The San Francisco call., 1905-08-03
MANY ATTEND
CELEBRATION
Semi-Centennial of Opening
of Sault Ste. Marie Ship
Canal Attracts Visitors
WILL LAST TWO DAYS
Canadians and Americans
Join Hands in Making Oc-
casiOn Memorable Success

SAULT STE, MARIE, Mich, Aug a.
With the city crowded with thousands of
visitors and with hundreds of yards of
bunting flying in the breeze from all the
buildings on both the American and
Canadian sides Of the ST Marys River,
salute at sunrise from the Government
ships in the harbor opened the two days
celebration of the semi-uenrennial Of the
opening of the ST. Marys ship canal,
which connects Lake Superior with tha
lower lakes. More traffic passes through
these locks than through any similar
waterway in the world. In 1904. $4,000
passengers were transported through the
canal and a total of 31.546,106 tons of
freight with a value of S340, ,000, 900.
The two days of the celebration were
declared legal holidays on both the Amer
lean and Canadian sides OF the river and
business has been suspended wherever
possible. Owners of lake vessels arranged
the trips of many Of the largest freighters
on the lakes so that they would pass
through the canal during the celebration.
Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks,
Governor Fred NJ. Warner of Michigan
and his staff; United States Senator ]. c.
Burrows Of Michigan; Congressman T.
Burton Of Ohio; Hon. William Living
stone, president of the Lake Carriers AS
sociation; Charles L. Harvey Of Toronto,
who constructed the original locks, and
Miss Betty Poe, daughter Of General o.
M. Poe, who constructed the Poe lock,
are among the distinguished visitors pres
ent at the celebration.
Hon. Rodolph Lemieux, r5olicitor-Gen-
era1 of Canada, and a party of Canadian
officials also assisted in the ceremonies.
The first day was devoted to naval and
military parades, Indian sports and ex-
hibitions and a reception by Governor
Warner to the other distinguished guests.
followed by a magnificent illumination of
fireworks.
Tomorrow the commemoration exer-
ciseS will be held and addresses will be
made by President Peter White, of the
semi-centennial celebration committee.
Governor Warner and Vice President
Fairbanks.
The Sault Ste. Marie snip canal was
completed by the State of Michigan in
1855. This ship channel, the connecting
link between Lake Superior and the lower
lakes, was transferred to the United
States Government in 1870. Since the Gov
ernment took charge of the waterway,
vast improvements have been undertaken,
the canal having been widened and deep
ened several times. 1t IS now considered
the busiest of the worlds artificial wat
erways.
The tra1ic by way Of the 500 canals.
American and Canadian, during 1904, was
80, 100000 net tons, 27.Oo0,0OO of which was
through the American canal The traffic
of the Suez canal in 1904 was Il, 900, 900 net
tons. This represented a large part of
the commerce of Europe with Asia and
some Of that between the United States
and Asia.
The 500 canal has developed the vast
mineral wealth of the Lake Superior re-
gion, and has furnished a cheap and con-
venient outlet for the transportation of
grain, flour and other products to the
East and to Europe. 1t has helped TO
build up great industrial centers at De-
troit, Cleveland and Buffalo, has aided in
making Pittsburg the greatest iron and
steel center in the world, and has con-
tributed materially toward giving the
United States primacy in the production
Of iron, steel and copper.