Free At Last

The St. Mary's slnp canal passed into the posmsion of the bnlted States government lust Thursday, althoayh the official documenta bad been shrtied by the - tary of war and Uov. Jerome some little Unie before. The negotiations tor tlie transfer were drawn oat maeh beyond any time antlclpated a few nionths ago. Ii was expected that the opening of the locks this spring wonld le under the authority of the United State-, hut i rden came, and the offleers of the itate tooit oham as in previous e;ns. expectingevery day thereafter that the offers ¦! tr&Dafer would be recelyed. 'I'he d:ivs grew nto weeks aud the weeks afanos! into months,and stiH nutiiIfla dctiüirc was heard of the state t att'airs. Tlmrsday naornlna'l mail brouglit Mr. Noble's orders froin Gen. Weitzel to tftkfl -ion and opérate the canal, the tormalities of transier baring all been arranged The loca) inciUents connectel with the transfer were In " way exciting. The official letter of Gen. "Weitel was phown the officen in charge, and under instiuctions trom the state, previonsly re.'eived, posseesion as vielded. Li vet there' linvc liepn no chances In Local management furtherthan thatMT. Noble is CaptSpaulding; has charge of the locks, aml Mr. Cbaodier the otücp, and turtlier tliau tliat no tolls are ooHected A j.erson could not re ilie that a ebaace m important to the oomrnerte ut tlie great northwe-t had taken plioe. The ste.uu bargl IrOO Duke wal the lirst to Oree, and the schoouer m. Voung the last to pay tolls. The steamer City of Cleveland. whJch brought the ifer liere, tailed to re. elYe tlie , ben. -tit of the important documeiits, slie haring psid her tolls and pass.'. 1 the .-anal before the muil was tully distribuir"!.