Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-01-22

tihOs 4HC lillC ACQuiiCu W ICdCu QuC'
bee from Chicago by the lakes, canal
and river is eight days against fifteer
days to New York via the Erie Canal
and the cost of transportation is cheap
er in proportion. From Chicago tt
Quebec is l ,421 miles, and from Quebec
to Liverpool is $3.50 miles. From Chi.
cago to New York via the lakes and
Erie Canal is l, All, and from New York
to Liverpool is $40 miles. Suppesins
two cargoes of wheat to leave Chicago
together for Liverpool, one via Canada
and the other via New York, the one
taking the northern route would arrive
at Quebec in eight days with 8, ,l60 miles
Of its voyage still to perform, while the
one taking the other course would reach
New York seven days later with LAC
miles of its journey unperformed. The
trade Of Montreal in the productions OF
the West is rapidly increasing. In 1877
the receipts of grain at that city
amounted to 17,s2S,353 bushels, against
l., ,379, 1923 in 1870, and the average
movement of grain by that route dur
ing the four years ending with 1859 was
less than 100000 bushels.
SHIP CANAL BUILDING IN CANADA.
The plans of the Canadian Govern
ment for improving their water route
from the Atlantic to the West are, after
opeding the natural or st. Lawrence
channel to vessels of sufficient size, to
shorten that channel by cutting off the
corners; for example, by ship canal
connecting the Ottawa River with Lake
Huron, thus shortening the distance
from Chicago to Montreal by 36S miles.
The first survey for this important un-
dertaking was made by Walter Shanlcy
in 1858. The route as laid out by him
was as follows: Starting from Montreal,
the course of the Ottawa River is fol-
lowed up to the junction OF the Ma
tawan, one Of its tributaries. The route
then turns off into the Matawan and
follows that stream to its head-waters,
which is. Trout Lake, and from Trout
Lake, and from Trout Lake by canal to
Lake Nipissing, only few miles. The
route then passes through Lake Nipis-
sing to its outlet, the French river,
which it follows down into Georgian
Bay and thence out into Lake Huron.
In 1860 another survey was made by
Mr.. Clark, who confirmed the route Sc
lected by the first engineer, excepting
the plan for connecting Trout Lake
with Lake Nipissing. The distance
from Lake Huron to Montreal by this
route is only 431 miles, thirty miles of
which would be by canal. There would
be sixty-four locks with q lift of 665L
feet, ten feet more than the Erie canal
has. The estimated cost, the work be-
ing equal in dimensions to the st. Law
renee canals, is s12,O57 $50, or accord
ing to the plan of 1858, $4,000, 900.
There would be 401 miles of lake and
river navigation and thirty miles of
canal navigation. The canals are cal
to pass vessels of 1000 tons, and
the navigation season is equal to from
2l0 to 22O days, or about three weeks
less than the season for the Erie Canal.
This extensive line of interior waters,
with short land portages, forming for
many years the route for the vessels en-
gagged in the Hudson Bay Company's
and Northwest Company's trade. 1t
would open up an immense country and
increase the lumber trade of the Ottawa
district, which already amounts to 500,-
100000 feet per year. This route, as
will be seen by a glance at the map, is
in almost direct line with the North
ern Pacific Railroad, and would shorten
he distance across the continent by
that line at least 250 miles.
The Toronto and Georgian Bay Ship
Canal is another undertaking proposed
by the Canadians. The route of this
canal is from the City of Toronto, on
Lake Ontario, through to Georgian Bay,
which is the inlet to Lake Huron. The
distance is only 100 miles, twenty-three
Of which, through Lake Simcoe, is open
The level of this lake is
40 feet above Lake Ontario, and 13O
feet above Lake Huron. The route from
Lake Ontario to Lake Simcoe commen-
,es at the mouth of Humber River,
about five miles west of Toronto, ascend
ing that river i'm northerly direction,
crossing by a canal the dividing ridge
which separates it from the Holland
River, and thence on the same level to
Lake Simcoe. A canal from the other
tide Of Lake Simcoe to connect with
The Nottawasauga River would complete
he navigable course to Georgian Bay.
The proposed size of the locks is 255 feet
ong by 55 leet wide, with II feet lift.
The estimated cost of the work is $22,-
100000 or upwards. The cutting in
crossing the ridge from the Humber to
he Holland River, extending ten miles.
averages ninety feet, and the cutting
rom Lake Simcoe to the Nottawa-
'auge River, will have an average depth
If fifty feet. The distance from Chicago
% Liverpool by this route as compared
With that via Buffalo is S37 miles less,
md 42S miles less than the Welland
Canal route to Quebec.
The Bay Verte Ship Canal, which for
want of space is not shown on the map,
s another Improvement proposed by
he Canadian Government. 1t is in
ended to make new outlet from the
it. Lawrence through the Straits of
and Bay of Fundy in
'tead of going through the Gulf, which
S often rendered dangerous by the fogs.
It is believed, furthermore, that the
opening Of this channel would largely
the trade Of Canada with the
Vest Indies and South America, as the
distance to all points south would also
Enable the lower provinces to receive
heir breadstuffs direct from the West
by direct shipment from the upper lakes
cargoes to the Wesfof sugar,
,offee, and other products brought from
;he South. This canal would make Hall
az the harbor of entrance to the st.
and besides conducting the
shipping away from the fogs of the
Gulf, would enable it to avoid the
stormy coasts of Newfoundland.
1t is claimed by the Canadian authori-