The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-16

y. 4 C3ystz& connected With the Steam
ship susiness of The Great Northern rail-
Soad, On the Great Lakes. IL n the city
paying cts first vislf TO the Pacific coast
29r. Curtis - enchanted with the delight
fus tail weather and says that he has
neyG seen anything ike t. Last year
De took hts winter vacation In Georgia, and
white expressing himself - having been
pleased 10 get away from the rigors OF .
Northern winter. SAID that he did not p0r-
pose letting the future years md aim
Stranger . the PaclfSc coast Before re-
turning East Mr.. Curtiss intends 70 visit
Gan Francisco.
when . reporter Of the Post-Inteliixen-
Ger dropped into the down town Once
OF TIE Great Eorthern yesterday Mt Cur
tsss szs sitting In front OF r. Z. Stevens
desk In the private once. directly under
fine engraving OF the Northland. one OF
the magnificent passenger steamers o. the
line on the Great lakes. Of which he -
plrser. Mr.. curtiss' position has been con-
sscered stnecure. ~ the salary 10 ce-
ecribed ~ Fat" ore, and II goes on
through the year. while the real labors
Of the position are only carried on through
stx months the remaining six months OF
the year bring those during which nAyi-
gation ID closed on the lakes Mr.. Curtiss
looked up at the picture admiringly. a.
though having just left her. He has not
had time to get homesick Dor The green
waters OF the tnser-oceana. The CONVEX
sation In the ONCE turned to tho long
period OF inactivity Ia each year that the
big steamers are subjected to. and very
general regret was expressed that there
was no way Of getting the splendid ships
to tide water where they Nigh; be used
10 advantage In coastwise passenger busi-
ness and the southern excursions that arc
% popular during the winter months on
the Atlantic coast. Several of the trans
atlantic Ines after the heavy business OF
the summer Is over have run excursions
to the East Indies, the Azores. the Ma
deria islands and even to the Mediterran-
can. These excursions In the past few
years have grown to such proportions that
they constitute . paying share OF the
general business Of the steamer lines.
Every year preparations are made long
In advance of the season for the rush for
chances to escape the fearful winters OF
the Eastern seabosrd. A two or three
months cruise In Southern seas on one
OF the well equipped vessels offers the very
best substitute for one IN . private yacht.
II II not therefore. unreasonable for
the owners Of such ships IS those In tho
Nne Of the Great Northern, on the lakes
to look with envious eyes toward the
luckier owners who are able TO work their
vessels AL the year round. This condi-
ton. however. viii not prevafi always. as
certain bills before the Canadian pariia-
ment at present are for the widening OF
the Weliand and Lachine ship canals,
and the enlargement OF the locks. so that
= vessel OF any tonnage mis- be taken
from the lower 81. Lawrence river to
Lake Ontario and on. by passing through
the welland canal to Lake Erie and the
string Of large lakes. In times OF peace
or "armed neutrality" this arrangement
would be satisfactory. but under any 9TH
er circumstances the United States would
ind Itself handicapped with thousands OF
miles Of unprotected shore line. crowded
with some OF the best cities In the coun-
try: an unprotected mining district OF the
greatest wealth, and access TO the interior
by hundred routes left open to invasion.
From Buffalo TO Chicago. passing Cleve-
land. Toledo. Detroit Muskegon, Grand
Haven. Duluth. Milv aukee and q dozen
other places Of less importance. an enemy
could sweep. wreaking such havoc as CEN
turtles could not replace.
With this idea. Mr.. Curtiss says that
the steamboat and shipping men OF the
great lakes viii present to the next con-
gress a bill asking for heavy subsidy for
the charging OF the locks and the deep
ening and widening OF the Erie canal that
would admit the largest vessels from the
Hudson river. at Troy. to pass across 10
Buffalo. The scheme. commercially and
ssategicaily, IL one Of stupendous I'M
portance the latter feature OF the bin ap-
pealing 10 the interests OF the government.
A vast amount OF capital would be neces-
sary, but the state OF New York owns the
Erie canal and the state OF New York has
plenty OF money.
To be able to send q man-of-war OF the
irst class TO Chicago 10 no: an unalluring
prospect. and as the scheme Is feasible.
II il not unlikely that SUCH will be the
case In Q few years. Uncle Sam could well
afford TO pay we'll for such a privilege
That II the way the strategic part OF the
biz Is TO be presented. Commercially. its
value would be lnes;imaie To ship the
products Of the West ard middle country
ell over the world without an extra hand
ling II something that the government
Is expected TO interest itself In. and bill
that would contemplate such q contin-
gcncy could not fail to be universally
popular.
Mr.. Curtiss says that another canal from
the ST. Lawrence via Lake ChampIain TO
the Hudson has also been discussed. but
II fails in the respects OF strategy and
ownership that the Erie proposition con-
templates.
The length Of ire locks in the welland
canal Is only 30 feet. with fourteen feet
draught. The Lachine canal is less in
the matter OF length Of locks and has but
thirteen fee; of draugAt. Both the United
States and the Canadian governments
have built canals AT SAINT Ste. Marie the
former bang SO feet long, 100 feet wide
and II feet in depth. AMI the latter 800
fee; long. 81 feet wide and q feet deep.
When the George E. wetmore. the bones
of which are buried In the sands OF the
Oregon coast. was brought around 10
this coast she was sent through the Wei
land and Is7chins canals In sections sni
put together N Montreal. prior TO her
first sea voyage.
While Mr.. curtsss does not say tia: the
Nor:hiand and the Northwest will ever
enter the winter excursion business on
the Atlantic. ne feels confident tina, The
canal proposition from the Eastern sea-
board 20 the great lakes Is only matter
OF time. The introduction OF the bill In
congress will be Watched BY shipping men
the world over with a great deal Of tn