The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-09-07

the Mississippi; second-Across Ohio
and the Miami River to the Ohio Ri
yer; third-From Blue Island down
the Des Plains and Illinois Rivers to
the Mississippi; fourth-From Lake
Ontario to Lake Oneida and through
the Mohawk and Hudson to the ocean
and lastly, the St, Lawrence outlet.
Four Great Canals.
1t is interesting to note that the
four historic outlets are all capable
of being converted into barge canal
routes. Years ago a canal line was
built and operated across the state of
Ohio, connecting Lake Erie and the
Ohio River. The second lock in the
Illinois River outlet is now being con-
structed with the prospect that some
barge transportation from Chicago
to the Mississippi River will be a
reality. The st. Croix and Mohawk
River outlets both have at this time
| active proponents and both routes
are entirely feasible for canal lines.
Interest, however, centers primar-
lily in the developing Of the present
outlet through the st. Lawrence Ri
yer. The largest ocean-going ships
now come up to Montreal, which is at
the head of tidewater. They are pre-
vented from coming on up to Lake
| Ontario because of rapids in the St.
Lawrence River. An international
Joint commission was appointed some
two or three years ago with authority
to have surveys made to determine
the feasibility and expenses of OPEN
ing this route from Montreal to Lake
Ontario for ocean-going shipping.
Hearings were held in every principal
city of this country and Canada.
The surveys have been made and
the report has been made to Parlia-
ment and to Congress. 1t indicated
that about forty miles of canal be-
tween Montreal and the international
The rapids about the international
boundary can be submerged or drown
ed by the building of a dam just
owned by the building of a dam just
above the town of Cornwall. The n.y.
dro- electric power from this dam is
estimated at l,750.000 horsepower.
At a cent and a half per kilowatt-
hour for our half of this power the
bonds necessary for the entire cost
of our part of the improvement would
be retired in from forty to fifty years.
This cost is estimated by the engi-
neers at three hundred million dol
lars, based on last years costs OF
labor and material, and upon the
same basis as were made the engi'
neers' estimates Of the Panama Can.
al. The Panama Canal was actually
built for ten million dollars under
the engineers estimates. These i'm
provements would permit ocean-goinl
ships of 21-foot draft and under t.
enter our Great Lake ports. More
than eighty per cent of the worlds
shipping is carried in vessels Of q
#. draft approximately 5000 tons
or under. Canada is already rebuild
ing the Welland canal at a cost o
almost one hundred million dollar'
and making it of sufficient size to &C
commodate ships of S00-foot length
S0-foot beam and 31-foot draft.
Ocean Shipping.
The entire project when completed
would give all the Great Lake port!
the advantage of ocean shipping ant
ocean rates. 1t is generally agreed
that wheat could be sent from Du
luth to Chicago or Liverpool by thi
route at considerably more than tel
cents a bushel cheaper than by on
present systems, and that this savinI
would, according to the electrical en-
Queer. 1t would also make competi
: ton on our lake shipping and incom
ing freights which would result in al
immense saving. The hydro-electri
power which would be develope,
would, according to the electrical en-
gineers' estimates, be easily trans
mitted on a radius of three hundre'
! miles, thus serving all the New Eng
+, land manufacturing cities and relaas
! ing approximately thirty million ton
: of coal annually, which would b
available for the Midwest and North
r west states, and would have the ad
vantage of the better lake transports
!, ton and competition an getting it t
Its destination,
Since the engineers reports wer
g made, and since the st. Lawrence tri
was made, scientists have announce
the perfection Of a new mode 0
i transmitting electricity, whereby
million volts can be sent over a sir
gle wire, thus increasing the ccc
nomic radius Of transmission frol
/ three hundred miles to one thousan
miles, which would mean a broade
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