Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-28

7A s AM building tn
! | I'm q IN NJ sh p cana
| lin C...~N--llk-MA which a
| -S :. =. - W s-.r..--.-=-~x=F- TO open III
@v G. ~ - the waters o
the greatest OF lakes to the CONNER
cial marine OF its sister lakes in the
basin drained by the river st. Lawrence,
and make possible the vast commerce
which has since been developed upon
and through those mighty waters. Then
the struggling village of "Sault Ste. Ma
RE, situated near the base of the falls Of
the st. Mary's river (which with
over sixteen feet OF descent within
one lineal mile, compelled land carriage
of persons and property around them),
was nearly as remote from the outer
world, AS settlement upon the shores OF
Hudson Bay would be at the present
time. Two pairs of horses hauling cars
upon tramway around the falls then
snfficed to transfer all the commerce of
the Lake Superior region
The Federal Government having in
1852, made grant of land to the state
of Michigan in trust, whcrowith to Sc
cure the means for building a canal
arc md those falls, that State sub let
the work of constructing it, for the right
to the lands, to corporation composed
of Eastern State capitalists, who np-
pointed the writer of this narrative rs
their executive under the title of Gen
eral Agent, to organize force of work
men and enter upon the undertaking.
A commisariat was organized on the
passage, and as soon rs the landing was
made horses were hitched up into teams,
the lumber hauled on to the canal res
eryation, and in As hours the men were
housed in improvised buildings and
regular meals provided for them.
The system adopted was to assign 80
men to one house or "shanty, calculated
to furnish eating and sleeping space in
the main structure, while n wing fur.
nished room for kitchen and the pri-
vdte apartments of the family who acted
as stewards for that separate building.
Each was numbered, aud all were under
the charge Of a general steward who
had the care of the general supplies and
kept accurate accounts with each "shan-
ty" showing the aggregate per diem
number OF men boarded in comparison
with the quantity of provisions con
sumod. Those stewards who furnished
the best return as to economy and Elf
cheney were paid accordingly, while
those who were wasteful or slovenly
we're weeded out. To this was addict
later hospital and ;nfrmary annex
where workmen meeting with accidents
or having serious sickness, were sent to
receive attention from salaried phys;c-
ians and trained nurses, FREQ OF charge,
as the result OF a small monthly per
capita payment from those earning
wages. These sanitary regulations were
SO efficient that the cholera epidemic
which swept over the country in "a
aud stopped every other public work of
magnitude, while showing its presence
also at the "Sault" did not cause panic,
nor suspend the work for single day.
The building of what was at that time
the greatest canal in the world, SO far rs
commercial importance or lock dimen-
sions were concerned, in such an unex-
ampled short space of time, was only
possible ly employing all the men that
could WORK to advantage, and Us q mat
ter OF fact the force was rapidly increas-
ed after the first 500 were fairly ut
work, until between two and three thous-
and were busily employed and the line
Of the work seemed to swarm like bee
hive. The number of boarding build |
ings increased correspondingly until |
between forty and fifty were under the |
OF the corporate manage
ment. Thus far by way of intro luction I
to the tale indicated 10y the caption, and /
to the Subsequent Use of the first per-
sonal rOnoun therein, by tue writer.
1t was in a sultry afternoon in the !
month OF August, 1853, that | vas sit I
ting writing III my private inner room /
on tie first floor of the construction /
general Office building, i'm I
proyiseG near the banks of the st. Marv's /
River Ship Canal, at the 500 las that /
point was generally designated). The 4
entrance was at my back, and as q clerk
was usually in the outer Office to. an
nounce visitors beforehand, l supposed /
myself to be alone, and was absorbed 4
with my desk work. The sensation that 1
some one was breathing behind me led I
me to wheel in my revolving chair, and I
no donbt to look as / felt, greatly sur /
prised TO find four unannounced indi- t
vidua's near me who had apparently I
been Standing for some time with lated /
breath waiting ON my movements to
secure attention, which their entrance
had not before arrested
The group was composed Of woman
and three girls, all neatly dressed, with
faces endowed with a glow of health, i
rudy rs roses. combined with respect
ful aud quiet demeanor, rare to see at 4
hat time. in that locality.
The eldest girl was about twelve, the
next about eight, and the youngest prob
ably four vars Of ag', the mother, evil