The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-02-12
Houghton Department.
TELEPHONE SOUTH 10 a. Y ~
new HARBOR OF REFUGE
And WHAT IT ALL MEANS
How the $4,000 Recently APP
prOpriated will be Spent. Only
Small Part of Total.
SHORT HISTORY OF PROJECT
TELEPHONE SOUTH ~ a

From out OF Washington city. came
the press dispatch the other day tina
congress would pass a bin appropriate
ing $4,000 for the Improvement of IN,
Portage lake and Lake superior shil
canal The dispatch was printed IL
the papers hereabouts and a few peo-
pie knew something about what II
meant. or thought they did.
In order that tho people might know
"a little more about IL "A representative
of The News called at the office OF
George II. Banks. Junior engineer and
officer IN charge OF the canal at his
office in Houshton yesterday Qtcnoon
and was somewhat surprised To have
that official answer that he knows COZ
ncIally) as little about tho meaning of
the dispatch from the capital city as
any person.
What Engineer Banks Thinks.
Il saw the dispatch i'm the papers"
said Engineer Banks, "and was some
what surprised but. aside from what
was in that dispatch, ] know nothing
about the matter. OF course, ! have
not yet received any word from the
department as TO what 1t Is for We
had been expecting 10 hear that the
amount FOR the construction of the
harbor of refuge at the entry had been
appropriated but this $4,000 is only
small part of the money needed for
that work
'If we get word as l expect we shall
within "a few days. that this money is
for the hurbor of refuge we will go
ahead with the work as fast as we can
10 was as far back as 1908 that the
agitation for this Improvement was
started and we have been trying ever
since To get the thing put through In
1906 we We're authorized 20 furnish
the department with a preliminary
draft and estimate of the cost Of the
proposed harbor. This was furnished
at that time and the cost Of the pro-
ject was placed at $4,000"
Original Estimate Increased.
After the war department had been
with this information and
estimate OF cost and It had been APP
proved by the different engineers and
committees OF congress, in March Of
the following year congress passed an
act requiring that a preliminary exam
nation and surveys Of the proposed
Improvement Doe furnished. together
with a detailed estimate Of the cost of
the work.
These surveys were finished and the
estimate furnished the department in
ae fan OF that year 1907. The revised I
stimate showed that tho original es- /
innate was not high enough and that .
9 would take $4,000 10 construct tho /
,ind Of refuge harbor provided for in /
he plans. Since this information was 4
,iven TO the department, .here has been .
cry little heard Of IA, proposed i'm
'royement until last year.
Fitch Endorses Project.
There Is little doubt that the CON
tont efforts OF Supt Banks to secure
he needed Improvement have been ef-
cctive at last He enlisted the aid Of /
lis chief Graham y. Fitch, Lieut.. Col.
'orps Of Engineers in charge Of harbor
on Lake Superior. When
.ol. Fitch, who is stationed M Duluth.
ladc his annual report 90 The chief Of
nginecrs late IN 1909, Doc commented
pom the proposed refuge harbor as
blows:
The large commerce carried through
boz Portagc lake ship canal Is evidence
tho importance of this waterway ana
the benefits to be derived from It's
Tho needs of further improvements
this waterway are receiving consid-
.at.on. ONE needed Improvement is
.e construction ~ a harbor of refuge
the lower end of the waterway. Just I
side the mouth 81 the Portage river.
'meThat similar 90 the harbor OF ref I
ze near the upper cnd ana known as
.e Lily pond. a preliminary exam
alton OF this locality with plans and
.iim"tes were duly authorized and
Ivc been reported by me as ana i'm
-1F"msut worthy Of being undertake q,
ty the government This opinion
ae c0ncurred in by thc division en-
Herr Bog the board ~ engineers FOR I
rurn and harbors ana by the CHIEF "