Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-19
WELLAND CANAL PLAN
RIVALS ANCIENT BOAST
Canadian Engineers Propose to Move
Shores of Atlantic 1000
Miles Inland.
BY EARLE w. GAGE.

move the world" if they would
but provide "a lever long enough and 9
prop strong enough" The spectators Wis
ualized a stirring drama in the making
and sent forth a small army of eX
plorers in quest of the necessary para
phernalia to equip the philosopher Blu
he had set the stakes so high tha
achievement was impossible, and thus
it was that he lived to ripe age without
having his bluff called.
Now. several centuries later, COM
pany of Canadian engineers is riyaline
Archimedes. 1t is as if a titanic hanc
were moving the shores of the Atlantic
Ocean more than 1000 miles inland, sc
that the eastern rim rested close to the
heart of the American continent. II
means that thousands of farmers, till
irg the acres of the central plains oil
the United States and the prairies OF
Western. Canada, will have front seat
close to tidewater. Let Archimedes beat
that!
Remove Natural Barriers.
The economic significance of casting
aside natural barriers and making way
for the UNINTERRUPTED sailing OF the
largest Great Lakes vessels from the
heart of the continent to the St Law
renee River can scarcely be estimated,
even by those to whom this service will
render the greatest service. That II
will play a conspicuous role in the flu
ture of the United States and Canada
is obvious.
Yet this is precisely what the new
Wclland Canal, by carving an almost
straight line across the Niagara PENN
sula. in Ontario. will achieve. 1t re-
.1noyes the last barrier, and its concrete
walls will provide the essential link in
Joining the inland seas of the Great
Lakes chain into one great transporta-
ton route.
The worlds largest locks become
elevators in lowering the fleet of grain
laden ships down the 236-foot drop OF
the Niagara escapment, provision hav-
ing been made in the twin locks for
handling 600-foot ships travelling in
opposite directions. Efficiency and
economy become the rule in this new
short water route.
Ever since the daring voyagers OF
three centuries ago Jared westward
through the tidal river gateway to the
mysterious unnamed, untamed wilder
ness empire, seeking that mythical
western route TO China. man has
dreamed of the day when Niagara Pen
Ursula might be Spanned by canal
system, thus providing natural detour
to compensate for the barrier upthrust
ated to hold the awe-inspired Specta-
tors spellbound and act as natural
wall against the progress of craft.
Canal Begun in 1924.
For two centuries the picturesque
Vovagers, the coureurS du bois. and the
pathfinders of the fur trade, who blaZed
the trails of the pioneer settlers, port
aged across Niagara peninsula, carrying
AZ IrViY,
rows from the unfriendly red men.
Then, in 1924. under the pressure of
Increased traffic between East and West.
the first link was forged when the first
Welland Canal was started, to be COM
pleted in 1929. Until that date all
freight had to be transported overland
from Queenston, on the lower Niagara
River, to Chippewa Greek, leading to
Lake Erie.
That waterway, of century ago. was
routed by way of the Twelve-Mile Creek
! from Port Dalhousie, on Ontario, to
Port Robinson, on Chippewa Creek. At
THE latter point the boats descended the
creek to the Niagara River and thence
to Lake Erie.
There were 40 wooden locks dotting
the 27-mile route from lake to lake,
which overcame the barrier interposed
by the Niagara escapement. These locks
were 100 feet long, % feet wide and 8
feet of water on the stills. In an era
when the pick-and-shovel method ruled
construction work this canal was justly
considered the peer of achievements.
Millions of acres had been turned by
the pioneers pillow, both in the growing
Middle West and the Just emerging As
,siniboine territory, which resulted in a
tidal wave of grain pouring down the
lakes toward the sea and heavy return
icargoes of supplies destined to assist
the homesteader combat nature in her
ISeverest mood. Thus it was, in 184l,
that it was necessary to expand the
capacity of the Welland Canal to a
nine-foot depth and to construct the st.
Lawrence Canals, avoiding the fierce
rapids between Lake Ontario and Mont
zeal.
Second Canal Opened in 1845.
The 40 wooden locks were, by increas-
lng the lifts, reduced to q, built of cut
stone, and providing much greater
Altility to the ships. This second canal
was opened to traffic in 1845, while the
United States was undergoing its en-
pire spreading era and young Canada
was just commencing to feel her
strength.
This canal sufflced to meet the trans
portation need for quarter Of CEN
fury and had by this time become
firmly established as a popular and
profitable waterway. In 1870 COM
mission recommended more uniform
scale of navigation for the canal, with
locks 270 feet long, As feet wide, with
u feet Of water on the stills, which was
later increased to IA feet.
Opened to traffic in 1887, the i'm
proved canal, which is still in use and
may not be completely abandoned with
the opening Of the newer one, turned
the tide Of grain toward the st. Law
renee and played no small part in max
ing Montreal the worlds largest grain
handling port.
Completed in 1880.
The fourth Welland Canal, now near
Ang completion, is the answer to the APP
peal of host of Western grain farmers
for a more economical transportation
route, to care for the enormous in
creased production resulting from add
Eng 1000, 900 acres of virgin prairie land
each year to the farm acreage of West
ern Canada.
The 1928 crop Appropriated 100000
200 bushels of wheat and taxed the ex-
sting transportation facilities thus the
rev canal which will be opened In time
to relieve the congestion certain ~ re-
suit with the 1880 harvest, will provide
relief to the Canadian grain growers
Millions of bushels of wheat from the
Dakotas Minnesota. Kansas, Nebraska
and neighboring grain districts, vii
trinkle through the canal toward worlc
markets.
This fourth canal has been called q
masterpiece of modern engineering. 1t:
total length will be 25 miles, with
additional miles devoted to breakwatel
and artificial harbor facilities. to in
sure safe passage to the feet of grain
ships. Instead of the 40 locks used IL
tho first Welland Canal, the new water