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MARINE REVIEW. Vot. XIII. CLEVELAND, O., FEBRUARY 6, 1896. No. 6. DEEP WATERWAYS, CONDITIONS OF DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE 20 AND 21-FOOT CHAN- NEL--A DRAFT OF 17 FEET IS ASSURED IN THE LAKE MICHIGAN TRADE DURING THE COMING SEASON IF WATER IS AT NORMAL STAGE. Although it is not expected that the deep water channel of the lakes in all its parts, including St. Mary's Falls canal, will be entirely com- pleted until the opening of navigation in 1897, lake vessels will be afforded great advantages in using parts of this new waterway during the coming season. In some cases, whole sections of the 20 and 21-foot channel are now completed; others will be entirely finished within cne to three months after the opening of the coming season, and others still will be completed as regards part of their width, so that advantage may be taken of the full draft which they will afford, although not the full width. This is especially true of sections of the work between Lakes Huron and Erie, or in other words, the channels that will be used by vessels in the Lake Michigan trade. With a view to showing the progress of work in all ofthe connecting waters between Lakes Huron and Michigan, the REVIEW presents as a supplement to this issue a chart showing the present state of these improvements. The drawing was made by Mr. Edward Molitor, who has for a number of years past been engaged on work of this kind in the United States engineer office, Detroit, Mich. Permission to make this drawing was granted by Lieut. Cavanaugh, corps of engineers, U.S. A, who is in charge of the Detroit office, and the REVIEW is indebted to Lieut. Cavanaugh also for all information con- tained in this article. The main object in having this chart prepared is to show that shortly after the opening of navigation next season all sections of the 20 and 21-foot channel between Lakes Huron and Erie will be available to vessels drawing 20 feet of water, at normal stage, but un- fortunately a great deal of dredging and rock blasting is yet to be done between Ballard's reef and Lime-Kiln crossing, Detroit river, and also in the Canadian channel between Amherstburg and the lower end of Bois Blanc island, Detroit river. These places are not covered by the big channel contracts. The work of dredging in the vicinity of Ballard's reef is dependent ugon appropriations aside from those for the 20 and 21-foot channel between Chicago, Duluth and Buffalo. DETROIT RIVER POINTS WHERE DREDGING IS STILL REQUIRED. | At the present time a channel 600 feet wide has been cleared of ob- structions to a depth of 18 feet at the normal stage of water, from Bal- lard's reef to Lime-Kiln crossing, the axis of the channel being the lower Grosse Isle range lights. The eastern half of this channel, 300 feet wide, is now being dredged to a depth of 20 feet, while the western half is open to the use of vessels. After the eastern half has been completed to the full depth of 20 feet, which will be done probably about the first of September, it will be thrown open to the use of ves- sels during the time the western half is being dredged to full depth of 20 feet. The completion of the western half to full depth of 20 feet will give a channel 600 feet wide and 20 feet deep at the normal stage of water, as proposed, but the whole improvement will not be finished before the end of the season. In the channel between Amherstburg and the lower end of Bois Blanc island there are a number of obstructions having but 17 feet of water over them at the normal stage. This part of the river was to have been improved by the Canadian government and dredges were to have been put on last season, but as yet no steps have been taken for the removal of the obstructions, and as this will soon be the only part of the deep channels where obstructions reach above 18 feet, the United States will have to take the necessary steps for the re- moval of these obstructions, unless the Canadian government does so, in order that full advantage of other improvements may be obtained. With the completion of the eastern half of the channel between Ballard's reef and Lime-Kiln crossing, about the middle of next season, these ob- structions will become even more serious, for they will lessen, by from 2 to 3 feet, the depths otherwise available. SEVENTEEN FEET DRAFT FOR LAKE MICHIGAN COMMERCE. Now as to what may be expected shortly after the opening of navi- gation next season: In 1895 the loss to vessels in carrying capacity on account of low water was the greatest ever known, but there were times, however, during the period of best water when vessels from Chicago and Escanaba passed through the river drawing full 16 feet. The great difficulties encountered by these vessels were met at Grosse point and at Ballard's reef. Next season about 1800 