New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-05
USING ST. LAWRENCE POWER
THE SCHEME FOR DEVELOPING 1T IN
NORTHERN NETWORK.
THE BIGGEST ENTERrRrsE OF IT'S KIND YET
1r>,1,f.r;;;r.>- ENGLISH CAPITAL BEHIND
IT-TUGEIGN INDUSTRIES TO Be
DROUGHT HERE.

BROUGHT HERE.
The prosperous li;tle village Of Masscna, in ST.
lawrence County. ~ Y. which in 1890 had
roiuia:ion OF clS is being transformed mo Il
rr,et and busy town. The change is due to the
development of the wmter-power scheme COM
rorl, gpokcn Of as the st. Lawrence power
canal" All the preparations for this enterprise
have been made in quietness. 1t Is the most 81
xartic Water-power scheme ever attempted
Naescna Is situated on the Grass RlNer' ABOUT
three miles distant from the 81. Lawrence river
The Grass River empties into the 81 Lawrence
about nine miles below the village OF "''S'1ii'
O,uoslte Massena on the ST Lawrence River are
the famous Long Sault Rapids when ran "i''e
.han fifty feet between that point and the mouth
or The Grass. Southor!y from the southern SHORE
of the ST. Lawrence River above these RAPIDS
there extends "A comparatively level plateau u
TIE valley Of the Grass. In the intervening 'hIee
miles there Is q graduai descent Oh a'o"' 'i-''
feet.
The power which is to he developed mere 10
created bv constructing a canal from the St
Lawrence to the Grass across ms p'@'e"u'
aon.h or wafer in the canal will be twenty-five
feet. The canal will he 1919 feet VIDE Oh '"'
,o,,oo with s,oping sides, making the width on
the waterline 262.5 feet.
The fall of this great body OF water '"'o ~"
Grass River will develop looo'o horse-po"''
The difficulty in developing water -po"' So
been. in the case of great falls, VarSihs '"'"
Of water and in the case OF great D''
water. little fall. But Nature seems ~ va"
created in the Grass River a taN-race io Wv
great body OF water which II Is no" pi"po
take from the st. Lawrence. NO u'i'''"'' va
pineerlnc problems have to be encouh'erco III '"'
construction Of this work, for all that Is re'"Fu
l. that 4 canal of sufficient size be dug from oie
stream to the other.
CANAL FOR NAVIGATION AND 70" -i''
The head OF the canal will be pro'ec''n "
Gates which will be so arranged as TO permit '",
passage Of vessels from the river ana the '''e''
Lakes by this route much or the tha'e'i"' u.'
at the power-h house on the Grass l'NcI WIN w
brought Here Is involved a scheme OF "i"0" '''
,ercst in navigation. 1t Is proposed TO pace III
the Grass River end Of the canal large iocNS' ~
that vessels coming down TO the power ''o"'
from the lakes and the upper st. Lawrence may
discharge their cargoes. descend INTO '"e VII
River through the locks to lie built ana Pi".'''
down TO the St. Lawrence River, thus a'"''''7
entirely the necessity of passing 'h'o"6" Wv
Long Sault Canal, through which all VcsstlS "e
sceudlng the st. Lawrence River must no" pass
having toll to Canada for the privilege. Inc
Grass River is already navgablc for siniH YES
coils hut the water from the power canal VIII
raise the stream not less than ten feet
This uso Of the water OF the -. Lawrence does
rot in any way interfere with ia" navigation Of
that stream. FOR the water for the canal Is NOT
t. lie taken from the International channel "h''h
T. tLe north channel OF the river and Is separated
from the south channel from which the water
for the canal IS tak-D 10y Long Saut Island
The water for the canal Is therefore taken en-
,tr.lv from the waters within the boundary OF
>.oo,-york state. and no international question Is
raised by the construction II the canal Ice
coming doxn stream VIII BE- detected from lie
,caI Of the canal Icy promoniory.
After q charter had been obtained from
~. Ncw-Yl-l. Legislature and options on
~. :anI for the canal were secured.
Uncle Sans permission t. use the water Was
;.u-h, and granted. tn next step VAS {" in
crest capital in sufficient amount To carry the
great Undertaking rough English capitalists
became Interested and finally consented = tax"
ID the scheme. provided that III" original pro-
nl,t.rs Il jhc .h,,.' sold oui their iui'f q "n-
e,,utcly This wa5 done. AMI there IS -" no
,.,.,n in ST Lawrence county who has dny d.
-.ct Interest in Ia" power company III ""'N
Is being lone 10y ou.sd' capital entirely. IN"
ia1uey having been RAISED in London s"ih'
months a-;o by an English synal ate. ~ "h' u
Joseph Chamberlain sir Man'iIi". tn Well
known English engineer. and several other
wealthy i.nelishmcn are large st"ckh"!d'ff The
corporation. which is organized under IN" laws
Of the state Of Ncw-York Is known as ih' 81.
Lawrence Power COMPANY It's officers ar VIII
4. - &c..
vicc-prcsdcut; Carlton H. Reeve. secretary ana
William 6. COX. treasurer. The company rep
,cscntativcs in Ncw-York are Seward Guthrie q