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Show TODAY THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIG CANAL'S OPENING SAULT STfi. "MARIE, Mich., Aug. 2.-With the city crowded with thousands of visitors and with hundreds of yards of bunting flying in the breeze from ail the buildings on both the American and Canadian sides of the St. Mary's river, a salute at sunrise from the Government ships in the harbor opened the two days': celebration celebra-tion of the semi-eentennial of the opening of the St. Mary's ship canal, ca-nal, which, connects Lake Superior with the lower lakes. " More , traffic passes through these three locks than through any similar waterway in the world. In 1904, 38,000 passengers were transported transport-ed through the canal and a total of 31,546,106 tons of freight with a value of f 340,000,000,:' SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., Aug. 2. The Sault Ste.-Marie-ship canal, the fiftieth anniversary; of the opening of which was celebrated today, was completed com-pleted by the State of Michigan in 1855. This ship channel, the connecting link between . Lake Superior and the lower lakes, was transferred to , the United States Government In 1870. Since the Government took charge of the waterway,, water-way,, vast .Improvements have been undertaken, un-dertaken, the ca,nal having been widened wid-ened and deepened several times. It Is now considered the busiest of the world's artificial waterways. . In 1888 the lock erected by this State was destroyed de-stroyed by excavations for the present Poe lock, which is the largest In the world. It Is 800 feet long 'and 100 feet wide,' with a water depth of 22 feet on the sills. The WeitzePlock. which was made necessary by , the -Increased traffic, and is still in operation, is 515 feet long. , The traffic by way of the Soo canal, both American "and Canadian, during 1905 waa 32,000,000 net tons, 27,000,000 of which were through -the American canal. ca-nal. The traffic of the Suez canal In 1904 was 22,000,000 net tons. This rep-resented rep-resented sa large part of the commerce of, Europe, Asia-and sdme of that between be-tween the United States and Asia. . The Soo canal has developed the vast mineral wealth of the Lake Superior region and has furnished a cheap and convenient outlet for the transportation transporta-tion of grain, flour and other products to the East and to Europe. It has helped to build up great industrial centers cen-ters at Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo, has aided in making Pittsburg the greatest ' iron and steel center in the world, and has contributed materially toward giving the .United States primacy pri-macy in the production of Iron, steel and copper. Another lock, must be built and the ship, canal above the locks must be widened because of the great development develop-ment of the ore and grain traffic of the Northwest. The eeml-centesnial celebration and the erection later of a monument as a permanent per-manent memorial was made possible by the appropriation of $10,000 by the United States, and $15,000 by the State of Michigan, Michi-gan, and the contribution of a considerable consider-able amount by the vessel interests of the Great Lakes. The two days of the celebration cele-bration were declared legal holidays on both the American and Canadian sides of the river, and business has been suspended suspend-ed wherever possible.' Owners of lake vessels arranged the trip of many of the largest freighters on the lakes, so that they would pass through the canal during the celebration. Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks, Gov. Fred M. Warner of. Michigan and his staff, United ' States Senator J. C. Burrows of Michigan, Congressman T. D. Burton of Ohio. Hon. William Livingstone, Living-stone, president of the Lake Carriers' association; as-sociation; Charles I. Harvey of Toronto, who constructed the original locks; and Miss Betty Poe. daughter of Gen. O. M. Poe. who constructed the Poe lock, are among the distinguished visitors present at the celebration. Hon. Rodolphe Lemleux, 8olicl tor-General of Canada, and a party of Canadian officials also are-present are-present at the celebration. The first day was devoted to naval and military parades, Indian sports and exhibitions exhi-bitions and a reception by Gov. Warner to the other . distinguished guests, followed fol-lowed by a magnificent exhibition of fire-works. fire-works. . .. . ... .. , . . . .. v V v |