Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-01-25
THE 500 CANAL,

The United States and Canada Are Ex-
pending 80, 1000, 900.
Two governments-the United States
and Canada-are expanding 100000
at the Sault, says a special from that
place, in order to overcome the Is feet
fall in the river there. This will give
one an idea Of the stupendous import
ance, both from a strategical and
commercial point of view, of that place.
During the season Of navigation Just
closed nearly 100000 tons of freight
passed through the one lock in use, an
increase Of over rs per cent. from last
year, and 1898 will see yet larger gains,
for as the great Northwest is opened
up and new ore ranges developed, so
will the tonnage OF this noted waterway
increase.
Both governments vii! very soon pro-
coed to tortify their respective sides of
the river; indeed the United States has
already commenced, and has built fifteen
solid brick buildings for quarters for
men and officers, which make quite a
village Of themselves, upon q hill i'm
mediatelv south of the Lake Superior
entrance to the canal. Fortifcations
will very soon be commenced, heavy
artillery placed in position, bomb
proofs made. for the storage of powder,
shot and shell, and the protection Of
soldiers. Only lately have the troops
at that place been reinforced by those
heretofore stationed at Mackinac ISL
and, and the latter place abandoned as
a military post. From the geography
of the Great Lakes it will at once be
seen that a strong fortified position on
the Detroit River at Fort Wayne and
one at the Sault will amply protect our
interests upon Lakes Huron, Michigan
and Superior.
The new lock being built on the
An erican side is a most ponderous af-
fair. 1t is alongside the one now in use,
and between it and the rapids, or river,
SO close has the excavation been made
to the old one that there are some seri-
Gus fears of the earth between giving
away, which would, of course, ruin the
one now used; but this winter the up
per gate can be closed and the water all
drawn off, thus relieving the strain, and
by spring the new lock will be pretty
we'll masoned up by the huge blocks Of
Ohio limestone, which are 3 to 10 feet
long by and 4 feet thick and feet
wide. Each one will be run through
massive planer, which will smooth their
sides so as to make them nearly water
tight. These are to be laid In water &C.
ment and bolted with strong iron bolts,
and will be as lasting as the granite hills
of Lake Superior. Large piles of these
stone, already cnt, are on hand ready
for use, and the extreme ease with which
they are handled with travelling crane
is worth while to see. The rock
pan ers-there are four of them-chiD
off and smooth these huge blocks as
easily as does other machinery pine
board. The contractors-Hughes Bros.
& Bargs, of Syracuse, n. Y.-are per-
fectly familiar with this kind o. work,
and are using all the late mechanical
and electrical appliances known to
hasten and cheaper the labor. Near by
is the Edison electrical water power
plant, which uses the force going to
waste in the rapids to generate cleo
tricity, and the contractors have ar
ranged to put i'll an electrical training
outfit to carry away the dirt Of the ex-
cayation and to bring in the cut stone
and material needed for the lock. A
solid timber pier, with all spaces we'll
packed with clay, is now being built for
the lake entrance. This, as it pro-
crosses, will also help strengthen the
earth-bank between the locks 30 that
the timid really need have no fears of a
useless canal next season. But If by
any means or mlscalculations of the en-
gineers in charge, it should happen that
this important passage-Way for boats
should be closed during navigation, even
for a few weeks, incalculable damage
would be done to the commerce of Lake
Superior.