The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-24

bank OF the lake, and accommodate every one"
Here is road now actually laid out, and in process OF
construction, TO accommodate the iron works, which is
TO run from Lake Superior across the whole peninsula
10 Lake Michigan, entirely by private enterprise, the
product OF which IS 10 20 BY way OF The Sault Sic
Marie.
eress OF this lake, and, ia fact, the whole Northwest
With this read, five Thousand o iron be shipped
this season and with ship canal at the Sau i've hun
dred thousand will be limit Of yearly shipment easily
Lei him look at The steep and high iron ms worth
more by the pound than common pig metal let him look
West, and consider these facilities Tor procuring here
supply, aud he will be satisfied with oar estimate.
from this place Bay do Noquet, Lake Michigan which
will make direc, southern outlet for the iron from
carry forward extensively the iron business"
The amendment proposed by my colleague, instead OF
containing the provision made by the original bill, which
appropriated land and which intended confer upon the
State authority with view that tie work might 60 on
by the authority OF the legislature proposed that Congress
shall do The work like any other public work, rendered
necessary by the circumstances OF the An amount oil
land might be given that would make the canal but it
would take long time and in the fluctuations attend
ing our land system, not knowing from day TO day what
measure Congress may adopt, competent to construct
such work would be fearful about taking land for CON-
pensaon The matter remains altogether SO uncertain
that is difficult tell what would be necessary
or whether any reasonable amount would be sufficient
now to induce them to go on In these circumstances
we propose that the United States shall take hold OF the
work, and make it they would any other improve
men; and trust that such will be the decision OF the
Senate.
Mr. DAWSON will ask The senator who reported
the bill whether there has been any survey made,
estimate presented as 10 the cost OF construction OF this
canal
Mr.. FELCH. There have been two surveys made for
this work. One was made, in the first instance, under
the authority of the State OF Mchigan-n 1886, be-
eve. Subsequently TO that time, the attention of the
department called to the subject, and they directed
another survey to be made under the authority Of and
by the officers connected with, the topog bureau
and report presented, exhibiting the whole
try with map OF IT. giving the distances, with estimate
Of The expense. The estimate given in detail The total
amount of expense is $454 ,l67 &C. This provides, how
ever for canal with double locks, the estimate for
which based upon the length and size OF the steamer
Michigan, which was then The only steamer upon the
iron vessel hundred and sixty feet long The d
Tor the canal were, hundred feet wde and
twelve feet deep; for the locks two hundred feet long
since that time the commerce of that country has very
much increased, and the dimensions OF the canal,
provided in the amendment are larger than those pro-
vdel for in the estimate In other words, we have,
in the amendment, provided for canal which shall
accommodate the steamers now plying upon the lakes
supposng that they will be large enough Tor future
We deem il important, in the first instance to make il OF
proper size to accommodate the business upon the
lakes The size of The locks, then, is larger than that
provided for in the estimate; but the estimate provided
for double locks, while the amendment provides for
single locks The probability s, that the expense OF ma
king the work which have provided for n this amend
men will be not very far from that which was the SUBJ
ec OF the estimate by the department believe this an
sweIs the Inquiries OF the senator.
Mr.. DAWSON. Mr. President this is another Of those
internal improvements that suppose come within The Bal
tmore PLATFORM 1t seems, from the argument OF the dis
tngushed senator from Michigan, Mr. CAss,l that it
necessary for the public deence-o the purpose OF in
creasng and protecting the commerce OF the country;
and he says further that is necessary for the purpose
OF increasing the value OF the public lands, which, sup
pose makes it all very justihable! do not pretend to
enter into the discussion OF the question OF internal i'm
hat is that he
senator who reported shall call upon the proper depart
men 10 have estimate made OF the cost oil the con.
suucon OF the canal founded upon the data presented
in the bill, and ascertain how much money we are about
10 appropriate for this internal Improvement.
admire very much this manner OF introducing bill
Tor internal improvements, putting upon It's own Rde-
pendent footing, and not In connexion with other propo
stons meey for the purpose OF gaining strength TO carry
IT through II is certainly very honorable position 10
place in; and must ask OF the senator TO be so kind
as TO bring II within one of my principles In passing
bills making appropriations Tor internal improvements
always desire estimate 10 come from the departmental as
TO the probable cost Then will take into consdera-
ton the popriey and practcablity of the improvement,
and vote in regard TO 1t according to my convictions.
Bot here sir, there seem to have been two surveysone
made by individuals for their own Individual enterprise,
intended enterpise-none authorized by the govern
ment of the Unied States through the head OF de.
partment Was il by Congress that they were called
upon make that estimate did the department itself
call the attention OF the engineers TO il
Mr. CASS The department makes almost all OF these
estimates Not in Ten arises from resolution
oil Congress- not one IN tWentyi perhaps not one I'D
fifty
Mr. DAWSON. AS we are taking the matter into
consideration ourselves to declare whether the improve
ought be made, let have submitted 10 the
department. and lei the estimate be made by author
iiy do not Tecollect who Secretary OF War at the
time the order given for the survey 10 ascertain
what the canal would cost the government Will the
from Michigan be kind enough TO inform NE in
what year il was
Mr.. FELCH. The report OF the Typographical Blu;
reau was called for by resolution OF the Senate, and
presented 10 the body in reply to that resolution IN
1s4I.
Mr.. DAWSON The report made by the Typographical
engineers called for, know, by resolution OF the
Senate; but resolution never passed by this body
authorizing report 10 be made according 10 my recoec-
ton OF the matter, know the report called for ;
but TO know what Secretary OF War instructed the
engineers TO make the survey What is the date OF the
engineers reponl
Mr. CASS. II the honorable senator would be good
enough back the register he would find who
was Secretary of War al The time. My colleague, be-
lieve, said thai the date Of the report was 1874.
Mr. DAWSON. That is the time the report was COM
munlcaled US; but how long the officer engaged
IN making the report
Mr. CASS. Perhaps il would take one day
Mr. DAWSON. What wanted TO show was, that
the report had been made for number OF years called
ioT by The department, and not by the authority OF Con-
gress. wished TO show 10 the Senate that the number
OF years, past and gone since the examinations upon
which that report based be less than twelve
or fourteen As II ~ now proposed to increase the dmen
sons OF the canal over what then proposed, IL is
proper that we should have estimate presented.
The amendment OF the senator IRON Michigan is al
ready before The Senate for consideration Jresume il
will take but short time to submit the provisions of that
amendme to the Typographical Bureau and have an
made and let il be presented here then we shall