal, which 
 we have already noticed, it is proposed in the first place to 
 enclose the entire upper part of the harbour with a water 
 tight pier extending from point St. Charles down parallel 
 with Mill street as far as Victoria pier. The large area of 
 water thus enclosed, is to be raised by this means to the 
 level of Basin No 1, of the Lachine Canal, or about 13 feet 
 above the present level of the harbour, and double locks ara 
 provided outside Victoria Pier for locking vessels up or 
 down between the harbour and river levels. In the second 
 place, from the lower end of this elevated dock on the land 
 side, it is proposed to construct a ship canal down to Hoche- 
 laga, at the same elevated level as the harbour above. This 
 ship canal at Hochelaga Bay curves inwards Imd forms tho 
 upper entrance to the proposed Hochelaga Docks, a magni- 
 Jicent structure about two miles in length, situated in rear 
 of the town and arranged to be surrounded with ware- 
 houses. These docks form the third division of the pro- 
 ject. They would be at the same level as the enclosed 
 harbour and canal, and would communicate by double 
 locks with the river at their Eastern extremity. 
 
 This project certainly indicates that the Dominion Gov- 
 ernment is not only fully alive te the importan \e of improv- 
 ing the principal port of the country, but entertains ideas 
 respecting the same, far in advance of the most extensive 
 projects yet devised for that purpose. It would, however, be 
 premature in the absence of any descriptive report of this 
 project, to comment on the important advantages to be 
 gained by the execution of these works. The engineers 
 are gentlemen of high standing and large experience, and 
 are no doubt fully prepared to give satisfactory reasons for 
 the arrangement and construction of every part of their 
 design, but with our present information, the project seems 
 to be open to the following objections, viz : — 
 
 1. The entire wharfage of the harbour from Victoria 
 pier to the Lachine Canal, would have to be reconstructed 
 and raised to a level some thirteen feet higher than at 
 present. 
 
 2. That the tail water of all the mills and factories on 
 canal basin No. 2, will pass outside this dock and cause such 
 a strong current as to render the outside entrance of the 
 Lachine Canal useless. 
 
 3. That a head or pressure of about thirteen feet, will be 
 put on the outUow of the large sewer in front of the Cus- 
 tom House, which in consequence would be turned back 
 
fffeS^HI 
 
 S9S 
 
 14 
 
 ihroug'hont all its entire circuit cf several miles and flood 
 the basements of the buildings which drain into it. 
 
 4, That the bed of the river on which the long enclosiiig 
 pier of this dock would be constructed, being- composed of 
 solid rock, clay, boidders, sand and quicksand, with a depth 
 of water over the same of from ten to forty feet, would 
 render the construction of such a water tight pier a most 
 difficult undertaking, and even supposing this were effected, 
 the exposure of this pier to ice shoves twice a year, in u 
 locality more exposed to them than any other part of the 
 harbour, must render any chance of its remaining water 
 tight very slender indeed, and as it would be impossible to 
 emi:)ty this dock except by pumping, the locality of any 
 leakage below the river line would be very difficult to 
 find. Note 4. 
 
 5. 
 
 The great risk to the navigation resulting from the 
 inter-dependence of the several parts of this long range of 
 artiiicial works (extending from upper Lachine to Longue 
 Pointe) upon the integrity and security of the whole. If for 
 example : this dock received serious injury from an ice shove 
 in Spring so as to run down the water to the river level, it 
 might take a month even to discover the locality and extent 
 of the damage, and another month or more to repair it ; in 
 the mean time the spring fleet would have arrived, and the 
 dock in which the most important part of it were to discharge 
 and load would be useless, because, if a large vessel were to 
 •enter this dock and run the risk of stranding in the shallower 
 parts thereof, such vessel could neither discharge nor load 
 in consequence of the enormous height the wharves would 
 be above the water ; for similar reasons the water connections 
 with the Lachine Canal, the mills, the factories, basins and 
 warehouses would be severed, unless special means were 
 provided against such a contingency. The supply of water 
 would also be cut off from the Ship Canal and Hochelaga 
 Docks, and these costly structures would have their depth 
 of water gradually reduced from twenty -fi'"-e feet to twelve 
 feet, to the great danger and detention of t'Teiv vessel that 
 might happen to be therein. And if such an accident as we 
 have supposed were to occur towards the close of the season 
 the consequences might be more disastrous than at any other 
 period. 
 
