The Princeton union., 1894-03-22

tives are said to favor the scheme as we'll,
with the exception of Congressman Baldwin,
Duluth by practically making st. Paul and
Minneapolis the head of navigation of the
great lakes.
At a recent meeting of the st. Paul cham
Der Mr.. Suydam presented partial report
of the special committee, which covers the
ground up to ,11ns the u present es very thor.
In the last congress the senate adopted
the following amendment to the river and
barber bill but the fsed to be
tion and survey for the location of a canal
connecting Lake Superior and the Missis-
sippi river, $4,000; and the engineers max
ing said examination and survey shall re-
port the most feasible route for such canal,
Mississippi rivers" A bill introduced by
Representative Kiefer asking for similar
congress, and its success will depend very
much upon the interest manifested for 1t
by the press and the people Of the North
west It is the experience Of the best and
beneted benz ' by them. % difference r M0 in % altitude @
however, between the lake and the river
ticability of a canal depends on whether
enough water to feed it can be obtained at
the point Of highest elevation between the
the the corps @ Of United Stat States eugineers' M es who
for many years has had charge of the nav
igable waterways and works in Central
and Northern Minnesota, has stated that a
canal between Lake Superior and the Mis-
sisSippi river is practicable. 1t requires a
careful survey, however, to determine the
most feasible route.
about $1,000 in surveys of different routes
for such canal, made by L. X. Stannard
of Taylor's Falls and r. r. Davis of Still
water. Though encouraging, the surveys
f0 "a
which was the most feasible route How
ever, congress would not be likely to act
upon any survey unless made by United
such great bodies of water, the work
would be pre-eminently national. A canal is
contemplated Of capacity for vessels that
were to strike the Mississippi above or be-
low the Twin Cities then unQuestionably
the Mississippi would have to be canalized
from its junction with the canal to the said
! cities.
| If the proposed canal were in operation
the people of Minnesota would save $4,000,
Not only Would it afford % immense s saving e9ii t.
the people of the Northwest in ttansporta-
tion In all lines of heavy traffic, but it's
Indirect benefits would be great. It would
/ lead to an increased saving and storage of
water by reservoirs, which would improve
| river navigation and lessen damage from
inundation.
The Miami canal, from Toledo to Cincin.
natl, is, with its feeders, 2S2 miles long;
and one of it's incidental benefits is that the
| water power furnished by its locks has
! developed manufacturing industry EN-
ploying a capital Of over $50, 900 900. Ohio
| has eighty-three counties, vet the twenty
! seven counties crossed by the canal com
( prise more than half the wealth of the
state. The United States is still great
property holder in Minnesota. It still holds
100000 acres Of lands In Northern Min
nesota, mostly pine forest which, If prop
erly administered, should be a continua
source Of income. A. canal would make thu
property more valuable.
OF course it is not expected that any sucl
! large amount of money would be expended
in any one year on the workl contemplated
as to embarrass the treasury; but 1t coult
be carried on gradually and economically
and in time it would be finished.
Under the act Of the legislature Of 1S7
the canal commission appointed reported o.
three routes, all connecting Lake superio
commission as to the three routes was a
! follows:
First-The route by the way Of the ST
Croix river, from the da!les at Taylor
Falls to the mouth of the Namecagol
| river. thence up the Namecago1
river and across the summit to the water