The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-12-26
BY Henry S. curtis, Pm. o.

BY henrJ ,. Gurtls, m. u
For nearly hundred years the
United States and Canada have been
considering deep water way
through the Great Lakes and down
ths 81. Lawrence to the sea. Nj
merous commissions. representing
for the most part the most eminent
engineers OF the two countries have
been appointed, have spent many
months and many thousands OF dol
lars In detailed studies OF the prob
lens involved and reported that the
plan was eminently practical and
should be undertaken at once. Al
least three of our presidents have
sent messages 10 Congress urging
affirmative action on the project.
The Seaway will cost a great deal
OF money. Can we afford Il? The
latest commits sion OF experts TO re-
port. the one appointed by President
Roosevelt, estimates that the Sea-
way Will cost the United States
$272,000,000; but that 1t will save
in round numbers each year S44,-
100000 on exports. $34,000,000 on
Imports and develop power worth
$4,000, 600. This would mean an
overall saving OF s104.000000. near.
ly 40 per cent on the estimated in
vestment. AS the government proba.
bly, would not pay much over two
per cent for the money, $l04 100000
would represent the interest on
$4,000 100000.
But il is believed that there are a
number OF significant items that
were not considered in the esti-
mate OF the experts. which is built
on navigation and power alone our
Atlantic ports are often very con-
gested. Not infrequently train load
OF merchandise may be held out OF
the terminal for a longer period
than II took to come from its place
Of origin. The average time for a
ship 10 unload and take on cargo at
New York is put at l012 days. Port
charges are high and are often
spoken OF as excessive. The trans
fer Of goods from the train to the
ship may cost as much as the
freight.
Now these delays and expenses
would be greatly reduced II not
eliminated to the Great Lakes area
by sending their products through
the Seaway. II takes less than an
hour to load one OF the Great Lakes
freighters with ore at Duluth. The
port dues on the lakes are less,
and where there must be a trans.
fer from train to boat by truck. II
is usually a short and inexpensive
one.
The Great Lakes are the logical
shipbuilding center OF the United
States. Around Lake Superior lies
one OF the greatest iron deposits
in the world. II is scooped up by
great dredges from open pits al
a rate that takes only few minutes
to load a car. The trains are run
gu, over high trestles at Duluth
and dumped into bins from which
ten thousand tons can be funneled
into a waiting steamer with a roar
that can be heard for many miles
| in fifteen minutes. On their return
| trip up the lakes the boats may
we'll carry the coal as ballast &c
smelt the ore. Not far from Lake
Superior in Minnesota Wisconsin
and Michigan and in Canada there
still remain great reserves OF tim
Der. With most of the essential ma
terials right at hand. It should be
possible to build ships on the Grea'
Lakes considerably cheaper thar
they can be built on the Atlantic oil
| the Pacific.
Cheap iron and cheap timber with
a deep channel 10 the ocean should
be sufficient reasons for the devel
/ opment OF great shipbuilding bust
ness along the waterway; but therC
are other reasons that are equally
/ important On the Great Lakes snt
rivers Of the system, ships will no
/ be bothered with tides barnacle.
or the great storms that lash the
Allan It..
The President has recently made
an appeal for the Seawsy as a dc
Tense measure. Nearly il not all O
our shipyards on both oceans arc
working twenty-!cur hours q da,
seven days a week on orderz reach
ing far into Tie futu The. only
reason We are rot building more
ships is that we have no place Il
build them.
In case OF war any hsrbor or
either OF our scaboards will Away!
be in peril OF attack; but no hostile
vessel is go'rg 10 venture up ! 500
miles OF the waterway 10 make al
attack upon cur shipping, and even
for an aupl1Le it would be a yer.
DANGEROUS S2nuir with li.l,c chance
OF success. The proposed % foo
chanuel will not Ue deep enough Il
float battle silp, but it should u
ample for cruiser. destroyers an
------