 He bought large shares in the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the Michigan Central Railroad, and was the largest shareholder in and president of the St. Mary's Falls Ship Canal Company, which constructed the canal and locks on the St. Mary's River at Sault Ste.Marie, Michigan, connecting Lake Superior with Lake Huron.For this the company received 750,000 acres (3035 km²) of land in the west; Corning himself took 100,000 acres (400 km²) of this.