St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-17
Origin of the Break Which
Occurred There a Few
Days Ago.
Only a Single Lock to Pre-
vent a Calamity Of Al
most National Scope.
Chief Grain Inspector Clausen
Talks on Discrimination
in Grading.
Special to the Globe.

10 look into the situation ana ascertain
the probable extent of work necessary
in order TO place the great lock system
in proper condition TO meet all require
ments of upper lake navigation. Prof.
Phelps has had many years eXpe-
rience in large commercial matters,
and the report furnished herewith
may be looked upon IN the
light Of an authority. He says:
THE St. Mary's Falls canal is the
KEY to the commerce of Lake Superior.
amounting in value TO not less than
SlQ0 OOO 600 a wear. The freight tonnage
passing through il during the present
wear will be between a., OF, GOO and $780,
600 tons, exceeding during the seven
months of navigation that of the SueZ
canal. which is operated throughout the
wear. The ST. Mary'S river. at the point
where the canal is located. runs almost
due east. At the Sault there is fall of
lS.5 feet, over ledge of sandstone. 10
surmuunt this fall the canal was con-
structed under the auspices OF the state
of Michigan, and was completed In 1870.
The length of the canal Is 5,4Oo feet.
Originally two locks, each of 9 feet lift,
20 feet in width and $50 feet long, were
constructed to admit the passage OF YES
sells to and from the
UPPER AND LOWER LAKES.
In 1881, a lock SIS feet long, so feet
wide aud Is feet in depth, was built by
the United States government, paral-
lei with the old locks, the rapid growth
of commerce having compelled its con-
structiuD. 1t soon became apparent,
however, that with these Increased
facilities for passing the canal, the COM
merce of the great lakes would, III few
years, be seriously impeded. Hence
the project for third lock, $40 feet
long, 100 feet wide and q feet deep was
perfected. This lock is to occupy the
place of the two old locks. and being
100 feet longer than the latter, it was
necessary 10 carry the construction
back INTO the canal 100 rect beyond the
upper gates of the existing lock. a
preliminary step, a cOtferdam, COM
posed of timbers laid tranSverSely. the
inter-Spaces being filled. with clay, was
carried back Into the canal some dis
lance beyond the upper end of the pro-
posed new lock. The structure was
also carried northward toward the river,
then eastward, parallel with the banks
of the river TO the head OF the upper
lock of the old series. Within this dam
crib large enough to admit the
head of
W
proposed to be built, has been con-
strueted. a revetment between the
canal and the cofferdam, to prevent the
inflow of water and protect the banks
of the canal. has also been built. The
space occupied by these three several
constructions separating the water of
the canal from the Grip in which eXca-
Vations for the new lock pit are to be
made is about fifty feet. The break
which occurred last week was caused
by the water finding its way through
these structures into the rectangle in
closed by the crib. The origin of the
trouble is ascribed by the engineer to
the presence of too much sand in the
clay used. This accident created con
siderable alarm at the time. and has ex-
cited grave and very general appTehen
SiOns for the future, lnaSmuch as theeXca
VatiOnS vet 10 be made must be carried
at least fifteen or twenty feet below the
level where this leak occurred, in ORDER
to furnish the additional depth required
by the new lock, and room for the fOun-
datIOn walls and the bottom of the lock.
In fact, the new lock will be threatened
by the canal on one side and the river
on the other. Extra precautions are
now being taken to prevent a reeur-
renee of
Piles are being driven between the
coffer-dam and the canal bank, where
the trouble arose, and large quantity
of clay has been accumulated to be
tamped into the interstices, which were
originally left untitled or which the
water has created. 1t is to be hoped
that these measures will prove effective;
but there is room for the gravest appre-
hensiOn in the future, when the eXca-
FatiOuS will be carried many feet below
the bottom of the canal. 1t is very diff
ficult to predict with any degree of Ger
tainty the time before the lock will be
completed, owing to the possibility of
accidents and the uncertainty of the ap-
preparations. 1t is safe to say that at
the present rate of progress from five to
ten years will elapse. The whole
Northwest has vital interest in this
question, and there should be at once a
general rally of the commercial bodies
interested in lake navigation and an eff
fort made to secure Immediately an APP
preparation sufficient to complete the
work without delay. 1t should De lee
objected that only a single lock inter-
venes to prevent commercial calamity
which would be almost national in its
scope. Some idea of the rapid
GROWTH OF THE COMMERCE
passing the canal may be gained from
the fact that in 1856. only four years
ago, the freight tonnage was valued at
$50, ,472; in 1856. at $69, 030,07l; in
1887. S79,031.757; in 1888, $50, 156, 019;
while for the present year it is esti-
mated in round numbers at $1O0.0OO, 600;
being Oh Increase of nearly 100 per cent
in four years. At the same rate of in
crease it is not difficult to see that even
under the most favorable circumstances
in the construction of the new lock, the
capacity of the present lock will be to-
tally inadequate for the business inn
posed upon il long before the former is
completed. a large and influential rep
resentatiOn of our commercial interests,
East and West, should be in Wash
ington early during the present
session of congress and make
a demand for prompt action by
that body. With the necessary amount
of money assured. contracts can, with
confidence, be made in advance for ma
terials and all the force which can he
probably employed can be secured
and the work prosecuted night and day,
winter and summer, 10 completion. Let
the chambers of commerce, boards of
trade and vessel interests take the mat
ter in hand at once, organize and ap-
pear before the committees of the two
houses and present, with the necessary
array of facts and figures. the exigen-
cles of the situation and, doubtless,
their petition will be heard and acted
upon at once" Communications upon
this subject. addressed to twenty-five or
more of the leading bodies of the north
ern states. will be sent outby the secre-
tary tomorrow.
CLAUsEN ON GRAIN.
a. G. Clausen. chief grain inspector,
was in the city again yesterday after
noon, ann as usual was found ready to
give for publication all matters of inter-
asst. To the GLOBES interrogatory re-
garding the true secret of the continued
kicking against supposed discrimination
in grading wheats. Mr.. Clausen said:
''All country elevators make it a point
to ship their No. hard wheat to Du-
luth because of the better prices OBJ
tanned for that grade for future delivery
In making the very best patent -four