The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-07-22
The Red River and Lake Superior
Canal.

Canal.
The Duluth Chamber of Commerce
has issued the following circular which
explains itself 1t will be well for Su-
perior to send delegates to the Duluth
Convention, as, should the canal
scheme materialize, Superior will be
equally interested with Duluth in its
benefits:
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, !
Duluth, MINI, July 10, 1882. I
Sec'y Chamber Commerce, Superior,
Wisconsin.
DEAR SIR:-Your attention
is asked to the following facts on the
Red River and Lake Superior Canal.
Forty miles Of canal with slight
improvement Of existing waterways
will connect the Red River of the
North with Lake Superior by canal
and slack water navigation.
The lift VII be less than that of
either the Erie or Welland Canals and
the total cost but fraction Of the cost
Of either Of those works.
The Red River of the North and its
connecting waterways furnish four
thousand miles Of navigable waters,
on which are already employed more
than thirty steamers, most Of which
carry both freight and passengers.
The region tributary is the most fertile
on the globe; if furnished with cheap
transportation it is destined to become
the granary Of the world and to fur
nish a market for immense quantities
of merchandise.
More than sixty years ago broad
minded, far seeing men recognized and
proclaimed the feasibility and import
ance Of such connection Of the great
Northern waterways.
The rapid settlement of the whole
new Northwest, United States and
Canada, the enlargement Of the SauIt
Canal, the deepening Of St. Mary's
river, the construction and enlarge
ment Of the Erie and Welland canals,
the rapid increase Of business along all
these water lines, the great improve
ments III methods Of water transporta-
ton, reducing its cost far below airy
other means Of transportation, adj
monish that the time has come when
active, vigorous measures ought to be
inaugurated for putting such a canal
in process Of construction. The de
mand for it is already pressing. Long
before it can be completed the need OF
it viii be sorely felt.
Recognizing these facts, and in com
pliance with numerous requests the
Chamber of Commerce of Duluth, in
vite all associations for the promotion
Of trade and commerce to send dele
gates to 4 convention to be held at
Duluth on the 10Th day of August
next, for the collection and dissimina-
ton of knowledge with reference to its
enterprise, for the mutual Interchange
of views, and for the Inauguration of
such measures as may be deemed ad-
visable.
Your honorable body is most cor
daily invited to send delegates to this
convention and we respectfully request
that such delegates bring with them
statements showing the amount Of
your lake, river, railway, manufacture
ing and commercial business, and that
they be prepared to state the probable
effect of the construction of such q
waterway as proposed would have in
increasing or diminishing it. Such in
formation we desire to collect and pub
lish to the world, believing such an
aggregate Of commercial, manufactur-
ing and agricultural interests viii be
shown in connection with this canal as
will command attention and insure the
success Of the enterprise
Very cordially yours,
THOMAS DOWSE.
Secy to Com.