The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-05-31

sentatives of the whole State of Wisconsin.
THE ST CROIX AND SUPERIOR CANAL
PROVED FEASIBLE FROM OWEN'S RE
PORT
Below we give the article from the Saint
Paul Pioneer, referred to by us two or three
weeks ago, in which the explorations of the
Divide between Lake Superior and the
Mississippi by David Dale Owen, the emf
nent Geologst, are shown to indicate the
perfect feasibility Of a steamboat canal be-
tween the Great Lake and the Great River
We hope the article will be carefully
read, and the attention of Influential and
public spirited men called thereto Notice
especially the gradual ascent of the south
ern slope of the Divide; the low altitude of
the range at the head of the Lake as com
pared with points east; the easy working
material Of the Divide; the interlockng of
river sources to form feeders; and the nauqy
miles of Steamboat naDigation on the Black
and the Nemadji riyers:
THE ST. AND LAKE SUPERIOR CANAL.
& We 4aEs besq esamaas & the Ct RAsa ne
Wisconsin and Minnesota, for information in regard to
the country between the St Crox and Lake Superior.
There be question, if the distance Of eightvtour
miles which intervenes between the navigable
of the Mississippi and Lake Superior could be over
come by canal, that it would add millions annually
to the wealth of Minnesota, not only by cheapenng
the transportation of the products of agriculture and
the return fTcghts of merchandise, but by bringing
the ores of the lake into connection with the coal
I Ipg he O Minnesota.
eventually build up in State manuf,c ctures upon
scale that would rival those of Pennsylvania
The first question turned to the elevation to
be overcome.
The average surface of the land nine miles above
Tavlor's Falls by barometrical measurements is 466
feet above the level of the Mississippi river The
highest average level of the shed between the
St Crox and the lake is $50 feet So that it appears
the land elevation to be overcome is less than 200
feet But this les not indicate the levels of the
streams and valleys, which canal would have to
/ follow.
Owens report, page 216, says speaking of the sum
nit of the watershed:
"These ranges are made up of successive chains OF
rounded hills or knobs, with elevation of from
thirty to tac0 haadef feet above the Intervening yaeys
\ X most of them have almost constant strike
northeast dad Sottb,cest,"
! So that it would appear that the ridge is crossed
4 from northeast to southwest by numerous valleys
some of them two hundred feet deep aud living in the
very direction which canal would necessarily follow
/ DR.. Owens says, page 2l5:
THE ascent (of the water-shed) is, every point
where observations made, very gradual, and oc
casonay, for long distances scarcely noticeable, except
/ by actual measurement. On the north side the de
scent is much rapid the middle of the highlands
approaching generally, within twenty-five thirty
miles of Lake Superior, and in some places much
nearer"
And on page 216 he says:
"The general elevation along this line IS also much
less than along ay Other line country agerSed beCen
| tie Mississippi and Lake Superior"
On page l9I Owens says:
1.-The dividing ridge is inconsderabe. The rise on
the portage between the Brue and St. Croix is but
/ 12O feet"
Eastward the ridge as it approaches Michigan rises
to the height of 1850 feet and as it goes west it sinks
\ to about 400 feet
z The next question that occurs is whether canal
could be cheapv constructed the ridge in ques-
ton; in other words is that ridge wall of rock, is
it composed of softer materials? We learn from Owen
that the whole region in question covered with drift
On page l90 he says:
." From the point where these rocks lost under
drift the upper ST. Crox where ether red
sandstones found IN place the Bos Bruic 1t Is
about twenty three miles, the intervening space being
region OF heavy drift and erratcs IN otjch rocks
lchateyer be found Ia place. !"
And again, page PIC, he says:
"The country is covered to a great depH by red
mari, CLAWS and drift based upon red sandstone,
which is the only rock to be seen place between St.
Louis river and the bead of Kettle river and
that rock is only visible at few points"
There is therefore no practical difficulty in the way
of cutting canal through this drift region vhere nee
essarv; while the valleys 200 feet deep running
northeast and southwest, would probably furnish a
natural canal bed for great part of the distance.
The next question is whether water enough can be
found the summitevel Of the ridge to supply the
necessary locks and dams
Owen shows that this shed is really part of
that lake region called by Nicolet Z" The Undne Re
gion." which reaches to Lake Winiogoshish. to the
head waters of the Blue Earth and Des Moines river
and that is from the range the ST. Louis, the
Mississippi and Red rivers take their rise Ii is liter
ally acqter she'd. Owens says, page 2lS:
Many 81 the largest lakes situated the broad
summit OF the great gater she'd and in many where
examinations have been made these lakes have been
found tributary both Lake Superior and the Misss
sipp"