IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. .// k^ fj? % SP /MS> ^< « ''w&/-t ms 1.0 I.I IM 11112.5 U! Ki. illllM ■AO 12.2 2.0 1.25 ! 1.4 1= 1.6 m c*J o Ss / w Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MA(N STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian institute for (Historical IVIicroreproductions Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 1980 i Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has I !■ I t I I I I > ! ■ I > I > I ! ■ ! > I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I t I t I I t I The SaultSte. Marie Canal n ill l l M II'' ll l l lllltll l >ltll-t-»-l>t>lt-> ♦ " M- H t » I I t'l <■!<■ > <> I' KM i t I >■ I I -(->■ I > > t - M- 1 I- I » I )-t-y M I I I H I I I I ! I I 1 i I i t < H » - H PCBblSHKD tJNDSR THK AUSPI0K8 OF THE DULUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE S/IULT m. la/lRIE CflNflL, LETTKU OF FRANCIS ALMY, Esq., of BufTalo, N. Y., (Secretary of the Lake Curi-icrs' Asscx-iatioii) -TO— HON. JOHN M. FARQUHAR, M. C. Publislied under the Kii.-ipiee.s of the DULUTH ClIAMBRR OF COMMERCE. DrLUTH, MIXN. IJULUTH NEWS CO. I'lUNT. 1887. O F F I C i: Isi H OF TIIK Duluth Chaml)er of Commerce, I'HKSIDKNT, O. H. SIMONDS. VICE I'HKSIDKNT, (1. (i. HAIITLEV SECHETAKY, WILLIAM F, PHELPS. TKEASUREK, J. R. MYEKS. DIRECTORS: M. R. BALDWIN. 1). G. CASH. A. S. CHASE. THOS. CULLYFORI). (\ A. DUNCAN. J. li. SUTPHIN. C. H. (iRAVES. G. G. HARTLEY. D. N. HAYS. T. W. HUGO. C. F. JOHNSON. C. A. LOUNSBERRY. J. R. MYERS. E. V. MUNDY. R. S. MUNGER. W. W. PEARSON. J. T. ROSE. A. N. SEIP. J. SEVILLE. C. E. SHANNON. O. H. SIMONDS. B. SILBERSTEIN. O. P. STEARNS. EXPLANATORY NOTE. ClIAMIil'K OF COMMI-RCi;. SECRETAr^Y'S OFFICE. Dri.iTU, Minx., May ','1, 18H7. Tlie stiitcmeiits In ilie following piiKCs, "showing the proseiit oonditloii, growth mid re<|iiIrtMiu'iits of llie comnu'rce from Lake .Siijierlorby tlic lower lakes,"" were prepared, Jaminry last, in the form of a letter, to the Hon. John M. F'arciiihar, memher of Congress from Buffalo, X. Y., by Fraiii'is ,\lniy, Es(|., Sec-retary of the Lake Carrier's Association of thai city, for the information of the Conimittee on ifivers and llarliors of the two Honses respeetively. A copy of the letter liaving l)eeii kindly forwarded hy the antlior to the tindersigr.ed, and by him read to the Hoard of Dire('tor.s of t)ie Dnlnth f'haml)er of Com- merce, its facts and figures were deemed so important in view of the Con- venlion of the Coninierclal organizations interested in the nnotistrncted inivigation of the great lakes to l)e held at the Sanlt Ste. Marie Jtdy 2()th, that liy a unanimous vote, 'AIHKI copies were ordered printed in pamphlet form for the information of the delegates and for general di.stribution. In 'jo;iseiiting to the publicati(m. Secretary Almy interposed the condition that It should be stated that "tlie letter represents but little original work, being simply a .•onii)ilatlon from various sources, and mainly from the otlicial reports and other papers of Gen. (). M. I'oe of the rnited states Kngineers, in charge of tlie improvemeius at the Sanlt Ste. Marie river."" It was believed that a careful perusal of the statemeiUs by the delegates prior to the meeting of the Convention would tliorougldy prepare tliem to take siu'h action as the "condition, growth and rui|uirements of commerce"" demand. M'lLLIAM F. PIIELl'S, Secretary. Secretary Almy's Letter, Buffalo, Junuarj- 13, 1887. Hon. .Joun M. Faiu^uhak, WnsliiiiKton, 1). (.'. 