Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-30
"THE 500" TO CHICAGO.
POPULAR SUMNER RESORT COUNTRY.
Notes Of Delightful Visit at Sault Ste.
Marie, Mackinac Island and Across
Lake Michigan to Chicago

visits Sault Ste. Marie, 1.-The 500, as
it is generally called. finds many novel
and interesting scenes. The city was
founded in l64l by the establishment
of French Mission by the Jesuit
fathers on the site of the present city.
In its earlier davs it was a chief de-
pot of the Hudson Bav Company. some
of the buildings still remaining, worn
and weatherstained reminders of an
organization whose power was felt
and recognized throughout the greater
part OF the continent, when most of
that territory was still wilderness.
The city isssituated on both sides of
st. Mary's river. which forms the
water connection between Lakes
Superior and Huron. On the American
side there are l2. 900 people and on the
Canadian side 10000.
The great commercial value of the
500" to the United States and Canada
is made possible by the fact that more
traffic passes through the $500" canal
than through anv other similar water
way on the face Of the earth. Here
are the largest locks in the world, and
almost constantly ships are passing
through them. laden with freight and
passengers bound for all points of the
compass.
II is necessary only to compare
the 800" with the Suez canal to
show the commercial supremacy of
the former. In the twelve months
of 1902 the volume of traffic through
Suez consisting of large part of the
commerce between Europe and Asia,
and a little OF that between the
United States and Asia, aggregated
IL. 600. 900 net tons. In the seven and
one half months of 1904. in which the
st. Mary river was free of ice and the
Soo' canal in operation. the aggre-
gate volume of traffic was 32, 600, 900
net tons. $4,000, 600 of which was
through the American locks and
5. 900. 600 through the Canadian. In
D. same length of time $4,000 pas
sengers were transported through the
canal. while the total value of the
freight was $40. .C0o,0,0.
What this trade has meant to the
United States is tersely set forth by
the st. Louis Globe-Democrat
This waterway furnishes q cheap
and convenient highway for the tran
sportation of grain. flour. iron. copper
and other products of the west to
the east and to Europe. has aided in
building up great industrial COM
munities at Chicago, Detroit, Cleve-
land and Buffalo has helped to make
Pittsburg the worlds greatest iron and
steel center: has melted the discovery
and development Of iron and copper in
the Lake Superior region, which has
contributed to give the United States
lead iii those metals; and has i'm
measurably increased the population
and social and political Importance
Of the middle west, while at the
same time giving the east cheap food,
giving the whole country cheap
metals and machinery, and giving
the United States its primacy in
agriculture, mining and manufactures
The first 500" canal was one small
lock to bring the boats of fur traders
from the north to the Detroit fur
market. This first canal. built for the
benefit of the fur traders, gave way
finally to the first ship canal around
the rapids in the st. Mary river,
opened just fifty wears ago. This
canal had depth of thirteen feet,
and was equipped with two locks.
Today the American canal has two
locks. one 515 feet long and the other
500 feet long. and is 81 feet in depth.
The Canadian canal las one lock
200 feet long.
The freight traffic of 1905 is expect
ed to be several million tons heavier
than that of any former year. The
800" canal has been frequently
broadened and deepened, and will
have to he again to accommodate the
immense volume of traffic which flows
through it. 1t has been one of the
most important factors in the solution
of the transportation problem in this
country.
Between the two cities the rapid
of St. Mary's river have fall of 90
feet. and it is an exciting and thrill
ing experience to "shoot the rapids"
in canoe controlled bv Indians,
who are always at hand for this pur-
pose.
A state fish hatchery also furnishes
an interesting place TO inspect,
where hundreds of thousands of trout
are hatched every year and de-
posted in the nearby streams. max.
ing the fishing excellent.
On the Canadian side is the largest
pulp factory in the world. Immense
lumber yards, iron foundries and
various factories and on the American