Palisadian., 1925-11-27

SOUTH His expedition of last summer covered
LOO miles by canoe and trail.
Ontario, north Of Lake Nipgon, is practically
undeveloped The Albany Basin was not included
in the Fertile Belt" in 1867, when the Dominion
OF Canada wrested 100000 square miles from the
Hudsons Bay company. For the purposes Of this
transfer the fertile belt thus officially defined:
ION the south by the United States boundary;
the west by the Rocky Mountains; the north
by the northern branch Of the Saskatchewan; on
the east by Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods
and the waters connecting them" Lake Winnipeg
Is in Manitoba and something like $50 miles west
of Lake Nipigon.
The Albany Basin drains east The Albany and
Ogoki rivers rise In the far western part of On
tario, flow east through the Albany Basin. unite at
its eastern edge and empty into James Bay There
is multitude of lakes of various sizes along the
course of both streams through the Albany Basin
and also a of connecting streams. Lake
Nipigon, to the south of the Albany Basin, is
separated from 1t by watershed and drains into
Lake Superior Lake Npigon is considerable
body of water containing 1,45O square miles,
The Albany Basin, from such semoficia,
Canadian reports are at hand, seems to contain
nothing of apparent value, except pulpwood ane
unchecked forest fires have made serious inroadS
into the wooded areas. 1t appears TO be low
lying wilderness of lake. stream, swamp and for
est one-sxth of which is water.
Consideration in a general way of the Campbell!
far afeld. For example:
Ontario is in the position of owning the Albany
Basin and of having something to sell to the Great
Lakes region. What should be her price? AS an
Offset there is the development of vast region,
now practically inaccessible and likely otherwise
to be useless for many years. This proposed de-
velopment includes the creation of vast water
power; the marketing Of her pulpwood forests;
the establishment of permanent city of consider
able size Obviously Ontario cannot drive hard
bargain.
The Campbell Plan is primarily for the purpose
of restoring the Great Lakes levels If it should
accomplish that purpose 1t would seem fair
to spread special assessments wide
for benefits received Both the United States and
Canadian governments are spending large sums
yearly on dredging. So are many states and prov,
inces and cities. All of these could well afford to
make substantial contribution to the cost.
The shipping interests of the Great Lakes, the
full cargo-carrying capacity of their vessels
restored would be substantially benefited fnan-
cialIy Could they be fairly asked to contribute?
The power companies of both countries at
Niagara Falls would largely benefit from an in
creased flow of water Would an assessment fair
ly lie there?
An increased flow of water would undoubtedly
hasten the day of the proposed great waterways:
the waterway from the Great Lakes to the Allan
tic by way of the st. Lawrence; the waterway
from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico by
way of the Chicago and Illinois and Mississippi
rivers. Would this prospect lead the two govern
ments and other interested political divisions to
favor the Campbell Plan?
And then there is Chicago and its Sanitary
District This district contains 437 square miles,
including all of Chicago and about so other in
corporated cities and villages 1t is therefore one
of the richest districts in the world, with pop
uaton of about 100000. Construction began in
1892 About $90000,000 has been expended to date
including about $25,000O00 for pumping stations
intercepting sewers and sewage treatment plants
The length of the main and power channe is 40
miles, The minimum depth is % feet. Its capacity
is 100000 cubic feet minute-10,0O0 cubic feet Il
second 1t is actually using about 5000 cubic feet
a second-about half the estimated flow of the sur
plus water of the New Great Lake. How much
could Chicago afford to contribute to the cost of
the Campbell Plan? Certainly many millions.