The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-05-24
The Caughnawaga Ship Canal.

The project of building ship canal Of
large dimensions between the Indian vii
lage of Caughnawaga, opposite the mouth
of the Ottawa river on the Saint Law
renee and, the outlet of Lake Cham
plain at St. Johns, is not entirely new,
but it has not taken definite form until at
the recent session Of the Dominion Par
lament a company was chartered for its
construction Governor Page had the
same or similar project in view two
years since as appeared from his recon-
mendations to the Vermont Legislature,
in which body he failed to secure any
satisfactory action. Until recently some
of the parties who were supposed to be in
positions to take an active interes; in the
movement, held aloof The lease of the
Ogdensburgh Railroad to the Vermont
Central, however, brought them to terms
and ready for prompt action What in
fuencc the opening Of this canal will have
upon a scheme in which we feel an espe-
cial interest, does not yet appear but,
at all events it is a grand enterprise, one
which must result in important aNanta-
ges to New England and the West.
The opening of the canal will at once
enable propellors of $50, AMI cventu-
ally steamships Of 500 tons, to run without
breaking bulk in seven days from Dulieth
on Lake Superior, and from Chicago, to
the head Of Lake Champlain, at cost OF
four dollars and a half per ton, and there
connect with the Rutland and Hoosac
lines to Boston by railway route Of two
hundred miles, and thus connect Boston
most effectually with the lumber district
of the North, and the wheat and pasture
region that lies to the west Of Lake.
Michigan and Superior
All the railroad lines between LAKE
CHAMPAIGN and Boston were represented
at a meeting held in Boston on Thursday
and, we believe propose to become sub
scribers to the stock Of the Ship Cana
Company. The Boston Journal say
that during the last quarter of a century
the Canadians have greatly improved tn
navigation of the s.. Lawrence, Ottawa
and Niagara rivers, In ancient times n
vessels Of more than three hundred ton
could ascend the st. Lawrence to Mon
treal. But by deepening the channel a
various points, magnificent ships Of tn
Allan Line of $500 tons now land an,
load their cargoes at Montreal, and tina
city has become a hourishing seaport of
hundred and thirty thousand people, an
last year nearly doubled its shipments q
breadstuffs, exporting about ten million
OF bushels.
Above Montreal, on the 81. Lawrenc
and the Ottawa, are succession of basin
and rapids, which have been overcome b
series Of locks and ship canals conne'
ting basin with basin and allowing ii
passage Of steamships of six hundred toI
fully laden. Around the Falls of Mag
IA the Canadians built long since the We
land Canal, of nearly twice the capacit
of the enlarged Erie Canal and Of ST
sufficient to permit the passage of yessG
of four hundred and fifty tons Abo
the Welland, which will be enlarged
vessels of eight hundred tons, Or 70
times the size of the Erie Canal boa
there is a clear course to the Sault
Marie, the outlet Of Lake Superior, a
here a noble ship canal and locks ALI
the passage of vessels of thousand to
to the new port Of Dulieth.
From Duleth direct lines of railw
are to be opened this summer, connect
Lake Superior with St. Paul and the X
River oil the North, which connects W
fifteen hundred miles of inland navi,
ton. St. Paul is the depot Of vast
gion III Minnesota, Dakota and 10y
Astounding in lumber and having cl
connections with the North Pacific r
way, and a line is in progress that '
form the shortest route between the I'm
Pacific Railway and the navigable wat
of the Lakes. We may reasonably
pect that most ofthe heavy freight betw
the two Pacific railways and Massacl
etts Bay will take this route, and tina
will be one of the chief outlets for
grain and cattle trade of the West.
Caughnawaga canal, on its, way f
Lake Champlain to the st. Lawrence