Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-05-01
NUMBER ii.
THE PROPOSED ST. LAWRENCE AND cuANPLAIN
CANAL.


CANAL.
To the Editor of the Montreal Gazette.
General Ira Allen, of Vermont. applied
to the Governor of Quebec General iialdi-
mandy in 1884, for ''license'' to construct
n ship canal from Lake Champlain, via the
Richelieu River to the st. Lawrence, to ter
inmate Q believe) somewhere above the St.
Louis Rapids, or about the village of
Caughnawaga.
In 1917, Messrs. John Young, l.. ii. Hol-
ton. and other merchants of the city of
Montreal, memorialized His Excelleney. the
Earl of Elgin. that it was their intention ta
apply for charter. ''to construct a canal
to connect the St. Lawrence with Lake
Champlain near st. Johns" and they
prayed that n survey may be ordered in
Council.
The order was granted, aud Mr.. j e.
Mills, c. f., was instructed to make the
survey. Mr.. Mills reported on the i9th of
February, 1913, the result of his survey.
and gave his opinion that the upper termi
nus of the canal should be Mt ST. Johns and
the lower terminus near Caughnawaga,
opposite the entrance to the Lachine Canal.
lie recommended the enlargement of the
present Chambly Canal, for 81 miles. to 4
point below liatt's Mills at 1T. rheree.
Here the RciU canal was to commence, and
run upon the Champlain level and To he
supplied throughout with water from the
Riehelieu River.
In 1854, Mr.. j. B. Jarvis, c. f., was in
structed to make report upon this project
ed work, both from an Engineering and
COnmercjal point of view.
On the 18th February, 1885. Mr. Jarvis
reported the result of his examinations. re
viewed the commercial relations then exist
(being the first year Of 'Reciprncity. and
concluded by advising the construction of
a canal upon direct line, from Caushna
waga To 81. Johns. with Harigab'e IeeeeT
from the BcluharnuiS Canal.
His examinations consisted oi four dis
tinct routes
FIRST - The Sord Route. which follows the
channel OF the River Richelieu. from
SOre u the lower entrance of the Chamhly
Canal; distance tnrty-six miles. The
channel j. direct. and by the aid
OF the st. Ours Lock and Dam, the
water has been raised u a minimum of : |
feet to Champlain Basin. 10 make it 10 or
IL feet in depth, it was only necessary To
raise the Dam and Lock at St. Ours. three |
or f1sr feet. The canal from Chambly (l2 |
miles) had only To he improved, and the |
locks made the proper size Distance from /
SOrei to 81. Johns s. miles.
Second -Ihe Lcng4,iH Route l. Wa>
proposed To enlarge part OF the Chaiuhly !
Canal. and build u Rcir cGHai or he Cham |
plan kerei. To- the little Montreal Ri,-r. and |
from thence in u direcf line t. LonEueuil. |
Distance By this route irn'u Llnsueuil to /
81. Johns, (l9l0 miles Of new Canal. and |
81 miles OF the Champlain Canll,) 2a-9s |
miles.
Thrd-The Cauginaraga Cqaal- Two
routes have been surveyed one on the |
Champlain level, 81 i6 miles long, and one
by - direct line, with a summit level of |
81! feet above Lake Champlain and 25.57 |
miles long. The Champluin level IL have |
two liit-locks from the st. Lawrence and |
one guard lock at St. Johns. and supplied |
with water from the Richelieu. The - dI- !
rect line. to have eight locks. five ascend |
ing. and three descending to Lake Cham
plain. and nearly miles les of canal.
The " direct line. must be Supplied with /
water from the Bcauharnois Canal by a /
feeder, Is 10 miles in length. The feeder /
to enter the canal at i 1 miles from the ter-
minus at Caughnawasa. about II mile, /
above the Ferry wharf.
F0urih-IHe BeqUiaynoiS roufr. - This /
route is in the same line the feeder to the I
direct line" 1t was to commence ON the /
BeauharnoiS Canal y miles above the foot 1
of the canal. and make Il junction with the /
direct line, " at a point Al
miles from the ST. Lawrence the distance
to the junction being l6 10 miles. and the
total distance from it, mouth on the Beau
harnois Canal 1906 miles. |, was 20 fall /
into the Champlain level at =. johns, by /
three locks. L1ckagc 37i feet.
Nj Jarvis advises that the feeder t. tie /
direct line be made Hardqaiis ana u~sd III .
common with the canal. Onc - attract the I
Ontario ard Upper Lake trade. and one To /
fqciliiGfe the hu.t,r morcmcnfs ef the " Of- /
tara " The locks to be 230 feet by - feet /
and ten feet water on tie tnitre sill. caral /
at surface Of water IN cuttings lei feet
The estimated length OF the ~, erail routes. I
.raui the -. Lawrence river 10 81. Johns, Z
and the cu>t of construction are a. follows