The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1872-05-25
THE VAR DEPARTMENT on THE CANAL


the Senate resolution Of April o, 1872, call
ing for information in regard to the canal
and dixie at Duluth Minnesota, and their
effect upon the harbor of Superior, Wiscon-
sin, is lately published, and makes a pamph-
let of 81 pages. At some future time, we
may see fit to review the whole document,
with some particularly of detail, but at
present we design simply to call attention
to a few special features, in as brief man
ner as possible. On pages II and 10, an ex
tract from the proceedings of the board Of
engineers convened in pursuance of Special
Orders No. l, of January 5, 1870, is given,
and we copy therefrom as follows:
Duluth is at the west end OF Lake Superior X
The only natural harbor in this part of the lake.
of the Apostle Islands, is that afforded by the Saint
Louis River which debouches the lower end of
Minnesota Point, abolt miles from the village of
Duluth and for this the General Government has al
ready adopted plan OF Improvement and progressed
Herewith to the extent of making tie mouth of the
river valuable a harbor. The completion of this
Improvement, probable additional of Sl55,-
600 WILL automatically, furnish all the accommodations for
yesses required by tie present prospective rants Of tie
commerce likely to center at TIE hei Of luke SUPERIOR
An exterior artificial harbor Duluth could be con
would be limited its advantages and expen
sive to keep in repair.
In view of these facts and after examination Of
the three plans for the improvement of this harbor
presented by Colonel Wheeler, the board is of the
opinion that the present of the commerce of Dt
Ah areay sufficiently pyog8ed for, and Hat its pos
sbie future may be best and economic
ally provided for by the completion of the improve
ments of the entry Superior Bay, mouth Of the
Saint Louis River and therefore recommends the
adoption of the third plan, presented by Colonel
Wheeler in his report the Chief of Engineers dated
November 3d. 1869, which seems to the board to be
the desirable of the three.
All of which is most respectfully submitted.
j. n. MACoMB,
Colonel Engineers, Brewer Colonel, u s. A.
W. f. RAYNoLDs.
Colonel of Engineers Dreve Brgtier AL u S A
J. B. WHEELER,
Major of Engineers, Brevet Colonel, U. 5. A.
&. WErzEL
Major o Engineers, Brevet j j General, A.
WALTER MCFARLAND,
Major of Engineers, b eyet VI tjor, L. S. A.
The italics III the above extract are ours.
The 'sthrd plan" above referred to, provi-
ded for using, for the purposes of lake com
merce at Duluth, the present entrance to
the bay of Superior, at the lower end Of
Minnesota Point, where the St Louis river
debouches and for dredging out an inter
Tor harbor at the head Of the bay, next to-
Duluth; and rejected the project OF an ar
tifclal canal at Duluth. Every member OF
the engineer corps who is familiar with the
situation Of Duluth knows that the capacity
or extent OF its harbor, is not increased by
the canal, but that it is materially decreas
ed by the dixie, which the canal renders
necessary: hence the anaoant of commerce,
present or future, at Duluth has nothing to
do, so far as room IS concerned, with the
question of canal or no canal.
On page 50 Of the ''letter," as the Secre-
tary's communication is termed Col. Hous-
ton reporting on the memorial of the State
of Wisconsin to Congress, dated March 2,
1872, says:
The works of Improvement at the entry were, how
ever, extensive that with the means appropriated
by Congress the work did progress with sufficient
rapdty to meet the necessities of Duluth the ter
minus of the Lake Superior and Mississippi and the
Northern Pacific Railroads. Dredging might have
been resorted to at the entry but the process is so
and the results uncertain until the piers had been
tended to the proper length. The first commerce of
Importance at Duluth carried on from piers in the
open lake. A pier built by the city extending
from Minnesota Point, and another by the railroad
company on the main shore The railroad pier
protected by breakwater built, think in the spring
of 1870 In March, 1871 appropriation made
by Congress for the Improvement of the harbor of Du
luth, and has been applied to the extension of this
breakwater. This breakwater partially protects the
docks of the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad,
but others. The extension of this breakwater with
the open lake to afford secure harbor, will be
work of years, and VIII be very expensive, owing to
the great depth of and the repairs which viii be
necessary maintain it in that locality where it is
exposed to the effects of furious storms and the des
tructIyo action of ice
The necessities of the required hat the inner
harbor should be made available aud the quickest way
TO do this canal through Minnesota Point
which plan carried into effect by the city Of Duluth
Now as to this, we have to say that the
canal has not yet been completed, though
extraordinary diligence has been used in
its construction, for all the time, during
more than year, in which it was practical
bic to prosecute the work; and surely Col.
Houston does not wish to be understood as
declaring, that the same effort and means
expended on the Superior entrance would
not have made that by this time entirely
available for all Duluth commerce, even
though 1t would not have been most Of the
time available for that purpose, during the
progress of the Improvement, as we main
tain it would, had there been no canal to
divert the river.
Again Col. Houston doubtless knows that
the Chief of Engineers was not obliged to
devote the Duluth appropriation of 100000
on that g breakwater" which he (the Coo
nel and his professional associates seem to