The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-03
SECRETARY G. |, PRICE
ANSWERS ARGUMENTS
COMMERCIAL CLUB RESPONDS TO
U. S. ENGINEERS ON PRINCESS
POINT CUT QUESTION.

Secretary George l.. Price, of the
Copper Country Commercial club. has
received an answer To his letter to the
board of engineers in charge of the
Princess point cut The board of en-
gineers is not in favor of continuing
this work, according To its letter Sec
Rotary Price answered with the fol-
lowing reasons why the work ON this
point should be continued:
(a) 1t is admitted that the distance
between Duluth and the Sault is
slightly greater through the waterways
than around the outside of Keweenaw
point. The Keweenaw waterways,
however. offer harbor of refuge in
rough weather to vessels both large
and small. which has been used for
some time, barring those whose own
crs have given the masters strict in
structions not To pass through the
canal under any circumstances ow-
ing to the difficulty in rounding Prin-
cess point These boats are compelled
To lie i'm the lee of KeWeenaw point
until the storm blows over. by using
the waterways the boats may, If high
seas compel, lie over at Lily pond or
at the Entry, as the case may be, for
,almcr weather, and they are so much
nearer their destination when the
storm subsidies. The dangers attend
ant upon rounding Keweenaw point in
a storm are attended to by long
list of wrecks with heavy loss of life
and property
OBJ Vessels of moderate size en-
gagged in through or local traffic can,
with care, use the waterway in its
present condition, but 50 great is this
necessity for care that even small eX-
Cursion steamers have been compelled
| to lie over night at the Entry when
a light fog has slightly obscured the
channel \ large percentage of the
boats grounding at Princess point
| have been of 800 feet or more I'm
length II is also fact that the larg-
est vessels plying the great lakes, 500
feet over all and of 1000 tons or
more, are engaged in delivering coal
! to or receiving coal from the local
docks. Upon these vessels the hard
| ship falls most heavily.
(c) The Improvement would he in
the nature of an added convenience a.
navigation. rather than necessity. In
| this day when Il few hours delay
means serious loss. cOnNcniCnces "a
| navigation are necessities The Soc
| locks might bc said to he n convcn-
| fence rather than a necessity; the
same is true of the Portage canals In
their entirely; the same holds good of
steam and electricity.
| td) "Thc cost is estimated al $l3S,
too II is believed the work could he
| done for less. aud n considerable sum
| be returned to the treasury The cost
represents possibly ten years aggrc-
gate of delays. damage, loss of cargo
in lightcring, expense Ia government
In removal of anchors, and other oil
! structions, etc. which may result in a
continuance of present conditions.
Other Club Work.
| Secretary Price has also written t.
| the commissioner of highways Of both
Michigan and Wisconsin. asking them
10 puhllSll ~ loullS'S Sui"'' 'AP'aill-
| ing the best roads to bc taken {,
reach the copper country from Chicago
by automobile. Tourists set out every
year from Chicago Ia take a tour in
their automobiles and never come &c
| the copper country because of the fact
| that they think 1t impossible.
MIR Price has received encouraging
replies To his letters from both of these
officials The trip can easily be made
i'm four days and it Is possible to tray
el II in three Gays. The "pathindc'