The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1921-06-10
(JclertJfle A,sser7cs>z)

igation on the great expanse of deep water OF
Lake Erie for 219 miles. 1t passes 25 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 46 miles of canals but in
the proposed Improvement with sack-water navi-
cation behind the dams. there would be less than
~ miles OF restricted channel Down the St.
Lawrence river to Belle isle. distance of DOB
miles ships navigate regularly today, and the
route offers great obstacles during eight months
of the year. From Belle isle to Liverpool there
Is, of course. the ocean crossing of 21S6 statute
miles of open navigation. Less than "A miles of
improved channel and SOL miles of canals would
interrupt full-speed steaming from SUPERIOR Dur
luth, Milwaukee or Chicago to England The bar
rers that separate the farms and cities Of the
great West and Middle West from the ocean can
be overcome by channels not as long as diff
cult to navigate the Panama canal, the kel
canal, or the Suez canal, and would cost only
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 secondfeet. There is between
the head of the rapids near Ogdenshurg n. Y,
and the foot of the lowest rapid at the City of
Montreal a total fall of 221 feet. If 20 per cent
of the power can be realized. the development
The first 113 miles of the river from its outlet
from Lake Ontario is international-that is. 1t
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
sibities OF this section on the same basis would be
practically one and two-third million horse power
Normally one-half Of this would be Canadian and
onehalf United States. II would SEEM therefore,
that the minimum power that may he developed
from the st. Lawrence and distributed through
northern New York and New England would he
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
the international section of the river and in return
receive more power.
In an address by Alexander T. Vogesang first
assistant secretary of the interior, before the
river and harbor congress of 1919 read into the
Congressional Record these statements are made
among others: The United States share of the
ST. Lawrence river power would have an annual
value of about S12,00000O. Much Of New Eng
land is within a transmission distance of go
miles. This power Is the equivalent of 750OO0
tons of coal annually. This power would furnish
sufficient energy TO supply large part of the
power now generated by fuel In this dominant in
dustrial district. The power production will pay
the entire cost of all the project.
With the enlarged Welland canal available with
the proposed dams and their great locks built
big cargo carriers of many thousands of tons
could traverse the whole length of the St Law
renee to and from Lake Erie. With improved ia
cilities at the 500 and deeper channels through
the Lakes here and there, Duluth, Superior Mil
wRukee, Chicago, Detroit. Toledo, Cleveland Buff
falo and other lake ports. would have unham-
pered outlet to the ocean. So says the Middle
West.
And with the mighty ST. Lawrence harnesseo
for power purposes and the energy distributed |
through industrial New York and New England |
nny problems that affect the cost of living would !
e made easier of solution. So say the promoters |
If the St Lawrsnce-Tidewater project