The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-02-15
NEED FOR A CANAL.
Lakes Superior and Michigan
Easily Connected.
Milwaukee Sentinel.

The introduction OF Z D.H III congress
~ representatives Stephenson, OF
Michigan, asking for an appropriation
10 propide for a survey of the White
fish river and the country bet Seen
Green Bay and Lake Superior, brings
into prominence again the plan of con
meeting Lake Superior and Michigan
hy canal which was first talked OF IN
1852, and which has since been period
ically reviewed. In that year " iliiam
f. Good.lue, a consulting engineer
then located in Chicago, WAS sent to
the upper peninsula to make some
surveys, and on his return on the
steamer Manistee entered into CONVEX
sation with the captain, and the mat
ter of lake routes came up. by refer
ence to a map Mr. Goodhue was struck
with the idea of connecting the two
lakes more closely by a canal, and the
captain said that if it could be done it
would save two days and Il half for a
boat such rs his and five days for
sailing craft. lie considered the plan
Il feasible one. Mr. Goodhue was very
much impressed with the idea, 50 much
50 that he did not return to Chicago,
bat planned and exploration Of the
country in question and went to q
good deal of trouble to make it thoro'.
lie afterward succeeded i'll interesting
capitalists in the project, but the
opening of mines i'll the West gave
them what appeared to be q nance for
quicker returns for their money and
the canal scheme Ilnguished One Of
the monGyed men who became inter
ested was Mr.. W. Ii. Morrell, OF New
York, who was heavily interested in
mines and lands, and it is largely tllro'
his efforts that the project has been
kept alive. Lately it has been given
considerable attention in Washington
and Nr Goodhue's maps and data
have been studied by capitalists and
legislators, and there is reason to be
lleve that the government engineers
will soon be at work, surveying the
aiott Wi tilt W.
TWO CANAL. ROUTES.
Mr. Goodhue Who is NOW IL resident
Of Milwaukee, said yesterday that
while the b.ll introduced 10y Mr.. Steph
enson referred to the Whiteiilsh river
route there were really two routes pro
jtcted for the canal. The one along
the Whiteiish river is not 50 highly
thought of as one Il few miles east of
it. which runs accloss country, and is
indicated on the map by dotted lines.
1t IS believed that the government
survey VIII cover both routes, and
that the eastern one VII find the
greatest favor. The length of the
canal by either route would be about
thirty six miles. The canal would
save I'll miles between Ashland and
Duluth, and Milwaukee and Chicago.
The distance between Milwaukee and
Duluth, as il is sailed now by way of
the 500 canal, is SO miles ard by
the proposed route it would be but 30
miles, Il difference Of 5l2 miles in the
round trip. Sail vessels are especially
laboring unler disadvantages at the
800, as they cannot navigate there
ut night. Mr.. Go9dhue estimates the
cost of such a canal as indicated at
at from $4,000 600 to Sic, 200, 900.
WHAT WAS PROPOSED.
From report of Mr.. Goodhue's
work ut the peninsula much interest
Ing information has been gathered y
width of sixty feet is recommended ut
the start, To be wiiened to suit al the
re Iuircments of lake traffic that might
present themselves afterward. Tween
~ feet is regarded is Il depth sufficient
for TIE passage Of heavily laden craft
'Fne western route from Little Bay de
Noque 10 Bay al Train follows tie
WhitG.iSh ana au Train rivers, which
rise and nearly connect in 4 swampy
tract OF Land Bay al Train Is badly
exposed to lake storms but protec-
ton could be built With rock taken
from the canal The eastern route Is
:,
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