Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-08
A GREAT CANAL
Connecting Link Between Lakes
Huron and Superior
Is a Wonderful w"serwfy-Its Yearly Ton
mage in Excess of That of the suez Canal
or That Received at Now York or Lon
don.


Magazine for March characterizes the
connecting water link between Lakes
Huron and Superior at Sault Ste. Marie,
Mich.
Almost q thousand miles from the
nearest tidewater, there passes through
TINS waterway. during the eight months
which make up the navigation year, a
tonnage far in excess Of that which
traverses the Suez Canal or enters the
port of New York or London during the
1ull twelvemonth. 1t has been difficult
seemingly, for people remote from the
cHain OF great lakes to appreciate the
magnitude of the commerce Of the wa
terways on our Northern border They
nave been told that upon these inland
seas, holding more than a third of
the fresh water on the globe, fleet of
more than 1000 steam and sail vesselsis
regularly in service. Governmental re-
ports have shown that in the aggregate
or tonnage the lake craft exceed the
whole fleet on our Atlantic, Pacific and
Gulf coasts. Finally, in the value of
their yearly output the steel ship
builders Of the great lakes have fire.
quently surpassed their brethren on the
coasts. For all that, q realization of
the magnitude of the inland water
transportation interests of the United
States has been of slow growth and
even more tardy has been the compre-
hension of the magnitude and value of
the huge canal locks which enable YES
sells carrying cargoes of 5000 tons to
drop eighteen feet in half an hour.
A GREAT COMMERCIAL FACTOR.
In the distribution OF the worlds
breadstuffs the Sault Canal has also
been revolutionary factor For the
wheat growers and flour producers OF
our western States the provision Of the
present facilities at the Sault may be
said to have Offset in great measure,
the injury which their interests sus-
tanned by the construction of the Suez
Canal. The ditch that joins the Red
sea and the Mediterranean brought the
wheatfields of India and Australia
closer to European consumers, but the
American canal so cheapened transport
tation that the granaries of the United
States continue to serve as the store
houses from which u considerable por-
tion of the civilized world draws it's
food supply"
The fur traders constructed the first
lock at this point, capable Of lifting
q canoe nine feet, and this primitive
structure served through many Of the
decades during which France, Britain
and the United States struggled for
sovereignty in the West. The attention
of the people OF Michigan was first pub
licly called to the Importance of Sc
curing ship canal around the rapids
at Sault Ste. Marie less than three
quarters of century ago, and 1t was
several years later when an appropria-
ton for the purpose became available.
The transfer of the canal to the United
States Government was finally accomp-
lished in 1870. Governmental control
has resulted In the construction of two
magnificent loclls-one of them the
largest In the world-which are oper-
ated absolutely free Of cost to the YES
sci interests. The smaller of the two
cost $4,000. 600, and is something more
than 500 feet in length by about one
sixth as much in width. The larger
lock, through which four Of the largest
steamers on the lakes can lock stimuli
taneously, cost the Government more
than IS, 000,000 1t Is more than 500 feet
In length and has a breadth of 100 feet.
Opposite TO the American locks the
Canadian Government mas constructed
a handsome lock of dimensions almost
equal to the larger of those controlled
by the United States authorities. It's
construction was undertaken at a time
when the relations of the United States
and Great Britain had been Temporal
rily strained and when there was
forced upon Canadian interests real
ization OF the Inconvenience which
would result were the vessels of the
Dominion debarred from using the
American locks.
WONDERFUL. DEVELOPMENT.
1.-THE increase in the commerce pass
Ing through the Sault Canal within
the memory of many men now living
Is without 81 parallel in American devel-
orment. Two score years ago less than
thousand vessels of all kinds passed
through the canal in a year. Now nine
teen or twenty thousand vessels lock
through the canals during the months
OF each year during which the great
lakes are free from ice. Only ten years
ago hardly more than 100000 tons of
freight were carried past the rapids
each year. but such has been the de-
velorment of the decade that the ships
now take through more than four times
that amount
The freight moved on the lakes last
year was carried at the rate of about
| three-quarters OF a mill per ton for
each mile transported.
| These are the lowest freight charges
| in the world and ARE of direct import
ance to every consumer of breadstufs
in the East and to every householder
in the West who uses fuel. The freight
carried annually through the, narrow
| channel connecting Lakes Huron and
| Superior includes $10.000,O00 worth of
coal. $50. 600 900 worth OF -four. $50 600. 900
| worth of wheat, $50, 600 900 worth of con-
| per, SS5,00o.000 worth OF iron ore and
| S12. 900. 900 worth OF lumber.
ITO transport this vast accumula-
ton OF exclusively American products
valued In the aggregate at almost $2i0,
600. Loot costs only n little more than
| sS,000.000. All of the freight moved is
| -
|EREE BOOkTOM MEN
| Csod f,r r, Ef,tl hook on