The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-19
FROM LAKETO OCEAN.
Preliminary Report of Deep Water
WAYS Commission.

Detroit, Mich, Dec 19-The United
States Board Of Engineers designated
by the president to make surveys ana
examinations Of deep waterways and
routes thereof, between the great lakes
and Atlantic tidewater has submitted
a preliminary report by request OF the
secretary of war. upon the question OF
the regulation OF the level Of LAX Erie
ana the waterways above. This Spe-
ciaI report covers only the boards lind
lnGS ana recommended tlonS as 10 IeSu-
lation of these levels. The complete
report of the board. which win soon be
presented, covers the estimates of the
entire cost of a waterway having a
minimum depth Of 16 feet or of p feet,
from upper lake ports to tidewater and
the results of surveys and estimates OF
the different routes for artificial chan
nels between the great lakes and the
Hudson river; all of which will be sub
mitted finally to congress.
The preliminary report, in brief, rec
ommendS the regulation OF the Lake
Erie level by controlling the discharge
through the Niagara river by a system
of fixed weirS, built near the head of
Niagara river. and series OF s!u1ces to
be operated in connection with the
weirs so as to control the discharge of
the lake and reduce the variation of its
level to a small amount.
The board recommends that the weirS
be constructed of concrete blocks, and
have an aggregate length of $500 feet;
the SluiceS, 13 in number, of the stony
type, to each have an opening of so
separate the Sluice openings. These
sluices, according to the board, can be
operated under rules. easily formulated.
and would amply provide for cOndl tlOnS
more unfaVOrable than any recorded.
The report recommends a canal about
mile in lengths with a lock, to be pro-
Vided on the American side around the
end of the dam and the rapids at the
head of the Niagara river, which canal
would afford a much safer navigable
channel than the present one through
the rapids. The board estimates the
cost of the regulating work at 1896, 923;
of lock and canal, 81 325 967. The level
adopted by the board for the regulation
of Lake Erie is about $40 of a foot be-
low the level of extreme high water.
The board is of the opinion that with
the works proposed, the level of Lake
Erie can be maintained during seasons
of navigation within about 6-1O of a
foot below the level adopted for regu-
1atiOn, under all conditions of supply
1t is stated that the proposed mOdifi-
cations of the outflow of Lake Erie will
not materially change the total volume
of discharge, nor injure the navigation
interests of the lower waterways to
any material extent. In the opinion of
the board one result would be to raise
Erie. two feet in St. Clair, and one foot
in Lake Huron.
Attention is called to the fact that
the project would be of an international
character and could only be carried out
after agreement between the United
States and Canadian governments.
The report is signed by George Y.
Wisner, chairman; Lieutenant Colonel
@. w. Raymond, corps of engineers, u.
S. A, and Alfred Noble, the engineers
comprising the deep waterways board.
Accompanying it is submitted details
of the surveys, SOundingS, maps, data,
as to supply, evaporation, etc, and eSti-
mates which contributed to working out
the report.