The Washington herald., 1908-08-30

The history OF the 500 Canal Is almost
{ tle history OF North America One r,us-
90 back TO 1913 10 ind the beEinni7g 81
TIE great enterprise which to-day Is ons
o. TIE wonders Of ths world In The vse-
inland trade which flows through rho
500 Canal 10 the sea5oard and hack
again to supply the ever-i7-raset-,--
wants OF the new civilization Rrovfrg -,
II the footsteps Of Nicolet and rra n
uent Jesuits who FOR a century brava,7
every hardship in the great N5o-r-v-s--
10 bring the simple Indians 10 obedience
70 the Cross
Ine Sault Ste Marie River vas 5fscov-
eIeo oy John Nicolet "a years ago wbus
on an exploring expedition under tie Or
oers OF Samuel Chanplzin.
Chanplain, in 1913 formed q -,-----
u french merchants. called the OBs
Ei1ndred Associates. and secured IRON,
cardinal RicheIieu blanket land eran-
Ior vast territory comprising nearly AT
OF canada with almost sovereign povA-g
Of authority
Nlcolel was employed as an sxnIor.-
oy me company, and in 1ss3 was sent t,+-.
tne wilderness 70 see what II orfa-A5 -,
me pTodt Of his principals He sns,s.
lhaI winter among the friendly Ez1--,-,.
means on Lake Michigan and = c,-..,
Say N the spring he followed -
ES-st s-el1 sloTe 10 the mouth Of ST. Mars
.----. ana Jnen, WITH seven friendly.
Warriors, y padded up 70 the rap!ds- v-ba-s
lAe snip canals are now Alter = sLo-r
stay mere ne made q cruise along rha
sure OF lne northern peninsula and -v-ss
Nell received by the aboriStnes
nearing OF his coming. four or 4y,s
l-ousaid natives Of the different trfbaz
aSssl-loied % meet him IN council. and he,
---a.-e a a-Ilance with them in the inter
ests OF the One Hundred Aszoeis-ss
from there he heard confused s-o-,a. -
ne Misst' Great --Seoe" rVVsre-l
IAey told him il was an outlet 10 45s.
sol-neFn sea and. in search OF f. ~.
VISITED The various Illinois tribes on -r4.
pIalrles IN the year 1884 and the follow
lhE winter. IN the spring OF 1ss5 ne =
turned 70 Montreal ana na5a 1ls -.-o-- -
he continued in the employ 81 tLe -
socla1es until he was drowned bv .ths IN
seLtlng OF & canoe on the St Iavre-~s
a0oVe Quebec IN October. Is42-
Finds a Town There
Nicolet found a permanent Indian +ov-,
al the Soo- Elsewhere the indians ws-s
nonadlc, but here they could live tl,a
year around, because the water of ~.
rapids was always open for fishing a15
IN that way they obtained their food
while the surrounding forests 7va-a en-
with game
In lsE two Jesuit fathers Cbs-r.s
Raymbault and Isaac Jogues- estabIisha5
q MISSION and gave the river its prass7-
name Father Marquette came in Ar-5r
l55S. and took charge Of the mission,
Wnlch was located near the foot OF ths
rapids, or the American side. The fol-
owing year ne coasted along the south
shore Of Lake Superior as far as Azr-
land and established La Pointe 1Iissio,
there
The Indians at la Pointe confirmed
Nlcolets reports OF a great river in rra
W est, and he was about starting in search
oI II from Ashland in the tall OF 1S70
Wnen ne was prevented by a war v-1icl,
oroke OUT between the HurOns and OF
-aWas on one side and the Dacotahs On
the other. In 1S1 he was enabled 10
realize his ambition. and was appointed
oy une Jesuit superior 10 ACCOMPANY
ioliet, the royal photographer Of France.
n search Of the Father Of Waters.
Oldest Michigan Town.
sauit Ste Marie is the oldest town IN
Michigan. and one Of the Oldest n TIE
country. II dates back neatly 80 years.
although # was only a Jesuit mission
lntn i7SQ when the French established
! military post there to keep the English
'ut Of Lake Superior. A few years later
ne Hudson Bay Company located one OF
Is principal agencies there, and On the
side constructed q sIuicevev
md lock thirty-eight feet long and eight
eet wide. through which the FUR hunters
1assed their loaded bateaux around the
-apids, towing them with oxen.
This original lock was demolished bv
-nited States troops during the war OF
81. when every building at the 500 vas
'urned- \ few years sso Francis II.
,iergue restored Il in stone and thus af-
orded a striking historical standard by
yhich the commercial growth OF the cen
ury could be measured
- American occupation OF the 500
-fter the peace OF ISIS. was merely nouai-
Continued On Pass 8, cOlzzaa 4