New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-03
Why the Erie Canal should he Enlarged


Why the Erie Canal should he Enlarged.
The following lucid and cogent explana-
ton of the Canal Question now before the
People of our State is from the pen of one
of our ablest and most clear-sighted States
men. 1t appeared in Saturdays Sun:
THE ERIE CANAL-NECESSITY FOR IT'S EN-
LARGEMENT
The question is sometimes asked. and by
persons sincerely anxious to promote the pros
perty of our City, whether it is really necessary
to enlarge the Erie Canal-Or whether the IN
creasing trade with the interior may not be a.
cheapy and uSeful.y accommodated. by en-
ploying the Railroads running parallel with the
Canal, from Albany to Buffalo
We have gwen these questions some reflection
and inquiry. and the result IT,, that our City needs
both these channels, and IN fact every channel
that can reasonably be obtained, 10 keep pace
with the amazing increase of the country. II
needs all the Railroads to carry the passengers
and the lighter and more valuable ireghts. re-
curing expeditions dellvery-and the enlarged
Ere Canal TO transport cheaply the great mass
OF bulky products.
Few persons are aware, who have not exam
med the official statistical tables, OF the lia-
mense space Of volume occupied 10y the cargOeS
lively very small amount transported on the Hall
roads.
For several wears, a line OF well constructed
Railroads has been IN operation from Albany 10
Bufialo-iunished for good proportion OF the
distance with double tracks, and enjoying the
whole benefit of the winter monopoly, curing the
five months of the year while the Canal i
closed The companies owning these Rahrod'S,
including branches to " htehall, 70 Oswego, ana
to Elnlra, make annual reports 10 the Canal
Board from which II appears (vlde table No.
6D that IN the whole OF the year 1900, the total
/ amount transported on all these Railroads was
only ll7,3Gl tuns.
On the other hand. the amount carried on the
/ Canals In the same year. and during Only the
seven months OF navigation, reached the enor'
mons mess of nree millions and SERENITY SIR fhou-
sand SIR ldred and sercnieep 'uns-3,O' Dol -
! I'm other words the Canals carried more than
tr,gt,,.sjr fjt,es as much a. the Railroads
Now let W. look little al the size OF this mass
| of three n lions OF tuns. Cur readefs are hOS'
/ of them plain, sensible. Woodworking men
/ Most of Them are accustomed 10 handle tun
weight, and know what It means. Let us theh
J cooily 81, down and see whether any Railroads
No now possess could comfortably carry three
! millions OF tunS 10 market.
! 10 TRANSPORT this mass on the canals. now re-
! ouires As appears BY the official Canal RABIES,
/ 5Olj boats, for thar number appeared ohtue "a
/ nal Register on the ISL Gay OF JdHu'it l'Ss'
These boats are rom - 20 90 feet long II pla-
ced m line and actually touching one another,
tbpy would occupy 3 miles ct the Canal-tnat
- NOV would stretch from Albany nearly to
/ Ttica The distance these boats moved through
the Canals during the year 1850 exceeded eleven
millions of miles TIN actual run was equal
10 II .C6l, 80 niles moved oy a single boat
: equal 20 600 voyages across the Atlantic
Rut lei US look al the daily movement of the
c,roces The business Of the Canals necessarily
durtnotes with that OF the country, beng great
cr m some months and smaller M others Pro-
duce and merchandise must 90 TO market when
tho wants Of It's owners require u. nelner
carried on Canals or Railroads. some portions Of
the year must he more crowded fhan the others.
Euf Ter Us imagine the business OF the year cS-
acfiv divided into 800 working days each haV-
mo an equal portion. The existing tunnage Of
g0r- 6I- tuns would then require daily move
mont of 10. 40 TINS. But following the natural
and inevitable fluctuations OF business, the
movement at some seasons VIII need 20 De a
least f,renfg thousand TINS daily.
Now lef us measure this mass, piled up or
slowed ava IN railroad cars. Il Will consist,
not o articles of uniform buis. Ike the coal car
red on some OF the railroads IN Pcnnes lyanla--
out Of every variety of product ana commodity
from the Fast and Ncst--oi every variety of
weight and bulk. and TellIng every variety oi
,,ora ge---from pig lead and iron, 70 WOODEN
ware. silks, wool, fur and Fathers.
How much space viii these -),0OJ tlu- Occu-
nv on o Railroad The usua, frel NJ ears, If fully
tiled. carry got more than I'D ,uns 10 Oa1ed 20
then utmost capacity. AID cnantd together. me
.COCC ,urs would require 600 cars. The cars
viii afcrace at least 80 tectIn iength-makine
-otsl sum of SO least 0eo ieet ten miles long
Now VII any 0n, 81 our practical business
readers undertake 10 move ,uch Gllss. even u
broken irto numerous subdivisions. without DE
rcer lautv. interference or collision Do We nor
dali, SEE fu-h-ful losses 81 he and limo. 90 our
railroads. Do the 4itenpt t1 move lot 0l--iu-'
crecth part % tho quantity Ne.Y u7On u, ne
Ere Canal. ~ every sense "as mace TOT " tar
masses" Is not this Canal. then, worm pre-
serving. cheri>hug aud improving
twas uuIlt on a small scale. Nlen our u. ans
were narrow and cur vision vi tle future -'ll
narrower Experience ts, opened or @ e. 80
tte vas. realities The fr1lagc tn 1880 nai
reached 100000 tUns, Oh amount lar exceeding
the most ,anrulue predict. n> ~ - early friends.
In The 0ucf PERIOD ot t-l years, iron l.iJ 90
1870. 70 swei.e1 % more than double, and the
gN-f6f- tuns now reached. arc again destined
90 al increase stu more gigantic Tor - 1alig
Aneri.G has not get GOT near hls growth. The
money ,a.ue o.. tie carg IS carried on the Ca
rai~. which was sAtV-slE millions Oi dollar, IN
1870. increased Co one hundred and iiiy-s,x mil.
hons m ESQ. add who Will now dare - say that
II Will not soon reach thru hundred Millions
Can We rot, then, really afford to render such a
Canal capacIoUs. cheap and cOnyenIen-,
The average tuunage Of the present boats Is
about Co tuns. On the Enlarged Canal they will
cary al least 80 The capacity OF the Canal
q. IA ,ku. 10 trglle1-ind one third ,f tho nlr