A Foot-of-the-Lakes Terminal?

Kingston’s ambitious bid to become a foot-of-the-lakes terminal relied on the Inner Harbour. The only way to achieve an equal footing with major lake ports Midland, Port Arthur and Toronto would be substantial government funding. The city requested dredging of the Inner Harbour to a depth of 22 feet, connection of Belle Island to the mainland with the dredged sludge, and replacement of the old Cataraqui Penny Bridge. This would open up the Inner Harbour to lake shipping. The Inner Harbour was at the time only eight feet deep, though the Lower Harbour was only 15 feet, save for a channel dredged to the Montreal Transportation Company elevator of 18 feet. 

In May of 1911, The Cataraqui Bridge Co. had conveyed its dilapidated, 1828-built Penny Bridge to the city, who in turn ceded title to the Department of Public Works in June, 1912. Begun in 1826, bridge shares were sold for $100 to raise the $24,000 needed for its construction. At 25 feet wide and 1,800 feet long, the bridge opened for traffic in 1829, charging a penny per pedestrian. 

The Department of Public Works submitted a $1.8 million plan to the city in 1912 (above - Kingston Daily Standard clipping published May 8, 1912). The plan included a new rolling-lift bridge with 125-foot vertical clearance and dredging ($157,000) to open up the Inner Harbour via a new Lasalle Causeway. The Causeway’s bridge, 950 feet of dock and 1,700 feet of roadway ($230,000) were the initial steps in a grandiose plan to make the Inner Harbour a true Great Lakes Terminal! Further funds would be required for the envisioned five million-bushel grain elevator ($1,224,690) with further expansion to forty million bushels and fifty-car long loading tracks, coal-handling plant, docks, freight shed and a 500-car freight yard! The proposed Inner Harbour basin, its 53 acres dredged to 25 feet, would host 600 x 60-foot freight sheds adjacent to Belle Island. Wintering facilities for lake vessels would also be built.

The inner basin harbour area was planned to cover 53 acres, dredged to 25 feet to accommodate 15,000-ton lakers, with an aditional four acres dredged to 16 feet for canallers of 2,000 tons. A pier constructed on the west side of the basin would house the grain elevator. A map of the planned terminal, from Kingston - Building on the Past by Brian S. Osborne and Donald Swainson (below) raises some questions about the trackage and arrangements therein. Notice the loop track on 'Bell Island'. Since the docks were oriented for lake vessels, the tracks approached from the west shore 'backhand' and would have to negotiate a tight loop track to reach the docks, reminiscent of a similar wheel-and-spoke track plan in New York City! The CN-CP labelling of inbound tracks at top left should just read CN. One also has to question the downgrade to the Future Railroad Yard, and whether long cuts of cars could negotiate the grade up from water level. Moreover, it's unclear that many 600-foot lakers ever entered the Inner Harbour and whether this type of traffic was sustainable through a bridge that could become a bottleneck with limited navigable water in the Inner Harbour for vessel handling.

 

Another drawing of C. D. Howe's plans from 1919, as published in a Whig article:

However, aside from dredging the approach channel for 1,200 feet beyond the Causeway in 1920-1922 at a cost of $12,000, little else happened! The rolling-lift bridge entered service in 1917. Some of the history of the city's official applications to the federal government to improve the harbour facilities were discussed in this January 25, 1919 Daily  British Whig (below). A renewal of the original 1911 efforts was made in 1919, with the city's Board of Trade appointing a special committee on Harbour Improvements. The efforts recountedin the article included the original dredging the Inner Harbour to a depth of 22 feet; depositing the dredged material between Bell’s Island (the present Belle Island) and the city; and constructing a bridge between (Belle) Island and Pittsburgh Township to replace the old wooden Cataraqui bridge (the present LaSalle Causeway).

  

Throughout the 1920’s, there was rivalry between the cities of Kingston and Prescott for a break-bulk terminal. Involving the major railways delayed decision-making. Factors including flow of grain to the U.S. through Buffalo NY’s elevators, effects of pending Welland Canal improvements and St. Lawrence canalization were all considered. In the end, superior rail connections in Prescott tipped the balance in that city’s favour. Kingston’s supporters were stunned. 

Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) President W.H. Coverdale believed the Inner Harbour was indeed too cramped and too shallow for 600-foot lakers. With several such vessels including the mighty Lemoyne, CSL was poised to reap rewards of these massive Upper Lake boats transiting the Welland Canal to reach the Lower Lakes. Coverdale suggested two large terminals with suitable approaches, to be built at Kingston and Prescott.A site at Cataraqui Bay had all the attributes CSL needed. The company’s trans-shipment elevator opened at this location on September 15, 1930. (Top photo - Queen's University Archives, 1950).