New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-20
THE NEW ST. CLAIR TUNNEL.

When Secretary Window in the Impressive
speech which he delivered in the last hour VI
his life cited the fact that " the tonnage "hlch
pasSed through the Detroit River alone uurlhs
the 234 DAYS of navigation in 1889 exceeded D!
> 46S127 tons the entire British and foreign
tonnage which entered and cleared that year
in London and Liverpool" and that " the trelSht
which passed through the St MaGy's Falls Canal
in 1890 exceeded by 2,257,S7G tons the entire
tonnage of all nations which passed through the
cuez Canal in 1882 he undoubtedly astonlshed
the majority of his hearers, merchants though
tbov were II is hard to realize what an enor-
mons commerce within recent years has grown
ND along our Canadian border. Inc lorii1
oneninp of the st. Clair Tunnel yesterday WIN
do something to impress upon the puoIlc mihu
| in Canada as well as in this country the great
valne of our trade with Canada. Nearly
81 OOO. 600 has been spent to build this "a
madam connection, and its sole function Is 10
gave time The trains of the Grand Trunk Rail
way. the larger, more important and more
profitable of the two great Canadian systems
the only one, IN fact, that has a commercial
reason for its existence instead of being ferried
across the st. Clair River at Port Huron VIII
now run through this tunnel under the river
he'd. and two hours will be saved IN the com
munication between Canada and the Cnlteu
States. When capital can afford an expenditure
Of two millions for gain of two hours In the
transmission of railway traffic a suggestive COM
mentary is made on the value OF our intercourse
with the Dominion.
Sir Henry Tyler, the president OF the Grand
TrunI1 is entitled to much credit for the skill
! ~ oh no has
terprse in a single year to success Important
as the result is to his great road, 1t Is vastly
more important to the commercial and social
relations of the two countries 1t Will so power
fully aid in welding together. Little Is now
needed TO bring about the harmonlzlng OF all
interests between the States and the Dominion,
widely as they appear at the moment 10 Dc
sonarated. Unnatural and artificial forces can
and do produce great results, but they are
transitory and are bound to yield in the end
70 the moral and commercial tendencies that are
so constantly, quietly and powerfully operating
All the politicians in Canada who are stralnlng
their dilapidated nerves to produce jealouSleS
and arrangements where they should aim to
produce kind feeling and friendly intercourse
are of less account in affecting the destiny OF
Canada than are these 6,O26 feet OF tunnel
under the St. Clair River. The part it will take
in promoting a trade that already amounts to
over S1OO.OOO,OOO will be vastly more eff
Gent for good than can he their tariffs and
orders in council for harm.
As an engineering feat the construction OF
this great tunnel is notable With its approaches
it's full length is II ,553 feet. 1t is lined with
cast-iron plates fastened with 100000 pounds
of iron bolts 1t is laid with steel rails, and is
fitted with the most perfect means of lighting
and ventilation. All that scientific engineering
has accomplished in solving the problems OF
subtenanean bodybuilding has been utilized in
this splendid work. and undoubtedly it deserves
the praises so generously layished in the oratory
with which it was formally opened. It's value
to the railroad system of which it is part can
not fail to Justify the expense it has entalled
The freiphts of the Grand Trunk are nearly
half of all that are carried in Canada. They
amounted in 1890 to 7,0O92OS tons more than
twice as many rs were carried by the Canadian
| Pacific. The creation of this new tie between
Canada and the Union is the more agreeable tC
[ the American people because it will promote
the advantage of a corporation that seeks tC
secure the peace and commercial unity Of the
| two countries as well az to profit b. our liberia
traffic laws.