Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-05-01
from Sd page. ]

narration For the same AN increase OF dis-
lance may be made TO esaaze din'nlsnsa as
Of weight. To farnsh an accurate measure oi no.o
ment, the weight and distance mast Dc muit'PhSo
together, and the result will denote inc 'otai mose
ment, expressing II by the movement IA nns a ~
gle ton. BY comparing the re ults thus deduceo
we obtain a clear view OF the relative amount VI
movement, or, in other words, OF trans portat'oA
nished by each class OF commodities 10 the ANA
This mode Of .m putatiOn has accordingly been en-
ployed in pre- pairing the table before reierrea To-
That table shows he actual comparative amount o.
movement in mi lies of each class OF commodities he
tolls paid by each, and there Is eXhbied IN anonoI
column the amount of pecuniary saving whSh eaon
dlass OF articles will experience by the ProPoseu
cheaPening of transportation The totai NOV e1 h
of the tonnage proper of the Erie canal as SHOWN py
the table, and denoted by the movement OIL single
ton is I3l 047 800 miles, and the movement OIL eaen
class Of commodities denoted In the same m4nner,
affords the means OF ascertaining ats comparative
yalue and Importance in furnishing transportation 10
the canal. Thus II is shown that the movement OF
boards, scantling, and timber, supposed by some TO
eonxtitute so impor ant portion oil the total trans
narration is but 10 003 572 miles, or one-seven OF
the whole while that of merchandise is ~ 10
miles and that Of -four and wheat 40, l94 800 miles
II is true that additional amount OF mo ement may
be estimated for the prod ct of the forest, first ship
ped on the lateral canals, and subsequently trans
ported on the Erie canal bat that amount may be
safely estimated not exceeding thirteen millions
of miles which, added to the 10 013 572 miles above
stated produces fetal OF only 81 OO3512 miles, and
still leaves the proportion furnished by those com
modties little more than onehith oil the tota trans
portation.
The view which the table also presents of the pc
cuniary saving to each class OF commodities ey the
proposed cheapening ct the transportation, wln DC
Interesting in enabling US to Judge oil the ehect oil
that saving in fostering the various bran mes OF our
internal industry, and thereby increases the com
merce Of the canal IL will be obvious that the large
amount Of benefit thus distributed will operate as Ell
fectually in promoting the production, consumption
and sale Of those espectve classes oil commoaiues,
if it directly conferred In the shape OF pc
cuniary bounty or donation equal to the amount
saved. In some instances il VIII appear that the
bene thus conferred will actually exceed the amount
Of tolls paid by the commodity benehttsd
Salt which paws in tolls S2l l06 will be benefited
S23 1888 boards and scantling, which now pay
ef3 265 in tolls, will be benefited l sos while the
leading articles Of western trade flour and wheat,
slaves and ashes. paying In tolls S4ZI 5o', VIII De
benefited G269,5l6.
The effect OF such stimulus in nimating and ex-
tending the various branches of our internal industry
and in aHgmenting the amount OF tonnage which they
will furnish. to say the least would abundantly sap
ply any dminutiOn in the products OF the forest SO
far however, from diminution of those commodi'
ties being likely to occur to any serious extent Is
more probable that the amount OF those products
will for a cOnsi cradle period Of time, be actually
augmented by reason OF the enlargement.
But there is a branch of traffic in bulky product,
of great and rapidly extent and importance
not now enjoyed by canals, upon which the en-
largement Of the canal and consequent cheapening OF
trans may produce effects OF the greatest
conseouence 10 our fiscal interests. The immense
bitumir and anthracite coalGelds Of Pennsylva-
nI., II. Gloss. .0nH ne southern boundary Oh our
State: la. Dbl. ent time, the coal has been
provence Il < our borders by The want of
ADEQUATE meau importation. Since the close OF
navigation however, the railroad referred to in fer
part of this report has been completed from the
coal fields at Bossburgh and is now IN full operation
by which the bitumnous division of this great coal
region is directly connected with the Chemung canal
and through that canal the Seneca lake and the Cayu
"a and Seneca canal, with the main line OF the Erie
canal at Montezuma. The State of Pennsylvania Is
also vigorously prosecuting the extension OF the
North Branch canal leading out OF the heart oil the
RAT he Sus han IN he
southern line Of this State, Tioga Point, at
which place il may be readily and cheap y connected
with public works by extensions OF the present
lines Of the Chemung and Chenango canals.
Oar experien hitherto In the trans portation OF
coal on our public works, has been so limited that
we hardly estimate, as II merits, the great i'm
portance OF this nexation 20 our canal image
The whole amount Of oalcarried ON the Erie canal |
in the year 1899 was but 7,757 tons; qIantity so
small almost to escape attention; while IN the same
year, there were transported on the TIVE great coal
canals Of Penns yyasia, (the Lehigh and the Schuy
kill) 674 270 equal already TO three fourths
Of the total tonnage OF the Erie canal This large
amount Of trans alton has moreover grown up al
mo 81 entirely within the last ten years. having in
creased from 79 g73 tons, in 1929 TO 2l0 tons in
1884 and again from that amount in 1884, to 67l270
tons in 1899. The extent TO which traffic in coal
NAV be carried in a country densely peopled, and
especially upon a channel OF transportation so capa-
ceus as the enlarged Erie canal, hardly be cal
culatsd. The demand which exists for that specie.
OF fuel in the interior districts OF this State. and
especially at the salt works Of Onondaga is already
very rable and il is hourly increasing with
the progress Of our population. IL the enormous |
masses OF this erial carried annually ON the
canals OF England, amounting to many millions OF
tens, be taken at all guide, may safely pre-
diet that this branch Of traffic will eventually pro-
duce results only to the but II the gene
raj prosperity Of our commonwealth, OF the greatest
importance.
For all commercial purposes, the diminuton OF the
cost Of trans portaion a canal half 10 equva
lent to a reduction Of its length one half. In that
sense the enlargement Of the channel from Albany
20 Montezuma Cat which point the coal Of Pennsyl.
vania sent through the Chemung canal will be re-
ceved on the Erie csnsl will operate to redsce the
present distance OF 2O6 miles, between these two
points, to I03 miles, and in the like sense, the com
pletion OF the enlargement from Albany TO Buffalo;
will abrdge its total length from 35l to lS2 miles;
and thus bring Lake Erie, with all its growing COM
merce within half its present distance from the tide
waters OF the Hudson
IL not the design Of the Board at this time to at
tempt any computation OF the future growth Of our
western trade but il will be proper to state that its
progress thus far has operated greatly to increase the
i'm portauce of the western division Of the canal and
20 render IL necessary that every fscity which may
be required for the convenience OF its navigation
should be promptly afforded. The statistical tables
Of the canal commerce show that the trade west Of
Mont yuma pays nearly two.thirds Of all the
tolls OF the Erie canal In 1888, the tonnage shipped
west OF that point paid S52,3l2
The tell q. asee .diog merchandise con-
sumed within that portion Of the State,
amounted 10 at least $4,000 |
And the toll On the 20 go tons sent west
ward from Buffalo, was I5o,o73 |
So ss5
To which add the toll paid on the boats