Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-03-09
August Belmont Begins Work of
Digging Great Cape Cod Canal

After battle of ten years to
save the Cape Cod canal from be-
coming only dream of the sea, Aug
ust Belmont began last week the act
ual work OF cutting the eight mile
strait that is designed to transform
the Cape region from the great mari
time graveyard of the world TO a
safe and profitable route for freight
and passenger traffic.
1t may well be said Mr.. Belmont
has started the consummation OF his
pet work, for although the Cape Cod
Construction company is the colby
formal title of the operating agency,
it is to Mr.. Belmont's sentiment for
the task that the long deferred pro-
ject has at length reached the point
where but little time is reun1red
for the usccess of the undertaking
Few big engineering works have so
largely owed their salvation to the
efforts of one man as does this canal
to the New York financier who seized
the reins when abandonment seemed
inevitable, and by personal interest
and the swinging of the check book,
that is at times mightier than the
spade, put the life saving personal
equation into the project.
From the earliest days the large
number of vessels engaged in carry
ing cargoes under sail and steam
from the New England States to the
Atlantic coastwise trade have been
buffeted by gales, swept upon rocK
and reef, and many a stout ship has
contributed her all to the graveyard
off the Cape. Early dreamers ana
workers looked to the narrow neck
that holds the armlike cape between
Barnsta5e and Buzzard's bay as
means of salvation. If that short
neck of eight miles could be cut, per
hitting ships to go through, instead
of around the treacherous Cape, they
foresaw safety and profit.
Time after time the Massachusetts
was asked to permit the work. The
State was wiling. But something al
ways happened at the wrong time,
and it was not until 1899 that char
ter, granted to the Boston, Cape Cod
and New York Canal Company,
brought into the venture men or
Massachusetts and OF New York, VINO
made up their minds not to let the
venture die. Mr.. Belmont took the
financial arrangements. He formed
company with S6,000,000 of bonGs
and an equal amount of stock ana
announced that he intended to sit up
with the plan until he came through
the canal on the first trip.
To his aid he brought Captain ,.
w. Miller, graduate of Annapolis, an
officer who had served with dist1nc-
ton and who as early as 1872 haa
been designated for photographic
work in connection with the Mica
ragua canal. Captain Miller's train
ing, together with his connection
with railroad construction in the pc
riod during which he left the navy
between times of trouble for CIVIL
work, gave to Mr.. Belmont a right
hand man who had the enthusiasm
essential for the working out of the
canal problem
Work For the Idea.
With Mr.. Belmont he toured the
country talking and working for the
scheme. They pointed out that the
canal ran through eight miles or
sandy and easily worked territory,
with an extreme elevation OF only
twenty nine feet and much OF It's
course below the level of the sea.
They promised to dig the ditch Is
feet deep and 100 feet wide except
at three points for passing and to
run breakwater 5000 feet long on
the eastern side for the purpose OF