The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-04
DAAkNG THE
GREAT LAKES
Scheme to Corral Lake Erie
for Navigation
GREAT BRITAIN INVOLVED
International and Riparian
Laws Figure
GREAT BRITAIN INVOLVED

Washington, June S0.-In the last river
and harbor appropriation bill Congress:
requested the President Ito invite tbs
government of Great Britain 10 join ii
the formation of an international com
mission to be composed of three mem
bers from the United States and thre'
who shall represent the interests Of ths
| Dominion Of Canada. whose duty it shall
| be 10 investigate and report upon the
conditions and uses Of the waters ad
| jacent 20 the boundary lines between the
! United States and Canada, including al
| the waters of the lakes and rivers whose
| natural outlet is by the river St. Law
renee 10 the Atlantic Ocean; also upor
the maintenance and regulation of suit
| able levels; and also upon the effect tbs
| shores of these waters and the struct
ures thereon. and upon the interests OF
/ navigation, by reason of the diversion OF
| these waters from or change in then
natural flow; and further, TO report upor
! the necessary measures to regulate such
| diversion, and TO make such recommend
| atoms for Improvements and regulations
as shall best subserve the interests o,
| naNlSdIOnS In SAID waters.
One of the tasks laid upon the Com
| missioners is 10 report the ACCESSIBILITY
| of locating dam at the outlet of Lake
Erie with view to determining whether
it will benefit navigation, and II they
deem it advisable, they are to make rec
concentrations to their respective govern
ments looking to an agreement or treat
10 provide for its construction. accom-
panied with an estimate of it's cost. In
the choice of the three American rom
missioners the President is limited 10
an engineer officer OF the army, a civil
| engineer well versed in the hydraulics
of the Great Lakes" and a lawyer lot
! experience in questions OF international
and riparian law" Here Congress OBJ
viously recognized the fact that, unless
every avenue of entrance were well
guarded, hungry and thirsty politicians
would besiege the President for appoint
ment to one or the other of the civilian
places on the commission.
A year ago Secretary Hay addressed
both Canada and Great Britain with a
view to arranging for the simultaneous
appointment of the commissioners to
represent both parties to the boundary.
Receiving no response. he has within
a few days sent another message of the
same tenor. and is now awaiting some
acknowledgement of that. The same
matter has been up before. but with
Canada taking the initiative. Hitherto
we have been the party to show the
apathy; now we are getting back some
of our own coin.
The subject is of much moment TO at
least two notable American concerns the
Consolidated Lake Superior Company and
the Niagara Falls Power Company, and
it is OF the highest Importance 10 both
that the commissioners chosen for the
United states be men of unprecedented
mind as well as Of real ability. and pos
sessed Of enough imagination to be able
to forecast in some measure the future
of the border country and its ever-in-
creasing contribution TO the Industrial
activities of the nation Some OF the
military and civil engineers are profess
sionaily committed against all projects
for damming the outlets of rivers con-
Meeting me lakes. There are lawyers OF
abundant learning. and experienced in
riparian and international law who new
ertheless have been warped in judgment
by past Affiliations. and would be un-
aSle humanity speaking. to get down to
the bottom Of facts on which 20 base
their independent conclusions on this
matter.
Senator Plat is said 10 be interested
in procuring the appointment OF Super
intendent Green OF Niagara Park But
Mr.. Green is an old man, and his interest
naturally is bound up in keeping every
gallon OF water that can be got 70 low
over the blur in Niagara river and swell
the falls for scenic purposes. The chief
parties concerned are understood 70 have
enlisted the support OF Senator Depew.
and themselves limited upon George Gin
ton OF Buffalo. who Is thoroughly ac-
quainted with al sides % the lake level
and traffic questions has the confidence
OF the lake carriers and Of the power
companies alike, and has grown up IN
the business" as II were. having acted
as referee in many controversies affect
ing the lake trade.
II Is Of no small consequence 70 the
power companies 10 have the questions
as TO the control OF levels inteiligcniiy
decided and on engineering lines alone.
stripped OF all sentimental an dothcr
distracting considera tons. what the
commission is expected 10 settle Is
whether dams are the only or the best
means for maintaining. the lake levels.
and. II so. nav many are needed and
where they shah be placed Several viii
undoubtedly &c necessary
In consideration q it8 privilege q TAX
iEE water out o. St Mays river the
CorsoI-dated Lake Superior Company
has made Itself responsible Tor every
thing except government work that can
effect the lake levels TO raiize how
large an Undertaking that IS II must
Re remembered that me government hss
.fself been doing what Is calculated 20
reduce the lewis nor than any other ore
thinE-na-ely. the running Of 50 tween
ty-one-foot channels from Dulufh ard
Chicago 70 BuHaio. This has already
lowered the levels = Detroit river. LAKE.
=. Clair river. ard s., Mars river-
The Chlcsgo d-ainsre canal has also
helre5 loser LAKE. NlchITan The Coz
soufatod company s. raki-E ogi water
FOR T. 90 Horsepower On The. Canadian
side q The 3 Mays and vu take
sa.oN Horsepower OF ths American SIDE
after jelly J. II order 20 DO that . has
had . throw a gate esz partly across !
fhs rfve- b. -hsch means Il kssps back .
as much ustsr from TIE ra1its az Eoes I
f-.o n ~a-aIs THIS daz zl1 lave 4
20 - st5u fu-thsr exfsuEe1 500 20 4
rake rrod the assed draushi CT TIE !
water rrsclTcss
Ths federal Eovsruneu; + qpits a. 4
rsuch ir1ere~ts5 81 improving f-sssa; i