The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-02-22

THE 500 POWER CANAL.
when the canal and power house were
completed the town passed resolution
to the effect that
eve are celebrating the completion
of the greatest water power develop
| ment in the world. which is to revolu-
tionize the industrial conditions not
only Of this city, but the entire country
surrounding and marks a new era in
our history. This event will impress
upon the outside world our possibilities
as manufacturing center, and upon
our own people all that the develop
ment of water power really means"
How this "hange was made possible
is an Interesting story in itself. The
only outlet Of Lake Superior is the ST.
Mary's river. which enpties into Lake
Huron. but which is unnavigable ow-
ing to falls of twenty feet. To over
come this both the United States and
the Canadian governments built ship
canals several years ago, thus stimulat
ing the commerce of the great lakes.
But until recent years it did not occur
to any one that the difference in level
between Superior and Huron might b.
utilized to furnish the power that w"
so badly n~~Sed by Sault Ste. Marie.
To make use of this difference in
level canal two and half miles long
has been built from Lake Superior to
a point in the st. Mary's, river far be-
low the falls. Just before the drop into
the river the canal spreads the water
out into pond, making the fall more
than quarter of fnile in width.
Across this extensive expanse the huge
power house has been built.
Without doubt the building is the
longest structure in the world, being
1,36s feet in length. 1t is supported by
eighty one arches, through which the
water, flows. Three hundred and TWEEN
ty turbines transmit the power to
eighty generators. each of 500 horse
power. Each of the huge dynamos thus
affected is wonder in itself, for on &C
count of the peculiar way in which
they are run there must not be the
the revolutions of all the machines
must be Identical.
One peculiar outcome of the building
of the canal has been the construction
of what are known as compromising
works. Before the great power scheme
had been completed lake men realized
the great loss the lake would sustain in
having 10000 cubic feet of water with
drawn every second. 1t was asserted.
and not without reason, that within a
few years Superior would not be fit for
Complaint was made to
the war department. and the protest of
the lake men was upheld. the engineers
being ordered to devise some means of
for this great drain.
For some time the problem was |
battling one, but it was finally found !
that the solution lay in damming the |
st. Mary's river, which was a flow and |
fall of water useless in itself A huge |
dam was constructed just above the
rapids and sluiee gates, each fifty-four
feet long and thirteen feet high and
made of steel plates, which were so ar
ranged that they could at will diminish
the flow of water in the river. The re-
suit was all that could be desired.
Already the 800" is beginning to feel
the effects of cheap power. A railroad
to Hudson bay is being built to bring
Town the products of the great cotn-
Try to the north. Ores can now be
mined and taken to the smelters and
refners. All sorts of industries are
booming. A government report just
ssued shows that the net freight tom
mage that passed through the ship ca
lals last year was 35,961, 146. How
much greater tonnage will be carried
through this year can easily be irnas.
ned HENRY W. MILLER.