The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13

mage of the former nearly forty times sa great as that of the latter. One of the important products of the Lake Superior region, iron ore, ia chiefly used in the section contiguous to Lake Erie. and . large proportion of the grain coming from Lake Superior passes from Buffalo to the Atlantic coast by way of the Erie Canal and railroads centering at Buffalo. The most important article in the westward shipments through the eault Ste. Marie canals, coal. originates in the territory contiguous to Lake Erie. These condi- tions largely account for the fact that the number and tonnage of vessels pass ing the St. Mary's River canals so greatly exceed those of the weiiand Canal
 The Welland Canal.--The WellAnd Canal connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie on the Canadian side of the river. It was constructed in 1ss3 and enlarged ifi 1871 and again in 1se0 The length of the canal
 is 27 miles. the number of locks &. the total rise of lockage s27 feet, and the total cost about $25, 900. The annual collec- vessels. averages about $z25.000 and the canal fs open on an average about two hundred and forty days in year.
 The Sault Ste. Maria Canals-The canals of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich, and Ontario. are located adjacent to the falls of the St. Mary's River, which connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron and lower or raise vessels from one level 10 the other, a height of F to % feet. The canal be- longing to the United States was begun in 1853 by the State of Michigan and opened in 1855, the length of the canal being 5674 feet, and provided with two tandem locks, each being $50 feet in length and 70 feet wide. and allowing jassage of ves- sells drawing F feet. the original cost be- ing s1,0o0,000. The United States Gov ernment, by consent of the State, began in 1870 to enlarge the canal, and by 1881 had increased its length to 1.6 miles, its width to an average of 160 feet, and it's depth to 16 feet; also had built a single lock 5l5 feet long and 80 feet wide, with depth of 17 feet on the stills, which was located 100 feet south of the State locks. The State relinQuished all control of the canal in March. 1882. In 1887 the State locks were torn down and replaced by a single lock 800 feet long, 100 feet wide, and depth of 9 feet of water on the sills. This lock was put in commission In 1886. The canal was also deepened to 25 feet The Canadian canal, 1 Is miles long, 150 feet wide. and 9 feet deep, with lock 300 feet long, 60 feet wide. with p feet on the miter sills, was built on the north side of the river during the years Aooo to 1ooJ. 1H6 HGmDeTS or VeSSei passing through the United States canal in 1902 was 17.5S8, and through the Cana dian canal 4204. In 1900 the number of vessels passing through the United States canal was 16144 and through the Cana dian canal, 3,O0S, showing an increase of 1,200 in the number of vessels passing through the Canadian canal. and slight United States canal, the increase In the number passing through the Canadian canal having been due to the development of the Michipo- coten district. The tonnage passing through the United States canal in 1902 was: Registered tonage, 27. ,oe1 tons; in 1901, 22,2223S4 tons, against 20.136,7S2 fin 1the year 1900; the freight tonnage in 1901 was 25,026.5 522 tons, against 23,251. 439 tons in 1900. The Canadian canal shows: Registered tonnage in 1902. 4.547. .561; in 1901 2.4O4,6 GAP tons. against 2,1e0,490 in 1909. A marked contrast between the business of the St. Mary's Falls and Welland canals is found in a comparison of their figures for term of years. The number of vessls passing through the Welland Canal in 1873 was 6,425, and in 1899, 2,2O2, a re- duction of more than one-half in the number of vessels. The number of ves- sels passing through the St. Mary's Falls Canal in 1873 was 2,517. and in 1902. through the American and - Canadian canals, 22,659.