Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-02-05

been perfected and adopted, the cost
being estimated at So 600, 356.
In this project boats are taken from
the river at "Big Eddy" at the foot of
the Dalles rapids, and are returned to
the river at the head of Cello Falls, be-
ing transported over the intermediate
distance on railway little more than
eight miles in length, the entire opera
on occupying only about ninety min
utes The capacity OF the work is eS-
timated fer forty boats each way in
twenty-four hours. But it may be
doubled by the construction Of an addi-
tonal lift at each terminus, by length
ening the turn outs, and by necessary
additions to the rolling stock. The
track need not be duplicated or disturbed
Whether the third American ship rail
way is to be on Canadian soil, to connect
Lake Ontario with Georgian Bay, or over
the lower Michigan peninsula to connect
Lake Erie with the waters OF Lake Mich
igan opposite Chica 20, depends upon the
yigOr and enterprise of the promoters.
Both projects are under discussion, and
the natural suggestions Of canals have in
each case been ag!tated at intervals for
tn" last sixty yca-s.
Both thee schemes are put forward in
I the interest OF Chicago The one in
wolves tho navigat on of the entire
length of Lake Michigan, the Straits OF
Mackinac, Georgian Bay, Lake Ontario,
and the St Lawrence River to the sea,
avoiding all Lake Erie Iorts unless via
the Wclland Canal. The other is by a
straight cut, ITO miles,, across the Pc
nnsula of Michigan direct t. Tole 10,
Dunkirk, and Buffalo The one is es-
sentially q summer route, being closed to
navigation from four to five months
every year, the other is at the extreme
southern line Of the great lakes, and is
virtually open the year round. In view
of the rapidly increasing volume OF traf-
fic thronging the Sault Ste. Marie canals,
the Straits Of Mackinac, the st. Clair
River, the flats, and the ship canal, both
these projects should be rapidly pushed
to mplction. But the one is purely q
Canadian enterprise, the other is as pure
ly American, and is essentially in the in
terests of Chicago and all our lake ports,
from Duluth to Buffalo
1t must be remembered that in the
suggestions we have to consider the
handling of greater volume OF tonnage
and commerce than passes any other
given point in the United States, if not
| in the word, not excepting Gibraltar or
| the SueZ Canal
The following table will show the re.
ductiOn of distance to be effected by the
| cut proposed direct from Chicago and the
| Lake Erie ports:
| Chicago to Toledo rs miles, reduced to- %
Chicago to Detroit, CTS miles, reduced to. .26t
| Chicago TO Sandueky 755 miles, reduced to. .26s
| Chicago to Erie Pa, S75 miles, reduced to. .3ot
| Chicago to Dunkirk $50 miles, reduced TO-. .4@
Chicago to Buffalo. 975 miles, reduced to. AS
Chicago is already the great distribu.
tive port for all north and west of it
The canals already projected to the Mis-
sissippi and across the upper peninsula
Of Michigan will vastly augment this
traffic and swell the demand for the
most direct and rapid egrcss east anC
! south. It is simply absurd to suppose
that this vast tide of commerce will be
much longer content to percolate the de-
viOus ice-bOund and rocky channels
through which the first navigatorS OF
these inland seas CROPPED their way from
the Niagara to the Gulf.
But shall the relief come by ship rail
WAYS or ship canals? 1t would seem
rather late in the day 10 enter upon
discussion Of the relative merits of these
The great Waterways the great prairicS
the great crops. the great cities, and tbs