Year: 1861

took, than in the price agreed to be paid
for the work. The Engineer employed


by US had estimated the expense of the
Improvements at seventy-five thousand
dollars, and the Board were unanimous
in awarding the contract to Holmes
and Clark, at seventy-two thousand
dollars. The contractors Immediately
entered upon the work, and before the
first of August, had got so far pro-
gressed as to dispel all fears of any
serious accident occurring so as to in
terrupt its navigation. As the season
advanced it became apparent that the
closing of the canal by the 18th of
September, or in fact, at any time be-
fore winter set in, would prove disas-
trous to the commercial interests upon
Lake Superior. An usual quantity of
iron ore had accumulated at Marquette,
awaiting shipment, and the fall and
winter supplies of the whole mining
region upon that Lake would not be
ready to pass through the canal until
after the 18th. Petitions signed by
most of the vessel owners and masters,
navigating the canal, and by the pri-n
cipal business men of Detroit, Cleve-
land, Buffalo, and Chicago, and others
doing business upon Lake Superior,
were presented, urgently requesting us
not to close the canal at all, but to
make some arrangements with the
contractors by which the work should
be deferred until the season of naviga-
ton had closed. The board felt that
these men had right to be heard, and
that their interests should be consulted,
inasmuch as the entire expense of max
ing the repairs upon the canal must,
under the law, be borne by those using
it,-that the additional expense of do
ing the work in the winter, although it
might be great, was nothing in compar-
ison to the injury commerce might re-
ceive by shutting up the canal under
the circumstances, even for one month.
After consulting with the Engineer,
and getting his views as to the feasi-
bility of doing the work in the winter
season, in that cold latitude, the terms
of the contract (by the consent Of the
contractors) were so changed as to re-
quire them to complete the work be-
tween the closing of navigation of 1859,
and the opening thereof in the Spring
of 1860, and as compensation for
changing the terms of the contract,
they were to be paid the additional ex-
pense of the work by reason of the
change in the time for doing it. This
additional expense to be determined by
the State Engineer, and competent
person selected by the contractors, and
in case they could not agree, then
they were to select third person, fa-
miliar with the work, and the award of
the majority was to be conclusive. 1t
is due to the State Treasurer, that /
should here remark that he did not
concur in making the change in the
contract, on account of the additional
expense attending it, and of the sup
posed impracticability of doing the
work in the winter season.


The improvements have all been
completed to the entire satisfaction of
the Board, and without at all interfering
with the navigation of the canal, and
in accordance with the terms of the
contract and its amendments, and the
canal may now be said to be finished,
and that, too, in so permanent manner
as to allay all apprehensions of any Sc
rious difficulty again occurring. The
contractors presented to the Board a
claim of over sixteen thousand dollars
on account of the extra expense occa-
stoned by dong the work in the winter
season. The Board did not feel war
ranted in allowing so large sum, but
preferred leaving the question to be
settled in the manner agreed upon by
the amendment to the contract. Sub
sequently, the Engineer on the part of
the State, and who was present du-
ring the entire progress of the work,
certified to the Board that ten thou-
sand dollars, was, in his judgment a
reasonable sum to allow the construct
ors, and that sum was finally agreed
upon and awarded them.


The entire expenditures upon the
Canal, in pursuance of the act of 1859,
authorizing the loan, as determined by
the Board of Control, rs follows;


Original Contract price with Hol-


mes & Clark, s72 600 90
Amount allowed them on account


of change in contract, 10000 90