, 1862-02-14
THE POWER AND INFLUENCE
OF THE NORTHWEST.
Its Origin, Progress and
Political Growth.
ITS COMMERCE AND COMMERCIAL
cEMTERS.
TIE Great Lakes and their
Marine,
4 PLEA FOR LAKE UE;F'ENSES,
A National Armory at Chicago.

AeEEOAS Va NAAE SE4EEk COx0EN144E&5 81 tn3
and River Defemses4 !
lion. Isaac n. Arnold, from the Select
House Committee on Lake and River De-
lenses, submitted the following:
Inc Committee to which was referred SO
much Of the Presidents Message Us relates to
the detenscs and fortiications Of the great
lakes and rivers, and to which were also re-
1erred various resolutions, petitions and me-
mo5ials On thesesubjects, having had the same
following
REPORT.
The line between the United States and the
British Possessions in North America, COM
menelng in the Gulf Of St. Lawrence on the
east, and extending west through the River
St- Lawrence, thence through Lake Ontario,
Niagara River, Lake Eric, and thence through
me other Lakes to and beyond tile frontier
settlements, presents boundary line running
through these great lakes and rivers Of more
th1n three thousand miles.
The feeling Of good neighborhood, of reci-
proelty Of interests, and Of mutual good will,
has been growing up, ard with slight disturb
ance, had continued since the close Of tlc war
Of 1872. For nearly half n century we have
regarded our Canadian neighbors rs our good
friends, with whom We desired to establish
the kindest and most intiu1ate business, COM
n1ercial and social relations In the great lines
q railway and water communication between
@*AA<%
ncet5ons have been established between Us, Of
mutual advantage. A treaty Of reciprocity
has been entered into, some of our great
thoroughfares Of trade and trayel have not
avoided the Canadian territory, all indicating
. Willingness to break down Of disregard d.
vision lines, and to live on terms Of mutual
good will. During this period the few scat
tered and Imperfect defensive works and forti-
fications which had been constructed had Eu-
len into decay, and in some instances the mill
TTe rncn +S1+,- ala
been converted into depots and station
grounds Of Tailways. We had como to regard it
US scarcely within the range Of possibility that
VIC should go to war with our neighbor over
the line. This very neglect Of the means Of
defense, recent events have indicated
las increased the danger and liability Of war;
so that it seems that the best security for
peace is to be prepared for war. The defense
OF the great lakes and rivers therefore, is
suggested by the President to the considera-
uon OF Congress, as j measure likely to pro-
mote peaceful relations between the two ma
tioDs. As snch and with the sincere desire
that nothing may ever disturb the peaceful re-
lations SO happily heretofore existing, and so
Important to the growth and Development Of
pom countries, We urge defensive measures on
the eonsdeIstion I.s d. OF Gongress The rapid ad-
vance in the prosperity Of the British PROV
inces, and more especially of the United
States, since the close Of the war Of 1879, fur
nishes q striking Illustration Of the blessings
Of peace. The population Of the United,
States, in 1915, was {, 6,G:s, 1871; in 1860 it was
5l,HS,5n: The States OF Indiana, Missouri,
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Min
nesota have been admitted into the Union
since that period, and in the following order:
Indiana in 1915, Illinois in 1915, Missouri in
1921, Michigan in 1887, Wisconsin in 1913,
Iowa in 1876, Minnesota in 1857, Kansas III
population of 9,073, ,055.
The Northwest has sprung into existence
and an! Developed the preparations for an empire
Slncc The war OF 1Sl2.
It may not be improper to take brief sur
yey OF the growth and present condition Of
the Northwest and its commerce, to show the
yai0c and importance Of the interests VIC arc
low about TO ask the Government to defend.
Before doing SO, however, brief description
Of tho Lakes may not be uniutercstMg.
Nearly in the center Of the North American
continent there extends vast chain Of Lakes
and rivers three thousand miles in extent, and
connects tie West BY way Of the st. Lawrence
with the Atlantic Nuture Las provided fi.at
these vast highways Of Commerce may be con-
nected by 4 ship canal across a narrow portage
with the Mississippi river and its tributaries.
Lake Superior IS a vast inlanl sea of 81, 600
square miles, and 1900 miles Of coast, 40
miles long by 100 broad
Lake Michigan, with e., 600 square miles Of
surface, 200 miles Of coast, $40 uileslong Iy
81 wide.
Lake Huron, with 24,oo0 square miles Of
surface, 1000 miles Of coast. 260 miles long by
ITO broad.
Here We have three great seas Of near 50, coo
square miles Of surface and 5000 miles Of
coast.
These bodies of water find an outlet through
the river and lake st. Clair, and the maguih-
cent straits Of Detroit, into Lake Erie, ninety
| miles from Lake Huron. Lake Erie, $50 miles
long and 60 broad, discharges its waters down
/ the falls Of Niagara into Lake Ontario, 1870
T1nr f-xFH 14.4t l. A..
tiers Of these great Lakes find their way to the
| ocean through the st. Lawrence.
It is q very remarkable flet that the portage
between these great Lakes and those Streams
which find an outlet in the Gulf Of Mexico, is
not more than $ to IL feet above the level Of
| 60 The Chicago River running into Lake
| Michigan, and the Des Plaines River, find
ing its way into the Mississippi
through the nlinois-are within a stones
throw Of each other, and indeed, in high water,
Lake Michigan has an outlet that way-so that
small boats pass directly from Lake Michigan
into the Des Plaines. This portage between
Lake Michigan and the navigablc waters of the
Illinois river has been cut through by the Hi
nois and Michigan Canal, and needs but widen
i3g and deepening TO open slip channel from
tant work, for either military or commercial
purposes, yet suggested OIL this continent.
This frontier line, from the west end Of Lake
Superior to the St. Lawrence, is over three
thousand miles in extent
The committee now ask attention to the
growth Of the Northwest and its present com.
mercial importance.
The shores Of these great hikes where now
swarms the busy population Of tile most active
and entcrprising people perhaps in the world,
were, at the period Of the war Of 1872, covered
witb.gloomy forests filed with hostile sayae,es
Here roamcd the Indian warrior Tecumseh
and on the shores Of these waters he made the
last desperate struggle for the hunting
grounds Of his race, now so rich in agricul
tuIe, trade, and commerce,
| The following table shows the growth it