Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-03-29

tives are said to favor the scheme as well,
| with the exception Of Congressman Baldwin,
who naturally thinks that 1t would hurt
Duluth by practically making ST. Paul and
Minneapolis the head of navigation Of the
great .t.cs.
At a recent meeting of the st. Paul cham
Der Mr.. Suydam presented a partial report
ground up TO the present very thor
oughly. In substance the report states:
In the last congress the senate adopted
the following amendment to the river and
harbor bin, but the same failed to be
passed by the house, namely. "Fo examina-
ton and survey for the location OF a canal
| connecting Lake Superior and the Missis-
| sippi river, $4,000; and the engineers max
I'M said examination and survey shall re-
port the most feasible route for such canal,
either by way of st. CrOix, Rum or upper
| Mississippi rivers A bill introduced by
Representative kiefer asking for a similar
congress, and its success will depend very
much upon the interest manifested for II
by the press and the people OF the North
west. 1t Is the experience of the best and
| greatest of projects to meet with opposi-
ton at first, even by those who are 10 be
benefited by them. A difference in altitude,
however, between the lake and the river
cuts no very important figure. The prac-
ticabiiity Of q canal depends on whether
| enough water TO feed 1t can be obtained at
the point of highest elevation between the
lake and the river. Maj. w. A.. Jones, OF
the corps of United States engineers, who
! for many years has had charge of the nav
igable waterways and works in Central
and Nor hern Minnesota, has stated that a
canal between Lake Superior and the MIS-
! slssippi river is practicable. Ii requires a
| careful survey, however, to determine .he
most feasible route.
In 1875 the state Of Minnesota expended
about 5000 in surveys of different routes
Of Tay.or's Falls and II. X. Davis OF Still
water. Though encouraging, the surveys
were not elaborate enough to determine
which was the most feasible route. How
! ever, congress would not he likely to act
upon any survey unless made by United
States engineers, Uniting as 1t would two
such great bodies Of water, the work
| contemplated Of capacity for vessels that
can navigate the lake. If such a canal
were to strike the Mississippi above or be-
low the Twin Cities then unquestionabiy
the Mississippi would have TO be cana.ized
from Its junction with the canal to the said
cities.
II the proposed canal were in operation
the people Of Minnesota would save 5000
600 annually on the single item OF coal.
Not only would It afford immense saving to
the people OF the Northwest In transporta-
ton in all lines OF heavy traffic,- but lis
indirect benefits would be great. II would
lead 10 an increased saving and storage OF
water by reservoirs, which would improve
river navigation and lessen amage from
inundation.
The Miami canal, from Toledo TO Cincin-
natl. is, with its feeders, 2S2 miles long;
and one Of its Incidental benefits Is that the
water power furnished by its locks has
.developed manufacturing industry EN-
ploying a capital Of over s30.000,0oO Ohio
has elghty-tiree counties. yet the twenty
seven counties crossed by the canal COM
prise more than half the wealth of the
State. The United states Is still a great
properfy holder in Minnesota. 1t still ho,ds
L. 0rp. GO acres OF lands in Northern MINI
nesota. mostly pine forest, which, II prop
erly administered, should be a continual
source of income. A canal would make the
property more valuable.
or course It Is not expected that any such
large amount OF money would be expended
in any one year on the work contemplated
rs to embarrass the treasury: but IL could
be carried on gradually and economically,
and In time IL would be finished.
Under the act Of the legislature OF 1875
the canal commission appointed reported on
three routes. all connecting Lake Superior
and the ST. Croix river. The report of the
commission Ms to the three routes was as
FirstIThe route by the way Of the 81.
Croix river, from the da!les at Tayior's
Falls TO the mouth Of the Nawerr @on
river, thence up the Namecagon
river and across the summit to the watars