Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-10-02
On tie sauIt Ste. Marie.

s.. Mary's River separates American
and Canadian territory, and connects
Lafe Huron with the vast fresh water
sea of Lake Superior. The river or
strait Is about sixty mile long. and
I Is difficult OF navigation. Two II
three miles wide at the mou h and s. :
ded with numerous islands. beautiful
ii The bright DAYS of summer. il mar
rows at MANY points. and opeus out
/ into pictures .ue la-ocns. The Sault.
or rapid proper, IS only thrcc-qgarters
Of mile in length. with \ descent of
I twenty-five feet. il mas no bold prsci-
7 piccs over which the stream throws IT.
is water II foam. but he river rushes
down the slope in fury. wiiriing ar sund
and among the small Islands which axe
scattered IN is course. and leaping wild
u over many b0wlderr Il is naTigalsle
enough for the light Dir, n harks ,sf The
Indians. but only half century AGO il
used to place an eiie-tual bar To the
Progress Of large vcSs0,s. Thiriv-fve
years since 4 single schooner suiiced for
the trallic of Lake Superior. and I've
years la.er three more were al that
the commerce of the inland sea de-
a. about twenty-five years ago. Al once
made change, and opened 4 passage
for continuous navigation. The canal
is noble monument Of engineering
ski. commercial enterprise. and wise
liberali;y on the part % the State of
Michigan IL was built by the funls of
the state. supplemented b. grant from
Congress Of one hundred and hfty thou
sand acres of land. IL Is n mile and A
half long. seventy feet deep, and con-
structed of colossal masonry. The
locks, two IN number. are among the
largest IN the world, and are wide
enough 10 admit the largest boats in
the trade. In winter, however. trade
Is suspended on this WATERWAY; the
boats can rarely enter the lake, on ac-
count oil tie ice. earlier than the first
OF May. and navigation ceases 10 No
Veinber, Is the fail storms are very Sc
we're Ten years agOa Journey To the Sault
IN winter WAS an arctic expedition:
the mails 10 the fort were carried in
sledges drawn bv dogs. and took fort
night on the journey. In summer rer-
ular steamers, rs well appointed rs any
Atlantic ileet. run from Chicago aud
N-efNA--ANr titlA liAc AAihtl oI Aliclu j. I'M
menSe.
The Sault Ste. Marie is historic
ground. Though these eddving rapids
passed the first missionaries and ex-
plorers of the unknown West. the La |
sales. the Joliets. the Hennepins, and 1
hot far from their rushing waters, IN
Michilimackinac. lie the bones Of /
Marquette. the explorer of the Missis- |
sippi. Here the fathers established /
their central station. whence they /
could start out 10 visit all the tribes Of /
The North and West. and whittier they |
could return when wearicd with .heir 1
labors or in want Of supplies Father (
Jogues pitched his tent here in 1910. and /
IN l6fi, on the very site OF the modern /
town. an envoy Of the Mosi Christian
hing had grand council with several /
thousand Indians for making = treaty |
of offensive and defensive alliance 1
against the incursions Of those friends
OF cur schoOl-boy days. the Six Nafions.
The rsTer is the only outlet from the 1
vast lake, but some theories have heen
adSNRced 70 favor the COZ. e. ture thai