| Show st lawrence seaway plan would open great lakes ports to ocean shipp shipping NEW YORK more than 70 p per er cent of the worlds merchant shipping will be able to enter great lakes ports if the st lawrence seaway project is approved p roved by congress only 67 miles of canals are needed to open a 2350 mile waterway into the heart of north america vessels with a draft of less than 14 feet are now able to enter the lakes but their small size has greatly limited their cargo carrying capacity proponents of the pr project eject assert that it would prove a valuable aid in national defense the st lawrence seaway was approved pr oved on march 21 by a joint ba board ard of engineers and diplomats re representing pre canada and the united states congress is expected to accept or reject their agreement in the near future test borings bolings made alade since november 1940 united states army engineers have been working in the international R rapids section of the river making surveys and test borings bolings and drawing up plans construction work can begin soon after congress and the ca nadian parliament approve the agreement the job to be done immediately will cost it consists of damming the st lawrence at the foot of the international ra rapids aids where the river drops nearly 90 feet in 48 miles A control dam would be built some 40 miles up the river to regulate the level of lake ontario and provide an even flow of water into the deep pool created by the main dam near massena N A canal with a minimum depth of 27 feet equipped with locks would be built on the american side pow er houses would be built under the main dam and would produce approximately horsepower making the st lawrence hydro elec development the largest in north america with the exception of grand coulee in the state of washington completion of this project which will take about four years will remove the last important obstacle to deep water traffic from great lakes ports to the atlantic with a few other minor channel improvements and canal enlargements a seaway extending 2350 miles into the heart of the continent from the atlantic to duluth minn and which will accommodate any vessels of 25 foot draft or less will be completed save freight charges A recent survey by the de department part of commerce indicates that approximately 70 per cent of the worlds freight vessels would be able to use the seaway and that it will save a year in freight charges to shippers of the middle west the international rapids section of the st lawrence is the largest undeveloped source of waterpower water power remaining in north america it has the further advantage of being located near the heart of the united states biggest manufacturing cen ta T 4 I 1 ARI f 1 HAY PRO P BAKE V BUFFALO RAPIDS MENT RED N Y 7 cocoi in TOLEDO k CLAIR RIVER CAJAL ICE stclair VIRE 0 V E it A LL 6 RIVER C D 11 4 11 VE Q V I 1 R E 0 ILL I 1 0 canaii I 1 bew LOCK k XO 1 ge OHIO aa A Z LOCKS sea I evel t T LAKES LAKE ST FRANCIL 1 LAKE LAKE untaro A 11 gm 1 NA great lakes ports would be made available to seagoing ships in four or 0 r five years if the st lawrence seaway is approved by congress the map above graphically illustrates the work required to complete the project where factories already are importing power from canada and where residential consumers rates are among the highest in the nation the project itself is not a new one ever since mince 1895 canada and the united states have worked together at the job of making the great lakes their connecting channels and their outlet the st lawrence economic assets to the continent canada completed the biggest link in 1932 with the opening of the welland canal enabling freight vessels to bypass by pass niagara falls which was the chief navigation obstacle up to that time small canadian canals on the st lawrence now carry freight direct from the great lakes to the sea but their minimum depth of 14 feet limits traffic to small vessels nevertheless these shallow canals have been operated at capacity for several years carrying some tons of freight last year the new seaway will be limited in capacity only by its canal and locks system but it is estimated that it will carry at least tons of cargoes annually roosevelt supports project president roosevelt has urged the immediate construction of the st lawrence development as a necessity for continental defense shipyards in the protected waters of the great lakes could produce a large percentage of the warships needed for the two ocean navy and cargo carriers of every type lakes shipyards have the further advantage of being nearer to the source of steel and other materials it is pointed out the national need for more electric power already has brought about an increase of production at boulder dam bonneville TVA grand coulee and other big hydroelectric plants the president recently pointed out that st lawrence power is badly needed particularly to produce more aluminum even though the st lawrence development would not be completed for four years it is pointed out in washington it still would be in operation before many of the other defense projects are finished another defense factor recently advanced is is that the seaway will provide a protected supply line for the new defenses which the united states is building on newfoundland which guards the mouth of the st lawrence newfoundland is i s an is island approximately as large as the state of pennsylvania the st lawrence disgorges dis gorges the waters of the st lawrence into the atlantic through two channels one on either side of newfoundland newfoundland is accessible only by water or air for several centuries military tacticians tactic ians of every nation have regarded the st lawrence valley as the logical invasion route into north america strong bases at newfoundland supplied from the interior by a protected water route military men say will block any possible invasion of north americas vulnerable waist line in peacetime proponents of the project point out the seaway will give midwestern mid western agriculture and industry the benefit of water haul freight rates to any port in the world released by western newspaper union |