8itt;— Mr. C'lilihvill liiis iiskeil ine to jnepare iiikI send to you as per your roiiui-'^l ti» hliii, a stiiteiiieiit showiiiK tlie iireseiit eotnlitiou, growth and requirements of the C'om- iiierce from Lake Superior hy ilu* lower lakes. Tlie through commeree from Lake SuiKrrlor is couvenieutly measured Iiy the ship- ments through the St. Mary's Falls Canal, eonnet^ting Lakes Superior and Huron, Hn feet wide and ;i")ll feel long between gates, anerty was tlien transferred by the State of Micliigan to tlie L'nited States, and tlie present lock was first opened for use September 1, 1881. This is n magnilicenf structure, 80 feet wide, but narrowing to (!') feet at the gates, with a lengtli of 515 feet, and witli 17 feet of water over llie miter sills at tlie ordinary stage. The freiglit movement increased at once witli tlie new accommodations, and in W^:i only 11 per cent of the vessels passing through (he canal were sufficiently small so tliat ttiey could have gone througli ftie old locks, tlie only ones in use but two years before. In IHH-i tlie season's tonnage had reached ■.i,000,o;):) tons, in 18S5 it liad passed 3,000,(H)l). and in 1880 (last year) it was considerably over 4,5 M),i GO. Tlie number of vessels passing througli the lock in 1 HSU was 7,4i4, an increase of 38 per cent over IM8."i. Four vessels of average size can be locked tlirougli togellier. The average time consumed in a lockage is one hour. So that, estimating its capacity under the most favoraljle conditions, witli vessels of convenient size arriving up and down in groups of four, in such order that immediately following a lockage in one direction another group of four may be locked tlirougli on the return, and without interruption in the movemeni, night or day, (Mj vessels might be locked in 24 hours, or 2,97t) vessels in a month of 31 days. In July last 1,295 vessels passed through tlie lock. Should the num- ber of vesiels continue to increase iu the same ratio as this last season, in thtee years the i\ \» \» nl)ovp aliiioniml oii|>ii(liy iilloHanrc' will hiivc Ik'Cii pxci'i-ili-il. The prRcllfiil working t'Mimclly of llif lock will liiivf hj'cii rciK^lictl siioiiiT, Fur It iiiiisl he icmcmlii'n'il timt in prnctico tho vessels will not iirrlvt' iiiilforinly. Not only will llic conimcrcf iit certain sca- noiiH he Krenter tliiiii iit others, hut owlnK to the fiict thitt the iiiiviKiUioit liy iiiKht hcluw the Httiili Ih liiiprovcnients can he coniiilcieil, llierc Is always a scarcity of hoats ilurinj; the niKht, and a Krcat accumiilntlon of hnats awaitiuK lockage in Ihc morning. So that, taking tlie practical workiuK capacity of the lock, it will he reached In IHHH, should the uuniher of vessels Increase in this seasiwi's ratio. It Is not prohahle, of cour>c, that the nuiiiher of vessels will so largely Increase. The tendency is rallier to increase in size tlnm In imnilier of vessels. In 18Ki a less num- licr of vessels i)asscd tliroUKli the lock than in 1S8I, ihouKh they carried 13 per cent more frel>?lit. Yet lakhiK llie vessel passages for a series of six years, in this time they have more tlnin douhled, and at the same rate we might expeet a blockade in ahout six years henee, under tho most favorable conditions. In his report for IHHI. dm. (). M. I'oc, of Detroit, Lieut. Pol. of U. S. RuKlnecrs, In charKeof these improvements, reconimendeil anew lock, on the site of the old ones, 71) feet In width, 70() feet In length, and 81 feet of water on ilie miter sills.