Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-05
BuGaIo Hnrbor and InlernationnI Bridge

siSi iSss espeeiaiy Blaak Books Ledgers, Journals
les F,,<s. R@csivia- boss, Nc.. &C
Buffalo HurbOr and International Bridge.
We notice the Canal Board of the State of
New York, have. through the Legislature, Pc
titioned the General Government to make an
appropriation to pay for the cost OF the Erie
Basin and Break Water at Buffalo.
Such appropriations serve as drag to really
necessary and legitimate appropriations like the
St. Clair Flats and some others. Buffalo has
had millions expended to make HarbOr out
of Buffalo Creek By the State and General Gov
enments while she has lying at her feet one
Of the most capacious and safe natural Harbors
on the Western Lakes Some years since Com
mander Bigelow, an able and scientific officer
of the Navy, under the direction of the General
Government made survey of Buffalo Harbor
aud Niagara River, and in an elaborate Report
demonst ated the impracticability of making
Buffalo Greek safe Harbor, and upon his re-
commendation Light House was constructed
on Horse Shoe Reef" and q broad channel
broyed out to enable vessels to run into the
safe Harbor Of Niagara River, which borders
for miles the lower portion of the city of Buff
faIo
Yet there always has been and still is a po-
ltical influence concentrated in and about Buff
falo Greek, no matter what party is in power,
that has controlling influence in the State and
General Governments in the matter of harbor
appropriations at that point. They opposed the
Horse Shoe Reef Light House, and buoying
the channel into Niagara River; which de-
appropriations for their favorite Buffalo Creek
Their next move was to corrupt the Legisla-
ture of the State of New York and Canadian
Parliament, to pass an act authorizing the
bridging of Niagara River at Buffalo, in oppo-
stion to the interests and protests of the several
States bordering on the great Lakes; rendering
aboItive the design of the Federal Government
to afford a safe harbor for the commerce of the
Lakes on the broad bosom of the Niagara.
As especially appropriate to this subject, we
give an extract of letter from an old and
prominent citizen of New York, who has taken
a deep interest in our system of Lake and Canal
commerce and harbor improvements.
"The truth is that the expenditures made By
the Federal Government are a gross perversion
and abuse of the whole Lake Harbor policy
Erie, Grand River, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Chi
cagO and st. Clair Flats, are all legitimate snb-
jects of appropriation, because there are no
natural harbors along the coast where they are
situated An appropriation for Buffalo Creek
is no more subject of general interest, than
would be one to improve Greek (f there was
such one) emptyinC into Lake Huron two
miles above Fort Gratiot.
The corporate limits of Buffalo extend three
or four miles down the Niagara River. The
City, therefore, has natural harbor already;
and to spend the Federal money on the Greek,
is merely to favor the interests of one portion of
the City to the injury and destruction of the
other
The building of the Buffalo bridge is great
matter with those Bufalonians. Once erected
and the river Is annihilated as a Lake harbor
ana tnis Fefy Is1T @-sunsnt for fur
ther appropriations.
Their position will be this j.: Canada and New
York have blocked up the river, and there is
now no harbor at the east end of Lake Erie for
vessels in gales except Buffalo Greek. The
Erie Canal must have harbor at Its western
terminus, and that harbor must at any cost be
at the Greek, for there can now (the bridge be-
ing up) be no other. Here is the secret of the
anxiety at Buffalo for bridge The bridge
per Sc is of little moment. The incident, viz
The destruction of the river harbor, is its great
end and aim. Knavish as the whole intrigue
is, there is no doubt of its reality. The River
is a constant subject of alarm among the Greek
men, and has been since propellers began to run
up the Black Rock current"
The writer of this letter has evidently cor
rect view of the subject, and has watched the
progress of events with attention. The pres
ent member of Congress and the member elect
from the Buffalo district are of different politi-
cal creeds, but both largely interested in proper
ty in the immediate vicinity of Buffalo Greek,
which viii explain why they will labor for the
General Government to assume the needless
and expensive works of the Erie Basin, and
advocate still further appropriations for Buffalo
Creek, which Commander BigeIow in his re-
port says ais of dangerous approach in a
gale"