 6. The trouble and delay which would be caused by lock- 
 ing up and down of every vessel using this dock, and the 
 strong current which would be caused at the foot of the 
 locks, would compel the enormous business which is now 
 done in this vicinity to move lower down. All the river 
 steamboats and river craft land their passengers here, and 
 
15 
 
 discharge and load, besides a number of ocean steamers and 
 ships : and the whole of this annually increasing trade would 
 be cut oft' from the city by the proposed ship canal, which 
 would have to be crossed by a swing bridge or two, whereas, 
 except for the purpose of avoiding the St. Mary's current, it 
 is difficult to see what useful object can be served by this 
 costly canal, which would at all compensate for the m-'uy 
 sacrifices that would have to be made for its accommodations : 
 it would occupy a most valuable space urgently required for 
 wharfage and railway tracks ; it would intercept all drainage 
 of the city from this point downiwards, including the two 
 large cross tunnels which have been built by the corporation 
 at an enormous expense ; and it would be exposed all along 
 its soiith side to damage from the ice shoves in the Spring 
 and Fall. Note 5. ^ 
 
 7. Unless we fdl up ITochelaga Bay and . us destroy that 
 siilendid harbourage of deep water ; and unlesi we so increase 
 the velocity of St, Mary's current as to prevent steamers 
 ascending it. It is very difficult to soe what obiect beyond 
 spending an enormous sum of money uselessly, can be 
 attained by constructing the proposed large deep water 
 docks and warehouses in rear of the town of Hochelaga. 
 There is no business present or prospective, that can arise 
 or be brought to this locality ; there is nothing either that 
 the proposed railways can bring to it that cannot better, 
 quicker, and more satisfactorily be done at Hochelaga Bay, 
 than would be possible at these proposed docks. All that is 
 wanted here is more wharfage in the position shown on our 
 Plan, where-there is little current, and a fine depth of w 'ter. 
 (The Harbour Commi«.*ioners are extending the present 
 Hochelaga wharf upwards, from the same point, but in a 
 much stronger current, and much less eligible connection 
 with the shore than at Hochelaga Bay.) 
 
 And generally, considering the shortness of our navigable 
 season, the entire abandonment of the whole harbour 
 during a five months' winter, and the constant exposure and 
 liability to damage to which these costly artificial works 
 would be peculiarly subjected : we think there can scarcely 
 be a question as to the vastly greater safety, security and 
 economy which may be obtained by adopting, and gradually 
 carrying into effect, some comprehensive plan for taking 
 advantage of and i.iiii^>roving the great natural facilities 
 possessed by the Harbour of Montreal ; facilities which, it 
 should be remembered, will afford twice the amount of 
 accommodation provided by any project of artificial harbour 
 works, hitherto made known ; and we beg respectfully to 
 
 "*%♦ 
 
16 
 
 submit that the plan we lay before you to-day is such an one. 
 Note 6. 
 
 JAMES H. SPIUNOLE, 
 
 CHAS. F. H. FORBES, 
 
 Civil Engineers 
 Montreal, August 25, 1873. 
 
 Note 1.— Ip turning tho tail water of tlio Mills into the proposed Lumber Bnsin, we of 
 course contempliito raakinff the head or fall of water used by those Mills about thirteen 
 feet, or about the same height as is obtained during the winter months- In a word— The 
 head or fall would be the same all the year round. If the Government would allow the 
 use of tho water from the proposod new basins, adjoining basin No. 2, the Hodges property 
 which forms the north side of the Lumber Baain could be laid out for mills and factories, 
 which would discharge their tail water into the proposed Lumber Basin. A large amount 
 of industrial wcolth would be added to that already in existence, and manufactured products 
 could be shipped directly from these mills into barges or steamers, and taken round in a 
 few minutes alongside sea-going vessels, lying in any part of the harbour belcw. If the 
 Government would not allow water for such purpose from the Cannl. it might be induced to 
 grant it. if a similar quantity of water were suppliiidto the same from the proposed canal of 
 the St. Louis ilydraulio CempanyV: works. 
 
