Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-04-07
FAVORS A CANAL
To Connect the Great Lakes with St
Paul.

st, Paul, MINI. Special, telegram.
AT the chamber of meeting
yesterday morning a report was received
tnthe committee on Mississippi river rela-
tive to he proposed canal between Lake SUI
perior and the Mississippi at the Twin
Cites. The committee consists Of C. C..
Andrews, H.. s. Fairchild, W. A. Somers.
David Day and Z. J. Hodgson. The report
read us follows:
On the I'd day of December last this chamber
adopted resolutions requesting the Minnesota
set { ara our representative in congress to
ust; their efforts for an appropriation tor n
Thorough survey to determine what, il any,
practicable line Tor a canal, with capacity
Tor barges and vessels that could navigate the
Ia ies, exists to unite Lake Superior with the
NJ ssissippi river at the Twin cities. As reasons
for such a survey the following facts may be
stated:
In 1878 tie legislature of Minnesota appro.
piiated 81, GOA for "a survey for a canal to COZ.
met Lake Superior with the st. Croix river. and
Messls. L.. K. StannIr I'd of Iaylors Falls and
r. X. Davis of Saltwater, as commissioners, the
sI,me year, with their assistants, made a partial
survey OF several routes. Their report was
transmitted to the legislature by Gov. C. X.
Havis aud was printed. Their report did not
determine which route vas the most p~rac.ica.
bic. but gives the impression that several routes
are practicable. II "a canal between Lake Su-
yerior and the St. Croix should prove practical
tie il is supposed that the latter river TO ITS
mouth ard the Mississippi thence to the Twin
Titles would be improved to the same capacity
ms the canal. A canal thus uniting our greatest
lake system With our grea test river system would
De emphatically a national Improvement. and
oueht 10 be undertaken by congress rather than
by any separate state. %
During The season of 1891 tie rate OF trans.
portatioR of hard coal by railroad from Buffalo
to Chicago was sl.TS per ton, ana from Chicago
TO ST. Paul and Minneapolis, $3.50 per ton; to-
tai. S4.2S. BY water the rate IRON Buffalo to
Duluth was 40 cents per tom; docksge at Du-
lHNA- an agrRs yNar AM astHF fN-Nl .F..A e - =.
Paul and Minneapolis. By railway $50 miles,,
81. so; total, S2.40. Were there
A THROUGH WATER ROUTE
TO the two cities mentioned, they would save a
million dollars a year in freight charges on'the
single item OF coal -
The Miami canal from Toledo to Cincinnati
Is. with its feeders. 2S2 miles long, and. like
many other canals in our country, has proved
OF immense benefit in regulating and cheaper
lug transportation. One Of its incidental bene.
fits is that the water power furnished by its
locks has developed manufacturing industry in
employing a capital Of over $50, 600, 600. Ohio
has eighty-eight counties, yet the twenty-seven
counties crossed by the canal comprise more
than hall the wealth. OF the state. 1t is some
Times suggested TINT railroad companies would
be likely to oppose this canal protect, but such
a view Is very short-sighted. because the in
creased manufacturing and industrial develop
ment which the canal would produce would
vastly increase railroad earnings. So. also. it
is sometimes said that the lake cities. Duluth
and Superior. would be Jealous Of such a canal.
That also is absurd. The great CITY of Liver
pool does not object TO the canals which extend
from her harbor to the interior cities. On the
contrary these cana,s have greatly increased
her trade and wealth. Witness, for example,
the celebrated Liverpool and Leeds canal which
has made The latter interior city a phenomenon
OF manufactures, and which, by the way, has
aal elevation above the harbor of Liverpool OF
433 feet or about as much as can be expected
on the canal proposed. These and many other
facts and reasons justify this community in de-
manding the above mentioned survey; and il is
desirable that our senators and representatives
in congress be Impressed with the deep interest
fet here in the subject.
Resolved. That the president communicate a
copy of the foregoing TO Senator'S Davis and
Washburn and representative Castle as express
siye of the views Of this chamber.
The report was adopted with the request
from the chamber hat the newspapers pub
lish il in full.