The herald., 1897-01-19

4
| through the plans suggested between
the great westand foreign ports with the
/ increars or national prosperity Wnich
must follow In its train, VIII not long
escape American enterprise and actN-
| ity.
1t Will be observed that the report OF
the commissioners, though as compre-
hensive as the time and facilities at
| their disposal permitted. does not dell
nitely deal with the cost of the work tley
were called upon to consider and otnils
| some OF the other details related TO-
Thus far they have la bored without COM
pensation and in a part of the small sum
appropriated for the payment OF thelr
expenses remains unexpended.
suggest to congress the propriety or
making eccnoanieal provisions for sucn
further prosecution OF their work as VIII
more fully develop the information nee
essary to complete understanding of
the interesting and important subject
THE REPORT
The deep waterway commission, con-
sisting of President Angell of the Uni
versity of Michigan, John f. Russell and
Lyman T.. Cooley, was appointed
in 1898 under a resolution introduced py
Senator Villas of Wisconsin for pre-
liminary inquiry as to the practicability
OF waterways between the ocean and
+
the scheme Is entirely feasible.
Starting from the heads of Lakes Mich
igan and Superior. the most eligible
route. the committee decides, is through
the several great lakes and their inter-
mediate channels and the proposed Ma
CARA ship canal (Tcnawanda to Oicott
to Lake Ontario; and the Canadian sea-
board would be reached from Lake On
tario by way of the St Lawrence and
Lake Champlain and Hudson river or
by way of the Oswego- Mohawk
valley and the Hudson river. The COM
mttee also finds that ii Is practicable
to develop the work in separate sec
tions, and the several sections in part
by degrees, each step having it's eco
nomic justification; that the benefits
should follow closely on expenditure
without waiting the completion of the
system as a whole. 1t Is stated, how
eXer. that the completion of the entire
system as quickly as proper projects can
be matured and economically executed
is fully justified.
The report recommends that the Mia
CARA ship canal should be first under
taken and incidentally the broadening
and further deepening of the intermedi-
ate channels of the lakes, the same being
in the logical order of development and
also requiring the least time for consid-
Grafton.
The commission adds:
In view of the international character
and relation of part of the works that
would be required, and of riparian inter-
ests involved it seems expedient to make
the examinations and projects and carry
on the works through commission that
may be possessed with limited interna-
tional functions.
1t is urged that early action be taken
to the end that complete surveys and ex-
aminations be made and all needful data
to further progress be provided.
The complete surveys and investiga-
tions. with measurements of the outflow
of the several lakes and full investiga-
tion of collateral questions will cost not
less than 100000 and require some years
of time.
SESSION NOTES
The free homestead bill, which was
passed by the senate, will be considereI i
by the house committee on public lands
tomorrow, and Chairman Lacey of tina.
committee thinks it probable that the
bill will be reported to the house with
an amendment to make it conform to
the general free homestead bill now en-
the calendar of the house.
The proposed amendment would pro-
tect the government from loss on GER
tain Indian lands, which it holds in trust
to sell, practically as agents of the In
dian owners, the proceeds of the sales
to be turned over to the Indians. Under
the senate bill the government would
be obliged to pay the Indians for such
lands, while releasing the settlers from
their obligations to pay. The bill, after
being reported, will 60 under the rules,
to the calendar of the house, to take it's
chances with other legislation. The SEN
ate substitute will probably be accepted
by the committee.