St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-08
1t Is Outlined by the Water
ways Convention at
West Superior.
Government Should Deepen
Channels Connecting the
Great Lakes.
Large Freight Carriers
Ground in the Shadows
at the 500.
General POe's Estimates Are
How a Congress Should
Adopt Them.

Special to the Globe.
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis, Aug. 7.-The
delegates to the waterways convention
were given an excursion this morning
on the harbor, and the forenoon was
spent in viewing the large elevator,
dock and milling interests. From the
indications of yesterday it was gener-
ally conceded that lively time would
occur in the convention to-day, as many
of the delegates had come instructed,
and were therefore bound to bring
their plans before the convention if it
were possible to secure recognition. 1t
was very evident that the ma
Jority were there in the interest of the
great lake routes, and were deter
mined. if possible. to bring into line the
entire influence of the convention to
that sole question. From past expert
ences congress proposes to profit and
not low its great influence to become
so scattered as not to derive the greatest
possible benefit. Schemes of delegates
that did not bear directly upon this
great question were ,skillfully parried.
The convention was called to order at
$50 p. m. and a driZzling rain threatened
to seriously interfere with the attend
ance, but only resulted in making some
of the delegates tardy. The Hon. j. H.
Keith, OF Chicago, presented some
very interesting statistics of the
commerce of the great lakes
and the wonderful march of progress
in its developments. His statements
will be valuable to the committee on
memorials. W. r. Bierly. of Grand
Forks, n. D., was here expressly in the
interest of the Red river. and a ship
canal from the Missouri to Lake Supe-
rior, but he failed to enlist the interest
OF the convention, though he made a
heroic effort to do so. EX-CongresS-
man W. III. SeymOure, of Sault Ste.
Marie, Mich, made the most interest
ing speech of the session, as he is a
gentleman who is we'll informed as to
the condition of the 500 canal. During
the improvements now in progress
there, he said, @;-ft I
THERE is ONLY ONE LOCK,
and upon the safety of that depends the
commerce of Lake Superior and the
lower lakes. He spoke substantially as
follows:
Tt is too much of risk for the people Of
this country to run chances of damage to the
We need larger appropriations that, this ca
nal may be completed at the earliest possible
moment. The cost of transporting freight
by lake has been rapidly reduced by I'M
proyements in lake carriers, which is a mat
ter wholly dependent upon the improve
ments of the waterways. 1t has been re-
duced to ifteen-hundredths of q cent per
ton per mile, while the statistician shows the
cost by rail to be one cent per ton per mile.
During the thirty-t three years this canal has
baon in tjon 40 0n0 000 Of fraioht
ing at the rate of 100000 tons a year,
and this shows the Importance and gravity of
the question OF deepening the 500 canal,
and otherwise improving and insuring the
safe and rapid passage of vessels. During
the past seventeen years the tonnage has in
creased 23,00O,O00 tons. To give an idea of
the DELAYS that vessels are subjected to, he
said: THE time computed to be lost is an
average of one hour to each vessel and an
other hour by darkness, which makes navi-
CATION hazardous on account of the lack of
range lights. We should make very promi
nent in the resolutions to be adopted to-day,
the necessity Of urging upon congress that
the estimates OF Gen. Poe, the engineer in
charge, be not scaled in reference to this
work as has always been customary.
The committee reported the following
resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
Your committee on resolutions beg to re-
port the following as having been unani-
mously adopted by them, and submit the
same for your action:
. Resolved, That we explicitly declare as the
sentiment of this convention, that ship
channel, twenty feet in depth, be under
taken M and IN completed by the general govern
ment, as early as practicable, through the
hollows and rivers connecting the great
lakes.
Resolved, That upon the speedy compile
Il. e
Hay lake channel in st. Mary river. depends
cheaper rate of transportation of the pro-
duct of the East and Northwest through the
use of the larger freight carriers. and the in
surance of continuous and safe passage OF
such carriers, against the accident which the
operation of single lock cannot assure.
Resolved, That the interests of commerce
imperatively demand that the appropriation
of the sum named by the engineer in charge
as stated by the secretary of war in his an
nual report to congress as the amount that
can be profitably expended for construction
of the new lock and improvement of Hay Lake
channel in st. Mary's river, should not be
reduced as is usually done. but appropriated
in full by congress, as recommended IN SAID
report.
mend that the harbors of the great lakes be
deepened and improved as rapidly as prac-
ticable so as to accommodate vessels draw
ing twenty feet of water.
convention, the interest of cheap water
trans portation and the consequent improve
ment of rivers, lakes and harbors by liberal
appropriations by the general government.
That great system OF inland navigation, the
Mississippi river and its deep water tribu-
taries." cannot be overlooked, and this con-
yention strongly indorses the continued i'm
provement of that system by adequate ap-
propriations by congress.
Whereas The great lakes and navigable
onnnaptinp and pmntyinp into the
same have been officially surveyed between
the wears 1S49 and 1874; and
Whereas, Since that time numerous reefs,
rocks bars and other obstructions to navlga
ton have been discovered in these waters;
and
whereas, Different improvements and
changes as to canals and navigable water
have been made by excavation and other
wise, particularly in the river and connect
ing waters, which do not appear upon the
said charts and published surveys, and
Whereas, Various and additional light,
beacons, fog whistles and
sirens have been located and established and
some changed since the last surveys, and
whereas, Commerce and tonnage fioated
BY these waters have since said surveys were
made greatly increased, and are still increas-
ing; and
Whereas, Certain portions of these water
ways are still without sufficient and neces-
sary lights and buoys, and in many places
navigation is hazardous to vessels of the |
larger class: and
Whereas, Private parties are now main
tanning at their own expenses certain light |
ships, buoys and other guides to navigation |
upon these waters, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense Of this con-
yenlion shat the great and growing COM |
merce on these waters demands that 1t is the |
duty of the United States government to take |
such steps as may be necessary at an early |
day to make careful resurvey of all these |
waters, and particularly the rivers and con. |
Meeting waters; and be it further
States government to bear the expense of |
providing additional safeguards against any