* (These dimensions he holds subject to revision). This lock would be used In connection with the present new one, which Is all that can he deslreil for no Krcatcr drangiit than 17 feet. (Jon. I'oe estl- nnitcstlie cost of the proposed new lock at +l,TiKi,(>iM). Of this amount |'i,")(),0(K) was appro- priated by the Rivr and Harbor Act approved August 5, 1HH(). The Improvement, with sutliclent api)ropriatlons, can bo completed by 1H9I, and this Is none too .soon, as Is shown liy the precedint; estimates. It is of the utmost importance that Congress should make annual appropriations fur tlie next two or three years, of !B.">^Hl,l»i)0, or more, as Gen. Poe may desire. T attach a statement showing the commerce through the cajud, in total, and In detail for the more important classes of freiglit, for tlie years iHHa, 1S.SJ, IHS), las.'i and IHKU, the years during which it has been under (Jovernment (-oiitrol. The blo(!kade to commerce which would ensue shouhl any aceldeni; happen to the present lock liefore tlie new one is completed, is sometliing a|>palling to think of. The injury arising from tiie carrying away of the lower gates (the accident most to be feared) and tlie consequent pouring tlirough the lock of the great volume of water under a head of 18 feet, might tic so great, (Jen. Poe says, as to close the canal for the renuiinder of the sea- son. It is of value to stnte briefly what this would mean. Taking the figures of last sea- son, namely four and one half niilliiiii tons, tliis ainoniu would have to be transferred from vessel to vessel, above and below the lock. Leaving out of account the lost time to the vessels through neoes-iary delay In making connections, etc., the simple portage, out of one vessel across the lock and on to another vessel, would cost, at a very low estimate, 70 cents per ton. Tills on last season's slii|>meiits wonUl nictm |;i, ltl!),4.'ll, or over $^Kin,000 per month. Practically a jiorlage on such a scale wonhl be an Impossibility, and the freight would have to seek otlier routes. Tiie freight from the Northwest could go by lake from Cliicago. This at the lowest possible figure would add 2ii cents per 100 Ib.s. to the freight. For the sliipments from and to loccl Lake Superior i)olnts— the copper, iron ore, lumber, eoal, etc.— the increase In rate would be mueh larger. Estimating all the freight at 2' i cents increase In rate, this on the season's shipments would amount toi!2,8(!;i,H79or over ♦These dimensions have since be^n changed to 103 feet and 8X( feet respectively, w. k. JSiM^coo |icr iiKinth. Tlicw HKurcs arc fo.' last yenr'H MlilpmentH. For lliiM year llu'v would 1)1) Hllll larger. Willi siicli Iih'In In iiiIimI II Is l!n|iossll)lc llwil any our coiiM i|iilt»Mi' oviT ihe llircf H|>|iroi>rlutloiis of $5(H»,()ii() per year now lU'fiU'il lu coinpli'li! Iho new lock. The value of the frt-lnht pasnliiK throiiKli the canal in IKHS U estlnmtcd at ii«W,()(HV). There can lianlly l>c any <|U<'silon at llils ilay as lo ilic national chara<>lcr of thin artlllclal wal<'r way. 1. lies, however, cnllrdy within llic Mate of Mlchlnan, s > ll may lie of Iniercsi losiiiic Ih'il In Imh') (IIh- ll),'m"« Cor IHHtl are not yet ohliiliialile) the interest of MichlKan in Ihe coniineree thioimli the (Miiiil WM> liiil IH per cent. «»f ihe cnornions aniounis of wheal, Hour aiio coal which pass throiiKh the cannl, not one |)onn(l Is Ihe product of MichlKaii. .