Evening journal., 1898-05-19
The COMMERCE OF THE LAKES.
Total Tonnage OF the 500 Double That
of the suez Canal.

Total Tonnage of the 500 Double That
of the suez Canal.
The commerce of the lakes is enor-
nous. The outlet from Lake Superior to
Lake Huron had always been a serious
obstacle to commerce, in that it was
not deep enough to allow the larger
freight and passenger boats to pass
comfortably through. Locks have been
built at government expense, at the
coast of many millions of dollars, which
now allow the passage of large boats;
and two more locks are being built; and
and two more locks are being built
one by the Canadians, and one by the
Americans-which will still further in
crease commerce. The new lock on the
American side is larger than the old,
and, when completed, will be one of the
most wonderful pieces of masonry to
be found in the country. 1t viii allow
the passage of vessels drawing 21 feet
Of water. II has cost several millions
of dollars, and will not be completed for
a year or two.
For many years the great Suez canal
was looked upon as the most wonderful
piece of commercial engineering in the
world, carrying enormous cargoes
through its gateway from the east.
But in this newer land the commerce Of
the lakes has dwarfed the Suez canal.
The total tonnage of the 500 during the
year 1897 was 16,5O0,OO0. The tonnage Of
the Suez canal in 1896 was 1000, 600.
This tonnage of the 500 does not by any
means represent the entire commerce
of the great lakes; it is only portion of
It. Hundreds of thousands of tons of
merchandise and supplies of all kinds
are shipped annually up from Lake
Michigan points through the Straits of
Maclkinac eastward, which do not pass
through the 500; and many thousands
more go eastward from points below
the 500 on the other lakes, to be ex-
changed for other supplies for points
also below the 500.
Year after year this immense traffic is
growing. From the great west there
come, to the gateway of the 500, wheat
and flour and lumber and iron ore-all
the natural products from n vast area
of country, drawn to the lake route
because II is so much cheaper TO move
goods by water than by rail. In re-
| turn, the east sends the west vast
| quantities of manufactured goods, and
immense supplies of hard and soft coal
The west furnishes raw materials; the
east manufactures these materials and
sends back the products of her fac
tories and mills. There were received
at the ports of Duluth and Superior
during the year 1s06-that is, during
the lake ssason-1, ,775,712 tons of coal.
On the margins of these lakes, par
ticularly on the shores of Superior
there are ore-bearing rocks containing
iron, silver, copper and gold. The iron
ore is of remarkable commercial value
and practically ineXhaustible in
amount. Immediately tributary tc
Lake Superior, I'm some cases on its
very banks, are iron mines the output
of which rivals that of any mines in tho
world, and the supply in "sight," as tho
miners say, will furnish the world Will
iron for centuries to come.
Some of the lumber which goes eas'
by way of the lakes IS sent away on Il
South American points without separa
ticn, taking first a Journey, of perhap
several hundred miles, down the river
to the mills, then thousand miles an,
more on the lakes to the St. Lawrence
passing through the Welland canal Il
get to Ontario, and then trying a few
thousand miles of salt water-a pictur
esque voyage indeed.-W S. Harwood
| In G. Nirhnlnr