COST OF OPENING F. WILLIAM AND ARROW LAKE ROUTE. 217 



The North- West Company cut out a cart road between 

 Point des Meurons, nine miles from Fort William, and 

 Whitefish Lake, lying to the north-east of Arrow Lake, 

 from which it is separated by a portage. This road and 

 all old portage paths require to be cleared, and tramways 

 laid down, over which loaded boats may be hauled by 

 appropriate tackle. The portages on this route are 

 low and short, and might be rendered passable in the 

 manner suggested for a small outlay. The height of land, 

 although more elevated than the Savanne Portage, is nearly 

 one degree further south, and the country through which 

 the route lies is well timbered. Whatever route may be 

 ultimately adopted between Lake Superior and Eainy 

 Lake, steamers must be placed on Eainy Eiver, and a 

 road constructed through the swamps west of the Lake 

 of the Woods to Eed Eiver. When these works are 

 completed, the summer communication between Lake 

 Superior and Eed Eiver, via Arrow Lake, will be ac- 

 complished within six days, which will bring Fort Garry 

 within twenty-two days of Liverpool. 



The cost of improving and opening what may be 

 termed the Fort William and Arrow Lake route to fulfil 

 these conditions, does not exceed 12,000Z. ; the details of 

 this estimate are given in the Appendix. The proposed 

 route involves the following modes of traveling : — 



1. Fort William to Arrow Lake by waggon road. 



2. Arrow Lake to Rainy Lake by boat of five or six tons or more, cross- 



ing the portages on tramways without unloading. 



3. Rainy Lake to the Lake of the Woods by steamer with one tranship- 



ment at Fort Frances, until the construction of two locks of ten feet 

 lift, and one guard lock, are made to overcome the Chaudiere Falls. 



4. The North-West corner of the Lake of the Woods to Fort Garry by 



road. 



The Canadian Government have placed the sum of 

 $20,000 per annum, for five years, at the disposal of the 