 Note 2.— There are many persons for instance, who think that if a canal were made 
 from Montreal Harbour, down to some point below the ice jam, which causes the rising of 
 the river and flooding the lower parts of the city- That such canal would if made largo 
 enough, carry off the rising water and prevent any flood from taking place. It mny surprise 
 such persons to learn, that if it were possible to construct a canal as large as the north 
 channel at lie Rond, so as to convey the same quantity of water, said canal would not have 
 the slightest effect in lowering tho flood. The water in it would rise to the same level as the 
 river itself, both in time of flood and at low water. The only effect of such a canal would 
 be to lessen the velocity of tho current St. Mary nearly one half. 
 
 Note 3.— These prepased new basins are to be eighteen feet deep, and as tho Govern- 
 mcnt are going to deepen the present canal basins to a similar depth, the long disputed 
 question as to whether it would do more advantageous for the sco-going vessel to ascend to 
 the level of Basin No- 2, and load at the warehouse or mill ; or for barges or other craft to 
 load at said warehouse or mill, and then descend to the vessel lying in the harbour below, 
 may to a limited extent at least, be tested. 
 
 Note 4.— We have already adverted to the imposslbiliy of emptying the elevated dock» 
 below the river level, in the event of damages and repairs, but it is clear that the .xame 
 objection applies to the ship canal and the llochelaga Docks, or any Dry Docks which may 
 connect with them. None of these works could be emptied below the river level e.xcept by 
 pumping, a fatal obiection wc fear, tvy such of tho works us would be exposed to damage 
 from ice shoves. 
 
 Note 5.— Tho three large tunnels which form the river outlets for the great part of tho 
 city sewerage, would not only be stopped by the proposed works, but in addition, the entire 
 sewerage of the city from its extreme western boundary, down to below the outlet looks 
 of the Hochelaga Docks, a distance of more than five miles ; would be cut off from all 
 connection with the river. This would necessitate an entire re-arrangement of the city 
 sewerage, wh'ch would have to be carried in one large tunnel down below the eastern 
 extremity of the proposed docks at Hochelngo, before it could enter the river. ' t is very 
 likely iti.it such a system of sewerage as these proposed harbour works would render 
 necessary, would possess many and great advantages over the present system, but the 
 change would require an enormous outlay, and could scarcely fail to add a heavy burden of 
 taxation to tho City and Port of Montreal. 
 
 Note G.— The limited season of navigation common to Canada and the Noithern States, 
 compels us to make the most of the time as one of the essential means of successfully com- 
 petinit with other Ports open all the year round, and if the Port of Montreal were a« well 
 lighted as some of the streets of Paris, during the season of navigation, we might by relays 
 of labour, make each of our working days e>nhteen honr» in length, and thus our seven 
 months of navigation (the choice months of the year) might be niado fully equal to the 
 twelve months of other seaports. 
 
 Memo.— The additional outlet look of the Lachine Canal shown on our plan (parallel 
 with the;pre.«ent outlet lock) is not laid down on tho plan of Mes.Ts. Sippell and Trudeau 
 as it would not be required if the elevated dock proposed fly them were carried into effect, 
 but it is comprised in the works contemplated by the Government, of making another canal 
 outlet and basin adjoining Basin No. 1. This additional outlet from the caual to the har- 
 bour, which can be made do'ible if required, is proposod on our plan to be made in the 
 s^outh ?ide of the new Windiiiill Point wharf, at the part, where said whaif ha.s been lofr, 
 unfinished. By tlii;^ .'irrangcnipnt- and by closing the present outint lock, diieet find 
 unimpeded connection between tho city and the exten.^ive wharves on the " Island Sho.il'' 
 secured. 
 
 16 
 
 / 
 
 ,J. H. S. 
 C. F. II. 
 
 F. 
 
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