Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
A Wealthy Syndicate of Chicago,
Montreal and London Capitalists
Proposes to Construct a
SHIP RAILWAY AT IMMENSE COST.
Planning to Connect the Northwest With
the Atlantic and Joining the
Trade Interests of
TIE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
franchise obtsnsd From the Dominion Government for
Canal

CHICAGO, November S.-Early In the
coming session of Congress representatives
of syndicate, composed of Chicago, Mon
treal ami London capitalists, will present
for consideration a gigantic scheme.
From present appearances the plan will
place Chicago and the Northwest in direct
connection with the Atlantic seaboard.
The scheme is to build a ship railway,
which is designed to connect the lakes with
the St Lawrence river and the Atlantic
Ocean.
The matter is 10 be presented to the
Canadian Parliament and a subsidy for its
construction an5 maintenance asked of the
Dominion Government
The Inauguration and completion of the
scheme involves the expenditure of S12,-
OOO, 1000, according to the estimates fur
nished representatives of the syndicate. The
combine has its headquarters at Toronto and
Montreal.
PROMISES OF BRITISH SUPPORT.
AUnited States official stationed at To-
ronto is understood TO have just returned
from London, and report comes from To-
ronto that while in London be acted for the
syndicate and secured assurances from En-
financial support.
The ship railway project is the first great
step toward uniting the commercial interests
of the United States and Canada.
The originators of the plan are Canadian
business men and capitalists, who have
always advocated a union of the CONNER
cial interests of the two countries.
Erastus Wiman is represented as being
one of the leading movers In the scheme and
is being listed for pretty big slice OF the
stock.
SHORT CUT TO THE ATLANTIC.
Three routes have been considered, either
one OF which would reduce by at least 400
miles the distance between Chicago and the
Atlantic Ocean and Liverpool.
The construction OF the ship railway, it
has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of
the syndicate, would make the time between
Chicago and Liverpool for i fast steamer
only two days longer th9n from New York
10 Liverpool.
So quietly have the plans been matured
that the first intimation of the project
reaches Chicago from Toronto with the
statement that franchise for the operation
OF the syndicate on Canadian ground was
secured from the Dominion Parliament in
Guch shape as to escape notice.
1t is also stated that the through routes
veyed, and one of them favored bv major
ity of the promoters of the enterprise
MOST FAVORED ROUTE.
As near as can be learned, the most
favored route is to connect the Georgian
Bay with Lake Ontario bv means of the
railway, which is TO be about 65 miles
long.
TIE direct course is through lakes Mlchi-
EHE, Superior and Huron, through the bav
10 Lake Ontario, and thence to the ST.
Lawrence.
The franchise obtained from the Dominion
Parliament provides for a canal, but is
worded so that it can be used to con-
struct and maintain a ship railway instead
The canal, it is estimated, would cost over
$50, 900. 600, while the ship railway does not
call for the expenditure of more than S12,-
600, 600.
The Dominion has a liking for canal
projects. 1t has just concluded TO build an-
other waterway at Coteau, Province of Que
bee, on the north slde OF the St Lawrence
at q cost ofS2, ,000, 600, in order to get around
the Cedar Rapids. There is now, on the
south side of the river, canal for this pur-
pose, the Beauharnois; but it is found that
the increasing grain trade from the West to
The seaboard justifes a more capacious
canal. and the old one can be utilized for
water power
CANAL AT STE. MARIE.
The Dominion Government is now build
ing a new canal at Sault Ste. Marie, the fut-
ure Importance OF which is as clear to it as
10 our Government.
Near by, a short canal, so feet wide bv II
deep, but intended for water power only,
drawing its supply from Lake Superior, has
been undertaken by private enterprise.
Analogous to this latter scheme and to
one OF the same sort on the Michigan side,
but incomparably more important, is the
proposed canal for utilizing the water power
Of Niagara.