Statement of commerce through both American and Canadian canals at Sault Ste. Marie, 19. Apr. 27 Dec. 7 Statement of commerce through both American and Canadian canals at Sault Ste. Marie, No. 7,992 9, 230 8,816 15, 120 17,657 1855.. June 18 Nov. 23 Nov. 15 do... Dec. 20 17, 153 15, 859 30,966 19,685 425, 558 26, 190 18,869 40, 213 Coal. 33,548 26, 040 136, 411 179,855 309, 991 355, 117 Wheat. Bushels. 74 223 Grain, Manufac- pig iron. Bushels. 82,060 40, 637 71, 738 133, 437 76,830 59, 062 78, 480 229,926 249, 031 285, 123 304, 077 272,580 49,700 424, 468 Net tons. 1,445 2,272 4, 426 3,031 7,172 1,446 4,904 7,023 7,939 9,234 7,400 14,484 23, 141 25, 604 42, 049 57, 216 100, 293 33,713 56, 649 18, 116 54, 302 92,870 109, 910 60,842 115, 208 Statement of commerce through both American and Canadian canals at Sault Ste. Marie, Season. Date of Date of Year. opening closing Copper. Net tons. 4,400 6,944 7,269 9,000 7,645 6,881 1,044 5,331 9,935 1855. June 18 Nov. 23 Dee. 2 186.. May 8 Nov. 26 120,612 24, 277,555 Lumber. 664 240 M.ft. B. M. Net tons. Net tons. Net tons. 127 5,690 433 5,538 680 7, 140 188 766 1,414 2,012 822 660 1,177 1,404 1,423 814 1,098 1,853 2,191 686 4,498 17,820 15,373 34,889 Silver 909,651 92 461 306 580 443 847 985 1,020 768 324 66 43, 439 48.635 58,877 82,783 87,131 122.389 127,984 138,688 165, 226 315,554 361,929 366,305 588,545 2,470 722,788 412 740,700 100 684,986 240 805,612 5 895,485 1,038, 057 22 814 731 669 3,385 5,947 3,432 1,731 Build- Unclassi- 487 110 1,356 4,560 5,528 5,213 2,218 401 2,506 2,754 2,226 2,283 1,400 5,428 2,405 6, 047 8,189 13, 401 33,541 33,538 47,973 44,080 39,698 23,876 17,731 6,249 4,670 19,426 21,417 St. Marys Falls Canal, Michigan, State lock, 1855 to 1887. St. Marys Falls Canal, Michigan, Weitzel lock, since September 1, 1881. 9,587 25, 280 14,915 12,972 30, 213 11,226 32,310 33, 632 41,813 40, 342 74,227 109,663 123,398 55, 312 70, 128 91, 119 64, 201 172, 167 312, 410 417,093 415, 180 579, 048 Total freight. Net tons. 14,503 33,817 51,607 57,002 122,056 153, 721 87,847 161,675 236,780 181,638 239, 457 325, 357 299, 175 585,583 746, 258 912, 639 937, 351 2,029, 521 2,267, 105 5,494, 649 GROWTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR COMMERCE. The movement of freight to and from Lake Superior previous to the opening of the State canal in 1855 was entirely by boat to Sault Ste. Marie, where the cargoes were unloaded, then taken across the portage 1 mile long, and reloaded aboard boats. In 1851 about 12,600 tons passed over the tramway portage; the transshipments to Lake Superior ports comprised the articles hay, oats, dry goods, groceries, and mining machinery to the value of $1,000,000, and those to lower lake ports included copper, iron blooms, and fish, valued at $675,000. During the fifty years the canal has been in commission the yearly traffic has increased from a minimum of 14,503 tons to a maximum of 35,961,146 tons. The increase in tonnage of each year's traffic over that of the preceding year has averaged about 20 per cent. For each decade the average percentage of yearly increase and the total tonnage are as follows: The St. Marys Rapids are about half a mile wide and three-fourths of a mile long. The fall ranges from 16 to 20 feet with the varying stages of water. The first canal was built on the Canadian side of the river by the Northwest Fur Company in 1797-98. The lock was 38 feet long, 8 feet 9 inches wide, with a lift of 9 feet. A towpath was made along the shore for oxen to track the batteaux and canoes through the upper part of the rapids. The lock, excepting its timber floor and miter sills, was destroyed in 1814 by United States troops from Mackinac Island under command of Major Holmes. The first ship canal, known as the State Canal, was built on the American side of the river in 1853 to 1855, some 750,000 acres of land in Michigan having been granted by the United States Congress for the construction thereof. The canal was 1 miles long, 64 feet wide at bottom, 100 feet wide at water surface, and 13 feet deep. There were two tandem locks of masonry, each 350 by 70 feet, having 114 feet of water on the miter sills and a lift of about 9 feet each. Capt. A. Canfield, topographical engineers, United States Army, made the original surveys. Charles T. Harvey was superintendent of construction, and the St. Marys Falls Ship Canal Company was the contractor. The locks were destroyed in 1888 by excavations for the present Poe lock. The Weitzel lock, 515 feet long, 80 feet wide in chamber, narrowing to 60 feet at the gates, with 17 feet depth of water on the miter sills when the upper pool is 601.9 feet and the lower pool 584.4 feet above mean tide at New York, was built by the United States in the years 1870 to 1881. During the same period the depth of the canal was increased to 16 feet, the mean width to 160 feet, and the stone slope walls were replaced