Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-14
CANADA PLANNING A CANAL.
II Would Connect Lake ST. Clair with Lake
Erie.

OTTAWA, Ontario, March l3-There il
now before the Dominion Parliament bill
to incorporate the Tiibury Canal Company
The promoters seek authority to construct
a canal across the western peninsula of the
Province of Ontario, connecting Lake st
Clair with Lake Erie. The estimated cost
of the work is $500 900. This provides foi
canal l3 miles long, with Ii-foot depth
of water.
Several prominent government supporters
intend to oppose the project unless the
company agrees to construct waterwa,
through Canadian territory from the lower
end of Walpole island to the mouth of the
St. Clair River. Their desire is to provide
an independent waterway from the head o.
Lake Superior to tide water, passing en-
tircly through Canada.
By canal from Lake st. Clair to Lake
Erie as proposed, the round trip distance
between Sarnia and the Wcland canal
would be reduced from Go to 437 miles
of the present distance.
In these days when time saved in trans
portation is money it seems an anomaly
that it should be necessary to make cir
cnit of over ~ miles to reach point dis
tiiit VI dbbul IL Hllits III II ilIttt ilUts With
the intervening obstacles are so insigniti-
cant. There is not a yard of rock
along the whole route of the pro
posed canal. Levels taken by Mr.. J Moles
worth. government engineer, show a differ
ence in level between Lakes st. Clair and
Erie of ) feet 10 inches. The route of the
canal would follow the line of least resist
ancc, and this would be from the mouth of
Baptiste creek. on Lake st. Clair, south
erly, taking advantage of the low levels of
Baptiste, Tremblay, and Two Greeks, to
the mouth of Two Creeks on Lake Erie
This line gives almost straight run from
Lake Huron to Lake Erie, effec,ing, rs has
been shown, great saving in time and dis
lance.
The physical characteristics of this route
do not involve any engineering difficulties,
as the II or Is miles of cutting necessary
consist of clay loan. The deepest cut at
the summit would be about 40 feet, or an
average cut of abou; Ii feet throughout
With such canal in operation there
could be no longer any opposition from the
shipping interests to the bridging of the
Detroit river, which, with short tunnels
under the canal, would give an uninter-
rupted line of railway communication be
tween the two countries in lieu of the pres
cnt costly detention at Detroit river.
1t is often urged that in these days of
rapid transit, transportation by water is
being abandoned by shippers and that the
railways are absorbing all the traffic. Such
contention, however. is not borne out by
the facts The tonnage moving over the
great lakes is rapidly assuming enormous
proportions; so much so, that
the most saneuine anticipations OF one
season are dvarfed by the actual increase
reached in the next. During the year 1890
% 900, 900 tens passed between Lakes
Huron and Erie, and during the year 1872
the tonnage passing through Detroit river
exceeded by 10000 900 tons the tonnage of
the two ports of Liverpool and London.
This would Indicate anything but deca-
dencc in the lake traffic.