The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-27
PROPOSAL TO
MAKE DULUTH
Continued From Page One.

tiations will be conducted in the mair
by Mr.. Tawney, acting in behalI o.
the United States, and by tn. Chase
Casgrain, Is. c.. chairman OF q ga
madam section Of the joint commis'
sion. D..
Agitation Long Under Way
The agitation for an oceanway from
Atlantic tidewater to the head Of navi-
CATION on the Great Lakes was begun
many years ago. and was discussed
seriously when President Taft entered
into the Canadian reciprocity agree
ment. The men now interested declare
that the matter will be pressed to 6
conclusion. "
Three Routes Suggested.
Three routes have been suggested
for a waterway connecting the oceaf
and the lakes deep enough to be tray
ersed by ocean steamers. One or them
a Canadian project, provides that the
waterways shall begin at Georgians
bay, proceed thence to the Ottawa
river, and thence to the ST. Lawrence
Another route suggested is by canal tt
Lake Ontario, and from that point
through locks and dams down the st
Lawrence to Montreal. 1t Is estimated
that if the former project was adopted
it would entail an expenditure of $3.50,
0 5000.
Would Use All Lakes.
A third route proposed by Aneri-
ans is more generally favored, espe-
cially on this side of the border. II
involves the use Of all the lakes and
the st. Lawrence river with its outlet
to the ocean. It is suggested that this
particular route would not seriously
affect the lake levels, where h 9TH
ers, it is feared, might lower the lake
waters considerably. In discussing the
benefits to be deprived by the United
States and Canada from an oceanway
such as Is proposed, Senator Town
send, who brought the question to the
attention of congress and the Inter-
national Joint commission, said:
Commerce Would Be Great.
ITO the Great Lakes the greatest
commerce Of the world is tributary
The fertile fields, the exhaustless
mines, the largest manufactures and
the mighty forests of the most pro-
ductive regions of the United States
and Canada would find their natural
outlet to market over this waterway
The commerce Of this course would eX.
coed in one year the total commerce
which the optimistic estimator pre-.
diets will pass through the Panama
canal In ten years.
Would Eliminate F~seIoading.
Last year there were locked through
the 500 canal more than 70, 000, 0O,
tons of freight. Much OF that Tonnage
was destined, for foreign shipment an,
much for consumption on or near tn,
Atlantic s%eaboard.. This had to b.
loaded onto, the. lake boats and. car
ried to Buffalo or other Lakes Fri
ports and there transferred through
elevators to rail cars, or to the Fri,
canal boats and hauled to New Yorl
or other seaports, where it was agaiI
transferred either for shipment abroa,
or TO vehicles engaged in the domesti,
trade. The cost of handling in thest
transshipments was either destructiv,
of reasonable profits to production or
what is more likely in many cases
both consumption and production were
unwisely burdened. ,.r- '.,'.. ..
ECONOMY for Middle West.
1T does not require. a professional
economist or an expert traffic man tc
show the economy which would re-
suit to the ~stupendous industry of the
middle west of the United States and
Canada if the burdens of reshipment
were removed and cargoes could be
loaded at lake. ports and unloaded al
the ultimate point of destination, and
this benefit would be increased by the
similar advantages resulting to in
bound freight from the Atlantic coast
and from foreign ports. But these
benefits coming directly from the
actual use of The ocean waterway
would not be the only ones enjoyed
by industry. Such a waterway would
produce the result which has always
flowed and which always will flow
from the creation Of water transpor-
tation, namely. it will cause a reduc-
ton Of rail rates and an Improvement
Of rail facilities from all points or
even remotely competitive rail lines
Railroads Will Oppose Plan.
Senator Townsend declared thai
three obstacles would have to be re-
moved in considering the building OF
the ocean waterway. He said THAI the
railroads would oppose; that interna-
tional complications presented them
selves and that the cost would be sc
great as to offer disbursement unit
the influence of the project was FULLY
realized. II hope the railroad mer
will recognize the inevitable and lent
a hand" said Mr.. Townsend. TIL,
senator expressed the opinion that |
the question was properly handled
Canada undoubtedly could be persuad'
ed to enter into an agreement tt
build a waterway. thus removing tn,
International complications the sena,
tor had in mind.
Cost Estimate. on Survey.
Until surveys nave been made, Sen
ator Townsend said that no one coult
accurately estimate the cost of tn
waterway. He suggested that unit
the two governments had entered int
| joint action to undertake the water
way, that every water improvement
made by the United States on tn
northern border should be undertaken
with the idea in mind that ultimatel.
the government would dig a thirty
five-foot channel between Duluth, Chi
cago and Montreal.
ut will be economy to build for tn
future, for that future contains an un
INSTRUCTED waterway for ocean levia
thans from the Great Lakes to tn
Atlantic ove natures natural course
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