The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-09-14
ITS UTILITY NEARLY OVER.
Modern Lake Vessels Find the We'll
lind CnnnI Much Too Small.

Chicago Chronicle: The province of On
tario is becoming alarmed over the seem
ing decadence Of the Welland canal,
and strong pleas are being made for har-
Dor improvements at Port Colborne, it's
Lake Erie terminal. 1t is urged that the
lack of harbor facilities at this port is
largely responsible for the loss in traffic.
The harbor is in the same condition
that 1t was seventeen years ago, when
the Welland canal was opened. The lake
vessels now require such a depth of wa
ter that none of the largest class attempt
to enter Port Colborne.
The Welland canal is twenty six and a
half miles i'm length. connecting Lake
Erie and Lake Ontario by cutting
through the narrow Niagara peninsula.
There is a fall of 32Gti feet in the twenty
seven miles of canal recessitating twen-
tysix locks. These locks are go feet
In length by A. feet in width The canal
has a depth of fourteen feet and when
1t was opened ii was suppose that pro-
vision had been made for the largest
lake craft. But the deep Sault Ste. Marie
canal has permitted the construction of
such deep freight carriers that most of
tine vessels that could ravisate the Vel
land canal have been driven out of the
carrying trade.
When the vessels became too large to
enter the Welland canal. Tightening was
resorted to. The Grand Trunk railway
canal. Enough of the cargo was trans
ferred to the railroad to enable the YES
sci to pass through the canal, and then
the cargo was taken on again at the other
terminal. This expedient has worked fair
ly well until recently; but in the mean
time the lake vessels have been growing
In size each year, and with each
increase came lower freight rates,
driving the smaller vessels out
Of competition Steamers with 2OO,-
000-bushel capacity now control the car
rying Il adc, and these cannot enter Port
Colborne harbor. The vessels that can
enter are growing less in number each
season and soon even the experiment of
Tightening vessels will not suffice TO bring
traffic to the canal.
While the Canadian government admits
the necessity of q better harbor, 1t seems
unwilling to take immediate steps toward
providing one. 1t is urged that this will
prove of only temporary value unless the
canal is enlarged as well; and If the canal
Is enlarged so as to permit the largest
lake craft. there viii still be heavy ex-
penditures required on the st. Lawrence
route which does not even have four
tcen-foot channel for it's entire length,
although that depth IS expected to be Sc
cured this season.
Tho Welland canal, up to date, has cost
tho Canadians $24,1T3,352 Its best year
In tonnage was 1893. when 1,234, S23 tons
of grain and merchandise passed through
1t east and west. Since then, the decline
In grain shipments has been especially
marked, although the grain traffic On the
lakes increases every year. In 1893, the
grain that passed down the Welland was
about 16 per cent of the grain receipts at
Buffalo; In 1898, 1t was about per cent,
or a loss of 43 per cent az compared with
Buffalo. The grain that rassed down the
WeIland last year was less than i've
years ago, while the grain receipts at
Buffalo were nearly three times what
they were ten years agJ.