\iiollicr very hiiportani Ini- provenient which slioulil he considered lu this eonueetlon Islhalofihe Hay Lakechannel In the Sanlt Sic. Marie river. This clianncl, as shown in Ihe lilllc niiip hcicwiih, would atl'ord a nmch less circuitous route for the <'onMnerce he- IwceuLakeSuperioi ainl Lake Huron than that now in use. It shortens the distance be- tween the two lakes eleven miles out of sixty, hul what is of far more iniporliincc, when the iniproveineuts coii- lemplated shall have been matle, il will allow Ihc i)assane of vessels drawiiif,' 'JD feet of water, and will atlord a route navlKiilile hy ulnht, which is imposNihle by Ihe present route, (icii. I'oe estimates the cost of tills improvement as not exceeding *2, (159, 11.1. Three appropriations have been made for Ihe work as follows: By Act of C'ouKress, Approved AiiRusI -J, \HH-i |3lK),0(H) By Act of C'ouKress, Aitproved July .-S, 18f^ liVIKK) Hy Act of Congress, .\pproved .VukpsI ."), 1HM»! 1,5(),(KK) The extent of the line is some 15 miles, so that, with siitticieut appropriations, simul- tttueoiis work could be c that thciircsenl CoiiKress ulll show a more realizing ymunv of Its liii|>orla!ice. There are one or iwo Boiiernl points eonneetcd with the coi crcc of the lakes which yim may fin. 1 of li.terest. Yon perhaps do not know that the dr.lly toiiimne throiiKh the Huiilt canal Is larger than that through the Kieai Suez canal. In .Inly, IHHtl, the only month for which I have flKiires for hoth canals, the Sue/ canal shipmeiitH were WH,(iri ollichil n.'t Ions. The toniuiKe throtigh the Hanlt canal f.ir the same perlo.l was 5(il,i«H tons, ..r an excess of .■«,.').'>; to.is f.ir the m.nith. The sliipnients thr.Minh the Saiilt caiiMl for the season of 1HM() averaKc.l ahunt 11»,()M« tons jter day. The shipments ihroiiKli the S\icz canal for IMHI ( 1 have no later flKures) were S,H71.5lKt tons for the ;iOo days, or un iiveraKeof llUlHr pi r day. Yon can easily l.riiiK these flKurcs up to date. Comparing the Co erce of the Rreal lakes with onr other dome.stic coinniereo. In IhH-1, :ii<,74-i rnile.l States vessels, represenliiin lH,(iiri,iMO tons, passed IhroiiKh the Detroit river. In luldltiou to this theie were <',,(iai Canadian vessels, representiiiK l,eil,lM» tons, so that the t.>tal commerce thioiiKli the river was 46.»J9 vessels, or 10,(i-l."),aTl tons, heiiiK tlve times llie c.iinhine.l toiimiKe .if the Mississippi and Ohio rivers f.ir the same perlo.l. Yet the ai.propriations from CoiiKiess from l^'rtl to \HK\ were nine million dollars for the Kreat lakes, coverinj; rivers and harhors, harhors of refiiKe, hreakwaters, canals, locks, etc., from I'laltshurK on the St. I.awrcn. e to Chicano and Dnlntli, and inclii.linK Ihc lock at tlic Sanlt an.l the Lime Kiln Iminovements in the Detroit river, and twenty-live millions dnriiiK the same ten years for the Mississijipi- alone. I assume that from the records available at Washlugtoii y.m can rea.lily hrinn these figures to date. The main part of the infornnitk)n herein furnished is collected from various reports, letters and statements of (ien. O. M. Poe, I.ient. Col. of r. S. Kngineers at Detroit. .\ny further information which i ca-i furnish or can ol.tain fur you 1 will he very Klad to, if called uiion. Yours respectfully, FHANCIS ALMY, Secretary. > ir^ y. u: ^ ^ X u. *— r- z: ij c ic i — ■■: « X « g ^ 5? SJ "* X- i- -• 5 ,'x 2? •' » S 5£ » i '•"' *' g S' S'5'5' '-: 2 s ;? !?' i "' ^' 2 9?SC •-•« £ i I ^ ^ 1 i«. -1- 1- (- -r *. r? — X -f -Tf ^ — '— i- w M IX i-^ i-T *— i- -r ~. -:* ^ -^ *- c CO ■3' I- W I j£ r X i.-Si;?? --^x-r-Z^S = 2_!- i.^ ^ ic coi-t -T •jS'x'r! -ri -T -i' -c c: sT-^i^ -^ *' '^f"l*-*l--T'*^'^X C * 5; C-. X ■ i~ •:> i"^ -" ■ 1-i ff ?i I lie •-• -• ^ ^ • 1! U- I- X ?> O X -T X I - ^ c 5 i ~l U-- trt c 1 *' ^ — c; X tc T ^ i X I w'ai -T ^ U I_ t. ■ i_ « ■ r ' '• "'■ S ■'• ^- ■'^ u ■ * si 4) 4> it Mi S = §152 . St '■'a. : 01 ■ a) 1^ — ^ x ;, — 1-; tic u 2.'°