Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-11

with regard TO the feasibility of the
international route, the preliminary eX-
aminations already made indicate that
the natural features of the country, adj
Joining the Niagara and the st. Law
renee rivers, will admit of the construc-
ton of the large canals required upon the
United States side of those rivers, as FAR
down as Lake ST. Francis From this
point it is only through Canadian terri
tory that such a route can reach tide
water, either on the st. Lawrence or the
Hudson river. a favorable location is
available for deep water canal between
Lake St. Francis and Lake Champlin on
Cnadian territory, on scale adapted 10
the large craft which may be employed
on the upper lakes and which are really
of sea-going Dimensions, but THIS would
be impossible on the United States side OF
the boundary, because of the spurs of the
Adirondacks.
The Canadian Commissioners conclude
their report as follows: In view of the
possibility that this may he their last re
port, and more particularly because they
have found that there is much difference
of opinion and some misconception about
an international deep waterway between
the great lakes and the Atlantic sea-
| board" your commissioners deem 1t pro-
per to give some information as 10 ms
movement, the conditions which nave lel
up to the formation of an international
I Commission, ana Sonic OIL Tue ItdSOiiS III
support of it, as well as some reference
to Canada's interest in the question,
which may prove of future service we
consider this to be more necessary since
our American colleagues have already
pronounced in favor both of the Feasibility
and desirabilty of this deeper waterway,
and have declared that the completion
of the entire system as quickly as plans
can be matured and economically eXecut-
ed is fully justified" With this conclu-
sion of our United States colleagues, BON
as to feasibility and desirablity, as Vel
as the earliest possible completion, your
Commission fully concur
The facts collected by the Canadian
Commissioners are very interesting, and
fill six or seven pages of the blue BOOB
on this subject. Among the most nota'
BILE data are that more than half OF the
hest steamships Of the United States are
. imprisoned above Niagara Falls, ano
more than half Of the tonnage built II
the United States in 1896 was launchet
upon the lakes. OF the exclusively pas
senger steamers, the North West ant
the North Land" 5000 tons displace
ment, 1000 horse power, with a speed
Of over q miles an hour. and capaci
ty of so first-class passengers built at
, cost of 100000 each, are unsurpassed eX
cept by the recent Atlantic liners. or tn
thirty-four steamers built in 1856 thu
side-wheel steamer Buffalo" was value
at $375 0N0 and d steel car ferry steamer
at 100000 This inland water CONNER
= has built up twelve cities on the southern
, shores above Niagara, five of which haN
: a population of over 100000, one of oNe
l. 900 O00 and the remainder of over 20,
! oo0 each.
= The United States Business Fleet o
the lakes above Niagara Falls consists o
. steel freight steamers and sailers, value'
!, at considerably over sS0,Coo0o0, some at
, tanning Il speed of IL or IL miles per hour
. bat averaging about twelve miles. TIL
, iron ore trade is the primary cause of tn
! wonderful development of the steel bust
q ness fleet" OF the upper lakes. 1t has L.
to an increased coal traco FOR which
4 provides ample tonnage at the loves
. rates; rs well as to the manufacture o
a the spot of steel used in boat cons Tuctior
, over 100 million tons of this ore have bee
a mined in the lake region within the las
~ years. 10 per cent. of which has bee
- produced within the last ten years. Th
. estimated capital engaged in mining an
:, transporting this ore, by rail and watel
= to the l2O furnaces In Ohio, Pennsylvani;
4 Buffalo, and Chicago is over S230,00o,0 90
= Add to this the capital engaged in tn
- lumber, coal and grain trades, and tn
= transportation of same and 1t will
= seen that there is a gigantic business
y, greater than has been" 1t has bee
- roughly estimated that the internationi
e waterway will cost $1C0 900, 900. ami In III
- opinion of the best engineers on both side
o of the boundary this outlay would /
- small compared to the benefits that wou
: be derived from the canal.