Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-06-30
Editorial correspondence of the Express.
THE ENLARGED ERIE CANAL.
ALBANY, June II

ALBANY, June II.
gave the other day sketch of the history of
the Erie Canal, from the first conception by Gov'r
Morris, OF the idea of uniting Lake Erie with the
Hudson in 1900 TO the celebration of the completion
of the work in 1925. The project of Enlarging
the Canal was started 10 years ago, or seven years
after it was completed AT that time double locks
were declared to be necessary. In 1884 the Canal
Commissioners recommended that 'the locks on
the Erie Canal East of Syracuse should be dou-
bled,'' and they also declared that the Canal ought
to be enlarged and boats of greater tonnage ad-
mtted In 1884 the capacity of a lock was equal
to 10000 lockages in season. The gates were
afterwards enlarged so that locks could pass, if
there was no hndrance, $4,000 boats. The av-
erage size of boats was 80 TONS and for four feet of
water The average of loads each way was about
SO tons. The utmost capacity of the old Canal
was, with single locks, 100000 tons. With
double locks and the enlarged Canal it would be
1890, 900 tons The utmost capaci ty of the Ca
nal as it was last year, 100000 tons. This year
if the boats are made to conform to the improved
locks there will be the means of transporting
3,l70,OO0 tons.
The magnitude of the canal business can hard
ly be conceived by any one who does not trace out
the vast increase Of this trade for series of years.
Going from the tide water it is for ten years an in
crease of 10 per cent. end arriving at tide wa
ter of per cent. The Report of the State Engi-
neer embodies these striking facts:--
"The tons arriving at tide water last year, 1s50)
were O33 $685. all performed in the space Of 226 days
A railroad, operated six days in the week, will have
1913 working days in a year. II the above business
should be divided equally throughout the year. then the
arrival at tide water would be 649S tons daily; average
loads of 100 tons of freight per train would require the
arrival daily of65 trains equal to train every twenty
two minutes throughout the "a hours. railroad per-
forming large passenger and fast freight business and
hoti lllo fron yItn oI nHId
perform onesXth OF the above as additional business.
by slow trains, even admitting That the variations of
trade at different seasons OF the year could by ncreas
ed loads, be accommodated by the number OF trains
stated. In other words, it would require six double
track railroads. having other traffic from which to
dividends, to perform The business of the Erie Canal
which the enlargement command. The above bu
siness would require outfit of al least 10 900
and 400 engines costing say So 900 0O0 and fcen6n-
ed to road, would require the daily arrival OF Al
miles OF trains to be unoaded, loaded and sent back
supposing that each train and each should be fully
loaded.
All the railroads now built and in process OF con-
structon, to connect Baltimore, Philadelphia, New
York and Boston with the west, would be overburden
ed with business iffreigh equal in to that Of
the Erie canal should be thrown upon them.
The effect OF an enlargement upon the economy OF
Transportation is wonderful. 1t estimated in 1885
to be equal so per cent and with partial enlarge
ment the effect is seen in the following rates.
1885 Per ton Per mile 1850 Per ton Per mi mile
81 40 $50 or l-9.l0 cts 40 &c, "a or 1-56l00cts
The average rates of transport the enlarged canal
will be at 90 40 per ton through, or 67-l0 mills per
ton per mile OF which three mills will be tolls, and
10 mills, charges. Make the charge mills, and the
cost of transport on the enlar cement will be mills
per ton per mile. The movement last year was equal
TO AIS 676 900 tons moved mile, and the cost of
movement last year, as above stated was Sc 100 cts
per ton per mile; making The total charges tor trans.
port. ....................$6 ,484 545 90
Cost, with enlargement completed at
mile. ..................... 2,9oe 1872 90