The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-04-12
OLD PROJECT RENEWED
To Build a Canal From Saginaw to
Grand Haven.

|
Grand Haven.
Again the project of canal across
the state of Michigan, from Saginaw
to Grand Haven, is being agitated,
: this time in manner that augurs
well for the fruition of the hopes of
those who expect some day to see the
grand old state traversed by freight
carrying steamers.
Present occasion for comment on
the subject is furnished by report
from Saginaw that capitalists have
taken up the matter in a way that
seems to mean business. The last
notable attempt at arousing the in
terest of the state on the subject was
during the sitting of the legislature in
1898. Charles II. Sigh, of Grand
Rapids, has always been a firm believ-
rim the canal project and in the great
benefits to accrue to Michigan from
the construction of waterway across
the state. Mr.. Sigh wrote to A. S.
White, then member of the legisla-
ture, asking for hearing from the
| committee on state affairs, Mr.. White
arranged for hearing and Mr.. Sleigh
| appeared with an immense amount of
facts and great array of figures, to
show the certain benefits of the canal
| and the prospects of the states taking
action in the matter of it's construc-
ton. Mr.. Sligh's plan for tate aid
was in the form of an appropriation
and state affairs committee became
thoroughly convinced of the import
ance of the project. But careful
study of the situation showed that the
value of the state swamp lands was
not sufficient to meet the estimated
expense of the canal.
From that time until the present,
the matter has rested quietly, though
those who favored the construction of
the canal have never wavered in their
faith. The Saginaw report comes in
the shape of special to the Chicago
American. The special states that
navigable waterway, connecting Lakes
Michigan and Huron and traversing
the center of the lower peninsula, sis
the latest scheme of Michigan capital
lists" 1t is stated that six miles of
canal, joinir g the Bad and Maple
rivers, will connect the waters of one
great lake with the other and when
these rivers and the rivers to which
they are tributary-the Grand, the
Shiawassee and the Saginaw, are deep
ened, the passageway will permit
freight and passenger traffic in an al
most direct line from Milwaukee to
Bay City. This will reduce the dis
lance by boat nearly one.half between
Milwaukee and Deti oft and reduce the
rate upon freight, much of which is
only will it greatly facilitate interstate
commerce, bit it will assist materially
in the development Of the rich in
terror region of the state now reached
by railroads, but not open to the much
lower rates of water transportation.
The counties of Kent, Montcalm,
Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee and Sagi-
nav will be most directly affected by
the new canal.
The American correspondent says
that lumberman of Saginaw and Bay
City together with capitalists in De.
troit and Grand Rapids, are back of
the project. "They are about to
launch the Interstate Canal Comp any
with a capital stock of 1000, 900,
fully paid in. The papers of incor.
poration are now ready to be forward
ed to the secretary of state at Lansing
and the company will come into legal
existence within few days." One Of
the men who will take large holding
of the stock in the new canal company
says: 1t is true that company is
about to be organized for the purpose
of connecting by canal and existing
rivers, the Lakes Michigan and Huron.
Willie the passage to the north through
the Straits of Mackinac is delightful
from the point of view of q summer
excursionist, 1t Is annually taking
thousands upon thousands Of dollars
out of the pockets of shippers. Ship
ping by rail across the state is also ex
pensive especially on grains and fruits.
With waterway sufficient for
freight and passenger traffic directly
across Michigan from the mouth of
the Grand river at Grand Haven to
the outlet of the Saginaw at Bay City
our company will cut the freight rate
in two. Yes, more than that--we