The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1921-06-24
Jc,ert,fte A,,,s-,csr)

igation on the great expanse of deep water OF
Lake Erie for 219 miles. 1t passes % miles OF
the Weand canal with It's seven locks and then
has 100 miles more Of deep water and open navi
cation across Lake Ontario. 1t has 1872 miles
from Lake Ontario to Montreal but Of this dis
lance only about 20 miles are canal navigation
At present there are 40 miles OF canals. but IN
the proposed Improvement, with slack-water navi
cation behind the dams. there would be less than
70 miles of restricted channel. Down the st
Lawrence river to Belle isle. Il distance OF 1908
miles. ships navigate regularly today. and the
route offers no great obstacles during eight months
OF the year. From Belle isle to Liverpool there
~ OF course the ocean crossing OF 21S6 statute
miles or open navigation. Less than ~ miles OF
improved channel and SOL miles OF canals would
interrupt fuil-speed steaning from Superior Du
luth. Milwaukee or Chicago to England. The bar
rers that now separate the farms and cities Of the
great West and Middle West from the ocean can
be overcome by channels not as long nor as diff
cult tn navigate as the Panama canal the Klel
canal. or the Suez canal. and would cost only
fraction of the expense OF construction"
The possibilities OF the development Of hydro.
electrical power large. The normal mean
How of the ST. Lawrence mt It's outlet from Lake
Ontario Is 100000 second-feet There Is between
the head Of the rapids near Ogdensburg y. y.
and tho foot OF the lowest rapid at the City Of
Montreal total full of 22l feet II 10 per cen,
OF the power can he realized the development
would amount TO over four million horse power
The nrst il3 miles Of the river from It's oute'
from Lake Ontario Is international--that Is. II
constitutes the boundary between the two co,in-
tries The fall In this section confined To about
forty-two miles, Is ninetS.two feet the power pos
sihilltcs ~ this section the same basis would be
practically one and two-third million horse power
Normally half of this would be Canadian ana
one-hatf United States Ii would seem, therefore
that the minimum power that NAV he developed
from the 81. Lawrence aud distributed through
northern New York and New England would be
eight hundred thousand horsepower. II Is not
unlikely. however, that In the final bargaining be
tween the two countries the United States may
assume some of the expense of Improvement below
the International section of the river and in return
receive more power.
In an address by Alexander T. vogelsang nrst
assistant secretary of the interior, before the
river and harhor congress Of 1919 read into the
Congressional Record these statements are made
among others: The United States share of the
~ Lawrence river power would have mn annual
value ~ about St.oaooo Much OF New Eng.
land Is within transmission distance NJ 80
miles. This power is the equivalent OF T.73o01
tons of coal annually This power would furnis'
sufficient ehergN to supply large part N the
power now generated by fuel in this dominant In.
au>trial district The power production will pay
the entire e'St OF all the project.
With the enlarged Wellsnd canal available with
The proposed dams and their great locks built
big cnfsa curriers' of many thousands OF tons
could Traverse the whole length ef the NJ Law.
renee to and from Lake Erie With improved IN.
ctlttes al the 500 and deeper channels through
the Lakes here and there Duluth Superior Nh.
Waukee Chicago, Detroit. Toledo. Cleveland But.
talo aud other lake ports would have an unham.
p"red outlet To the ocean. So says the Middle
West.
And with the mighty 1t. Lawrence harnes<cd
for power purposes and the energy distributed
through Industrial New York aud New England
many problems that AFFECT the cost OF living would
be made easier OF solution. So say the promoters
~ the st lawrence idewater project