Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-07-20
CHARTING LAKES
HAS TAKEN YEARS
Government Has Spent Millions
to Make Waterways Safe
for Ships.
PERIL OF JAGGED REEFS
Hereulean Fight Against Unseen
Shoals That Menace Navigation Has
Been Carried on Since ie4i--
New Method Of Sounding.

Detroit, Mlch.-Summer after sum.
mer the ileet OF the Lake Survey sails
the broad eXpanse Of the five lakes
aud the score Of bays und nlets
searching for danger spots that may
claim their heavy toll In human life
aud vessel tonnage.
Probably no frequented waterways
In the world are so hazardous as the
Great Lakes Al no time Is a steamer
on them more than comparatively
few hours from shore and periodically
fierce storms arise. fully MS violent rs
those experienced on the ocean. which
play with the steel ships, battering
them helplessly about, threatening TO
ongulf or sweep them ashore.
over 100000 has been spent by
tho government since 1871 for the
prosecution Of the work OF charilng
the likes. Locked In heavy timber
boxes, protected from FIRE In immense
vaults Ia the old post Office building.
b'b'iAf hif NN'I low u'lN NHAIlH,
dating back 10 1918. when a survey Of
Lake Erie was made by officers Of the
British navy. With few exceptions
the maps are the result Of the scien-
tihc researches Of United States engi
necrs and surveyors.
Work Of Generations
These maps represent the work ~
generations Of men who have tolled
10 make the Great Lakes safe. As
result Of their Investigations light.
houses have sprung from barren rocks.
and the solemn ringing Of bells on
buoys carries their warnings 10 pass
Ing nnvlgntora
While the work Of charting the
lakes has been carried on since ls4l
with only one break In the task. which
occurred In 1880 and lasted until 1890,
there IN still much 10 be done 70 make
the survey a thorough one In fact
n was only II years ngo that what
might be called an unfalllng system
for testing the depths has been devised
Previous 20 that time the old meth
od Of dropping weight OF twelve
pounds or 80, trying 10 keep the line
plumb. was employed. The system
was far from lnfallible.
This lightweight testing method was
employed until the pos. Then came
the heavy loopound sounding bell
This heavy obstacle was dragged
through the water. n machine on board
ship registering the angle the metal
was DETECTED from the boat as the
ship steamed along. The bells sheer
weight made II an excellent drag.
But this system was too crude and
imperfect. Twelve years ago Major
Keller, United States Engineer corps
In charge Of the lake survey, devised
n method whereby piano wire from
1000 20 5000 feet In length. slung
from two launches and weighted down.
was used 10 search for shoal spots
and other elevations Of submarine
land.
Today this ingenious device Is in
use on the lakes and ms n result 81 II
many shoal and reef regions. hitherto
unknown. have been listed.
Increase In Commerce.
During the years Of the decade be-
ginning In 1870 the commerce OF the
Great Lakes had begun 20 assume con-
siderable proportions, and the Ameri-
can government planned canal at
Saulte ste. Marie 10 connect Lake SUI
pcrior and the lower lakes The only
chartibg. however. had been accom-
pllshed by engineers connected with
the British navy.
In 1s4i Capt. W. q. Williams, who
was NJ that time In charge Of harbor
improvements In Buffalo harbor, was
ordered 20 take charge 81 the survey.
Ing Of the Great Lakes. by 1878 what
wns assumed To be q thorough survey
OF the lakes had been made and the
following two years were spent In the
compiling Of documents and the per
fectlon 81 charts then In existence and
circulation.
The years that had been spent up
TO 1880 on making the geodetic or sub
marine survey of the lakes had Wit
messed marvellous changes. The flow
OF population moved westward Ike a
tidal wave and cities sprang seeming
" out Of the very earth. The five
lakes were white with the sails II com
mcrce.
BY 1890 schooners were fast becom.
ing obsolete. The heavy draft
steamer that displaced water to the
depth Of 20 feet had driven the light
vessels Of II and 10 feet draft from
the field.
That resurvey must be made be-
came evident. Provisions had been
mnde only for vessels Of light dlsplace-
ment. Appropriations were made by
congress 20 carry on the work again.
In searching for shoal area
MS much MS $1,000 has been spent.
The work of the Lake Survey has for
It's object the preparation Of accurate
nnvlrntors' charts Of the lakes and no
...t.. m. .p,r.I fn tuuLa tho mune