feet at the lower end of the Grosse point section of the new channel, from the 19-foot contour in Lake St. Clair into Detroit river will, shortly after the opening of navi- gation, be available to traffic, giving an available depth of 19 feet through Lake St. Clair. Conditions at Ballard's reef, where there is now availa- ble a channel 300 feet wide and 18 feet deep at normal stage, (i. e. the western half of proposed channel) will remain unchanged until the east- era half is completed to the full depth of 20 feet, giving a channel 300 feet by 20 feet, about Sept. 1, 1896; but it is unfortunate that little if anything more than 17 feet may be expected in the Canadian channel between Amherstburg and the lower end of Bois Blanc island. It is reasonable to expect, however, that with any improvement at all in the waters of the lakes generally, full 17 feet draft will be afforded vessels in the Lake Michigan trade. Firms owning vessels and controlling docks at Ashtabula are accordingly preparing for 17 feet draft in the rivers, and they propose to provide a similar draft in Ashtabula harbor, where dredges were at work the greater part of last season, and will again begin operations at the earliest opportunity in the spring. The situation is different as regards Lake Superior. For the trade through the Sault canal, there is, of course, no hope of increased draft, excepting such as may be derived from a natural increase of water levels, until the new canal is in readiness in the spring of 1897. Then, too, there is one section of the 20 and 21-foot channel in the Sault river-- _ section 3 at Sailor's Encampment--upon which there is a great deal of -- dredging yet required. But it is now certain that all parts of the 20 and 21-foot channel work proper will be entirely completed during the © coming season, as the condition of the work at present is as follows: Section 1, (two shoals near Round Island, above Sault Ste. Marie) is done; section 2, (Little Mud lake and Dark Hole, Sault river) is practical- -- ly completed; section 3, (Sailor's Encampment, Sault river) is well along towards completion and will be finished during 1896; section 4, (head -- of Mud Lake, Sault river) is completed; section 5, (foot of Lake Huron) not entirely completed but eastern half, 1,200 feet wide and 21 feet deep, -- available for traffic; section 6, (St. Clair Flats) is completed ; section 7, (Grosse point, foot of Lake St. Clair) not entirely completed but lower 18,000 feet, giving a 19-foot navigation, can now be made available for traffic and entire section will be finished shortly after the opening of navigation in 1896; section 8, (mouth of Detroit river) not entirely com- pleted, but available for traffic and will be finished shortly after opening -- of navigation in 1896. LITTLE PREPARATION IN LAKE ERIE HARBORS. Now while it is shown here that there is every reason to expect at least 17 feet of water at normal stage next season for vessels in the Lake Michigan trade, it may be saidina general way that there is not nowa single harbor on Lake Erie that will admit vessels of that draft. Ashta- bula harbor will afford such a draft shortly after the opening of naviga- tion, but even at that point there is danger of the mouth of the harbor filling up with sand unless constant dredging is resorted to. The infor- mation contained in this article tends to show, however, that the deep- water channels are gradually approaching a reality, and municipalities, dock corporations and other interests will certainly make short work of -- fitting the harbors of Lake Erie for 18 or 20 feet draft, if the work in con- necting rivers of the lakes turns out to be all or nearly all that is ex- pected of it. One other point must be borne in mind by vessel owners.. If expectations regarding this deep draft are realized, there are a great many steel vessels now in commission that must be strengthened and otherwise prepared for it. President J. J. H. Brown of the Lake Carriers' Association adds the following note to a communication of recent date: 'Some one has been kind enough to mail me a copy of the Detroit Evening News of Jan. 31, containing a striking illustration of a bridge, which is dedicated to the 'Hog Carriers' Association.' The name is new to me, butas I take it, it is suggestive of a railroad combination, which admiring the success of the Lake Carriers' Association, has come as near imitating the name as they could without infringing on our patent. It is an old saying that 'imitation is the sincerest flattery.' I think the design most perfectly illustrates the position of the Michigan Central Railroad Co. on the De- troit river bridge question, in its efforts to needlessly obstruct the free and safe navigation of the river." SUBSCRIBERS WILL AVOID DANGER OF MISTAKES BY GIVING THE OLD AS WELL AS THE NEW ADDRESS WHEN A CHANGE IS DESIRED.