The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-05-12
WASHINGTON.
How a Plot was Perpetrated Upon
Citizens of Wisconsin.

interested IN Duluth to create the
wrongful impression that the State
of Wisconsin, In it's suit against Du-
luth ahd the Northern Pacific Rail
road Co. to close the Canal cut
through Minnesota Point, wishes to
deprive Duluth OF any harbor,
while the facts are that by keeping
this canal open it will eventually
destroy the natural harbor common
to both Superior and Duluth. 1t
should be kept distinctly in mind
that Duluth is at the head of the
same Bay that Superior is located
on, with the natural outlet into
Lake Superior. At a meeting Of
United States engineers in 1870 call
ed by Gen. Humphrey who has
charge of all River and Harbor i'm
proyements under the Secretary of
War, for the purpose Of devising
the best plan of improving and pro-
viding harbOr accommodations for
the west end Lake Superior, it was
unanimously recommended to i'm
prove the natural outlet, or entry, to
the Bay of Superior and dredge the
inside of that portion of said Bay
of Superior as was necessary to
give the best harbor facilities to
beth places. This, as it required
the commerce OF Lake Superior 60
ing to and from Duluth to pass in
front of Superior, for several miles,
did not answer the purpose of those
interested in Duluth, the unscrupu
lous Jay Cooke being the most IN
fuential person having large
interest therein. He undertook
and carried through, what in all
probability not another person In
the country could have done, viz
cutting a shi p canal through Mime
sofa Point, A point Of land three
hundred feet to fifteen hundred feet
wide projecting from the North
Shore of Lake Superior, a distance
of seven miles to the na.ural entry
into the b y OF Superior, which
point constitutes the eastern shore
Of Bay of SUPERIOR without any
authority Of law, aud the Duluth
interest kept the United States Mar
shall long enough on his journey
from Kansas to Duluth. to enable
those engaged upon the canal to
cut it through before the injunction
of the United States Court, restrain
ing them from 50 doing was served.
This canal being only about a
mile from where the st. Louis River
emptles into the Bay of Superior.
while it is five miles to the natural
outlet, becomes the ontlet of said
river into Lake Superior and the re
suit is the gradual filing up Of the
| Bay between the entrance Of st.
Louis river into Lake Superior as
well as at the entrance end of the
outlet.
The channel Of St. Louis river
the Bay Of Superior being nothing
but the widening of said river, is
the boundary line between the
States OF Wisconsin and Minnesota
the etore this canal practically
changes the boundary, i'll this local
ity between those states. The nat
ural channel, before the cutting OF
the canal, was always open until the
last of December, and the first place
open in the spring, but since the
cutting of this canal, the canal is
the last place to close up in the fall
and the first place to open in the
spring. The true object of the suit
is to restore the waters of the St.
Louis river where nature placed
them, to prevent the total destruc-
ton of the harbor of Superior
and to have, as unanimously rec
commended by the United States
Engineers. one large, convenient
and commodIous harbor for the use
of both places. Had it not have
been for the unlimited confidence
placed in Jay Cooke by those in
authority, at the seat of government,
this great wrong upon the citizens
of Wisconsin. who at an early day
settled at Superior in consequence
of its great natural advantages,
could never have been perpetrated.
The patriotic prejudlces of the
country were used to carry out this
foul plot against the citizens Of
Wisconsin, in consequence of the
interest held in Superior by the late
Hon j. ID Bright, J. j. Broken
ridge, and r NJ. L. Hunter, W. w.
Corcoran and others from the South
losing sight entirely, of the fact
that these persons, with their large
wealth, cared but very little about
Superior, which is selt-eyldent from
the little interest they have taken In
us development, while 1t was total
financial ruin to those who had in
vested their all in Superior in conse-
quence of its natural advantages
and believing that the Government
would aid III the development Of
those advantages.
There is great fear expressed by
those interested in Superior, that the
amount provided ''for the improve
ment of the harbor atDnluth'' will be
used in repairing and protecting the