with timber piers having a vertical face. Gen. Orlando M. Poe was the engineer officer in charge of the district from 1870 to 1873, and Gen. Godfrey Weitzel from 1873 to 1882. Alfred Noble was the assistant engineer in local charge from 1870 to 1882. Boyle & Roach were the principal contractors. The Canadian Canal, 13 miles long, 150 feet wide, and 22 feet deep, with lock 900 feet long, 60 feet wide, having 22 feet of water on the miter sills, was built on the north side of the river in the years 1888 to 1895. Hon. Collingwood Schreiber was chief engineer of Dominion canals, etc., and W. G. McNeill Thompson was the government engineer in local charge of construction work. Ryan & Haney were the contractors. The Poe lock, 800 feet long, 100 feet wide, and having 22 feet of water on the sills, was built by the United States in the years 1887 to 1896. Gen. Orlando M. Poe was the engineer officer in charge of the district from 1883 to 1895, and E. S. Wheeler the assistant engineer in local charge of construction work from 1882 to 1897. Hughes Bros. & Bangs were the principal contractors. The American Canal since 1892 has been deepened to 25 feet, and its entrance piers have been extended so that its total length at the falls is now 1 miles. Its width is variable, being 500 feet at the upper entrance, 108 feet at the canal gate, 270 feet at the basin above locks, and 1,000 feet at the lower entrance. Dunbar & Sullivan and J. B. Donnelly were the principal contractors The canal also practically includes that part of the channels through St. Marys River which have been improved through shoals of sand, clay, bowlders, sandstone, and limestone rock. The United States Government made the first appropriation for improving the river channels in 1856. The Lake George route was improved for 12 feet draft, 1857 to 1860 and 1866 to 1869. The depth was increased to 16 feet, 1879 to 1883. The Hay Lake route was improved for a depth of 20 feet at mean stage of water, years 1882 to 1894. Betterment of the channels has been continued every year since, so that the dredged areas now total 34 miles in length with least width of 300 feet, increasing at angles and other critical places up to 1,000 feet. Last year excavation of channels was begun for 21 feet at lowest stage of water. The engineer officers in past charge of the river improvements were Capt. A. W. Whipple, 1858-1861; Col. T. J. Cram, 1866-1870; Maj. O. M. Poe, 1870-1873; Col. G. Weitzel, 1873-1882; Maj. F. U. Farquhar, 1882-83; Col. O. M. Poe, 1883-1895; Col. G. J. Lydecker, 1896-1902, and Maj. W. H. Bixby, 1902-1904. J. Hickler & Sons, C. F. & H. T. Dunbar, and Carkin, Stickney & Cram were the principal Contractors. The cost of the several improvements, stated in round numbers, is as follows: Weitzel lock Poe lock.. Widening and deepening canal. Improving channel through river. $1,000,000 1,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 4, 000, 000 4, 000, 000 Hydraulic power is used for operating the American locks, a pressure of 115 pounds per square inch being used for the Weitzel lock machinery and a pressure of 200 pounds for the Poe lock machinery. Electricity generated by water power is used for operating the Canadian lock. The Poe lock can be filled or emptied in about seven minutes, and the gates opened or closed in two minutes. The Weitzel lock can be operated in about the same time as the Poe lock. The Canadian lock can be operated in about eight minutes. An up-lockage of a single boat 350 feet long has been made through the Poe lock in eleven minutes, but the average time spent in making a lockage last season was nearly twenty-nine minutes, most of which was due to the slow movement of boats while entering and leaving locks. Frequently as many as five boats were included in a single lockage. The average time of lockage through the Canadian bock was sixteen minutes. From 1855 to 1881 the canal was controlled by the State of Michigan and tolls were charged to cover operating and repair expenses, the rate at first being 63 cents per registered ton, which was gradually reduced to 2 cents. Similarly the minimum charge for lockage of a boat was reduced from $5 to $3. Since control was transferred to the United States in 1881 the American canal has been free for public use by all nations. Likewise the Canadian Canal has not collected tolls for either foreign or domestic commerce. The lock force under State control consisted of about twenty men, having one watch only, as night navigation of the river was then impossible. Under United States control two watches, of twelve hours each, were established in 1881, and same continued to 1891, when three watches of eight hours each were organized. The force engaged in passing boats has been increased with the growth of commerce, the number now aggregating 74; in addition, there are 19 others employed as clerks, watchmen, and janitors. |