Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-05-29

Situated ship canal excavated by the hand of nature
extending from the vicinity of the Canadian boundary well
toward the navgab Hudson residents of the Champan val
ley look with envous the activity of the DOM
inon opening up lines of deep water trans
portaton supplement the natural channels and the rail
roads
It is true that our neghbors of New York construct
ing barge canal that will handle freghers of considerable
proportions and that of Lake Champan profit there
by if will but that scheme hardly to the d
mansions of the grand project Of the late Thomas H. Can
field who this lake transformed into vertable inland
and constituting link in deep waterway extending
from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic ocean.
Our Canadian neighbours the other hand have seized
of the projects foreseen by the Garfield
and assured that in the not distant future the
great Georgian bay which is in effect extension of
Lake Huron will be connected with the ST. Lawrence at Mon
trea by ship channel via the Ottawa and tributaries
canaed afordng direct route between Chicago and the
Mr.. Canfeld's firm, Bradley & Garfield, of Burlington
who interested in building the Rutland Burlington
railroad well the Ogdensburg and Lake Champan in
1S49 conceived the idea of developing freight route between
Boston and Chicago and other ports the Great Lakes
Lake Champlain and the and thus dvertng
traffic from the Erie canal route.
In 1850 Mr. Garfield purchased the first cargo flour
for this route n Cleveland and shipped by way Montreal
to Burlington his firm running line of between Mon
trea and New York city The year his firm
the steamer Earl of Cahcourt between Montreal and
Detroit thus starting freight line the Great Lakes
joining with the Ogdensburg Lake Champlain at Ogdens
burg with steamer service Lake Champlan between
mgon and Rouses Point connecting the Ogdensburg and
Rutland lines
1t was natural under these circumstances that Mr. Can
field should become interested in the project deep water
way between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic with ship
canal extending distance of twenty miles from Caughna
waga on the ST. Lawrence to ST. Johns Lake Champains
outlet the Rcheeu and the ultimate connecting of Lake
Champain with the Hudson.
Public meetings held in Saratoga, Troy, Burlng-
ton and other Places with addresses by prominent men in
support OF the project and the Canadian Parliament granted
charter for the construction of the Caughnawaga canal
though under conditions unfavorabe prevent the
undertaking of the actual work of construction
In addition to the Ottawa route Mr.. Garfield also pro-
jected another cutoff by of connecting Geor
gian bay with Lake Ontario Toronto distance miles,
which would give more natural channels than that
the Ottawa river.
The Georgian bay route has been chosen for develop
nent by syndicate of English capitalists and Sir Robert
Perks for twenty member of the British Parliament
has just completed service of two months spent the
United States and in Canada in perectng the details of
preparation and financing In discussing this project just
before his departure for London this this engineer
and capitalist said
1.-THE canal is an assured thing. Laurier and Borden
have pledged their support for the construction of it. The
charter has been granted the and the
formed to finance it. 1t will cost Sl25OOO0OO build it,
about onehaf the present Panama canal It will
be financed by Canadian government guarantee on the
bonds although the canal company will have take risk
of building it within the guaranteed amount.
las strengthening feat it is entirely feasible It will
consist mainly for its APO miles of length deepening the
channels of the Ottawa Mattawa and French rivers There
VIII be wenyfour locks providing fall of 500 feet the
Montreal side The channel will be twentyfour feet deep
1t is estimated that 100000 pass through the
canal year At fifty cents ton this would provide an in
come of $9OOOO00 1t will also produce revenue by means
of the 100000 that be generated from it.
The yearly operation expenses will be 81 ,OOO OOO"
Judging from the with which British captal was
INDUCED 10 ance the great waterpower project Massena
Springs, ~ w. costing Millions this combined canal and
power undertaking backed by the Canadian government will
not want for capital.
is figured that steamers of 10000 tons will be able to
load at Chicago Duluth Milwaukee or other American norris
on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior carry their carpoes
OF ORE wheat lumber whatever it may directly to Euro
pean ports without change
When the Georgian bay route opened and in success
u operation requires neither prophet nor the son of
prophet TO orsee that the short connecting link between the
ST. Lawrence and Lake Champn the enlargement of the
Champlain canal to the Hudson will speedily follow