Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-12


the purpose of opening waterway of
sufficient capacity to accommodate
ocean going ships from that city to the
Georgian bay and Lake Huron. The
chairman of the company is Sir Edward
Thornton, who, it Will be remembered,
was the British minister to this coun-
try during President Hayes admins
tration and part of President Arthur's.
With him are associated Alexander Nc
liver, long connected with the Cunard
Steamship company; Sir Benjamin
Baker and many others whose names
sufficiently attest the financial and po-
litical strength of the company. An
imperial subsidy has been applied for,
and Lord Aberdeen has earnestly urged
the importance of the enterprise.
The distance from Montreal TO the
eastern shore of Georgian bay is about
435 miles by the proposed rOute, and at
first the undertaking wonld seem to be
formidable, but Il glance at the map in
dicates that the scheme is quite feasible,
and that there would be but compara-
tivelv short stretch of actual canal to
be dug.
The route proposed follows the OF
tawa river from its confluence with the
ST. Lawrence to point near Mattawa,
a distance of about 800 miles. Above
the city of Ottawa the river would re-
quire considerable dredging To admit
large ocean going ships, and, on account
of the rapidity of the current, the con-
struction of dams and locks would be
necessary. From the point near Mat
tawa canal must be cut through to
Lake Nipissing, Il distance of about 80
miles There are, however. number
of small lakes within this division.
which would help form the waterway
and greatly lessen the amount of ex-
cavation Lake Nipissing, which is 40
miles long, would be navigable to large
ocean craft with some slight dredging.
The course is then down the French
river, an arm of Georgian bay and con-
Decting it with the lake The river is
about 80 miles in length and, with but
little improvement would float vessels
of more than average ocean tonnage
Thence the course is clear across Geor-
gian bay and Lake Huron, through the
500 and up Lake Superior to this port
and Superior City, or down Lake Mich
igan to Chicago and Milwaukee. This
route entirely cuts out Lake Ontario
and Lake Erie and obviates the passage
of the st. Lawrence river rapids, the
Welland canal and the Detroit river. 1t
is proposed to complete the waterway
within three or at most five years.
At the outset the Georgian bay route
would have large export tonnage OF
grain, lumber, copper and iron from
the Dakotas. Minnesota and northern
Wisconsin. Whether at first this would
be sufficient to pay any considerable
profit on the large investment required
may be question, but it is certain that
as the almost boundless>stretches of fer
tile lands of Manitoba, Assiniboia. AL
berta and Saskatchewan. containing
some of the finest wheat producing soil
in the world, are developed there will
flow into this channel an enormous
traffic, which will yearly increase in
volume as these now sparsely settled
provinces of the Canadian Dominion
grow in population and wealth.
While am unable to say whether or
not Duluth capital will be invested in
the Georgian hay scheme, it can be
stated that President James J. Hill OF
the Great Northern railroad system Is
heartily in favor of the project and, it
is understood. has faith in it. As he is
always on the alert for business and
pledges himself to give the people along
his lines the lowest possible freight
rates, it is more than likely that his
''fine hand" will be found somewhere
in the enterprise.
1t is interesting to speculate upon
the possible effect of the scheme upon
freight rates. 1t is likely at least 10 set
the ratemakers 10 thinking The prob
ability or even possibility of the open
ing of such a great waterway is likely
also to stir up the carrying companies
which operate through the lower great
lakes, the Erie and Welland canals and
over the trunk railroad lines
SAMUEL HUBBARD.
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