The Washington herald., 1908-08-30
STORY OF The 500
COVERS 800 YEARS
Continued from Page One.

nal II was not until $50 that the au-
thority rf our government was exercised
there when Gen CaSS went up from
Nackiuac Island with a force of siXJy-sIx
men in canoes 20 establish a military
post. They found the British flag still
flying. Cass pulled il down with his own
hand raised the stars and Stripes IN its
place. and obtained permission OF the In
dians 20 build a fort, which is now known
as Fort Brady
In ISIS the Rev. Abel Bingham arrived
10 establish a Presbyterian mission He
preached the Gospel 10 the little white
settlement and euGeavored 20 convert
the Indians Miss Charlotte Johnson.
afterward wife OF The archdeacon of the
Church Of England iu Canada. was his
first convert and Interpreter.
Tp 20 lsi5 there vas only infreGuent
communication with Detroit and Chica-
go. chiefly maintained by the sailing yes
sells o. the fur company. but IN the
spring Of that year tie steamer Detroit
( began 20 make regular weekly voyages
I The next year another steamer was put
I on TO accommodate the increased traffic
caused by the discovery ef copper and
I iron
Fight for n ship Canal.
Michigan was admitted into The Union
as a state ia lSs. and the governor. iu
/ his first message 20 the first legislature.
advocated the construction Of a canal
around the rapids cf the Sallt ste Ma
RE The legislature responded promptly
/ by appropriatinE S25e0 for survey,
/ =hich was made by John Al=ny- In his
report he recommended a canal = feet
I vide. 20 feet deep. with two locks. each
. 100 feet Ions 8 feet wide. and 20 Zee;
. deep In September. 1S5s the state au-
I thorities entered into a contract with
/ NIessrs. Smith and DTiEEs. Of Buffalo
/ TO construct the canal al a cost of sIl0.-
. "a and they began work But the Fed
eral authorities. claiming jurisdiction,
sent a detachment ot soldiers 10 the scene
Of operations and forcIbly elected the
vorkmer-
The people of Michigan and the vessel
men on the lakes made a tremendous
protest. and q bin was introduced into
Congress authorizing the construction OF
a canal and granting lo.1C1 acres Of land
as a bounty % aid IT, Henry Clay made
violent speeches iu opposition TO the
scheme and declared that IL contemplate
ed work beyond The reDotest settle
ment in the United states. Z not in the
moon" The advocates OF the measure
had the audacity 10 predict that the fu-
ture commerce OF Lake Superior would
be worth a million dollars per annuu
. and declared that IN the country Dor
derinE the southern shore copper and
other minerals are believed % exist IL
abundance.
Although the bill was not passed the
agitation grew stronger and its sdyo-
Gates more influential Il was reiuJroducet
annually until 1S5-. when Congress finally
passed an act granting the state OF
Michigan 758aCg acres OF land from tht
public domain within its limits 10 aid II
building a canal 100 feet wide. Z fee
deep. with two locks each 80 feet Ions
and So feet wide. the work 10 be begu-
within three years and finished within
ten years.
Far-siRhted YOunE Man
While this legislation was being dis
Lelssed Charles T Harvey. scarcely TWEEN
ty-one years Of age. an e1ploye Of tn,
Fairbanks Scales Company al St Johns
bury. Vt. was recuperating from an at
tack Of typhoid fever among friends a
the Baptist mission at the 500. and n,
wrote his firm enthusiastic description!
Of the immense mineral wealth, the tim
Der. the fisheries. and other resources o.
the country. which depended upon a ca
I nal for their development He urged
them TO take hold Of the scheme. and
although they had no other information