St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-03
NORTHWEST WATERWAYS.
Liberal Appropriations Have Caused
Rapid Progress.
UNITING WITH CANADA.
Recommendation Of the State Com
mission Concerning Improved Facili-
ties For Transportation. =

The state waterway commissioners
yesterday filed. their report with Gov.
McGill. Platt Walker, e. W. Durant
and William ID. Crooks comprise this
commission, aud in their report they
say: ''The agitation of the question of
the improvement of our waterways and
harbors which has been going on dur
ing. the last ten years has resulted in
an almost universal sentiment in favor
of the speedy prosecution of the work
until these natural highways shall fur
nish cheap and safe transportation for
all our commodities. This sentiment
has met with response on the part of
congress in such liberal appropriations
in the river and harbor bills of the
Fiftleth congress that this great work
is now progressing far more rapidly
than ever before, and may be expected
to continue at this rate until the final
results are reached. The two river
and .harbOr bills of this con-
gress- reach nearly S30,000.000. The
first which passed last summer of nearly
$4,000. 900 being the largest ever made,
to which they added by the pending
bill over $S,000,000 more. The old CRY of
extravaganza is seldom heard in con-
prints; and this is undoubtedly the re-
suit of the continued agitation of the
subject, and is full compensation for all
expense and labor, both public and pri-
waite, which have been devoted to the
matter. We offer our congratulations
to you and the people of the state upon
this condition of affairs. The North
western rivers and harbOrs have come
in for due proportion of the large
sums, and the work is being pushed
forward by the
ENGINEERS OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT
so rapidly that the works Oh Lake SUI
pericr, the Mississippi, st, CroiX and
Red rivers will soon approach compile
ton. The results already attained in
each OF these cases prove beyond Ques-
ton the wisdom of the plans
of the United States engineers,
and the utility of the work.
The Lake Superior harbors have now
handling nearly the tonnage of the
state, while the Improvements at Sault
Ste. Marie Canal, Hay Lake and river
and st. Clair flats now enable much
larger class of vessels to navigate the
great Northern chain of lakes, greatly
reducing the cost of carrying. The
splendid work done on the Mississippi
below st. Paul has rendered navigation
comparatively easy and safe for boats
drawing a foot more water than could
navigate it before these works
were inaugurated. Arrangements have
been made whereby st. Paul will
this year have much larger line
OF boats and bargeS than ever before
run to this port. Great coal and iron
ore docks are now in course of cOnStrue-
ton to supply these vessels with bust
ness facilities. Surveys have been
completed and provisions made in the
river and harbor bill for the improve
ment of the river between st. Paul and
Minneapolis. There is no longer any
question of the value and Importance
the great reservoir system now partially
completed on the headWaters of the
Mississippi river as means of regulat-
ing the flow of water and establishing
A PERPETUAL AVERAGE SUPPLY.
Surveys have been completed of the
Minnesota river to MankatO, but no ap-
preparations have been secured for the
work.
The improved condition of the st.
CroiX river is the subject of universal
comment among the steamboat men who
navigate thatriver. The work on the
Red river has made that stream great
factor in moving the grain of the valley
and regulating freights. although it is
thanked on both sides by railways. We
earnestly renew our recommendation
that congress be importnned to ask the
British government for joint eXamina-
ton and survey Of the northern bound
airy with view to ascertaining
whether a waterway may not be
opened from Lake Superior via
the Pigeon and Rainy Lake. riV-
ers, Rainy lake and Lake of the Woods.
This would connect the great wheat
belt of the Red river valley on both:
sides of the line by continuous water
way with the markets of the world and
be Of inestimable value to the state.
The supply of water for feeding even
ship canal is believed to be abundant
and steady. We suggest memorial to
congress on this subject from our legiS-
lature. Without stopping to discuss at
length the necessity for the existence of
this commission or its usefulness, if the
matter of water transportation is worth
the attention and fostering care of the
state, the same methods should be
adopted as are applied to the matter of
railway TRANSFORMATION.
Officials representing the state in the
matter placed Oh separate commission
such as this, Or by an addition of one or
more to the present railway commission,
should have charge IF the river and har-a
Dor interests of our state and be paid
for their work. In view of the fact
that the bulk of the tonnage into aud
out of the state is moved by water, at an
enormous saving over railway charges,
the propriety Of such action be
comes apparent. The magnitude of the
traffic on our waterways is indicated by
the official returns of the United States
Inspector of hullS and boilers for the
years 1887 and 1888 in the Fourth and
Fifth districts, which include the Mis-
sissippi above st. Louis, the Chippewa,
ST. Crolx and Red rivers and Mime
sofa harbors of Lake Superior. Fourth
district: Vessels inspected. 1887, were
1853; 1883, 1888. Tonnage, 1887.
42,510; 1888, 46,O10. Licensed
officers, 1887, 1,027; 1888, 5,040: passen-
gers carried, 1887, 20,SS0; 1888, II, $50.
Barges used, 1887, 225; 1888, 245. Ton
mage, 1887, 225,000; 1888, 245,O0O. Fifth
district: Vessels inspected. 1887. were
24S; 1888. 2S2; tonnage, 1887, Sc. al;
1888, Al, 1856. Barges, 1S9; tonnage. 1885,
500. Officers licensed, 1887. LOCO: 1883.
1l.244. :. Men employed, 1887, 22,osl;
1888, 23,317. Passengers carried. 1887,
Sl3,542; 1888, l6.729. The report con-
cludes In this connection we desire
to call the attention of the people to thesi
fact that during the ten years of the eX-
iStence of this commission. no state has
been represented in house and senate
by more jealous and active advocates of
river and harbOr improvements than
Minnesota. The state owes them a debt
of gratitude.