The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-01-11
MEMORIAL.
70 the Honorable Senators and Repre
sentatives of the Congress of the
United States.

Lake Improvement convention
held at St. Paul, Decembe Is. 1878,
composed of delegates from the diff
ferent trade centres of the country
interested In the commerce of the
great akes-present to your honor
able bodies this memorial, and beg
leave to refer to the following reso-
Ia tons and extract from the report
adopted by the conventions:
The most prominent feature of our inland
water system is the great lakes which pour.
hr0ugh natural and artificial openl Is, their
waters 10 the sea These lakes extend from near
| sJc northern boundary of Minnesota, a dis
sHce Of one thousand four hundled miles. to
! be Atlantic Ocean, nearly oue-haIf the dis
| lance across che continent from ocean to
cean. Between the head Of ..ake Superior
| 4d tie Pacific Ocean, distance Of 1900
| niles, ana inside Of the limits that will main
| seek this water outet--we speak of Amer
! can territory a!one--ls Il large portion of
| !iuaesots, Wisconsin, all of Oregon, a d the
| -rr tories of Wyoming, Dakota, Montana.
| Washington and daho, making an area OF
| ayer 100000 square niles, and more than
! three times il extent the great States of New
! FORK, Pennsylvania. Naw Jersey, Massachu-
| etfs, Maryland aud Connecticut This re-
Eigu It country Is capable OF sustaining. AT
the present rate of population in the Eastern
! States, over twenty millions Of people II
may be further and safely said, that this
vast region, a developed, vii, in the produc-
4 81 of NJ r
| ing population, wealth Of minerals and salu
brjous climate, fully equal and favorablv
/ compare with anY like extent OF territory on
! tEe American continent As this region de
| velops and becomes the homes of miilious Of
1 people, the bulk Of its exports viii move for
! distribution 70 the cities OF the East, and via
! the Atl.ntic Ocean 10 the markets Europe,
while its imports must mani, come from the
Esetern centres OF Europe through the same
channels for distribution.
INT these Iifitless productions which will
| greatly contribute to supply the wants OF
many millions OF people shall be carried from
the producer to the consumer at the lowest
cost Of handling and t ausportai2n, will not
! be disputed. That this commerce will fied
its most iirect and cheapest passage through
the ggea. lake, is equally plain 10 all. This
important result, however Will not be reach
ed until .ae people OF the country fully real
ize the deep interest they have III the ques-
tj0l, and the government responds with the
help required This work is easily accom-
piisHed and 1t a cost that, comm ansurate With
It's Importance, Is merely nominal. u hat is
iHpgfatisely demanded is the right improve
nIrHt of the harbors, especially tie harbor at
I The head Of Lake Superior, and the water
w@ys, str.its or canals connecting the lakes
with each other ana with the ocean. THIS
doue uubroeen navigation is furnished TO
! fujl sized vessels through tie lakes, and four
teen hundred miles of water navigation is ex-
. tended towards and reaching into one OF the
most fertile sections Of the continent.
II heat can then be carried from Duluth or
! Superior 10 the E stern cities at less than SIS
( cents per ba5ael; Aopr at % cents per bar
/ rel, wheat and -four respectively 20 Liv-
arpaoi s cents per Gushel and 90 cents per
/ barrel and other tonnage in like proportion ::
( thus Wiz tie consumer and producer receive
/ ike benefits from the reduced cost Of trans
pgrration.
( The Northern Pacific Railway has Opened
! to settlement the county west to the Missouri
1 River ssceion of she same road IS com
/ pie Ell at the western end, ana 600 miles is
now IN operation. ,hus. iftHe lake improve
meat asked FIR were completed, more than
4 tUy-.a.rds oi this great continental highway
I by re.i aud water. you'd to-day be open 20
! the profitable uses Of commerce, while he
. extension Of the line is steadily progressing
to tue Pacific OCEAN. The st. Paul & Sioux
City, the Sioux lltg i. st. Paul tbc ST. Paul
L DaIuth, toe st. Paul / Pacific, Einucapo.
! lis 81. Louis, and st. Paul, Saltwater
: lay '"r tallS railways are now rcac'HHg TO
aud iEaVeF>5og the country We are Cescup-
+ ing. Yet whatever may come ny way OF buSl
( ness or usefulness 70 these INES the benefits
To the people t7om their construction, can be
( but partly realized tii they can carry theic
tonnage 70 Lake superior, their natural and
I cheap Outlet ~ the markets OF the world.
rae ceuA.fY referred TO ANA tnhutaTy TO
l.'se toat7 's "e3lg fa'iotF 7etlra UN h=r0J
ana Industrious populations, Nm.e iLs pres
e-J productions aad future promise arc
4 awakening the surprise aud commanding the
admiration Of the country
L.l.-fa1oa iEoal sae crowded cities and
ae'teg,laf'I sections oi The Last, az well as
-ttm Aol9te, Is moving IN to occupy the sec
Ioi Ne haEe &tseI.hed W.th unprecedented
rap--itl, II IS rot possible That Our govern
l't''s VII me. !eu-eE permit ie" iwPeil-
l"et.s ~ ''t- i'ah connexions 20 t@'aiiF hi"-
"ei an" o'S'13o' ,i'e movements OF Its present
ana iG1~.e productions 10 tAt markets OF the
"9.o.
tae eisteaee from mead OF Lake superior
90 1ohese"t via the iahe-, tue "ei.ana ana
81 ha' renee eahais' - t"tVs hundied ana
slA's l-'.'sS' " "'55 lfo'I Sa,tt-o OF b"'1,A 10
>e| 5.. ia - '''e .'A.S, n.'llIo' hIie N1n"5
"'G " -1uo53n i''f' :. = "u' 'CoH' u''ur1u
iU..ss' : = 80, =. o'iS IU,.0IeI ana lhi't!
= = Ne = l1N renee F3"t.s,
: s.:. ~ y ~ = t'Joi -,