The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-01

BOAT ENTERING LOCK AT THE 800" FROM
BELOW.
two in America, men and machines are
working like mad at another, also in
America-the Chicago "sanitary'' ca
nal-and there is serious talk of reviv-
ing both the Nicaragua and the Panama
enterprises, while of other canal projects
there are at least round dozen here
and there in which ti1nid capital seems
preparing to make investment.
OF the three canals lately opened only
Germany's Baltic canal is of considera-
BILE length, but both Of the American
canals are great as regards probable ton
mage. One of them connects the Hud-
son river with Long Island sound at
New York, better known as the Harlem
ship canal, and the other joins Lakes
Superior and Huron at the $780," or
Sault Ste Marie. This is a Canadian
enterprise and will compete with the
American $500" canal, which it paral-
1e1s.
OF these two the canal at New York
will pass a vastly greater volume of
commerce than the Canadian ditch, but
in some respects it is not of nearly as
great Importance. Like the Harlem
ditch, the Canadian canal is short, be-
ing only $500 feet across the land, and
including the dredged approaches under
water, but 18, 100 feet, or less than d
miles. But the Canadian canal is 81 feet
deep, much deeper than the Harlem,
and besides it is the one link that has
hitherto been lacking in the chain of
possible continuous navigation under
the British flag of the great lakes from
the head of Lake Superior to the At
1antic ocean. This water route from the
heart of North America is 2,384 miles
long, and is the longest fresh water route
for vessels Of considerable draft on earth.
The United States has nothing to COM
pare with it, the lakes being quite in
accessible to any bottom of greater draft
than that of a canalboat that has touch
ed salt water.
The cost of the Canadian $500 canal
has been about 81, 900, 900, and this sum
is out of all proportion to its commercial
Importance, since the total of the COM
MERGE carried through the American
$500" in Canadian bottoms in 1894 was
but about 3 u per cent of the total traffic,
leaving 9615 per cent to be credited to
American boats. But there were
weightier than commercial reasons for
of these became a fact during the Riel
rebellion, when the United States au-
| thorities refused to allow Sir Garnet
| Wolseley to take British troops through
the American canal around the rapids.
The trouble was got over, however, by
! unloading on the Canadian side below
the rapids, transporting men and NUM-
tions around the $500 and then relad-
| ing on the boats, which meanwhile had
| been allowed to pass empty through the
channel The second reason became a
fact three years ago during the Welland
canal excitement, when discrimination
was made against American boats pass
ing through that artificial waterway.
Uncle Sam then retaliated by differenti-
ating against Canadian boats at the
$780," and thus brought about a cessa-
ton Of hostihties for the time being.
Work on the Canadian canal was be-
gun in 1889, and was practically finish
ed last November. The lock is the lar
gest in the world with one exception,
that being the lock now building for the
American canal around the $500" The
dimensions of the Canadian lock are
Length, 900 feet; width, so feet; depth
over stills, 90 feet inches. The masonry
walls are LOG feet long, and they are
30 feet thick at the bottom and II at the
top. In construction as well as size this
lock is inferior to the American lock.
There are four sets of lock gates, and
these gates are operated by electricity
generated by turbine wheels for the op-
GRAFTON, of which there is plenty at hand,
Of course. So far as known, this is the
only case in which canal locks are work
ed by electricity.