The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-02-26
THE IMPROVEMENT OF WATER
WAYS.


ognized on all sides, that cheaper
rates of transportation can come only
through water communication. The
claim has been made at various times
by those who were undoubtedly igno-
rant of the facts in the case, or whose
interests were opposed to the water
way outlet, that lake treighting is de-
creasing, and that money spent in
such improvements would be thrown
away, but the facts will not sustain
their assertions. In his able paper in
the February Forum on "Our Lake
Commerce and Ways to the Sea, .
Senator Davis, of this state, shows
that in 1890, 9,041, 213 tons Of freight
passed the Sault Ste. Marie, being an
increase of 1,524,191 tons or 20 per
cent. over that Of 1889. In 1891 the
number Of tons were not so great, but
it's value was considerable greater.
Another writer commenting upon the
movement of lake freight says that
the 7,516,022 tons which passed
through the $500 in 1889, twas car
ried distance of 1904 miles at an
average price per mile of only U.145
per cent. This was only one-seventh
of the average price received per ton.
per mile, by the railways of the Unit
ed States for the same year. In
other words, if the freight which
passed through that canal had been
moved by rail it would have cost $780,
100000 more for the transportation
than it actually did cost"
This one item shows the value of
water way communication in a more
forcible manner than it could other
wise be brought to public notice.
What is wanted is to so improve the
water route from Duluth to the sea
that vessels can be loaded at the for
mer place, and take their cargoes with
out change to New York or Liver
pool. In fact the growing commerce
demands that something be done and
that at once. On this point Senator
Davis in his article says:
THE iron deposits of Minnesota
and Wisconsin have been extensively
worked only since 1882. The annua
output is now millions of tons. The
agricultural and grazing products OF
! Minnesota, the DakOtaS and Montana
are increasing with astonishing rapid
! ity, and out of ali proportion to the
| growth in population. The unprece
denied crop of 1891 over-taXes tht
powers of the railroads to move the
portion that has been threShed fOl
want of men and machinery to do the
works The ore and herds of Montana
are as yet in the beginning Of theil
productions. The natural outlet O
all these is by the way of lake Superb
or and the locks of the ST. Mary
river"
To get this communication where
by the products of the northwest Cal
be cheaply transported to their desti
nation, it is proposed to build shil
canal connecting Lake Ontario will
the Hudson river, for this purpos
congress will be asked to appropriate
$40, 900 to defray the expenses of a sur
vey.
But as the building of this cana
will take years of work, it has beer
proposed that some arrangements b.
made with Canada for the improve
ment and use of the st. Lawrenc,
river and its various canals, and tt
that end joint resolutions from tn,
Committee on Commerce, Represent
alive Lind, from this district said:
Nature has provided an outlet b,
means of the st. Lawrence river which
needs but comparatively little improv
ment to make the great lakes as avail
able to the commerce of the world al
they are now to the international
commerce of the United States and OF
Canada. Our neighbors on the NORTH
have already improved the natura
outlet by the construction of the Wei
land canal between Lakes Erie anC
Ontario and the series Of shorter can
ais along the St. Lawrence. These
canals cover the entire distance where
canals are required between Lake
Erie and the sea. The aggregate
length is only 10 miles, while the Erie
canal is 1863 miles long. In pursuance
of plans adopted by the Canadian gov.
eminent for uniformity of depth the
Welland has been deepened to IA feet
and the work is in progress on the
other canals, with the prospect of com
pletion within three years if the nee
essary appropriations are made. The
magnitude and Importance of the
work already done is made evident by
the fact that the steamer Wetmore
carrying some $4,000 bushels of wheat
went through from Duluth to Liver.
pool last season by Tightening hel
cargo in passing down that portion OF
the st. Lawrence river at which the
canals have not yet been deepened.
This trip, though largely experimental
proved remuneratfve to the owners OF
the vessel. The rate paid from Du.
luth to Liverpool was 81 cents pei
bushel, exclusive Of the charges fol
trans-shipmentt to tighten the vessel
which was 3 cents pei
bushel. This demonstrates that
with the completion of the inn.
provements now in progress steamers
of the size and capacity of the Wet,
more can be dispatched from points