Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-31
LAKE NAVIGATION.
A Matter That Congress viii
Probably Consider.
MONEY WANTED PoR IMPROVEMENTS


Such Work should BE Performed in
View of the Growing Importance of
Commerce-Further News Confirming
the Dispatches from Chili-The Capital
in the Hands of a Mob-Senator WASH
burne Talks About Blaine - OfhciaI
Items.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 3l.-The commerce
of the great lakes is a subject which will
probably receive more attention during
the next congress than has ever before
been devoted to it. The fact that already
a steamer laden with upwards of Q, 900
tons of grain has made successful trip
from Duluth to Liverpool adds greatly to
general interest in the matter. With a
view to personally inspecting the require
ments necessary for successful navigation
of those vast inland SEAS a number of con-
gressmos and Washington correspondents
have visited the waters during the summer
as guests of the Vessel Owners association
of Cleveland, o.
A Big Capital Invested.
A party of correspondents has just re-
turned from a tour of the entire American
chain of lakes from Duluth to Buffalo,
Huron, St Clair, and Erica distance'of
2,617 miles. A representative of the United
Press, who accompanied the party, writes
of the commerce and needs as follows:
There are now engaged in commerce on
the lakes more than . 600 vessels. repre-
senting an investment of upwards of
$50,0OO0 GEO The average carrying capacity
of the steamers plying these waters is
about $500 tons. Owing to the dangerous
Instructions over which the vessels have
to pass double bottoms are being put in
all new ships, 90 obviate their total loss
in case they strike the rocks.
Depth of Water in the $500 Canal
Not long since one of the new steamers
picked up a boulder from the bottom and
carried it several hundred miles without
further injury than an immense hole in
her outer or protective bottom. At pres
ent it is not possible for the vessels to
load to their full carrying capacity on &C
count Of the dangerous distractions in the
lakes and rivers. The 500 canal at Sault
Ste. Marie, through which all commerce
for the north west has to pass, will only per-
init draught of fifteen feet, five or Xix
inches, there being but sixteen feet of
water in the great lock at that point.
Nearly all the coal transported to the
northwest passes over that route, and
should anything serious happen to the
single lock now in use a coal famine in
the extreme northwest would probably
follow. The present lock has been in OPP
Grafton since Sept. l, ISL
Dredging and Blasting Badly Needed.
A second lock is in course of construc-
ton on the American side, and another
is being constructed on the Canadian side
nf the -iypr Whap fhasa sJ
facilities for the passage of vessels will be
more nearly in accord with the existing
requirements. There is great need of i'm
mediate dredging and blasting along the
route of vessels in the lakes and rivers.
On the route from Cleveland TO Duluth at
Point Pole. on the Canadian side of the
Detroit river, there are number of dan
gerous boulders, and at Colchester in the
Detroit river, there are dangerous wrecks
and rocks At Bar Point, at the mouth of
the Detroit river the instructions are
numerous, consisting principally of sand
and mud,
Four Miles of Rocky Bottom.
At Lime Kiln crossing and thence to
Billiards. reef there about four miles of
rocky bottom, and the water is very shall
low. From Billiards. reef TO Gross Point
there is good water. Beyond Gross Point,
however, in Lake ST Clair, about five
miles from the mouth of the St Clair
river to St. Clair flats Instructions of
sand and mud render navigation ex-
tremely dangerous. The striking of all
loaded vessels crossing there is very per-
ceptible. Congress, il is said. will be
urged to dredge the course without fur
Their delay. Opposite Port Huron the
sand bar. caused 10y the Grand Trunk rail
road dredgers, has formed into a danger
Gus one, and great care must be exercised
in passing it.
Have to Take the Canadian Side.
At Stag island, above St. Clair, the
American channels IN such bad condition
that all vessels are compelled TO tray ell
through the Canadian channel At Fort
Grataot rock and old wrecks abound TO
the discomfort of mariners, while Off
Sailors Eucampment, 500" river, navi
CATION is perilous The absence of lights
and buoys in that locality renders running
ut night so dangerous that it is seldom at
tempted. Vessels reaching either end of
the river at dusk tie up until daybreak
The masters claim that there is nothing
like the draught of water given on the
charts to be found of he En- campment.
Slow Progress and the wherefore.
The government work of cutting
through q new channel off Sugar island s
considered of great Importance, and when
completed VIII greatly facllltate navlga-
ton. The new channel will shorten the
present course by about fifteen miles. The
slow progress which is being made, it is
claimed, is due to insufficient appropria-
tions, the work accomplished ore year
being destroyed before the next years
work can be begun. At Duluth the mag
nificent basin between that city and Su-
porlor cannot be utilized to any extent on
account of its extreme shallowness. Small
tugs are continually INNING hard aground
there. The bottom is composed almost
enterely of mud, and could easily be
cleared by dredges.
The Need at South Chicago.
At South Chicago Lake Michigan, dredg-
ing is very badly needed in the vicinity of
the great iron ore wharves. At Peninsula
point, ten miles southeast of Escanaba,
there are two shoals running out into the
lake, and, especially at night, while
avoiding one, vessel is very apt to strike
L. 4l.~ h..