long its eight mile course through the land and is of never failing
interest to all strangers. Traffic passing through, consisting of
tugs towing barges, colliers, of large and small tonnage, freight
boats and occasional government craft can be seen at close view from
the highways on either side and from the bridges that span the canal.
The opening and closing of the two huge jack-knife bridges is seldom
without interested spectators during daylight hours.

At night the canal is brilliantly lighted along its banks and the
passage through of the big New York boat is a sight that attracts a
great many people. The value of the canal to the system of national
defense was demonstrated during the war and a bill is now before
Congress for the purchase of it and for its operation by the war
department. Probabilities point to much greater development under
government ownership when it will probably be widened and deepened
and there is a possibility that locks will be installed to regulate
the rushing current that now more or less hampers navigation.

The people of Bourne foresee advantages to their town through these
contemplated developments and hope for the establishment of a
landing place which will provide terminal facilities for steamers
handling passengers and freight.

[Illustration: SCENE FROM "PAGEANT OF CAPE COD" HELD AT BOURNE]

Aside from its extensive summer business along the shores of
Buzzards bay and its popular colony at Sagamore Beach on Cape Cod bay,
Bourne has comparatively little commercial activity. One large
manufacturing plant exists at Sagamore where the Keith Car and
Manufacturing Company is located and gives employment to a large
number of men. There freight cars are built and repaired under the
management of Eben S.S. Keith, a former member of the Governor's
council and one of the leading citizens of the Cape.

Bourne enjoys the distinction of being a former summer capital of
the country. When Grover Cleveland was president of the United
States he established his summer home at Gray Gables, near Buzzards
Bay village, and there was transacted the government's business
during his stay there. Gray Gables is still owned by his widow
although it is no longer occupied by her.

Another distinguished resident of Bourne was the late Joseph
Jefferson, the veteran actor, whose palatial residence "Crows' Nest"
on Buttermilk bay was one of the show places of the section. In a
little cemetery, just over the