The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-06-11
CcIe1t/rt Ar,e0cS,D

igation Oh the great expanse of deep water OF
Lake Erie for 219 miles. 1t passes % miles OF
the Welland canal, with its seven locks, and then
has 100 miles more of deep water and open navi-
CATION across Lake Ontario. 1t has 1S2 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 III
the proposed Improvement. with slack-water navi-
cation behind the dams, there would be less than
70 miles Of restricted channel. Down the 81
Lawrence river to Belle isle, a distance OF LUIS
miles. ships navigate regularly today. and the
route offers no great obstacles during eight months
Of the year. From Belle isle to Liverpool there
Is, OF course, the ocean crossing of 2,1S6 statute
miles of open navigation. Less than "a miles OF
improved channel and SOL miles of canals would
interrupt f~ull-speed steaming from Superior, Du-
luth, Milwaukee or Chicago to England. The bar
riers that now separate the farms and cities " the
great West and Middle West from the ocean can
be overcome by channels not as long nor as din
cult to navigate as the Panama canal, the kiei
canal. or the Suez canal, and would cost only a
fraction of the expense Of construction
The possibilities of the development of hydro
electrical power are large. The normal mean
flow of the st. Lawrence at its outlet from Lake
Ontario is 100000 second-feet. There is between
the head of the rapids near Ogdensburg, N. T.
and the foot Of the lowest rapid at the City OF
Montreal a total fall Of 221 feet. II 70 per cent
of the power can be realized, the development
would amount to over four million horsepower.
The first 113 miles of the river from its outlet
from Lake Ontario Is international-that is, IL
constitutes the boundary between the two coun-
tries. The fall In this section, confined to about
forty-two miles, is ninety-two feet the power pos
sibilities Of this section on the same basis wouio De
practically one and twothird million horse power.
Normally one-half Of this would be Canadian and
one.balf United States. 1t would seem, therefore,
that the minimum power that may be developer
from the st. Lawrence and distributed through
northern New York and New England would De
eight hundred thousand horsepower. 1t 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
tho international section Of the river and In return
receive more power.
In a y address by Alexander T.. vogelsang, first
assistant secretary of the Interior, before the
river and harbor congress OF 1919, read into the
Congressional Record, these statements are mace
among others: The United States share OF the
81 Lawrence river power would have an annual
yolue NJ about So, 900, OOO. Much Of New Eng
,and ia within a ransmissio distance Of 25O
villas This power is the equivalent OF 7,75O.OOO
IONS OF coal annually. This power would furnish
Sufficient energy to supply a large part OF the
nowor now generated by fuel In this dominant In
dustrial district. The power production VIII pay
the entire cost of all the project.
with the enlarged Welland canal available. with
rho proposed dams and their great locks built.
hu cargo carriers Of many thousands OF tons
conld traverse the whole length OF the st. Law
renee to and from Lake Erie. With Improved IA
ci,,ties at the 500 and deeper channels through
tho Lakes here and there, Duluth, Superior. Mill
uroutee Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland. Buf-
falo and other lake ports. would have an unham-
nered outlet to the ocean. So says the Middle
West.
And with the mighty st. Lawrence harnessed
for power purposes and the energy distributed
through Industrial New York and New England
many problems that affect the cost OF living "ouio
he made easier Of solution. So say the promoters
~ tho ST ce!Tidewater project.