St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-18
GOOD PROGRESS AT DULUTH
DEEPENING OF THE PORTAGE
CANAL NOT FAR FROM COM
PLETIONa
THE AGATE BAY BREAKwATER.
Survey of the Superior-Missis-
sippi Canal Mentioned as
Not Completed.

on improvements of the harborS on
Lake Superior. The harbors at Du-
luth and West Superior and the
Portage Lake canal are the most
important works in this district.
About $4,000 have been expended in
dredging, building piers to protect
the harbor, and building a breakwa-
ter at Duluth. Superior Bay is
almost a part of the Duluth har-
Dor, and vessels for the bay pass
through the Duluth canal About
$4,000 have been expended on this
harbor during the year. The Portage
Lake canal cuts off a point extend
ing far into Lake Superior and short
ems the distance on the lakes. It is
proposed to dredge the channel of
the canal to secure fourteen feet of
water seventy feet wide, and this
work is nearing completion. Agate
bay, Minnesota, is being improved
by building a breakwater to protect
the harbor. This is the great iron
shipping point of Minnesota. At
Ashland, Wis, satisfactory progress
has been made on the breakwater
protection of the harbor, and dredg-
Ing work has been continued to Sc
cure a seventeen-foot channel A
breakwater is being constructed at
Marquette, Mich, and about S35 900
have been expended during the year.
At Grand Marais, Mich, a depth
across the bar of 15.5 feet has been
obtained. The original depth was
nine feet, and seventeen feet depth
Is called for by the present project.
GRAND MARAIS AND AGATE.
In speaking of the Grand Marais
Maj. Sears says: "This is the only
harbor of refuge on the north shore
of Lake Superior between Agate bay
and the international boundary line.
Rich mineral deposits are alleged to
exist in the back counties, and.
should these be opened and connect
ed with the lake by railroad, the har-
Dor may become important for ship
ping ore. The Improvement of the
harbor began In 1880, and at the
present time the length Of the COM
pleted breakwater is $50 feet, or one
half the whAe, and the sixteen-foot
anchorage basin is 23.5 acres I'm ex-
tent. The anchorage should be in
creased to the full capacity OF the
harbor area of 6fxty-One acres. The
last river and harbor act appropri-
ated large sum for continuing
these improvements, which will be
expended in extending the anchor
age area by dredging. The total
cost OF the work will be s139, 669."
or the work at Agate bay. Mai.
Sears says: 1.-The project is to con-
struct two breakwater- piers on a
line towards each other from the
eastern and western points of that
pay, lnclosing an area of 1O9 acres.
at an estimated cost of $144. 900. OF
the west pier, 200 feet have been
built, while the east pier is now $50
1eet IN length. There is not vet per-
1ect security from southwest storms.
but the favorable results already at
tanned emphasize the advfsabilfty of
speedily completing the remainder
OF the projected piers. The river
ana harbor act of 1894 appropriated
$3O,O00 for continuing this improve
ment, which is being expended n
building rip-rap foundation for the
extension of the west pier"
LAND COMPLICATIONS
OF the canal and harbor at Duluth
he says: THE question of owner
snip of land occupied by the canal
is still unsettled and somewhat COM
pllcated. The last river and har-
Dor act provided that the secretary
OF war should open negotiations with
Duluth to have it acquire the title
TO the remaining ground and trans
fer it to the United States. The mat
ter is still pending. During the
year $1,000 have been expended in
renewing the superstruct1lre of tho
canal piers"
The present project on the nav
chahhel east of Rices point. in Duluth
haroor, calls for width of 200 fest. IT
should be at least 400 feet wide to
safely and conveniently accommodate
the traffic now passing through it. No
small portion of the vessels passing
through this channel go to West Su-
peIlor, SO the money spent on this
as we'll as on the harbor basin is for
the benefit of that city as well as Dr.
iuth. 1t is by far the most imnortant
part of harbor Improvement at the
mead of the lakes. About s35 COO out
of the $4,000 appropriated for the inn
proVement of Duluth harbor last ses-
sion will be expended during the nres
ent year in widening the north shore
canal to 200 feat, with from 25O to 300
feet at the curves. The st. Louis river
above Grassy Point has now a. depth
OF a least sixteen feet for seven and
a half miles above Grassy Point. and
from that thirteen feet to New Du-
iuth. The utilization of the immense
water power above the rapids at the
dalles has already commenced. and the
hrst dam is located at Thomson with a
head Of sixteen feet A deep navie-
able channel to Fond du Lac is es-
sential to any enterprise in this local
1ty. The last river and harbor act
appropriated $4,000 for improving the
channel of the st. Louis river above
Grassy Point, and this is being spent
in dredging. The estimated cost of a
channel 100 feet wide and 16 feet deem
from Grassy Point to Fond du Lac
is $112,822." Maj. Sears recommends
some legislation to regulate the towing
of RATS through the Duluth channel
and along the narrow channels of that
harbor.
Work at West Superior has been
principally in repairing piers, but Mai.
Sears recommends that general repairs
be postponed until the question of con-
struction is settled. He says that $780,
600 is being expended in extending the
Superior dock line channel clear
through to a junction with the natural
channel at the gate at the foot of
Rice's point. 1t is recommended that
all of the existing channels to Superior
hafbor be widened. The cost of recon-
struction of the present work at Ash
land, Wis, will be about $4,000.
-MI5SfSSIPpf.
Maj. Sears says about the survey
of a route for a canal between Lake
Superior and the Mississippi river:
THE appropriation was wholly mad
q n he q.